Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems
ThatPainter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More
Yes—ChatGPT Images and Grok Imagine can create new images and edit uploaded photos using natural-language prompts. For more dependable results, describe the visual traits you want—such as hand-painted backgrounds, soft 2D shading, warm natural light, and detailed environments—instead of relying only on “Ghibli style.” Neither tool guarantees an exact likeness, a perfect result, or a particular interface on every account.
This guide explains how to create or restyle images in both tools, improve weak results, compare their workflows, and consider privacy, copyright, watermarks, and commercial use.
What “Ghibli-style” means in a prompt
“Ghibli-style” is a popular shorthand, not an official preset or guarantee of exact Studio Ghibli replication. In practical prompt terms, readers often mean a gentle Japanese animation aesthetic with:
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall- Hand-painted or watercolor-like backgrounds.
- Soft cel-shaded 2D forms.
- Warm, natural, slightly nostalgic colors.
- Expressive eyes and simplified facial features.
- Detailed landscapes and lived-in environments.
- A whimsical, emotionally gentle atmosphere.
- Organic motion cues such as wind in grass, drifting clouds, or flowing fabric.
- A balance between realism and fantasy.
Also say what you do not want, such as photorealistic skin texture, harsh neon lighting, glossy 3D rendering, random text, logos, extra people, or copied movie characters. Concrete instructions give the model more useful constraints than a single named-style phrase.
#1 Best Overall
- Wacom Intuos Small Graphics Drawing Tablet: Enjoy industry leading tablet performance in superior control and precision with Wacom's EMR, battery free technology that feels like pen on paper
- Works With All Software: Wacom Intuos tablet can be used in any software program to explore new facets of digital creativity; draw, paint, edit photos/videos, create designs, and mark up documents
- What the Professionals Use: Wacom's industry leading pen technology and pen to paper feeling makes it the preferred drawing tablet of professional graphic designers
- Software and Training Included: Only Wacom gives you software with every purchase. Register your Intuos tablet and gain access to some of the best creative software and Wacom's online training
- Wacom is the Global Leader in Drawing Tablet and Displays: For over 40 years in pen display and tablet market, you can trust that Wacom to help you bring your vision, ideas and creativity to life
OpenAI recommends describing the purpose, subject, action, setting, visual style, lighting, framing, and important constraints in clear language. OpenAI’s image-generation guidance offers more prompt advice.
Treat the result as an original hand-painted Japanese animation-inspired image, not an exact film frame, character, poster, or artist imitation. Policy behavior can vary by request and product version. Associated Press coverage provides context on OpenAI’s approach to style requests.
What you need before starting
- A clear idea for a new scene or a photo you are authorized to use.
- A ChatGPT or Grok account.
- A preferred format: square, portrait, or landscape.
- A sense of the intended use, such as a personal post, print, banner, or client project.
- Permission from identifiable people in an uploaded image, especially children or family members.
Choosing the output shape first can help prevent unnecessary cropping. A square image suits social profiles, portrait works for phone wallpapers or posters, and landscape suits banners or scenic illustrations.
How to create a new image in ChatGPT
ChatGPT Images can generate an image from a plain-language description on the web, iOS, and Android. Image generation is listed on all tiers, but limits vary by plan and usage. OpenAI’s ChatGPT Images instructions describe the workflow.
- Open ChatGPT on the web or in the mobile app.
- Start a conversation or open Images if that option appears.
- Describe the subject, action, setting, composition, lighting, palette, and animation characteristics.
- Request an aspect ratio or use the available aspect-ratio control.
- Review the result.
- Ask for focused revisions instead of rewriting the entire request.
Example prompt: Create a whimsical hand-painted 2D animated illustration of a small wooden cottage beside a rice field at the edge of a forest. Use soft watercolor textures, gentle cel shading, warm late-afternoon sunlight, drifting clouds, lush greenery, and subtle atmospheric depth. Avoid photorealism, glossy 3D rendering, text, logos, and recognizable movie characters. Make it a wide landscape composition.
How to transform an existing photo in ChatGPT
ChatGPT supports uploading an image and describing the change, or selecting part of an image for a localized edit. Selections are not always precise, so an edit can extend beyond the highlighted area. See the official editing instructions.
- Upload a clear photo with the subject visible.
- Say what must remain unchanged, such as pose, hairstyle, clothing, expression, camera angle, or crop.
- Describe the new rendering treatment, background, palette, lighting, and mood.
- Generate the image.
- Use the selection tool for localized problems such as hands, faces, props, or background objects.
