1. A method of automatically processing an image comprising the steps of: filtering the image to detect its edges; locating, within the filtered image, features having a high spatial variance by thresholding and skeletonising the filtered image to produce an image comprising single pixel width definition of features; discarding features of the produced image having a size less than a predetermined size; fitting curves to the remaining features; and stroking the image with a series of brush strokes emanating from remaining features of the produced image in accordance with the fitted curves.