A method generates an image with de-emphasized textures. Each pixel in the image is classified as either a silhouette edge pixel, a texture edge pixels, or a featureless pixel. A mask image M(x, y) is generated, wherein an intensity of a given pixel (x, y) in the mask image M(x, y) is zero if the pixel (x, y) is classified as the texture edge pixel, is d(x, y) if the pixel (x, y) is classified as the featureless pixel, and is one if the pixel (x, y) is classified as the silhouette edge pixel. An intensity gradient .gradient.I(x, y) is determined in the masked image, and the intensity gradients in the masked image are integrated according to G(x, y)=.gradient.I(x, y). M(x, y). Then, an output image I' is generated by minimizing |.gradient.I'-G|, and normalizing the intensities in the output image I'.