The name says it all: With FotoSketcher you can turn your digital pictures into sketches. According to duden.de, a sketch is a “short, effective scene with mostly funny pointing”. The application has mainly automatic functions that make it easy to use and usually lead to results that please. You determine the degree of efficiency via sliders. Manual image editing is not on the agenda.
FotoSketcher: What does the latest version offer?
The latest FotoSketcher app version 3.90 brings new features and bug fixes according to the changelog. Among other things, the provider improved problems with image rotation. And the freezing of the program when calling the website fotosketcher.com via the About/About dialog is a thing of the past. The complete change log can be found on the linked page.
FotoSketcher guide: tips for photo editing
FotoSketcher app will delight you with over 20 effects that you can apply to your images. A before-and-after view allows you to check the result: on the left you see the respective source image and on the right its modified version. While other image-editing tools sometimes require a purchase for the use of advanced features, FotoSketcher app is free throughout – there are no annoying subscription fees like with Fotor, so this software is out of favor with the more conventional-looking FotoSketcher, which ran more reliably in our tests.
How to use FotoSketcher
When you launch the application, a splash screen appears. This loading screen is transparent. It counts up a value in percentages that indicates how long it will take for the FotoSketcher app environment to be ready. From the factory, you will see a sample image in it with a parrot “in the flesh” on the left and “run through polish” on the right. With Ctrl-O you can load your own image file. Supported formats are: BMP, JPG, JPEG and PNG.
Once you have decided on a local file, the “Settings” dialog pops up promptly. Here you can select one of several image styles from a drop-down menu. These are sorted into the following categories:
- Pencil drawing effects
- Ink drawing effects
- Painting effects
- Stylized effects
- Other effects
Interesting editing features
Conveniently, mouseover maneuvers on the numerous rubricated entries show thumbnails. This is done with the included parrot and not with the contents of your own photo file – probably to save computing power. But it still has an informational value: You get an impression of which effect works which way, and then decide for example for “Pencil drawing 1” (colored), “Pencil drawing 2 (b/w)” (with color separation), “Oil pencil drawing (colored)”, “Painting 9 (watercolor)” or one of the cartoon impressions. In the “Settings” dialog, after clicking on the desired filter, you can see how it alienates your image.
Use sliders, whose labels vary depending on the style you choose, to fine-tune the result. With the “Add text” option, you can add a watermark – a copyright notice, for example. If you like the way it looks, click “Draw!” and the enhanced photo version appears in the main window area on the right.
Customize preview view and improve colors
By moving the dividing line between the original left image and the right preview, you allocate more screen space to one of the counterparts. Image rotations are usually more useful: Use the L key to rotate your preview and result image to the left, and R to the right. The F12 key enables you to swap the left and right images.
The automatic improvement of contrast and sharpness is rather rudimentary. The results are nevertheless impressive. The Ashampoo Photo Optimizer shines a bit more here. With FotoSketcher app, Ctrl-A is used to apply this fine-tuning.
With Ctrl-S you save. If you want to save your work as a wallpaper for the Windows desktop, you can do that with Ctrl-W. A similar possibility is offered by some other photo software solutions and even web browsers. Do you have in mind further processing of the displayed content in a FotoSketcher-alternative application? The hotkey Ctrl-C copies the work to the RAM clipboard. In the desired further software press Ctrl-V to paste.
How to Download FotoSketcher
Before we get started, it’s important to note that FotoSketcher 3.90 is available for free download on Windows and Mac computers. To download the software, you will need:
A computer running on Windows or Mac OS
At least 512 MB of RAM
50 MB of available hard disk space
An internet connection
Once you have met these requirements, follow these simple steps to download and install FotoSketcher:
- Visit the official FotoSketcher website at www.fotosketcher.com .
- Click on the “Download” button located on the homepage.
- Select the appropriate version of FotoSketcher for your operating system.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the download and installation process.
