How can I change a real picture into a cartoon one?

Question

I saw this person who had their picture turned into a cartoon one. Similar to the graphics from the movie A Scanner Darkly. If you don't know, heres the link to some movie scene.

http://boreddreamer.wordpress.com/files/2006/07/scanner-darkly-5.jpg

but anyways, this guy made a picture of him into that, but how?

Answer 1

You pretty much need a good version of Adobe Photoshop, with the correct 'filter' or 'effect' to do that. It has an algorithm or something that finds all the "lines", makes them bold, and then finds little islands of common colors, and turns them into smooth, single colored shapes. You could even attempt to do this with Microsoft Paint, on a high zoom, with the 'dropper' tool, but it would probably not come out to good. ;-)

Answer 2

I beleave what your searching for is this. it's called Rotoscope technology

A Scanner, Darkly
The creators of A Scanner, Darkly, talk about using "Rotoscope technology" in their adaptation of Phillip K. Dick's novel.
http://www.spacecast.com/wvx/2006/07/hs_060707.wvx



from the show hyper space weekly. http://www.spacecast.com/hypaspace.aspx

their the best people to ask abou this since they video interviewed them. I hope I answerd your question to your satisfaction. take care.

Answer 3

theres a lot of programs that can do that. the one i use is called picasa 2 which you can find on google. you can do a lot of different things with it.