Adobe Illustrator itself does not have a direct built-in filter to turn a photo into an oil painting effect like Photoshop does. However, you can simulate an oil painting look in Illustrator by using a combination of effects and techniques, or you can prepare your image in Photoshop and then bring it into Illustrator for further vector work. Here are some approaches to achieve an oil painting effect related to Illustrator:
Method 1: Use Photoshop’s Oil Paint Filter and Import into Illustrator
- Open your photo in Adobe Photoshop.
- Duplicate the background layer (Ctrl+J or Cmd+J).
- Go to Filter > Stylize > Oil Paint.
- Adjust the sliders for Brush Style (Stylization, Cleanliness, Scale, Bristle Detail) and Lighting (Angle, Shine) to get the desired oil painting effect.
- Click OK to apply the filter.
- Save the image and import it into Illustrator for further use or vector tracing if needed
This is the most straightforward way since Photoshop has a dedicated Oil Paint filter.
Method 2: Create a Paint Effect in Illustrator (Manual/Script-Based)
- You can use Illustrator’s artistic brushes, effects like Roughen, or scripts such as "Randomus" to mimic an oil painting texture on your vector artwork.
- Some tutorials show how to apply paint-like brush strokes or abstract oil painting styles using Illustrator tools and scripts
- This method requires manual work and artistic input, as Illustrator is primarily a vector tool and does not process raster images like Photoshop.
Method 3: Use AI or Online Tools, then Vectorize in Illustrator
- Use AI-powered online tools that convert photos into oil paintings automatically.
- Download the converted oil painting image.
- Import into Illustrator and use Image Trace to convert it into vector artwork if desired
Summary
- For a quick and realistic oil painting effect, use Photoshop’s Oil Paint filter and then bring the image into Illustrator.
- Illustrator alone requires manual effects or scripts to simulate oil painting.
- AI tools can also help create oil painting effects that you can later vectorize in Illustrator.
If you want a step-by-step tutorial specifically within Illustrator, you may need to rely on brush effects and manual painting techniques, but for automated and authentic oil painting effects, Photoshop is the recommended tool