Fotosketcher Portable
FotoSketcher Portable app is a version of common image editing software that can be used without the need for installation. This means that you can run it directly from your computer or USB stick without having to install it on your computer.
The benefits of using FotoSketcher Portable include the ability to easily use the software without having to install it. The portable version is suitable for those who do not plan to actively use this application. Perhaps you just want to try the programs “in action”? It’s also a great option for people who don’t have administrator rights on their computer because you can still use the software without having to install it.
All in all, FotoSketcher Portable is a handy alternative for those who want to use the software on the go. The portable version offers the same degree of efficiency and user friendliness as the installed version, with the added benefit of portability.
Fotosketcher for Mac
FotoSketcher for Mac is a reliable and user-friendly imaging software specially designed for Mac users. This software makes it easy to turn your photos into dazzling masterpieces with just a few clicks.
In addition, the software is well user-friendly for Mac users, with an intuitive and simple interface that makes it easy for even the most inexperienced users to get started. Like the Windows version, FotoSketcher an experimental version for Mac is available as a free download from the official website, making it accessible to anyone who wants to enhance their photos on a Mac OS computer.
All in all, I recommend to download this software if you are looking for powerful yet easy to use image editing software for your Mac, FotoSketcher is definitely worth considering. Please note that we do not guarantee correct operation of the software on Mac versions with M1 and M1 series processors.
FotoSketcher in the test: our conclusion
FotoSketcher conjures up better pictures and a smile on some viewers’ faces – the integrated (customizable) effects are convincing. A goodie of the software, which ran pleasantly responsive in our tests: If you open the entries “File”, “Edit” and “Help” in the menu bar at the top, this happens animatedly. This is reminiscent of opening the Windows 2000 and Windows 11 start menus; the Windows 10 one does not fly in as strikingly. Even the Windows X menu, which Windows 8 introduced and which built up in Windows 8(.1)/10 without any graphical eye candy, emerges in Windows 11 enriched in this way, so to speak, in FotoSketcher fashion. This extravagance of FotoSketcher app does not tip the scales in its favor or against it, but some might find the eye-candy factor too great (but the described probably does not bother most of the time).
A tip for the software
If you have overdone it in terms of eye candy, for example because you have pressed Ctrl-A several times to improve the contrast, you can undo this with Ctrl-Z. The “undo of the undo” is done in many applications with Ctrl-Y, but not in FotoSketcher: Here you have to press Ctrl-Alt-Z for this task.
Good for professionals
The provider describes its application as 100 percent freeware. The use is officially intended for private and business use. Some other manufacturers charge money for business use, sometimes coupled with a Pro version. The FotoSketcher app maker, however, is happy about donations; he therefore implements a “Donate” button in his software and invites people to donate a cup of coffee or some cookies to him. Anecdotally, the so-called Beerware should be mentioned, a type of software in which the developer wishes that users drink a beer to his health or that they donate one to him; it is certainly healthier to live with coffee and cookies.
Alternative software: create caricatures, memes and more
Other programs that can also be used explicitly for non-private purposes free of charge are FreeFileSync, DigiFoto and Text Editor Pro. FotoSketcher app is more modern than Magix FunPix Maker, which is getting on in years and is not bad at all – the application is used to make caricatures. The Yahoo toolbar is included in the setup; this is fine for friends of such toolbars, all others can ignore the bar offer in the installer. It testifies to the upscale age of the freeware.
A top alternatives of FotoSketcher app
A top alternative with an equally impressive effects portfolio is Color Projects 6, which is available from Franzis as a free full version.
The Opera web browser has a function for creating memes: With Ctrl-Shift-5 you can make a screenshot of the web page. You determine the section. After a confirmation click, press the animal icon in the upper left corner above the “Meme” text. Afterwards, the corresponding functions will open up and you can create your own memes. This includes, among other things, inserting text in fonts such as the “Comic Sans” variant, which is sometimes dismissed as unserious.
