You may have seen caricature artwork hand-drawn by some famous artists and feel curious about the scene and figure in the painting. Though believing that is a kind of magic of creating humor, but you probably have no idea how to make a caricature from a real photo. Skills like rough sketch and face exaggeration seem too complex to learn and emulate.

You will change your mind after reading the full content of this article. We are going to introduce the meaning of caricature, reveal some essential features, summarize the common drawing steps, and recommend the easiest ways to turn photo to caricature. Read on!

caricature, all you need to know

#1 What is Caricature?

The artists often choose to portray organs with distinctive features on the human face to highlight the humorous results. Caricature has been used in the past to express satire and discontent with something in reality. Nowadays people more tend to make caricature for entertainment and interaction functions. These are popular at street fairs, carnivals, and even weddings, often with humorous results.

Here you can read more information about caricature history and modern function on Wikipedia Caricature Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caricature.

#2 Not science fiction. Use AI to draw cartoon and caricature

You may also feel interested in how to draw a caricature by hand, you will learn:

2.1 Why Turn Photo to Caricature by Powerful AI Tools?

Considering all mentioned disadvantages, people increasingly look for better ways to make caricatures from photos. In recent years, with the development of artificial intelligence technology, caricature drawing by AI has been the new trend. AI tools are rapidly taking over the market thanks to their efficiency and cost-saving features.

No doubt that a person makes a big impression if he cartoonize himself. It sounds daunting and potentially expensive when it comes to converting image to cartoon or caricature. Tools like Caricaturer.io solve the problems we are concerned about thoroughly.

AI photo to cartoon tools can save time and money by transforming batch images to caricatures and supporting bulk download. Most one-stop caricature makers only require a few clicks in seconds to finish the process. The only thing you need to do is to prepare a face photo that looks clear and sweet.

2.2 Best AI Tools to Turn Image to Caricature: Online and Mobile

Considering the difficulty of the operation and the resulting photo-to-cartoon effects, we select the following caricature makers to help you to get a cartoon face easily. Each of them comes with different features, but all caricature makers take you an unforgettable experience. The detailed using steps are also revealed so that you can follow up. Head to read our list and pick up your favorite one.

2.2.1 Three Best Caricature Maker APPs for Android

1). MomentCam Cartoons & Stickers

MomentCam Cartoons & Stickers allows users to create funny cartoons and animated emoticons from the given photos. This app supports customizing the background according to the current existing MojiWorld feature and provides various decorations with thousands of new hairstyles, glasses, beards, hats. Moreover, users can add interesting GIF stickers to their avatar, placing the stickers in the proper position to get a stunning style. Users can also engage in activities to win a prize by sharing creations in their community.

Turn Photo to Caricature by MomentCam Cartoons & Stickers:
  • 1. Search the App name in Google Play and install it on your Android device.
  • 2. Select a picture from your album and add it to the MomentCam Cartoons & Stickers.
  • 3. Choose your favorite background and apply it to your picture.
  • 4. Try different GIF stickers and emoticons to express your mood most funnily.
  • 5. Share the final cartoon or caricature creation with the community for a winning prize.
Before and After Effect
caricature, all you need to know
2). Avaton

Avaton is another app enjoying high ratings on Play Store, allowing you to personalize a portrait from the original photograph. You can easily customize the style you love by matching different hair, eyes, clothes, pose, color schemes, and facial appearances with the help of its almighty photo editing functions. Even everything can be customized to ensure your avatar looks just like you. Meanwhile, you can also join the game challenge to see how your friends make their caricature avatars.

Turn Photo to Caricature by Avaton:
  • 1. Search the App name in Google Play and install it on your Android device.
  • 2. Open Avaton and upload the selected figure picture into the app.
  • 3. Customize your new look by changing hair, eyes, clothes, pose, and accessories.
  • 4. Join a funny challenge to get more caricature inspiration from other competitors.
  • 5. Apply different poster templates to your avatar and get the resulting image.
Before and After Effect
caricature, all you need to know
3). Sketch Me! Sketch&Cartoon

Don’t miss Sketch Me! Sketch & Cartoon if you want to make a caricature of yourself from a real photo. This app offers three styles for image transformation: cartoons, drawings, and sketches. The 20+ special effects are available: black strokes, white strokes, pastel, pencil sketch, color sketch, cartoon, stamp, halftone, hatching... The edit tool is also helpful while you are converting photo to cartoon effects. For instance, you can adjust the opacity and stretch the edge.

