The 20 Best Photoshop Actions for Incredible Sketching Effects

The 20 Best Photoshop Actions for Incredible Sketching Effects

By Paul Andrew


on Nov 8th, 2020
Photography & Photoshop

If you want to give your photography a little bit more impact, turning them into sketches could be a good approach. Doing this stands to look fantastic and also give a hands-on appeal to your work.

How can you accomplish this? Why, through Photoshop actions, of course. What you’ll find here is a solid resource of sketch effects that can be added to your photos via Photoshop actions. These actions take the guesswork out of turning a photo into a drawing, while paying heed to the importance of light and shadow.

So you don’t have to go it alone here, we’ve compiled a collection of incredibly useful ketching Photoshop actions that aim to streamline your workflow and aid in bringing new effects to your photography post-production.

More Actions: 3D Effects, Art Effects, B&W Effects, Bokeh Effects, Cinema & Movie Effects, Comic & Cartoon Effects, Duotone Effects, Dispersion Effects, Double Exposure Effects, Glitch Effects, HDR Effects, Ligh Leak Effects, Retro & Vintage Effects, or Text Effects.

Pencil Sketch Photoshop Actions

First on our list is this set of Pencil Sketch Photoshop Actions. It actually includes 15 different actions that you can use to turn portraits into sketches. It comes with instructions, is non-destructive, has editable layers, and can be used for photos that will be used on both the web and print media.

Da Vinci Sketch Photoshop Actions

The Da Vinci Sketch Photoshop action immediately turns any photo you want into a sepia-toned illustration that looks like it came out of Da Vinci’s sketchbooks. It works best with portraits and objects and creates finished photos that are layered, that can be customized, and more. It also comes with 5 pen color tones and 10 color presets.

Pencil Sketch 2 Photoshop Actions

The Pencil Sketch 2 Photoshop Action is another great way to turn a photograph into a piece of digital art quickly. You can edit the individual layers and use it for a wide variety of purposes. This action comes with instructions as well in case you ever get stuck.

Architecture Sketch Art Photoshop Actions

Another option is the Architecture Sketch Art Photoshop Actions. This set comes with an instruction manual, full layer control, and is non-destructive. It works for a wide range of photos like landscapes and portraits. This one-click action can be used for both the web and for print as well.

Pen Sketch Photoshop Action

Here’s another interesting choice to consider. The Pen Sketch Photoshop Action gives your photos the look of a hand drawn sketch. What makes this stand out is how the action creates a cross hatch pattern for shading. It includes well-organized layers and full instructions.

Digital Sketch Photoshop Action

Another action you may consider is the Digital Sketch Photoshop Action. This one creates a digital sketch effect when added to your photos. It works best with portraits and has a softness to it that’s really compelling. It comes with 10 color effects as well.

Pencil Sketch 3 Photoshop Action

Here’s another interesting choice for creating a sketch from a photograph. This one can be implemented with a single click and the end result is lovely to look at. If you want to play with the available settings, however, you can do that, too. It has editable layers and can be used on a wide range of photos.

Sketch Art Photoshop Actions

The Sketch Art Photoshop Actions work to create a soft sketch appearance on your photos. The end result is a realistic-looking sketch that takes many cues from your original image. Even better, you original image layer remains unscathed, so you can always revert to it if need be. It comes with an instructional PDF as well.

Color Sketch Photoshop Action

This action really sets itself apart from the pack. The Color Sketch Photoshop Action works to create a professional-looking, colorful sketch from your photographs. It accomplishes this using hatching and abstract effects. It has editable layers and colors and comes with a video tutorial for easier navigation.

Archi Sketch Photoshop Action

The Archi Sketch Photoshop Action is ideal for architectural photos. It turns any image of yours into a professional-looking architectural sketch. It has 10 color effects, includes well-organized layers, and settings that you can adjust to get the precise look you want.

