Photography

How to Doodle on Photos

January 16, 2012

How to doodle on photos

Confession: I am a blogaholic. It all started three years ago in college when I first found a few fashion blogs after reading Teen Vogue. (Don’t knock it. I love that magazine.) After reading one blog, finding another, and another, and falling down the rabbit hole that is the internet, I sit here now behind my Macbook writing from the depths of that webby black hole. While my addiction to blogs is time consuming and the only cure to blogaholism is a little snip snip to the wireless router, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The best thing about my blog addiction (and my job) is that I have become a bit of a Google search ninja. There are times where I hit a Google wall, though, and I do get stumped. Doodling on photos is a perfect example– I have been trying to figure out how to virtually doodle for a couple months! I tried different search queries, advanced search queries… “how to draw on pictures”, “how to doodle on photos”, “draw in paint on photos with tablet”… I got nothing! I even commented on a few blogs I love and asked them, “How in the heck do you doodle that cool stuff on your pictures?” Still nothing. So, I asked our graphic designer at work. And she told me. πŸ™‚ (Although in retrospect, any self-respecting person who knows how to doodle on photos is probably some sort of a graphic designer and they would never call it, “doodling on photos.”) Ha.

doodlepad

This is all you need! A graphic tabletand the little pen that goes with it. I actually got my graphic tablet from Amazon for $30! I really, really love it. The first day I had the tablet, I was using it in programs like Gimp and Pixlr but the brushes were not smooth and it looked like I did something with my mouse in MS Paint. Blech. I was *this close* to returning the tablet because I thought it was no good, when I read Monica’s recommendation on the program Pixelmator. (She has the cutest picture doodles on her blog. :))

**UPDATE: I recently upgraded to this Bamboo tablet, I loved the cheap little doodle pad that I bought, but I decided to buy a better tablet because I used my other pad ALL the time. πŸ™‚ Although the Bamboo tablet is more expensive, I prefer it to the cheaper one. It is less finicky and it makes writing on photos a lot easier. πŸ™‚

THIS PROGRAM IS AMAZING. It is the closest thing I’ve ever come to Photoshop. It is only 30$ as well– the brushes are smooth, the filters are great, and I love the control that you can have over the image. If you’re a beginner who has had a little bit of experience with Photoshop but don’t want to shell out the cash for the real deal, this program is what you want.

So just to recap:

What you need to doodle on photos:

β™₯Pixelmator Mac only, unfortunately. πŸ™
β™₯Graphic Tablet

*Update– you can use other programs for a PC to doodle on photos, I should have mentioned this. I am sure Photoshop would be incredible, I just didn’t note it above because I haven’t tried it with PS yet. πŸ™‚ This is just what I used. (Thanks Michelle!) πŸ™‚

That’s it! Then you can do cool stuff like this. πŸ™‚ The pen just acts like a mouse and you can do whatever you’d like.

NYC
Doodle on NYC.

home
Doodle on a globe.

Bridget
Doodle on your dog.

I also use this for work. πŸ™‚ (Click if you actually want to know how to braid a scarf.)

**Unfortunately the doodle pad does not correct bad handwriting if you already have that. πŸ˜‰

Good luck!

PS: Hilarious thing that Sarah told me at work on Friday. Did you know that every month, 74,000 people search in Google, “Where are my glasses?”

Hahahahaha I have told that to probably 10 people this weekend and it still never gets old. πŸ˜‰

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  • Andrea January 16, 2012 at 4:45 am

    OMG! “where are my glasses” haha TOO funny! Thanks for sharing!

  • Andrea January 16, 2012 at 4:55 am

    OMG! "where are my glasses" haha TOO funny! Thanks for sharing!

  • Priscila B. January 16, 2012 at 4:08 pm

    Lovely blog!!!

  • Priscila B. January 16, 2012 at 4:34 pm

    Lovely blog!!!

  • monicutte January 17, 2012 at 3:16 am

    What a CUTE post! (:
    Your doodles are lovely!! my fab one is the one of your dog! πŸ˜€
    Thanks SO much for giving me a credit! πŸ™‚

    Love, Monica

  • monicutte January 17, 2012 at 3:16 am

    What a CUTE post! (:
    Your doodles are lovely!! my fab one is the one of your dog! πŸ˜€
    Thanks SO much for giving me a credit! πŸ™‚

    Love, Monica

  • monicutte January 17, 2012 at 3:52 am

    What a CUTE post! (:
    Your doodles are lovely!! my fab one is the one of your dog! πŸ˜€
    Thanks SO much for giving me a credit! πŸ™‚