- Save the result using the image controls.
Example prompt: Transform this photo into a whimsical hand-painted 2D animated illustration. Keep the person’s pose, hairstyle, clothing colors, facial expression, and camera angle recognizable. Use soft watercolor textures, warm natural light, gentle cel shading, detailed greenery, and a calm storybook mood. Preserve the original crop. Do not add text, logos, extra people, or fantasy objects.
How to create or restyle an image in Grok
Grok Imagine supports image creation and natural-language image editing. xAI’s examples include changing backgrounds, swapping colors, removing objects, and extending the canvas. Grok’s overview and xAI’s image-editing examples describe these capabilities.
- Open Grok on the web or in the iOS or Android app.
- Start a chat.
- Use the + button beside the message field to upload an image where available.
- Describe the transformation and list the elements Grok should preserve.
- Generate the result and request focused corrections if needed.
Example prompt: Restyle this uploaded photo as a warm, hand-painted 2D animated illustration. Preserve the people, pose, clothing, facial expressions, hairstyle, and composition. Add soft watercolor backgrounds, gentle cel shading, lush environmental detail, warm natural light, and a quiet whimsical mood. Keep it original: no existing movie characters, logos, title cards, copied scenes, or text.
Useful follow-ups include: “Keep the people unchanged, but replace the background with a sunlit rural train station”; “Make the colors softer and more natural”; or “Extend the image horizontally for a landscape banner without changing the subject.”
Grok’s FAQ says uploads can be started with the + icon. If an upload fails, try a smaller image or a more common format; xAI identifies file size and format as possible causes. Check Grok’s current FAQ if the interface or limits differ.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #2
- Word-first 16K Pressure Levels: The upgraded stylus features 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity and supports up to 60 degrees of tilt, delivering smoother lines and shading for a natural drawing experience. With no battery or charging needed, it operates like a real pen, making it easy for beginners to create effortlessly. This functionality helps novice artists develop their skills and explore their creativity without the intimidation of complex tools
- Designed for Beginners: This drawing pad desinged with 8 customizable shortcuts for both right and left-hand users, express keys create a highly ergonomic and convenient work platform
- Perfectly Adapted for Android: The XPPen Deco 01 V3 art tablet supports connections with Android devices running version 10.0 and above. It is recommended to download the XPPen Tools Android application, which adapts to your smartphone's screen aspect ratio, ensuring accurate mapping. It also supports mapping on Android screens with different aspect ratios in portrait mode
- Large Drawing Space, Bigger Bold Inspiration: This expansive drawing pad has10 x 6.25-inch helps you break through the limit between shortcut keys and drawing area
- Easy Connectivity for Beginners: The Deco 01 V3 offers USB-C to USB-C connectivity, plus adapters for USB C. This ensures easy connection to various devices, allowing beginner artists to set up quickly and focus on their creativity without compatibility concerns. Whether using a laptop, tablet, or desktop, the Deco 01 V3 provides a seamless experience, making it an ideal choice for those just starting their digital art journey
A reusable prompt formula
Build prompts in this order: action; subject and identity constraints; setting; composition and framing; lighting; palette and materials; illustration characteristics; mood; necessary negative constraints; and aspect ratio or intended use.
Example: Transform a family portrait into a hand-painted 2D animated illustration in a quiet seaside village. Preserve each person’s identity, pose, clothing colors, and relative height. Use soft watercolor textures, gentle cel shading, warm morning light, muted coastal colors, expressive but natural faces, detailed plants and weathered wood, and a peaceful nostalgic mood. Avoid photorealism, extra people, distorted hands, text, and logos. Use a portrait format for a printed card.
Constraints should solve a real problem. OpenAI recommends clear, specific prompts rather than an unnecessarily long pile of keywords. Read OpenAI’s prompting guidance.
Copy-ready prompts
Whimsical landscape
Create an original wide landscape illustration of a child-sized bicycle leaning against a stone wall beside a summer meadow. Use hand-painted watercolor backgrounds, soft 2D cel shading, warm natural sunlight, drifting clouds, and tall grass moving in the breeze. Make it gentle and slightly nostalgic. Avoid photorealism, text, logos, and existing movie characters.
Portrait transformation
Transform this portrait into a hand-painted Japanese animation-inspired illustration with soft watercolor textures and gentle cel shading. Preserve the person’s facial structure, hairstyle, expression, clothing, pose, and camera angle. Use warm window light and a softly detailed garden background. Keep the face recognizable and natural. No text, logos, or additional people.
