To turn a photo into a painting, choose an app with the look you want, apply an oil or watercolor effect, then adjust and save the result. Oilbrush is our starting point for oil effects on an iPhone or iPad. Waterlogue focuses on watercolor, while Picsart puts painting effects inside a broader photo editor.
The 13 options below cover phones, desktop computers and browsers. Start with your device and preferred style. Then check what you can actually save for free: a free download or preview does not always include a full-resolution image without a watermark.
How to Choose an App That Turns Photos Into Paintings
A photo-to-painting app changes the colors, edges and textures in an existing photograph to suggest painted brushstrokes. Some use AI. Others simulate paint with different image-processing methods. You get a digital image that looks painted; you do not need to draw over every part of the photograph yourself.
Choose by the result you need:
- Oil effects on an Apple device: Oilbrush offers painting styles and local processing. Its largest exports and several editing tools need Premium.
- Watercolor: Waterlogue concentrates on this one medium. It has phone versions and a separate Pro application for Mac.
- An Android painting app: Photo Paint supplies painting filters and a simple import-to-gallery workflow. It includes ads and in-app purchases.
- Painting plus other edits: Picsart and PhotoDirector combine artistic effects with broader photo-editing tools.
- A desktop workflow: Photoshop gives you brush and lighting controls through its Oil Paint filter. PaintShop Pro offers AI Style Transfer on Windows.
- No installation: BeFunky and Fotor work in a browser. Check the selected effect's export limits before you commit to it.
For a fair comparison, use the same photograph in two or three tools. Look at the subject's face, outlines and small details, rather than judging only the preview thumbnail.
Best Smartphone Apps to Turn a Photo Into a Painting
A phone app keeps the original photograph and finished edit on the device you already use for sharing. The choices differ in style controls and paid features. Tablet and desktop support also varies, so check the version for your device.
1. Oilbrush
| Supports Devices |
Supports Devices
iOS, macOS
|
| Price |
Price
Free (Paid Extra Features)
|
| Multiple Painting Styles |
Multiple Painting Styles
Yes
|
| Fine Tune Painting |
Fine Tune Painting
Yes
|
| Best For |
Best For
A wide range of customization options and high resolution results
|
The Oilbrush app specializes in digital oil paintings. Its 29 styles give you a starting look, with tools for changing brush size, stroke length and texture when you want to shape the result further.
The main limit is the export. Digital Masterpieces lists Standard exports at up to 2 MP and Premium exports at up to 64 MP. Removing the watermark and using several retouching, color and canvas controls also need Premium. Choose the export you need before spending time on an edit intended for printing.
Oilbrush runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac. The developer says processing takes place on your device without an internet connection. This makes it an option for editing photos offline, although using an online print service still requires sending that service the finished file.
The same maker offers Waterbrush (download for iOS) for a watercolor look. Choose it for that style rather than expecting Oilbrush to cover every painting medium.
2. Brushstroke
| Supports Devices |
Supports Devices
iOS
|
| Price |
Price
Free (Paid Extra Features)
|
| Multiple Painting Styles |
Multiple Painting Styles
Yes
|
| Fine Tune Painting |
Fine Tune Painting
Yes
|
| Best For |
Best For
Allows you to fine tune your edits with a good selection of tools
|
Brushstroke is worth considering if the color palette and surface texture matter as much as the painting style. You can choose a style, change the palette, select a canvas surface and add a signature.
The iPhone and iPad app also supports video paintings and offers print ordering through CanvasPop. Those extras make sense if you want to take an edit beyond a social post.
Brushstroke is free to download with paid features. Its current App Store description offers a subscription or purchase to gain full access, so do not assume every extra is a one-time purchase. Code Organa also makes a separate Brushstroke Pro; check which version you are viewing.
3. Photo Paint
| Supports Devices |
Supports Devices
Android
|
| Price |
Price
Free (Ads and Paid Extra Features)
|
| Multiple Painting Styles |
Multiple Painting Styles
Yes
|
| Fine Tune Painting |
Fine Tune Painting
Yes
|
| Best For |
Best For
A dedicated photo-to-painting app for Android phones
|
Photo Paint: Painting Maker is a dedicated option for Android. You can choose a photo from your gallery or take one, crop it, apply an effect and save the result back to the gallery.
Its filters include brushstroke, watercolor and pencil looks. Start here if your main aim is to try painting effects without learning a larger editor.
The app includes ads and in-app purchases. Its Google Play listing still shows a July 2024 update date. That does not prove it will fail on your phone, but it is a reason to check it with a single image first. For adjustments beyond applying a painting effect, compare it with a full editing app.
Prisma suits readers who want to compare a large range of art styles. Its developer lists more than 500 styles, including portrait effects.
