Create Your Own Wall Street Journal Inspired Hedcut Portrait

Transform any photo into a classic Wall Street Journal inspired hedcut — the iconic stipple-and-hatching style that's instantly recognizable from the WSJ's pages. Our easy online Hedcut Maker generates professional, hand-drawn-looking illustrations in minutes, perfect for profiles, avatars, gifts, or business branding, so that you, too, can make your own Wall Street Jounral style portraits.

What Is a Hedcut?

A hedcut (short for "headline cut") is a distinctive pen-and-ink portrait style made famous by The Wall Street Journal. Using stippling (tiny dots) and hatching (fine lines), it creates a timeless, engraving-like appearance that echoes old-school woodcuts and currency illustrations. The result? Sophisticated, professional portraits with a vintage newspaper charm.

How to make a Stipple Portrait Online

Upload your photo (headshots work best), select your size, and our AI-powered tool instantly creates a stunning WSJ-style hedcut. No artistic skills needed — get high-quality results in under a minute.

Download your portrait in high resolution and use it anywhere: social media avatars, LinkedIn profiles, websites, prints, or even laser engraving projects. Affordable pricing lets you choose the perfect size for your needs.

Why Choose Our Hedcut Maker?

• Fast & simple — no waiting for manual artists; results are ready in less than a minute
• Authentic WSJ-inspired style with precise stipple and hatching
• Ridiculously cost-effective compared to custom commissions
• Great for personal use, corporate branding, personal profile pictures (PFPs), social media, or fun gifts

Other Names for This Style

You might also hear them called stipple portraits, engraving portraits, or dot drawings. The term "hedcut" was coined in the WSJ newsroom and has become the standard for this unique illustration technique.

The Origins of the Hedcut Style

The modern hedcut was pioneered in 1979 by illustrator Kevin Sprouls, who introduced it to The Wall Street Journal as a freelance artist. The paper adopted it for its classical, stable look on the front page. Since then, talented artists like Noli Novak (a WSJ senior illustrator since 1987) have refined and expanded the technique.

Where to Use Your Hedcut

Use your hedcut for any purpose you like. It's a timeless, professional portrait that can be used for personal use, corporate branding, personal profile pictures (PFPs), social media, or fun gifts. We've found that hedcuts are perfect for profiles, avatars, gifts, or business branding. You can download your hedcut in high resolution and use it anywhere: social media avatars/PFPs, LinkedIn profiles, websites, prints, or even laser engraving projects.

Why use a Hedcut for your Professional Profile Picture?

Our hedcut generator creates a unique, hand-drawn-style portrait that's perfect for professional use. Whatever your photo, the hedcut maker turns it into a consistent, high-quality line-drawing that's perfect for websites, catalogs, business cards, and almost anything you can think of.

Ready to get your own iconic WSJ hedcut? Upload your photo now and create a timeless portrait today!