Turn Photo to Caricature by Sketch Me! Sketch & Cartoon:
  • 1. Download the app from Google Play and install it on your phone.
  • 2. import a photo from your library or take a new one from within the app.
  • 3. Click 19 contained effects by app one by one to find the most distinct effect.
  • 4. Drag the parameters bar to adjust the contrast and brightness.
  • 5. Apply the shape to the current pattern and make the caricature funniest.
Before and After Effect
caricature, all you need to know

2.2.2 Three Best Caricature Maker Apps for iOS

1). Clip2Comic & Caricature Maker

Want a high-quality and high-resolution caricature avatar of yourself? Clip2Comic & Caricature Maker can meet your need definitely in several clicks. Based on AI technology, it allows you to transform many photos and videos into cartoons, posters, and sketch art. That means not only you will look like a cartoon character, but also the environment will seem cartoon effect too. Once you turn pictures into caricatures, you can export the results in high resolution.

Turn Picture to Caricature by Clip2Comic & Caricature Maker
  • 1. Select a photo from your album or library and upload it to the app.
  • 2. Catch a special moment by using a cartoon camera.
  • 3. Choose and apply different caricature styles to get comic effects.
  • 4. Adjust outlines and the blackness of the uploaded picture.
  • 5. Colorize for the poster effect and move your finger on the screen to retouch the face.
  • 6. Apply the color filters to express the mode you want to show.
Before and After Effect
caricature, all you need to know
2). ToonMe

ToonMe is available both on Android and iOS devices, turning photos into cartoons with 1 simple click! This AI-driven caricature app helps you to create a vivid cartoon avatar that looks like the 3D Disney Pixar cartoon characters or classic Disney cartoons. If you love to share fun things on social media, just share your cartoon-enhanced selfies generated by ToonMe and participate in the heated art contest. The unique cartoon and anime styles and dozens of layouts inside make you stand out.

Turn Photo to Cartoon Effect by ToonMe:
  • 1. Install the app from the App store and upload a portrait you want to cartoonize.
  • 2. Wait seconds for AI to recognize and analyze the facial feature in the original image.
  • 3. Apply the cartoon effects from the “Hot/New/Best” section to your picture.
  • 4. Add cute and funny stickers to make a picture more vivid.
  • 5. Choose the most suitable layout for your animated picture.
  • 6. Preview the final results and save your caricature on your mobile phone.
Before and After Effect
caricature, all you need to know
3). Photo To Sketch - Drawing Book

This application converts photos to cartoons in pencil sketch style. By using Photo To Sketch, users can upload photo from an album or launch a camera to take photos from the application. It generates high-resolution pencil sketches without stretching and shirking images. Besides, you can change the contrast and brightness of the image freely to get more interesting effects.

How to Turn Photo to Cartoon by Photo To Sketch?
  • 1. Find Photo To Sketch - Drawing Book in App Store and download the app.
  • 2. Open the app and purchase one of three premium subscriptions.
  • 3. Click on Top Right to open the Premium window.
  • 4. Select a photo from the album and upload it to the app.
  • 5. Apply multiple “Sketch” or “Cartoon” effects to see which is most beautiful
  • 6. Add effective filters and stickers to the pictures generated in the last step.
  • 8. Tap text to express your current mode and save the final artwork.
Before and After Effect
caricature, all you need to know

2.2.3 Best Online Caricature Maker You’ll Ever Need:

If you take no interest in drawing caricature from real photos on your phone or iPad because you don’t want to install any app, you may turn attention to an online caricature maker. Though thousands of results are displayed on Google when you search “how to turn photo to caricature online”, the reality is that you only need 1 tool to achieve the goal effectively. Caricaturer.io is ready to do the work for you.

Overview of Caricaturer.io:

Deeply involved in the field of artificial intelligence, Caricaturer.io has been one of the most praised and trustworthy caricature makers online, allowing users to turn photos to caricature on both Windows and Mac systems. It enables you to cartoonize your portrait photos and create 64 comic cartoon effects featured in exaggerated and deformed styles. Powered by AI technology, the whole process is automatic and no fancy skills are required. The usage is even easier than the caricature apps we have discussed before. It takes only 2-3 minutes to show all generated works in 1 click. In addition, you can download all caricatures with HD quality if you sign up for an account here. Last but not least, Caricaturer.io is free!