Family or group photo
Restyle this group photo as an original hand-painted 2D animated illustration. Preserve every person’s identity, position, relative height, clothing colors, expressions, and pose. Use warm late-afternoon light, soft watercolor textures, and a detailed but unobtrusive park background. Do not merge faces, duplicate people, or insert text or logos.
Pet portrait
Turn this pet photo into a hand-painted 2D animated portrait. Preserve the animal’s markings, eye color, ear shape, collar, and expression. Use soft watercolor texture, gentle cel shading, warm natural light, and a cozy garden setting. Keep the animal anatomically plausible.
Landscape banner
Extend this image horizontally into a wide banner. Keep the original subject, face, pose, and colors unchanged. Continue the background naturally with hand-painted watercolor textures, soft 2D cel shading, and matching environmental detail. Do not stretch the subject or add text, logos, people, or duplicate objects.
Corrective edit
Keep the image unchanged except for the specified defects. Correct the hands and one duplicated object. Preserve the original composition, subject placement, lighting, palette, clothing, and background. Do not introduce new details or text.
Descriptive alternative to a named-style prompt
Create an original hand-painted Japanese animation-inspired scene with soft watercolor backgrounds, simplified 2D cel-shaded forms, warm natural lighting, expressive understated faces, detailed greenery, gentle color transitions, drifting clouds, and a quiet everyday sense of wonder. Do not reproduce any existing character, film frame, poster, or logo.
Rank #3
- Customize Your Workflow: The 6 customizable press keys on Huion H640P drawing tablet for pc let you assign your most-used commands—like undo, zoom, brush switch, or save—so you can keep your hands on the tablet and your mind on the art. Whether you're a digital painter switching brushes, or a comic artist zooming in and out, these keys keep your workflow smooth and uninterrupted. Plus, the Huion driver lets you save different shortcut profiles for different apps, so you never have to reconfigure when switching software.
- Professional Pen Performance: Huion H640P drawing pad for computer comes with the battery-free PW100 stylus that's always ready when inspiration strikes. With 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, every light sketch, or bold stroke responds naturally to your hand—just like a real pen. The 5080 LPI resolution and 233 PPS report rate deliver lag-free, precise strokes, so you can draw confidently without second-guessing your cursor. The pen side buttons help you switch between pen and eraser instantly.
- Compact and Portable: Huion H640P computer graphics tablet features a compact, ultra-portable design at just 0.3 inches thin and 0.61 lbs light, so it slides easily into your backpack—perfect for sketching in coffee shops, taking notes in class, or editing on the go between home and studio. The 6x4 inch active area offers enough room for natural pen movements while fitting comfortably on crowded desks, or lecture hall seats.
- Stable Compatibility: Huion H640P graphic drawing tablet works seamlessly with Mac, Windows, Linux PCs, and Android smartphones/tablets (OS version 6.0 or later). Left-handed friendly, and you just need to flip the tablet and adjust the settings in the driver. Please note: H640P does NOT support iPhone/iPad.
- Move Beyond the Mouse: Huion Inspiroy H640P is a pen tablet that replaces your mouse for more natural, precise control. Freehand draw, take notes, or even play OSU—everything you do with a mouse, you can do better with a pen. The precise tip makes it ideal for detailed photo editing, graphic design, or signing PDF. Meanwhile, the ergonomic pen grip helps you avoid the strain that comes from hours of using a mouse.
Remove lettering and logos
Restyle this image as an original hand-painted 2D animated illustration. Preserve the subject and composition, but remove visible text, captions, logos, title cards, and lettering. Replace signs with plain, non-readable shapes. Use soft watercolor textures, warm natural light, and gentle cel shading.
Generated lettering can still be unreliable. If a sign, poster, label, or book cover must contain exact words, add the typography later in a design application.
Recommended Free Tools
Use a three-pass editing method
Pass 1: Structure
First establish the subject, pose, setting, camera angle, crop, and major objects. For a personal photo, state exactly what must remain recognizable.
Pass 2: Style and atmosphere
Next control watercolor texture, cel shading, palette, lighting, environmental detail, weather, season, and mood. This separates identity and composition from atmosphere.
Pass 3: Cleanup
Finally correct hands, eyes, stray objects, unwanted text, background clutter, and composition drift with narrow instructions. Ask for one correction at a time and use a selection-based edit in ChatGPT when practical.
