This Is How I Create My Ghibli-Style Portraits For Free (And You Can Do It Too)

Most recently, OpenAI announced the rollout of its most advanced image generator (as part of GPT-4o). In no time, the internet put the tool to work for generating Ghibli-style portraits of memes, iconic movie scenes, popular action heroes, and, above all, personal portraits.

What Are Ghibli-Style Portraits Anyway, And Why Is The Internet Going Crazy About Them?

For those catching up, Studio Ghibli is a popular Japanese animation studio in Tokyo. It is renowned for its artwork, emotional storytelling, and a distinct character style seen in creations like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Howl’s Moving Castle.

Over the years, the studio has worked on themes related to nature, humanity, and self-discovery, resonating with a global audience. Ghibli-style portraits mimic the aesthetic of Studio Ghibli, which includes soft or dreamy lighting, vibrant and natural color palettes, expressive eyes, and a hand-painting-like look.

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Check out some of the most popular Ghibli-style recreations below.

ChatGPT Still Requires A Subscription For Creating Ghibli-Style Portraits

While announcing the new image generator, OpenAI mentioned how the tool would be available for free ChatGPT users. However, due to the immense response, the company has restricted the tool to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team users. I even tried to create a portrait using the free version of Gemini but to no avail.

Does that mean you can’t create your Ghibli-style portraits without a subscription fee?

Fortunately, There’s A Ghibli Free Alternative: Grok AI

Well, thanks to Grok AI, you can still create Gibhli-style portraits of yourself, your friends, and family members. Although several third-party image generators can transform a picture into its Ghibli-themed version, we’ve chosen Grok AI, one of the most popular AI chatbots (with the required safety and privacy systems in place).

Yes, the results aren’t as accurate as those generated by ChatGPT’s image generator. However, they are still enough to initiate a fun conversation between friends or among your followers on social media.

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Follow the steps given below to create a Ghibli-style portrait.

1. Select a picture where the subject (a person or landscape) is clearly visible.
2. Head to the Grok AI web chatbot and add the picture to the chatbox.
3. Type a prompt that reads, “Create a Ghibli-style portrait of this picture.”
4. Wait for a few moments as the chatbot generates the required image. Depending on the size of the picture, the chatbot can take a few seconds to create a portrait, but the wait is worth it.
5. You can copy the picture directly on your clipboard and share it via messaging apps like WhatsApp or social media apps like Instagram.

I’ve attached a few sample shots for your reference, and in my opinion, they are pretty good. Of course, they aren’t as detail-oriented as GPT-4o. For instance, in the last picture with a cold coffee cup held over a car’s dashboard, the AI chatbot adds what looks like a sitting space (and a dashboard on top of it). Even so, it is good enough for most pictures and gets the job done.

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