Simple Cartoon Effect

[crabtrem]

I haven't seen this before, so I figured I would share. This is a simple cartoon like effect. This is similar to the pseudo cell shading tutorial by Affinity, but that's because they used the edge detect tool too. So for what it's worth here we go.

First copy your background layer, CMD-J

Go to Filter, Detect, Detect Edges. Set the blend mode to subtract.

Add the adjustment layer, posterize. Adjust the levels for taste. My example uses 4.

That's it. Now you have a basic cartoon stylized picture. You can use all sorts of additional methods from here. But this seems a good starting point. Hope you find something useful in this. Cheers.

[Simon Steele]

Cool, thanks for the tip.

[Glenn Younger]

Hi Crabtrem, Just wanted to pop in and say, "THANK YOU" for the sharing. It was exactly what I was looking for!

[jer]

Fun! Thanks, simple is always a fave thing! :D

[DonS]

Gee I would have never thought of the steps you shown in replying to my help.  Thank you so much.  I hope in the upgrades Affinity is doing they will bring back the filters Comic & others as in Serif Photoplus.

DonS

[smadell]

I have posted a macro called "Watercolor and Ink Simulation" at the link below. This might be another alternative for the effect you're seeking.

 

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/42249-watercolor-ink-simulation/

[RobNJ]

Great! Thanks!!!

[dmstraker]

Nice one, crabtrem! I especially like your use of Subtract and Posterise.

 

Out of interest, I posted a 'cartoon' note recently here: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/41447-cartoon-effect-with-ap/

 

Things you can do in your method too include:

• Soften the jaggies with Gaussian Blur (tiny change may be all that's needed).
• Simplify with Levels (gradually move up black slider).
• Make lines monochrome with Black & White.

[Sir Diezel]

Is this only for Affinity Photo?

[LeesaJohnson]

Could you provide steps in points for better understand the concept of simple cartoon effect? Thank you to this post.

[Daniel204]

On 10/7/2015 at 12:24 PM, crabtrem said:

I haven't seen this before, so I figured I would share. This is a simple cartoon like effect. This is similar to the pseudo cell shading tutorial by Affinity, but that's because they used the edge detect tool too. So for what it's worth here we go.

First copy your background layer, CMD-J

Go to Filter, Detect, Detect Edges. Set the blend mode to subtract.

Add the adjustment layer, posterize. Adjust the levels for taste. My example uses 4.

That's it. Now you have a basic cartoon stylized picture. You can use all sorts of additional methods from here. But this seems a good starting point. Hope you find something useful in this. Cheers.

Hi @crabtrem

You have shared the good and helpful information sure I will apply your crucial tips.

[Steps]

Thanks. It's a good starting point, but still much work ahead.

I like some of the FX Cartoonizer Effects, but overall you have no control over the result.
You can just choose the preset effects and hope that it fits. It does for some photos.

[Steps]

Here is a macro for a more advanced cartoon effect:

 

[Alexandre Valensi]

Hi ! I had follow your steps @crabtremand it's look like this ? Do you have the results ? 🙂 

 

Thanks by advance.

Alex  

P.S : I'm using the 2022 Affinity version by the way 😄 

 

 

[jAffinitySerif]

On 10/6/2015 at 11:54 PM, crabtrem said:

Add the adjustment layer,

What?

[PaulEC]

8 minutes ago, jAffinitySerif said:

What?

The post you've quoted is nine years old, and crabtrem hasn't visited the forum for three years! However, if you're asking "what" adjustment layer, the answer is in that post:

On 10/7/2015 at 7:54 AM, crabtrem said:

Add the adjustment layer, Posterize. Adjust the levels for taste. My example uses 4.

 

[jAffinitySerif]

I don’t understand what is meant by “add the adjustment layer”. What adjustment layer? Add it how? Thank you.

[Ldina]

Perhaps English is not his native language? I'm not sure, but I'd guess he probably meant, Add a Posterize Adjustment Layer, after which, he chose a level of 4.

[PaulEC]

9 hours ago, jAffinitySerif said:

I don’t understand what is meant by “add the adjustment layer”. What adjustment layer? Add it how? Thank you.

There are several ways to add adjustments layers. See the Help File:

https://affinity.help/photo2/en-US.lproj/index.html?page=pages/Layers/adjustmentLayers.html&title=Using adjustment layers

Expand the "Available adjustments" section to read about "Posterize".