Ink & Etching 3: 16 Photo Styles and Their Prompts
Explore portraits shaped by pen strokes, crosshatching, engraving-like marks and areas of ink. Some examples are delicate and airy; others use dense darks and visible texture.
Make your look in Vidream
- Open Cartoon and choose Ink & Etching 3.
- Browse the examples below and select the filter with the matching name.
- Upload a clear photo with the face and main subject fully visible.
- Generate your image, then check the face, hands, outfit and background before saving it.
Choose your photo: Well-lit photos with readable facial detail and a clear separation between subject and background.
How to use the prompts
Each prompt below is a self-contained recipe for one uploaded photo plus written style instructions. Use it in an image-editing tool that accepts a photo and a text prompt. No second style image is needed. In Vidream, choosing the named filter uses its preset treatment.
The gallery shows the current Vidream filter examples in a 3:4 display crop. The written recipes describe those looks; a new generation can vary in fine detail and likeness.
All 16 looks
1. Brush-Pen Cartoon
Look for: Strongly variable-width black brush lines, sparse gray-green and red on white paper, expressive simplified facial marks and broken dry-brush texture.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Strongly variable-width black brush lines, sparse gray-green and red on white paper, expressive simplified facial marks and broken dry-brush texture.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
2. Notebook Margin Cartoon
Look for: Blue ballpoint-pen sketching, varied ink pressure and dense crosshatching, faint ruled-notebook paper texture and brief facial marks; no added notes or page numbers.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Blue ballpoint-pen sketching, varied ink pressure and dense crosshatching, faint ruled-notebook paper texture and brief facial marks; no added notes or page numbers.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
3. Kissaten Retro Sketch
Look for: Sepia and orange-brown ink washes on aged paper, fine hatching, gentle small facial marks and layered warm dry-and-wet ink textures.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Sepia and orange-brown ink washes on aged paper, fine hatching, gentle small facial marks and layered warm dry-and-wet ink textures.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
4. New-Guochao Flat Gongbi
Look for: Fine flowing meticulous brush contours, green-red mineral pigments and cream ground, flat decorative material patterns and delicate restrained facial rendering.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Fine flowing meticulous brush contours, green-red mineral pigments and cream ground, flat decorative material patterns and delicate restrained facial rendering.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
5. Modernized Song-Dynasty Light Color
Look for: Pale earth-toned ink painting, thin muted gray-green and light brown washes, extremely fine ink lines, aged paper grain and restrained detailed facial marks.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Pale earth-toned ink painting, thin muted gray-green and light brown washes, extremely fine ink lines, aged paper grain and restrained detailed facial marks.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
6. New-Chinese Tiny Ink Figures
Look for: Loose black-gray ink diffusion on white paper with sparse red, lively tiny features, expressive brush gestures and broad breathing paper-white areas.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Loose black-gray ink diffusion on white paper with sparse red, lively tiny features, expressive brush gestures and broad breathing paper-white areas.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
7. Black-White Pen Deadpan Humor
Look for: Black-and-white pen comics, densely drawn surroundings and broad clean facial light planes, half-lidded calm eyes and sparse solid black ink shapes.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Black-and-white pen comics, densely drawn surroundings and broad clean facial light planes, half-lidded calm eyes and sparse solid black ink shapes.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
8. Contemporary Chinese Ink Illustration
Look for: Expressive black-gray ink washes with sparse warm orange, tiny facial marks, generous paper whites and softly spreading water stains.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Expressive black-gray ink washes with sparse warm orange, tiny facial marks, generous paper whites and softly spreading water stains.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
9. Vintage Ink & Watercolor Comic Storybook
Look for: Vintage ink-and-wash comics, large dark graphic eyes and subtle red cheek accents, lively fine hatching, warm green and cream, aged paper grain.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Vintage ink-and-wash comics, large dark graphic eyes and subtle red cheek accents, lively fine hatching, warm green and cream, aged paper grain.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
10. Edwardian Vintage Ink Fashion Editorial
Look for: Classical fine pen etching, gray-black and warm cream with sparse blue-yellow accents, delicate facial drawing, dense fine crosshatching and paper grain.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Classical fine pen etching, gray-black and warm cream with sparse blue-yellow accents, delicate facial drawing, dense fine crosshatching and paper grain.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
11. Quirky Fantasy Sketchbook Character Concept
Look for: Fantasy-book pen-and-wash illustration, fine black contours and dense hatching, old cream paper with green and ochre, slightly pointed eccentric forms and lively small facial marks.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Fantasy-book pen-and-wash illustration, fine black contours and dense hatching, old cream paper with green and ochre, slightly pointed eccentric forms and lively small facial marks.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
12. Isometric Fantasy Illustrated Cartography
Look for: Detailed map-illustration pen-and-watercolor treatment, forest and earth colors, small simple facial marks and intricate architectural and plant strokes; retain the input camera angle, scale and scene layout.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Detailed map-illustration pen-and-watercolor treatment, forest and earth colors, small simple facial marks and intricate architectural and plant strokes; retain the input camera angle, scale and scene layout.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
13. Medieval Dark Fantasy Ink & Ochre Illustration
Look for: Dark medieval-style etching, dense black-brown crosshatching over ochre parchment, strong dark masses and intricate engraved surface texture.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Dark medieval-style etching, dense black-brown crosshatching over ochre parchment, strong dark masses and intricate engraved surface texture.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
14. Guochao Fantasy Architectural Illustration
Look for: Fine meticulous brush line drawing with mineral pigment, gray-green and warm orange, gently simplified facial marks, finely drawn surroundings and weathered paper grain.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Fine meticulous brush line drawing with mineral pigment, gray-green and warm orange, gently simplified facial marks, finely drawn surroundings and weathered paper grain.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
15. Minimalist Poetic Sempé Ink Doodle
Look for: Sparse ink doodling, extremely fine broken lines and pale gray-green washes, abundant white paper, minimal tiny features and preserved original subject scale.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Sparse ink doodling, extremely fine broken lines and pale gray-green washes, abundant white paper, minimal tiny features and preserved original subject scale.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
16. Modern Minimalist Sumi-e & Red Gouache Illustration
Look for: Red-and-black ink and gouache, rough dry brushing, natural diffusion and white-paper openings, minimal tiny features and pure red shapes against black ink.
Copy this prompt:
Restyle the uploaded photo using this visual treatment: Red-and-black ink and gouache, rough dry brushing, natural diffusion and white-paper openings, minimal tiny features and pure red shapes against black ink.
Keep the original people, facial identity, age, skin-tone relationships, hairstyle, pose, clothing, objects and setting. Translate the same facial features into this treatment while retaining their proportions and emotional intent. If the photo has no people, apply the treatment to its existing scene and objects.
Apply the described look consistently across the subject and background. Preserve the main spatial relationships and keep the face and important details fully visible in a single 3:4 vertical composition. Do not add people, props, text, logos, watermarks or panels.
Refine the result
Change line density before adding more color: sparse marks feel lighter, while closer hatching creates weight and shadow. Keep the specific mark-making in the selected recipe.
Do not add dense hatching everywhere. Leave lighter areas open so the face and clothing remain readable.
Keep the same source photo when comparing recipes. Change one style instruction at a time so you can see what actually changed.