How can I convert or turn photo into art painting?

When you turning photo into art. If you're not technically inclined, install G1MP and dive into the G'MIC plugin. It's a treasure trove of artistic filters that will keep you busy for hours and can produce stunning, unique results you can't get anywhere else.

For more control, customization, and professional-grade results, you can use dedicated photo editing software like Corel Painter.

Using Filters (Quick Method in Software)

Many programs have built-in filters designed to mimic traditional art:

Duplicate the Layer: Open your photo and create a copy of the background layer (e.g., in Photoshop, use Ctrl+J or Command+J). This keeps your original safe.

Apply a Filter: Go to the Filter menu and look for galleries or stylize options, such as the Oil Paint filter or the Artistic filters (like Watercolor).

Adjust Settings: Fine-tune the sliders for things like brush size, texture, cleanliness, and lighting until you get the desired painterly look.

Refine: You can then apply a second filter, add a canvas texture, or paint in some extra details manually to enhance the effect.

Using Python scripts with StyleGAN2/ADA is a powerful and flexible way to generate artistic images from photos, and it is completely free if you have some technical skills. StyleGAN2/ADA is an advanced generative adversarial network developed by NVIDIA, capable of creating highly realistic and stylized images, including turn photos into art.

How to get started for free:

1. Set up your environment:
   Install Python, CUDA, and dependencies.
   Or, use Google Colab notebooks that already have the environment pre-configured.
2. Use existing scripts:
   Download pre-trained models.
   Use scripts for image inversion (to encode your photo into the latent space).
   Apply style mixing or editing for artistic effects.
3. Style Transfer:
   Use scripts that perform style transfer directly, turning photos into art.

When you ask about how to convert photo into art, I would recommend using G'MIC. That is an excellent and powerful open-source framework for image processing, and it's completely free. It offers a vast collection of filters, many of which are perfect for transforming photos into artistic images. 

How G'MIC Can Help Convert Photos into Art

• Artistic Filters: G'MIC includes filters that simulate oil paintings, watercolor effects, sketches, comic styles, and more.
• Integration: It can be used as a standalone application or as a plugin in G1MP (which is also free).
• Customization: Many filters are adjustable, allowing you to fine-tune the artistic effect.

Why Use G'MIC?

• Free & Open-Source: No cost involved.
• Extensive Filter Library: Over 500 filters, many designed for artistic effects.
• Flexible: Can be used directly in G1MP or as a standalone app.
• Customizable: Fine-tune effects for unique results.

If you are going to turn photo into art. Fooocus is an obscure but incredibly powerful offline AI image generator that can do style transfer. It's a one-click desktop application that runs locally on your PC. It's a GitHub project that doesn't require a subscription, account, or internet connection after download. It uses the same underlying technology as expensive commercial AI but is completely free.

How to turn photo into art via Fooocus:

1. Download and install Fooocus
2. Have the photo you want to transform ready on your computer.
3. Select the "Image-to-Image" mode, which allows you to input an existing image (your photo).
4. Upload your photo by clicking on the upload button or drag-and-drop.
5. The prompt guides the AI on how to transform your photo into art.
6. Controls how strongly the AI follows your prompt (higher = more adherence).
7. Click "Generate" or similar button. Wait for the AI to process and produce the artwork.
8. You can generate multiple variations by adjusting prompts or settings.
9. Once satisfied, save the generated image to your computer.

I am using the Procreate app on my iPad. For me, it is one of the best tools for turning a photo into a true piece of digital art because it gives you the control of a real painter. 

Unlike simple apps that just apply a filter, the most rewarding method in Procreate is to use your photo as a foundation and manually paint over it using realistic brushes and blending tools. This is a very easy way to convert photo into art painting for artistic images.

