Color Ink Sketch Effect

Step 1: Make a copy of the image in a different layer and select that layer.

Step 2: Apply the Photocopy filter (FILTERS >> SKETCH >> PHOTOCOPY) to the topmost layer using the settings shown in the image above.

Step 3: Apply the Sharpen More filter (FILTERS >> SHARPEN >> SHARPEN MORE ) three times.

Step 4: Select Overlay as the blending mode of the layer. This will make the underlying colors visible.

Step 5: Select the Original layer and modify the colors using the Hue/Saturation command (IMAGE >> ADJUSTMENTS >> HUE/SATURATION).

The final image will look like this one:

A little explanation and other examples

The secret of this technique relies in the Photocopy filter. The settings used in the example outlined previously, shouldn’t be used as is. You should try different Photocopy filter settings for each image, even for the same image when used at different resolutions. The same goes to the Sharpen More filter. If the Photocopy filterresults are light and thin, then applying the Sharpen More filter once or twice will be enough. But if the results are dark and thick, then you should apply the Sharpen More filter three or more times. You will have to play with those settings for a while with each image.

The Overlay blending mode was chosen because the Multiply blending mode reveals all the imperfections and textures of the image below through the white areas of the sketched face.

The Overlay blending mode, instead, is like applying a Lighten and Darken blending modes at the same time. This results in a mixture of contrast and saturation increase.

In the end it doesn’t matter why, the point is that it looks good in this case.