Portrait Segmentation lets you apply a style to the person or the background separately. That is worth trying when you want to keep a face recognizable while changing the surroundings.
Prisma also has controls for photo editing, including exposure, contrast and brightness. Adjust these after choosing the effect instead of assuming the first render is the finished image.
The app has in-app purchases. Prisma Premium includes access to all styles and HD saving. Check the trial and renewal terms shown on your device before starting a subscription.
Waterlogue is the focused choice when you want watercolor washes instead of oil-paint texture. The phone app lets you adjust borders, lightness and detail.
Tinrocket offers Waterlogue for iOS and Android. Waterlogue Pro is a separate Mac application with additional drawing, palette and detail controls, custom styles and saved projects. Do not assume the phone app has all the Pro tools.
Tinrocket explains that the watercolor rendering uses non-AI algorithms. Some face and subject detection uses AI to guide those algorithms. That is different from generating a new painting from a text prompt.
The iOS app is free to download with in-app purchases. Check the export options in the version you use, particularly if the finished image is for a print.
6. Picsart
| Supports Devices |
Supports Devices
iOS, Android
|
| Price |
Price
Free (Paid Extra Features)
|
| Multiple Painting Styles |
Multiple Painting Styles
Yes
|
| Fine Tune Painting |
Fine Tune Painting
Yes
|
| Best For |
Best For
Provides a wide range of editing options, not just painting
|
Picsart combines artistic effects with a wider editing toolkit. Choose it if you also want to crop, adjust colors, add text or build a collage around the finished painting.
The Effects tools include painting looks. If you prefer outlines, you can also turn a photo into a sketch. Try both approaches on the same photo before deciding which details to keep.
The extra tools make the app broader than a dedicated converter. Start with one effect rather than adding several layers of edits at once. If you need directions, they do have helpful tutorials.
Picsart is free to download with in-app purchases and paid plans. Access depends on the effect and tool you choose; a free installation does not mean every painting or AI feature is included.
The Portrait Painter app concentrates on a painted portrait look. It is also a good app for pet photography when you want to turn an existing pet photo into artwork.
You can keep the original colors or use the Bright & Colorful palette. Brush size, stroke length, bristle strength and canvas texture give you ways to change the finish without switching to a different subject or composition.
The iPhone and iPad app is a paid download. Its controls are aimed at still photographs. Choose Brushstroke instead if you also want to turn videos into paintings.
Save the finished image if you want a physical print. You can then send the exported file to a print service such as CanvasPop, after checking its file requirements. This does not require a built-in connection between the two apps.
PhotoDirector combines AI art effects with general photo editing. Its mobile tools include sketch and cartoon styles, color adjustments and background editing.
For example, the background tools remove or replace whatever sits behind your subject. That gives you another way to prepare the composition before applying an artistic effect.
Choose it if you want several kinds of edits in one app. For a single painting conversion, begin with the relevant art tool so the larger feature menu does not distract you.
The Android app includes ads and in-app purchases. Some AI tools use credits, so a subscription does not necessarily cover unlimited use of every feature. Also check whether a tutorial is for PhotoDirector on a phone or its separate desktop software; their tools and steps differ.
GoArt is Fotor's art app, with an online option for browser use. Its painting filters include looks inspired by different art movements and painters.
Choose a photo effect when you want to transform an existing picture. GoArt also advertises text-to-image generation, which starts from a different task and should not be confused with applying a style to your photograph.
The app's described controls include effect strength, cutout and background replacement. It has in-app purchases and subscriptions, so check the chosen effect and export before treating it as a free route to a finished file.
Best Desktop Apps to Turn a Photo Into a Painting
A desktop editor gives you more room to inspect the image and work on adjustments. The options here include Adobe Photoshop, which gives you brush and lighting controls, and PaintShop Pro for a Windows editing workflow.
Use Adobe Photoshop if you want to shape the painting effect yourself. On desktop, Filter > Stylize > Oil Paint opens controls for the appearance of the brushstrokes and the light on the simulated paint.
Stylization changes the stroke appearance. Cleanliness affects stroke length, while Scale and Bristle Detail affect the paint texture. Angle and Shine control the lighting. Adjust them while looking at the parts of the image that matter, especially faces and fine edges.
Photoshop takes more learning than choosing a phone preset. We have an easy step-by-step guide for turning photos into paintings using Photoshop if you want to follow a complete edit.
This route makes most sense if you already use Photoshop or want that level of control. Before subscribing for a single effect, read the best ways to buy Photoshop.
Corel PaintShop Pro is a Windows photo editor with AI Style Transfer for applying artistic looks. It suits someone who wants a painting effect within a desktop editing program.
Corel currently sells PaintShop Pro 2023. Check the system requirements for this version before downloading it.
