makerwizard
Start free

Free to tryA picture to engraveFrom your photo or a sentence

A charcoal drawing from a photo

Add a photo or describe it in a sentence. It comes back redrawn in this style, as a picture to engrave at the size you set, for LightBurn and the rest of your laser software.

Try

The photo it started from: a beagle sitting on a sofaThe photo
A photo of a beagle redrawn by MakerWizard in the Charcoal styleCharcoal
A real result, not retouched: a photo of a beagle redrawn in Charcoal at the standard quality, for 1 export. It downloads as this picture, placed at the width you set.

Quick answer

How do I turn a photo into a charcoal drawing for a laser?

Add the picture to MakerWizard, pick Charcoal and press Redraw. An image model redraws it in that style and keeps who or what it shows; the result stays a grey picture for your laser software to dither. Set the width in millimetres and download it for LightBurn or any laser software. One drawing costs 1 export.

How it works

  1. Add a photo, or type what to draw

    A sharp picture with the subject in good light works best; everything around the subject is left out. No photo? Describe it in a sentence.

  2. Keep Charcoal picked

    This page opens with it picked. Words next to a photo are a note on top, such as "add a small crown".

  3. Redraw

    A drawing takes about 20 seconds and costs 1 export; Pro draws finer faces for 2 exports.

  4. Set the width and download

    Type the width in millimetres and take the LightBurn project, SVG, PDF or PNG with the picture already at that size.

Questions makers ask

What can I make with a charcoal drawing?

Dramatic contrast and deep blacks: moody portraits, animals and landscapes on light wood.

How do I engrave a charcoal drawing?

Engrave it as an image with dithering. Dark woods swallow the smudged greys, so pick a light one such as birch, maple or basswood.

What files do I get?

The picture, at the width you set: a LightBurn project with it on an image layer, an SVG and a PDF with it placed in millimetres, and a grey PNG. It is left for your laser software to dither, so it is never dithered twice. The downloads are free once the drawing is made.

Can I use my own photo?

Yes, that is what the style is for; or describe the picture in words instead. The photo goes to fal.ai, which runs the image model, and is kept with the drawing in your account until you delete the account (a guest's after 48 hours). You need the right to use the photo and, for a photo of a person, their permission.

What does it cost?

One drawing costs 1 export, or 2 exports with Pro. Without an account you can make 3 drawings to see the result; a free account adds 7 more and lets you download. A drawing that fails is refunded automatically. The files are yours to use, including on products you sell.

More styles to engrave

All 32 drawing styles · Free laser tools