To turn a photo into a Ghibli-style image with Gemini, upload the photo and ask for a hand-painted anime look with soft watercolour skies, warm light and gentle detail, while keeping the person's pose and features. Describe the mood, not a film title, and remember Gemini adds a SynthID watermark to every image.
The 'Ghibli look' people ask for is a style, not a filter: soft hand-painted backgrounds, big skies full of clouds, warm light, gentle faces and lots of everyday detail like laundry lines, bicycles and overgrown gardens. Gemini can get very close to that feeling from your own photo, as long as you describe the style rather than just naming it.
Upload your photo in the Gemini app, paste a prompt and fill in the [brackets]. Use photos of yourself or people who've agreed. These prompts ask for a style inspired by classic hand-painted Japanese animation; they don't recreate any film's characters or scenes, and you shouldn't sell images that copy someone else's characters.
Portrait prompts
For selfies and profile pictures in a soft, painted style.
Painted portrait
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Turn this photo into a hand-painted Japanese animation style portrait with soft watercolour textures, warm natural light and gentle shading. Keep my pose, hair and features recognisable.
Windy hilltop
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Redraw me in a soft hand-painted anime style standing on a grassy hilltop on a windy day, hair and clothes moving, huge white clouds in a bright blue sky. Keep my face recognisable.
Cosy window seat
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Transform this photo into a warm painted anime scene of me reading by a sunny window, plants on the sill, dust in the light, calm and cosy mood.
Rainy bus stop
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Recreate this photo as a hand-painted anime scene at a quiet countryside bus stop in gentle rain, green fields behind, soft grey light. Keep my clothes and features.
Bicycle ride
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Turn me into a soft painted animation character riding a bicycle along a seaside road on a summer afternoon, bright sky and sparkling sea. Keep my likeness.
Family, couple and friends prompts
Group photos look lovely in this style if you keep the scene simple.
Family picnic
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Transform this family photo into a hand-painted anime scene of a picnic under a big tree, dappled sunlight, a checked blanket and a basket of food. Keep everyone recognisable.
Couple at sunset
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Redraw this couple in a soft painted animation style on a hillside watching the sunset over a small town, warm orange sky, gentle breeze.
Friends on a train
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Turn this photo of friends into a painted anime scene inside an old wooden train carriage, sunlight through the windows, fields rushing past outside.
Mother and child garden
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Recreate this photo of a parent and child as a warm hand-painted anime scene watering vegetables in a lush garden on a summer morning.
Pets and animals prompts
Pets suit this style beautifully.
Cat in the sun
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Turn my cat into a soft hand-painted anime illustration curled up on a sunny wooden porch, flowers nearby, warm afternoon light. Keep its markings.
Dog adventure
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Redraw my dog in a painted animation style running through tall summer grass towards a forest, clouds drifting overhead. Keep its colour and breed features.
Pet with owner
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Transform this photo of me and my pet into a cosy painted anime scene by a fireplace in a cottage, soft warm glow, rain on the window.
Places and backgrounds prompts
Great for wallpapers, banners and travel photos.
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Home street
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Turn this photo of my street into a hand-painted anime town on a summer evening, warm lamp light, washing on balconies, a soft pink sky.
Holiday view
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Redraw this travel photo of [place] as a soft painted animation scene with dramatic clouds, glowing light and rich greens.
Garden in bloom
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Transform this garden photo into a lush hand-painted anime garden overflowing with flowers, butterflies and soft morning mist.
Cafe interior
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Turn this cafe photo into a warm painted anime interior with wooden tables, steaming cups and sunlight through tall windows.
Night sky
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Recreate this photo as a painted anime night scene with a huge starry sky, a glowing moon and warm lights in small houses below.
Mood and season variations
Use these on a result you already like.
Switch to autumn
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Keep this painted scene but change the season to autumn, with golden leaves, low warm sun and a slight chill in the air.
Switch to night
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Keep this image the same but change it from a sunny day to a calm moonlit night with soft blue light.
Add gentle rain
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Add soft falling rain and puddles reflecting the light to this painted scene, without changing the people.
Warmer, softer colours
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Make the colours in this image warmer and softer, like a faded hand-painted cel, keeping everything else the same.
How to get better results with Ghibli-style prompts
- Describe the look in words: hand-painted, watercolour skies, warm light, soft shading, everyday detail. That's more reliable than a film title.
- Keep the scene simple. One setting and one mood work better than a crowded fantasy.
- Ask Gemini to keep your pose, hair and features recognisable, then check faces closely.
- Change the mood in a follow-up. Google says Gemini can shift a scene from sunny day to moody night, so build on a result you like.
- Use a reference image for the colours you want; Google says Gemini can take texture, colour or style from a reference photo and apply it to your subject.
- To put two photos in one scene, upload both. Google says Gemini can combine two pictures into one.
Why your result might not look right
If the image comes back looking like a generic cartoon, it's usually because the prompt named a style but didn't describe it. Add the details that make the look: watercolour skies, warm light, soft shading, small everyday objects. If your face doesn't look like you, say so plainly in a follow-up and ask Gemini to keep your features closer to the photo. And if it's too busy, ask it to remove things rather than add them. You'll often find the second or third try is the one you keep, so don't judge the style on the first attempt.
About the watermark
Every image Gemini creates or edits carries an invisible SynthID watermark, plus Content Credentials metadata showing it came from AI. There's also a visible watermark setting in Gemini, but it only controls the visible mark. If you're in India, South Korea or Vietnam, Google says that setting only appears with an AI Ultra plan; otherwise visible watermarks are added to everything you make. Plan your crop with that in mind.
For more Gemini photo ideas, Gemini saree photo prompts cover another popular trend, and these cool image prompt ideas work in other tools too.
My verdict
Gemini does the soft, hand-painted look well when you describe the style instead of naming a film. Start with a simple, well-lit photo, ask it to keep you recognisable, and use follow-up prompts to change the season or mood. Keep your results for personal use, and enjoy seeing your everyday life painted like a quiet animated film.
Frequently asked questions
Can Gemini make Ghibli-style photos?
Yes. Upload a photo and describe a hand-painted anime look with soft watercolour skies and warm light, and ask it to keep you recognisable.
What's the best Gemini prompt for a Ghibli style?
Describe the style in words: hand-painted Japanese animation, soft watercolour textures, warm natural light, big clouds, everyday detail.
Is Gemini free for Ghibli-style images?
Google says its Nano Banana image model is available for free in Gemini, with more advanced models on Google AI plans.
Does Gemini add a watermark to Ghibli-style images?
Yes. Every image includes an invisible SynthID watermark, and visible watermarks depend on your settings and country.
Can I sell Ghibli-style images I make with Gemini?
Avoid selling anything that copies existing characters or scenes. Keep style-inspired images for personal use.
