How to Turn a Video into a Sketch for Free?

If you want to turn a video into a sketch right on your computer, there are a couple of great free options.

#1. Using WonderFox Free HD Video Converter Factory

WonderFox Free HD Video Converter Factory is a versatile freeware video processor. With its built-in effects, you can easily add a sketch filter to your videos. Here is how to use it:

• Install and runInstall and run Free HD Video Converter Factory. Open "Converter".

• Add a video file through a quick drag-and-drop or the "Add Files" option.

• Navigate to the right side, choose a preferred video format from 500+ configured presets.

• Now click on "Effect" on the editing toolbar, and select "Penciling" from the list of filters.

• You can preview the effect to see how it looks. When ready, click "OK".

• Lastly, choose a save location for the output file and hit "Run" to start changing your video into a sketch style.

This process seamlessly integrates the video to sketch converter function, offering you a hassle-free experience. Thanks to its WYSIWYG interface, this freeware is extremely user-friendly to novice users.

#2. Using Shotcut Video Editor

Shotcut is another excellent free tool for this purpose. The open source, cross-platform video editor includes a sketch filter that quickly converts footage into an artistic sketch. Follow these steps:

• Download and install Shotcut from its Official Website.

• Open Shotcut and start a new project.

• Click "Open File", locate your video file, and open it.

• When it plays in the player, drag and drop it onto the timeline at the bottom.

• Next, click on the "Filters" menu. Click the plus icon to unfold the filters library.

• In the search bar, type "sketch" and it will show the "Sketch" filter. Click to apply it.

• Adjust Line Width, Line Height, Contrast, and Color to your liking.

• When ready, click "Export", choose a preset, then "Export File" to start the conversion with the sketch filter applied.

Shotcut provides a more hands-on approach, allowing you to fine-tune the sketch effect to your video. And as a bonus, you can edit the video further in Shotcut before exporting.

If you don't want to download any software, there are great online tools that can convert video into sketch format as well. Here are a couple of top options.

#1. Using Clipchamp

Clipchamp is a handy online video editor with a free version, offering a straightforward way to transform your videos into drawings. Here is how you can use it to make a sketched video:

• Go to https://clipchamp.com/en/ to sign up for a free account, or log into your account.

• Click "Create a new video" to start a new project.

• Upload your video file from your local drive or cloud storage.

• Drag and drop the uploaded video onto the editing timeline.

• Click the "Effects" tab on the right-hand sidebar and browse the effects library.

• Select "Comic" to apply a sketch filter.

• Adjust "halftone dot opacity" and preview how the sketch effect looks on your video.

• When ready, click "Export". A free account can export an MP4 file up to 1080p.

When the video to sketch processing is complete, you can download it back to your computer or share it via social media. This method is perfect for quick, online conversions without the need for software installation.

#2. Capcut Online Video Editor

Capcut is another viable online option. It is a popular multiplatform video editing tool that also has a free web version. With its sketch effects, transforming video into pencil drawings is quite straightforward. Follow these steps in Capcut:

• Go to https://www.capcut.com/ and create a free account.

• Sign in and upload the video you want to edit.

• Add the video to the editing timeline.

• On the left sidebar, select "Effects" and browse the options. Search for "Sketch" or "Comic".

• Choose a sketch style you like. This will apply the effect.

• Adjust the length on the timeline so the sketch effect only applies to part of the video if desired.

• When ready, click "Export" and choose to download the video or share it directly to social platforms.

Capcut has options to isolate the effect only where you want and adjust the atmosphere, making it more flexible to create a pencil-style video.

Turning videos into sketches opens up fun creative possibilities to make artistic videos. As this guide covered, you can easily convert footage into hand-drawn looks with free software, both on desktop or online platforms. The charming sketch style gives videos a distinctive flair.