How to Make Caricature or Cartoon Face by Caricaturer.io?
  • 1. Head to Caricaturer.io on your browser. Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Chrome are all available.
  • 2. Select a clear picture and upload it on Caricaturer.io by dropping or dragging.
  • 3. Wait 2 minutes and let AI scan the facial features and convert the photo to cartoon style.
  • 4. Preview all 64 caricatures at once and decide to save a single image or save batch images.
  • 5. Sign up for your account, then download HD quality images in 10 seconds.
Before and After Effect
caricature, all you need to know

3.3 The Pros and Cons of All Above Caricature Makers: (Form Powered By Caricaturer.io)

Caricature Maker Name Pros Cons
MomentCam Cartoons & Stickers 1.Easy to create an avatar.
2.Various caricature effects are available.
3. Comic visual effects by Gif stickers.
 1. Need to reset avatars after version upgrading.
2. Less uncolored drawings.
3. Cant’s contact the team for support directly.
Avaton 1. Custom personalized cartoon avatars.
2. Set background with real-life photos.
3. Make poses for the character.
 1. Ads pop-ups may interrupt the process.
2. Male hairstyles aren't available for female figure.
Sketch Me! 1. Unlock many options with the least permissions.
2. Quick response to the using issue.
3. Funny sketch effects.
 1. Not cartoonish enough.
2. Unable to be removed from phone sometimes.
Clip2Comic & Caricature Maker 1. versatile editing tool.
2. Support for cartoon video production.
3. Support for real-time preview of cartoon effect.
 1. You have to subscribe to unlock more stunning filters.
2. Unable to cancel watermark in the free version.
ToonMe 1. Excellent free cartoon filters.
2. Simple layouts and sophisticated designs.
3. Fast speed to apply filters & other fun decors.
 1. has a bit too many ads.
2. Some filters can’t be applied to photo well.
3. Watermark removal requires a subscription.
Photo To Sketch - Drawing Book 1. Allow taking a photo from the application.
2. Email sketches in the application.
3. Multiple filters and high quality of results.
 1. Ultimate filters and features require a premium subscription.
2. The application crashes sometimes.
Caricaturer.io 1. Free to process and download caricature.
2. HD quality for all generated images.
3. Get 64 cartoon effects at once.
4. Support bulk download.
 1. Takes a bit long time to turn image to caricature.
2. Internet connection state has a great impact on the speed of conversion.

#3 What People Do with Caricature Portraits

caricature, all you need to know

1. Use digital portrait caricature in company’s ceremony

More and more companies prefer to choose a funnier way to a traditional presentation when it comes to holding an anniversary or award ceremony. If you make caricatures for your staff and use these interesting pictures to replace the real portraits, you greatly livened up the atmosphere at a fraction of the cost.

2. Use couple caricatures for a wedding ceremony

Caricatures at a wedding are the perfect blend of creative, fun, and social. Plus your guests leave with a fun keepsake from their time with you at your celebration. Wedding photos can be taken not only in a studio but also with online tools to create cartoon effects.

3. Create happy memory for elderly people

Have you ever imagined that there will be a warmer and relaxing way to take photos for those elderly people who may nearly come to the end of their life? Make caricatures for elderly people, record their smiles and happy memories.

4. Print the caricature painting and send it as a gift

Print the caricature drawing and send it to your friends as gifts or souvenirs. Compared with buying clothes, perfume, or bags from e-commerce platforms, you may create more surprises for your friends by taking printed caricatures as a gift.

#4 Conclusion:

Caricature is always a powerful weapon to brighten up your mediocre life and create surprise. From this article, we know how to capture the essence of a figure when it comes to making a caricature from the photo and how to draw a caricature on paper step by step. Considering the time and efficiency, we list the most useful tools to replace an artist drawing a caricature on Android, iOS, and Online. Hope you can find the proper way to convert image to caricature among all 7 tools and make your caricatures stand out.

As you can see, both manual painting and AI painting have their advantages and drawbacks. What you need to do first is to think about your core necessity. Choosing to hire an artist is better if you want to customize the style of your caricature. But if you want to save time and enjoy the fun effects immediately, don’t hesitate to use AI caricature makers such as Caricaturer.io.

Come to make a caricature of yourself and light up your boring life right now!