Learn Basic Photo Editing

Go From Photo to Painting With BeFunky’s Artsy Effects

By Melanie Doncas | Basic Photo Editing Effects Showcase Photo Editor Tutorials

Have you ever wanted to turn a photo into a painting, but lacked the materials and expertise to do so? Well, forget the expensive canvas, messy paints, and small army of paint brushes. From watercolor and oil paintings, to gouache, pointillism, impressionist, and underpainting, BeFunky’s awesome Artsy Effects will have you going from picture to painting in just a few clicks.

Ready to get in touch with your inner Picasso? Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to turn photos into paintings using our Photo Editor!

How to Turn a Photo Into a Painting Using BeFunky

Ready to turn your photo into a painting? Simply head to the Photo Editor, then Open the photo of your choice.

Step 1: Navigate to the Artsy Effects

You’ll find these in the main menu on the left, in the Artsy section. Then, select the medium you wish to convey.

Photo to Painting navigate to Artsy effects

Step 2: Select Your Painting Effect

There are plenty of effects to choose from within your desired art medium. Just click on the one that takes your fancy.

Photo to Painting edit effect

Step 3: Adjust the Effect, If Necessary

After clicking on your desired effect, you’ll notice three options are presented above the effect slider: Settings, Cancel, and Apply. Click Settings to adjust specific elements of this effect further, such as Brush Size, Brush Length, Paint Amount, and more. Then, click the Apply button.

Photo to Painting Adjust effect

Step 4: Save Your Photo to Painting

Finally, all that’s left to do is save your finished masterpiece! Click Save at the top of the screen, then select your desired save location.

Photo to Painting Save image

Photo to Painting Inspiration

Whether you want to create paintings for home decor or share them on social media to impress your friends, you’ll find an Artsy effect for any painterly look you want to achieve. If you need some ideas for your next project, we’ve got you covered! Here are our favorites!

Underpainting

Underpainting is an artistic technique that was made popular in the Renaissance period and was popular among artists including Giotto, Jan van Eyck, and Rogier van der Weyden. It involves placing a color underneath the initial painting to add vibrance, contrast, and boosted tonal values to the finished product. The technique also allows artists to create some texture by building multiple layers of paint on the canvas.

Similarly, BeFunky’s Underpainting effects bring out the richness and texture of your photo that simply can’t be captured with a camera. Think exaggerated shadows, more prominent edges, and soft paint stroke patterns that add a multi-dimensional brilliance.

Photo to Underpainting after image
Photo to Underpainting before image

Before

After

Oil Painting

Oil painting is a technique that dates back to the 7th Century AD and uses ground-up colored pigment suspended in a drying oil. No one can deny the unique and beautiful look created with this method, but who’s got weeks to wait until the paint dries completely?

Thankfully, the numerous Oil Painting effects available in the Photo Editor are just the thing to instantly transform any photo into a painting that would get van Gogh’s, Picasso’s, or Rembrandt’s own nod of approval. You can even play around the effect’s Brush Size, Color Detail, and more to get the exact look you had in mind.

Photo to Oil Painting after image
Photo to Oil Painting before image

Before

After

Watercolor

Modern watercolor painting has its roots in the Northern Renaissance, however the technique has been traced all the way back to paleolithic Europe, where natural pigments were ground up and combined with water to be used as paint.

With their ethereal look, watercolor artworks are in high-demand, hence the hundreds of thousands of video tutorials online dealing with the subject. Sure, you could invest in all of the materials and hours needed to perfect this stunning art form, or you could convert a photo to a watercolor painting within seconds using the Watercolor Artsy Effect.

Photo to Watercolor after image
Photo to Oil Painting before image

Before

After

Gouache

Closely tied to the watercolor technique is Gouache, which is commonly referred to as opaque watercolor. You see, it’s also a water medium that utilizes natural pigment for its paint, yet the end result is denser than watercolor, meaning you can’t see as much of the base layer underneath.

Again, it’s a tricky art form to master that requires special tools and tricks, yet you can save yourself a lot of time and money with our one-click Gouache Artsy Effects. There are multiple to choose from too, so there’s sure to be a look to suit your photo to art project.

Photo to Gouache after image
Photo to Gouache before image

Before

After

Pointillism

Pointillism was a revolutionary painting technique pioneered by Georges Seurat and Paul Signac in Paris in the mid-1880s. It involves painting small strokes or dots of colour so that from a distance they visually blend together. One famous example of this medium includes Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’.

Pointillism can be tricky to master, but a quick visit to the Photo Editor’s Artsy Effects can help you achieve the look within just a few clicks. Simply navigate to Pointillism then choose which effect takes your fancy.

Photo to Pointillism after image
Photo to Pointillism before image

Before

After

Impressionist

When you think of Impressionist art, famous artists such as Monet, Renoir, and Matisse probably come to mind. Many of us have wanted to recreate this soft, dreamy, and brushstroke-heavy aesthetic, but often, we don’t know where to start.

If you’ve got the perfect image of a landscape, flower, beach scene, or more, then we’ve got great news. You can instantly turn your photo into an Impressionist painting using the Impressionist Artsy Effects – no painting materials needed!

Photo to Impressionist after image
Photo to Impressionist before image

Before

After

Photo to Painting, Made Easy

Rather than spending an outrageous amount of time or money on art pieces, you can easily create your own with BeFunky in just a few clicks! With all of the different photo to art effects available, you can unleash your inner artist and create masterpieces in any style. What are you waiting for? Get started!

Go From Photo to Art in One Click


Photo Editing. Simplified