High-Quality Pencil Sketch Photoshop Action

The High-Quality Pencil Sketch Photoshop Action is another easy way to create digital artwork from photos with a single click. It has a multitude of layers you can adjust and tweak. It comes with full instructions. And in the end, you’ll wind up with a photo that looks as though it has cross-hatching, blending, and many more features of hand-drawn art.

Portretum Sketch Drawing Photoshop Action

Portretum Sketch Drawing Photoshop Action is ideal for adding some flair to your portrait photography. This is a one-click action that can be applied to any portrait and comes with the action file, brushes, 10 color presets, graphic elements, and a user’s guide.

Sketch Portrait Photoshop Actions

The Sketch Portrait Photoshop Actions provide a sleek hand-drawn effect. The resulting image has a glossy look while still being realistic. It includes well-organized layers, and serves as an excellent time saver. It works best with black-and-white photos.

Concept Sketch Photoshop Action

The Concept Sketch Photoshop Action is an engineer or architect’s delight! It makes it easy to turn any architectural drawing into a professional-looking sketch. This could be used for building interiors, exteriors, as well as product designs. It comes with hand-drawn brushes and textures, including 12 brushes and 18 patterns.

Hand-Drawn Pencil Sketch Photoshop Action

The Pencil Sketch Photoshop Action can turn any portrait-style photo into a digital piece of art that appears as though it was hand drawn. It works on objects as well and you can select from 10 color presets. Everything can be applied with one click and the end result is fully layered and non-destructive.

Sketch Photoshop Action Presets

You might also want to consider the Sketch Photoshop Action Presets. Apply this to one spot on your photo then play the action. It’ll turn that area into a sketch with all the subtle shading and details of a real hand-drawn piece of art. This action has fully editable layers as well.

Sketch Art Smart Photoshop Action

You might also wish to try out the Sketch Art Smart Photoshop Action. With well-organized layers, you can customize this action to suit your specific needs and make selections regarding background, color, and more. It comes with 10 brushes, 5 textures, and a quick start-up guide.

AI Architecture Sketch Photoshop Actions

Here’s another great option if you’re looking to add some flair to architectural photos. This action turns your building photos into sketches with just a single click. It offers 10 styles, relies on AI for best results, and is fully customizable to suit your specific needs. It even has an emphasize greenery action for calling out foliage in your original photo.

Cartoonize Photoshop Action

This is a really interesting option on our list. The Cartoonize Photoshop Action works by turning any portrait-style photo into a digital painting. The end result is an image that looks like a cartoon and you can accomplish this with a single click. you can use the resulting image on the web and in print. Plus, the action is non-destructive.

Realistic Vintage Sketch Photoshop Action

Last on our list is the Vintage Sketch Photoshop Action turns any photo into a vintage-looking sketch. The end result is a realistic-looking drawing that’s achievable with a single click. It comes with 15 color presets and a video tutorial that make it easy to get this action up and running.

How to Install Photoshop Actions

  1. Download and unzip the action file
  2. Launch Photoshop
  3. Go to Window > Actions
  4. Select Load Actions from the menu and go to the folder where you saved the unzipped action file to select it
  5. The Action will now be installed
  6. To use the newly installed action, locate it in the Action panel
  7. Click the triangle to the left of the action name to see the list of available actions
  8. Click the action you want to play and press the play button at the bottom of the Actions panel

And there you have it! Our list of Photoshop actions designed to turn any photo you choose into a professional looking sketch. These actions are all easy to use and stand to reduce the time you spend on photo edits substantially. We wish you the best of luck in your projects and hope you find these actions useful!

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  • The 20 Best Photoshop Actions for Creating Stunning Dispersion Effects
  • The 12 Best Photoshop Actions for Creating the Duotone Effect
  • The 20 Best Photoshop Actions for Creating Retro & Vintage Effects
  • The 12 Best Photoshop Actions for Creating 3D Effects
  • The 15 Best Light Leak Effects Photoshop Action Sets
  • The 10 Best HDR Effect Photoshop Actions
  • The 10 Best Photoshop Action Sets for Creating the Bokeh Effect

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