GTA type effect [Photoshop]

Question

I'm new to Photoshop and was wondering how can I give my photo a cartoon effect just like in the GTA cover. I looked everywhere, youtube, blogs and stuff but still non were close to what I'm looking for. Look at the picture for clarity:

I tried the following but didn't get what I was looking for:

1. Made a duplicate layer of the image and then Filter -> Sketch -> Stamp and after that multiply them.

2. Image -> Adjustment -> Posterize

3. Filer -> Sharpen -> Unsharp Mask

Using PS CS5 Extended.

Is there any fast and better way of doing it? Thanks.

Answer 1

I think that https://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/ is a better place for asking such question.

From what I can see on your picture, there's an ink-like effect like in Street Fighter 4, there is a tutorial here on how to do that.

Now regarding the shading, if the source was in 3D they probably used Cel Shading, find a tutorial here.

Answer 2

There are 2 ways of doing it: 1. Filter/Blur/Smart blur with Radius 3, Threshold 15, then Filter/Filter Gallery / Artistic/Poster Edges with Thickness 8, Intensity 1, or 2. buy the effect action (3$) which does the above http://graphicriver.net/item/grand-photoshop-action/11341606

Answer 3

First go Filter -> Filter gallery -> poster edges increase thickness level to 5 or something that suits best for the image and intensity lesser than thickness value and Posterization value to mid level(3 or 4)

Then Filter -> Filter gallery -> cutout increase levels,keep simplicity to 0 and fidelity to 0 or 1