How to improve a weak result
The face is no longer recognizable
Specify facial structure, hair length and color, glasses or other distinctive accessories, pose, expression, clothing colors, relative age, and body proportions. If only the face is wrong, use a localized edit rather than generating a completely new image.
The result looks too photorealistic
Add “2D animated illustration,” “hand-painted background,” “soft cel shading,” “visible watercolor texture,” and “simplified graphic shapes.” You can also ask for no photographic skin texture or 3D-rendered appearance.
The image looks generic
Add concrete environmental information: time of day, weather, season, architecture, plants, surface materials, background activity, camera height, framing, and emotional context.
Hands, eyes, or small objects are distorted
Ask: “Correct only the hands and facial details. Keep the rest of the image, composition, colors, lighting, and background unchanged.”
Rank #4
- PLEASE NOTE：XPPen Artist13.3 Pro drawing tablet Need to connect with computer,you need to use it with your computer or laptop, the 3 in 1 cable is included
- Drawing Tablet with Screen: Tilt Function- XPPen Artist 13.3 Pro supports up to 60 degrees of tilt function, so now you don't need to adjust the brush direction in the software again and again. Simply tilt to add shading to your creation and enjoy smoother and more natural transitions between lines and strokes
- Graphics Tablets: High Color Gamut- The 13.3 inch fully-laminated FHD Display pairs a superb color accuracy of 88% NTSC (Adobe RGB≧91%，sRGB≧123%) with a 178-degree viewing angle and delivers rich colors, vivid images, and dazzling details in a wider view. Your creative world is now as powerful as it is colorful
- Drawing Pad: One is enough- The sleek Red Dial on the display is expertly designed with creators in mind, its strategic placement allows for natural drawing postures. With just one wheel, you can effortlessly zoom in and out, adjust brush sizes, and flip the canvas—all tailored to suit the habits of everyday artists. The 8 customizable shortcut keys allow you to personalize your setup, streamlining your workflow and enhancing creative efficiency
- Universal Compatibility & Software Support：supports Windows 7 (or later), Mac OS X 10.10 (or later), Chrome OS 88 (or later), and Linux systems. Fully compatible with major creative software including Photoshop, Illustrator, SAI, and Blender 3D. Register your device to access additional programs like ArtRage 5 and openCanvas for expanded creative possibilities.
Unwanted text appears
Request no text, captions, signage, logos, watermarks, or lettering. Image models may still produce pseudo-writing; add essential typography later rather than relying on generated text.
The composition changes too much
Ask the tool to preserve the original crop, camera angle, subject placement, pose, proportions, and major objects, and to change only the rendering style or background texture.
A Grok upload fails
Try a smaller file or common image format, upload one reference image, and retry from the official Grok website or app. The exact consumer interface and limits can change. Consult Grok’s FAQ.
Should you use reference images?
Yes, when the product supports the workflow and you have the necessary rights. Reference images can help preserve a person’s appearance, clothing, palette, setting, composition, or general visual direction. OpenAI says multiple images can guide generation or editing; a small purposeful set is usually easier to manage than a large collection. OpenAI’s guidance offers more detail.
xAI’s Imagine API documents support for up to three reference images, but that developer-facing limit should not be assumed to apply to every Grok consumer interface. See the Imagine API documentation. API model names and controls should not be treated as guaranteed consumer-app labels.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →ChatGPT vs. Grok
| Criterion | ChatGPT Images | Grok Imagine |
|---|---|---|
| New image generation | Supported from a natural-language prompt. | Supported through Grok Imagine. |
| Photo restyling | Upload a photo and describe the edit. | Upload an image where available and request a restyle. |
| Localized edits | Selection-based editing is supported, though selections are not always exact. | Natural-language edits include background changes, object removal, color changes, and canvas extension. |
| Aspect ratio | Can be selected with the picker or requested in the prompt. | State the intended shape in the request; interface controls may vary. |
| Best fit | Guided edits, detailed follow-ups, and localized corrections. | Users already in the Grok ecosystem who want to experiment with image and video creation. |
| Limits | Limits apply even when image generation is available. | Usage pools, plan structure, and app/API differences require checking. |
Neither tool is universally better. Compare them using the same source image, prompt, aspect ratio, and revision passes. Results can change with model version, account tier, moderation behavior, source photo, and interface rollout.
Availability and price signals
Pricing and limits can change; check the official pages before subscribing. ChatGPT has a free tier with limited image generation and file uploads; Plus is listed at $20 per month and Pro at $200 per month. Grok has a free tier, and SuperGrok is listed at $30 per month with image and video generation and higher limits. These figures were checked in the dossier on August 18, 2026.
