Make Cartoon Characters Look Like Real People with Midjourney

Have you ever looked at your favorite cartoon character and wondered what they might look like in real life? Tools like Midjourney can help you create realistic versions of these beloved 2D figures. This guide shows you how to turn cartoon art into lifelike images while keeping the character's unique style.

Step-by-Step: From Cartoon to Realism

Start with Your Cartoon Image

First, you need the cartoon picture you want to work with. Upload this image to Midjourney. We'll use Judy Jetson as our example. Her look, with her blonde ponytail and futuristic outfit, is perfect for this kind of project.

Use the Describe Feature

Midjourney has a "describe" function. Use this on your uploaded cartoon image. Midjourney will give you text descriptions of what it sees in the picture. This output is your starting point. You'll need to adjust it.

Write Your First Prompt

Take the description Midjourney gave you and turn it into a clear request. For Judy, this might be something like: "real life Judy Jetson as a beautiful blonde woman in a white and pink dress with a ponytail hairstyle and bangs." Adding "real life" is key. It tells Midjourney to aim for human realism.

Add the Original Image as a Reference

Now, add the original cartoon image back in as a reference. Use the image URL (or upload again and copy its URL) with the image parameter. It looks like --iw followed by a number. Use a low weight number, like --iw .5. A low weight means Midjourney should be inspired by the cartoon but not stick too closely to its style. This helps you keep the character's vibe without getting stuck in the cartoon look.

Make it More Realistic with Keywords

To get a truly photorealistic result, add specific words to your prompt. Things like "natural skin," "visible pores," "hyperrealist," or "in the style of National Geographic" can help Midjourney create lifelike textures and details. Add your aspect ratio (like `--ar 3:4`) and Midjourney version (like `--v 7.0`) to the prompt too.

Putting it all together, your prompt might look something like: "real life Judy Jetson as a beautiful blonde woman in a white and pink dress with a ponytail hairstyle and bangs, natural skin, visible pores, retrofuturistic, hyper realist in the style of National Geographic --ar 3:4 --iw .5 [URL of cartoon image] --v 7.0".

Try Multiple Times

Run your prompt. Midjourney will give you several options. Look at these results. Some will look more like real people. Others might still have more cartoon features. See which ones you like best. Creating great AI art often takes a few tries.

Handling multiple images and prompt variations can be time-consuming. Consider using an automation tool to manage these steps more efficiently. Automating parts of your Midjourney workflow can save you time and help you experiment faster. Learn more about automating your Midjourney process here: Speed up your Midjourney creations with automation.

Improve Using Your Best Result

Pick the most realistic picture you got that you like. Now, use *this* realistic image as your new reference image. You'll use the image parameter (`--iw`) again, but this time, use a much higher weight, like `--iw 1.5`. This high weight tells Midjourney to stay very close to the realistic image you chose while still allowing for small changes. This helps refine the look you want.

Your prompt would now be similar but with the new image reference and weight: "real life Judy Jetson as a beautiful blonde woman in a white and pink dress with a ponytail hairstyle and bangs. natural skin, visible pores, retrofuturistic hyper realist in the style of National Geographic --ar 3:4 --iw 1.5 [URL of your best realistic image] --v 7.0". Run this to get variations on your best picture.

Key to Success: Balance and Experimenting

The trick to making cartoon characters look real is finding the right balance. You need to keep enough of the original character's look so they are recognizable, but add enough realistic human details to make them convincing. This comes from carefully writing your prompt and setting the image weight parameters.

Don't be afraid to try different things. Change the `--iw` value, add or change descriptive words. It often takes testing and trying again until you get the look just right.

Managing all these image references and prompt adjustments can get complex. Tools are available that can help streamline this process, allowing you to manage variations and references more easily. Discover how to make your Midjourney workflow smoother: Explore Midjourney automation tools.

Wrapping Up

Using these steps, you can take any cartoon character and create a believable, lifelike person using Midjourney. It's a fun process that involves careful prompt choices and using image references effectively. Keep experimenting, and enjoy seeing your favorite characters come to life!