    Love, Monica

  • Amera January 18, 2012 at 7:32 am

    i was as excited as you were until you said MAC only πŸ™

  • Amera January 18, 2012 at 7:33 am

    i was as excited asyou were until you wrote MAC only πŸ™

  • Amera January 18, 2012 at 7:33 am

    i was as excited asyou were until you wrote MAC only πŸ™

  • Amera January 18, 2012 at 1:41 pm

    i was as excited as you were until you said MAC only πŸ™

  • Amera January 18, 2012 at 11:29 pm

    i was as excited asyou were until you wrote MAC only πŸ™

  • Michelle Sexton January 18, 2012 at 11:59 pm

    you can still doodle on your photos without a MAC. you can also do this on photoshop with a PC

  • Michelle Sexton January 18, 2012 at 11:59 pm

    you can still doodle on your photos without a MAC. you can also do this on photoshop with a PC

  • Michelle Sexton January 19, 2012 at 12:32 am

    you can still doodle on your photos without a MAC. you can also do this on photoshop with a PC

  • Phil Wall February 7, 2012 at 2:55 pm

    I'm surprised http:www.projectphotodoodle.com didn't show up. I explain how in the FAQ section

  • Phil Wall February 7, 2012 at 2:55 pm

    I'm surprised http:www.projectphotodoodle.com didn't show up. I explain how in the FAQ section

  • Phil Wall February 8, 2012 at 11:52 am

    I'm surprised http:www.projectphotodoodle.com didn't show up. I explain how in the FAQ section

  • Sew Country Chick February 9, 2012 at 2:37 pm

    Thanks for the info! I would love to try that.

  • Sew Country Chick February 9, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    Thanks for the info! I would love to try that.

  • Jessica Turner April 12, 2012 at 9:38 pm

    or adobe works too!

  • Jessica Turner April 19, 2012 at 1:41 pm

    or adobe works too!

  • Blytheponytailparades May 3, 2012 at 6:56 pm

    I use a bamboo wacom tablet in photoshop, but I question whether there is a better program to use because my handwriting still doesn't look like “handwriting”. There is no pressure sensitivity so all my strokes and lines are the same width (unlike your 1st and 3rd images). So it looks too perfect, if you know what I mean? I need to work more on trying to figure this out. It's driving me crazy πŸ˜›

  • Blytheponytailparades May 4, 2012 at 12:53 am

    I use a bamboo wacom tablet in photoshop, but I question whether there is a better program to use because my handwriting still doesn't look like "handwriting". There is no pressure sensitivity so all my strokes and lines are the same width (unlike your 1st and 3rd images). So it looks too perfect, if you know what I mean? I need to work more on trying to figure this out. It's driving me crazy πŸ˜›

  • Stacie Grissom May 4, 2012 at 12:55 am

    @Violet I know what you mean!! It is really tricky to get the tablet to be more sensitive to pressure, but I just keep messing around with it until I get the handwriting look I want. There was definitely a lot of command+Z when I first got it! Haha

  • Sheila December 7, 2012 at 10:56 pm

    Iv got one of those tablets but haven't found a program i can use it with that i really like yet. Any suggestions for a not mac computer? Preferable free ware. Love the blog and your ideas btw.

  • Tracey April 21, 2013 at 12:40 am

    I'll admit that I haven't even thought of doodling on a photograph, but after seeing this, I definitely see the wonderful possibilities! I also have to say that I love reading your blog!!! Nothing tedious or dry, but your style and photos and especially your comments are just what the doctor ordered! Thanks so much for this new idea to try and I look forward to seeing more from you!

  • allpowerfulodinmom June 4, 2013 at 2:34 pm

    Bly, there's actually a setting in photoshop that will give you that pressure sensitivity. I don't know if you found it yet, but a quick rundown: Go to Windows>Brushes. In that menu, you'll find a whole bunch of options pop up that you can click on. The first one is the one you want, called Shape Dynamics. Just click that and move the bars around until the line at the bottom looks like what you want to do then test it. Usually works for me!

  • Lizz Martensen January 19, 2014 at 5:35 am

    My local library has a Bamboo tablet that patrons can come in and use – so you don't even need to buy anything to do this doodling. I didn't really know how to use it (lol, it's totally my job) so this tutorial is REALLY helpful πŸ™‚

  • Sophia Elaine February 28, 2014 at 10:31 pm

    I happened to stumble upon your blogg and 6 – 10 post in I saw this.! I have to say that you have probably saved my life! I've been searching how to do this…I'm giddy with joy!