A method converts an outline character to a stylized stroke character by first identifying regions of the outline character, wherein each region is closed and disjoint. For each region, candidate locations for stroke bodies and terminals of the stylized stroke character are determined. The stroke bodies are then initialized and organized into a hierarchical tree stricture, and modified in an order of the hierarchical tree structure. End positions of the modified stroke bodies are then adjusted to match the outline character, and lastly, the terminals are selected for the adjusted stroke bodies.