Its tools go beyond effect strength: Corel also lists Smooth Image and Color Match options. After applying a style, you can continue editing the photograph in PaintShop Pro. Compare the available trial and licence options with what you need, without assuming a desktop purchase will be cheaper for every user.
Best Online Apps to Turn a Photo Into a Painting
A browser editor is convenient when your photographs are already on a computer and you do not want to install software. Check both the effect preview and the download conditions; those can offer different levels of free access.
BeFunky puts oil painting, watercolor, impressionist and other art effects inside an online photo editor. Open your image and look in the Artsy tools for the style you want.
Controls vary with the effect. Some watercolor tools use an Amount slider; Watercolor GFX offers Fidelity and Variation. Its Select controls let you limit where the effect appears instead of changing every part of the photo.
This is a good route for comparing painting styles on a larger screen. It also lets you continue with other edits after the effect is applied.
BeFunky offers free tools and previews, but premium features require a subscription. Check whether the effect you selected can be saved on your plan before spending time on the final adjustments.
2. Fotor
| Supports Devices |
Supports Devices
All
|
| Price |
Price
Free (Paid Extra Features)
|
| Multiple Painting Styles |
Multiple Painting Styles
Yes
|
| Fine Tune Painting |
Fine Tune Painting
Yes
|
| Best For |
Best For
A wide selection of painting styles without having to download an app
|
Fotor offers a browser-based photo-to-painting tool with oil, watercolor, pop-art and other effects. Upload an image, compare the available looks and preview the result before downloading.
Its free previews are a way to judge whether a style fits your photo. Fotor says free downloads may include a watermark and offers options for high-resolution output without one. Do not assume that most styles or every finished export are free.
Fotor’s image editor covers general adjustments, while the GoArt painting tool is aimed at artistic effects. They are part of the same Fotor service, so there is no need to treat GoArt as an unrelated provider.
How to Turn a Photo Into a Painting Step by Step
Most photo-to-painting tools follow the same basic sequence. The exact buttons differ, but the checks below help you choose an effect and save a file you can use.
Step 1: Open a Photo
Use the original photograph rather than a screenshot or a small copy saved from social media. Start with a well-lit image where you can distinguish the main subject from the background. Keep the original file so you can return to it.
For a portrait, choose a frame where the face is large enough to inspect. A busy background can compete with the subject after the app adds brushstrokes, so try a tighter crop if the first result feels crowded.
Step 2: Choose and Adjust a Painting Style
Try an oil effect and a watercolor effect on the same image. Compare the face, hair, clothing and background at a larger view. Choose the result that keeps the details you care about.
Start with a preset, then adjust effect strength, brush or texture controls where the app offers them. If the face loses too much detail, lower the effect or use selective controls if available. You do not have to use the strongest setting for the image to look painted.
Step 3: Check the Export and Save a Copy
Check the watermark, file dimensions and payment requirement before exporting. Save a separate copy and open that file to inspect it; the editor's preview is not the file you will share or print.
For a print, compare the exported pixel dimensions with the print service's requirements for your chosen size. An app's maximum megapixel figure alone does not guarantee that a small source photo will make a good large print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which App Turns a Photo Into a Painting Best?
Start with Oilbrush for oil effects on an iPhone or iPad, Waterlogue for watercolor, or Picsart if you also need general editing tools. On Android, Photo Paint offers a dedicated converter. The best choice is the one whose effect suits your photo and whose export meets your needs.
Can I Turn a Photo Into a Painting for Free?
You can try free features or previews in tools such as Oilbrush, Picsart, BeFunky and Fotor. Check the finished download before calling the process free: full-resolution exports, watermark removal or a particular effect may require payment. A subscription trial is also different from an ongoing free plan.
Are These Apps Actually Using AI?
Some are. Prisma uses AI art effects, and PhotoDirector offers AI Art tools. Waterlogue uses non-AI algorithms for the watercolor rendering, with some AI detection to guide them. The painting look alone does not tell you which method an app uses.
Do I Need an iPhone?
No. Photo Paint and PhotoDirector have Android versions, and Tinrocket also offers Waterlogue on Android. BeFunky and Fotor work in a browser. Choose a tool for your device before comparing individual effects.
Conclusion: Best Photo to Painting Apps
Choose the painting style first, then the editing tools and export you need. Oilbrush is our starting point for an oil look on an Apple device. Waterlogue keeps the focus on watercolor. Picsart and PhotoDirector suit readers who also want to make other edits, while BeFunky and Fotor offer a browser route.
Try the same photo in a small number of apps and inspect the saved result before paying for a plan or ordering a print. If you want to build the look with brush and lighting controls, our step-by-step Photoshop guide is the next step.
Try out The Creative Photography Cookbook to take even more mind-blowing images!