Check OpenAI’s pricing page, OpenAI’s Plus details, and xAI’s pricing page for current terms. xAI says paid Grok plans use a shared weekly usage pool across products, with a change rolling out in June 2026; verify how that applies to your account in the Grok FAQ.
The xAI Imagine API supports programmatic image generation and editing, but it is usually unnecessary for someone transforming one personal photo in a chat.
Best Value
- Battery-Free Pen: StarG640 drawing tablet is the perfect replacement for a traditional mouse! The XPPen advanced Battery-free PN01 stylus does not require charging, allowing for constant uninterrupted Draw and Play, making lines flow quicker and smoother, enhancing overall performance
- Ideal for Online Education: XPPen G640 graphics tablet is designed for digital drawing, painting, sketching, E-signatures, online teaching, remote work, photo editing, it's compatible with Microsoft Office apps like Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Zoom, Xsplit etc. Works perfect than a mouse, visually present your handwritten notes, signatures precisely
- Compact and Portable: The G640 art tablet is only 2 mm thick, it's as slim as all primary level graphic tablets, allowing you to carry it with you on the go
- Chromebook Supported: XPPen G640 digital drawing tablet is ready to work seamlessly with Chromebook devices now, so you can create information-rich content and collaborate with teachers and classmates on Google Jamboard’s whiteboard; Take notes quickly and conveniently with Google Keep, and effortlessly sketch diagrams with the Google Canvas
- Multipurpose Use: Designed for playing OSU! Game, digital drawing, painting, sketch, sign documents digitally, this writing tablet also compatible with Microsoft Office programs like Word, PowerPoint, OneNote and more. Create mind-maps, draw diagrams or take notes as replacement for mouse
Copyright, privacy, watermarks, and commercial use
Use photos and references you are allowed to use
Do not upload another person’s private photo without permission. Children’s photos and family portraits deserve extra care because they contain identifiable personal information. Owning a camera file does not necessarily give you rights to every logo, artwork, character, or person visible in it.
Do not request a direct copy
Avoid exact movie frames, copied posters, official title cards, logos, existing characters for commercial merchandise, or a living artist’s exact style. If a named-style request is refused, describe broad visual characteristics and create an original scene instead; do not try to evade the refusal.
AI generation is not automatic legal clearance
Commercial use can raise copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity-rights, source-photo, platform-terms, and jurisdiction-specific questions. Review an image more carefully before using it in advertising, a book cover, paid client work, merchandise, or a monetized campaign. Do not imply endorsement by Studio Ghibli.
Do not remove provenance signals
Do not promise or seek to remove watermarks or other provenance signals. Grok’s FAQ says removing, altering, or obscuring them is prohibited under its Acceptable Use Policy. Review the current policy and FAQ.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Which tool should you choose?
Choose ChatGPT if you want guided conversational editing, selection-based local corrections, aspect-ratio controls, and a general-purpose assistant in the same product. You can try the available free access before considering a paid plan for more access.
Choose Grok if you already use Grok or X-related services, prefer its natural-language restyling, or expect to explore image-to-video workflows. A paid plan may suit users who need higher limits, but it does not guarantee a particular visual result.
Use both for important creative work. Give each tool the same source image, prompt, aspect ratio, and revision instructions, then compare identity preservation, composition, cleanup, text handling, and usage limits.
FAQ
Can I make a Ghibli-style image without uploading a photo?
Yes. Both ChatGPT Images and Grok Imagine can create an image from a text description. Describe the subject, setting, framing, lighting, textures, mood, and constraints.
Can ChatGPT and Grok preserve a person’s face exactly?
Neither tool guarantees an exact likeness. Name distinctive features, pose, expression, clothing, and proportions, then use a localized correction where available.
Is a generated image automatically safe to sell?
No. Review rights to the source photo and visible elements, platform terms, privacy and publicity concerns, trademarks, copyrighted characters, and applicable law.
What should I do if a named-style prompt is refused?
Use an original descriptive prompt focused on watercolor backgrounds, soft cel shading, warm natural light, expressive faces, detailed environments, and a gentle mood. Do not disguise a request for a direct copy.
The Bottom Line
Both tools can create new illustrations or restyle photos. Describe the visual characteristics you want, state what should remain unchanged, and make focused revisions. Try ChatGPT for conversational and localized edits, or Grok Imagine for its broader image-and-video ecosystem; compare results rather than assuming one tool is always better.
Quick Recap