1. Tap the Wrench icon (Actions) > Add > Insert a Photo. Select the photo you want to paint.
2. Open the Layers panel (double squares icon).
3. Tap the Photo Layer and tap "N" to lower the opacity (e.g., to 50%). This makes it easier to see your new brushstrokes as you paint over it.
4. Create a New Layer above the photo layer by tapping the Plus icon ($+$). This is your primary Painting Layer.
5. Go to the Brush Library (Paintbrush icon). Good brushes to start with oil paint.
6. On your Painting Layer, begin applying paint over the photo. Start with broad areas and big brushstrokes to establish the main color blocks.
7. Go to the Wand icon (Adjustments) and try adding a slight Gaussian Blur to a layer or use Color Balance to enhance the mood and color of your finished painting.

By manually painting and blending, you go beyond a simple filter and create a unique piece of digital art!

Peint.NET is a great free image editing software that, with the right plugins, can help you turn photo into art paintings. While it doesn't have built-in AI-style filters like some online tools, you can achieve artistic effects by using various plugins designed to mimic painting styles, watercolors, sketches, and more.

How to use Peint.NET with Artistic Plugins for free art effects:
1. Download and install Peint.NET
2. Find and install artistic plugins
Search for Peint.NET artistic plugins or visit plugin repositories like Peint.NET Forum Plugins.

• Popular plugins for artistic effects include:
• Simple Art (for sketch and painting effects)
• MyEffects (includes painting and artistic filters)
• Neon Effect or Oil Peint filters

3. Install plugins

• Download the plugin files (usually .dll files).
• Place them into the Effects folder inside your Peint.NET installation directory, typically:

C:\Program Files\Peint.NET\Effects

Restart Peint.NET to load new plugins.

4. Apply artistic effects

• Open your photo in Peint.NET.
• Go to the Effects menu.
• Look for the installed plugins under their respective categories.

If you are looking for a method to convert photos into high-quality artwork without needing to learn complex digital painting software, Fotor's GoArt is an excellent choice.

It is a specialized online tool for converting photos into art paining. It utilizes advanced AI and deep learning algorithms to instantly analyze the composition, color, and texture of your photograph and recreate it in the style of various art forms. It effectively acts as a digital artist, generating a new image with the authentic appearance of a traditional painting or sketch in a matter of seconds.

Step 1: Upload Your Picture

Navigate to the Fotor GoArt converter website (or open the app).

Click the "Upload Image" button (or similar prompt).

Select the portrait, landscape, selfie, or pet photo you wish to transform.

Step 2:  Choose a Painting Filter

Once your image is uploaded, you will see a variety of painting filters and artistic styles (e.g., Oil Paint, Watercolor, Sketch) on the side panel.

Click on the filter you like. The AI will instantly process your image and apply the artistic style.

Step 3:  Download Your Artwork

Once you are satisfied with the artistic conversion, click the "Download" or "Export" button.

You can then save your new digital painting in a high-quality format (like JPG or PNG).

My favorite app is Krita, a fantastic tool for this kind of creative work. It's especially popular because it is professional-grade, completely free, and open-source. Unlike simple photo filters, Krita is a dedicated painting application, meaning the process to turn a photo into art involves actively painting over the photo, giving you full artistic control.

How to Turn a Photo into Art in Krita

1. Go to File > Open and select your photo.

2. In the Layers Docker (the layers panel), right-click on your photo layer and choose Duplicate Layer.

3. On the toolbar, select the Brush tool.

4. In the Brush Presets docker (usually on the right side), search for brushes with the word "Clone" or select the brush icon that looks like a dotted square with an arrow.

5. CTRL-Click (or Command-Click on Mac) on an area of the photo. This sets the Clone Source—the color and detail you will be painting with.

6. Start painting over the image. The brush will clone the detail from the source point but apply it with the texture of the clone brush you selected (e.g., a thick oil texture).

Krita's Clone Brush Engine is the core tool for converting photo into digital art painting. It allows you to "sample" the color and texture from the "Original" layer and paint it onto the "Painting" layer with a styled brush.