30+ Different Portrait Style Prompts for Midjourney
Is your Midjourney portrait art lacking appeal or falling short on aesthetics? Unsure how to describe your desired style in a prompt?
This guide offers a list of inspiring portrait styles, each with a sample prompt and output image, so you can easily pick and test your favorite.
To make the sample images in this guide, I used the character reference (cref) using my character and set the cw value to zero to maintain her facial features only. This way, you can see how different portrait styles influence the final result while keeping the same character.
Futuristic and Punk-Inspired Portraits
Cyberpunk:
Description: This style envisions a futuristic world where advanced technology and neon lights dominate the urban landscape. It reflects a high-tech night life filled with holograms and neon advertisements that illuminate the bustling streets.
Key Elements: Neon colors, cybernetic implants, holograms, and electronic billboards in shadowy alleyways.
a portrait of a woman in cyberpunk style, with neon-blue glowing eyes, cybernetic implants, and a futuristic cityscape in the background, featuring neon signs and hologramsSteampunk:
Description: An alternate reality where steam power merges with Victorian elegance, creating a retro-futuristic atmosphere.
Key Elements: Brass gears, steam engines, Victorian attire, and vintage goggles with ornate, mechanical inventions.
a woman in Victorian attire with brass goggles and a mechanical arm, in steampunk style, surrounded by gears, steam engines, and vintage clocksNature Punk:
Description: Nature Punk imagines a world where nature has intertwined with human advancements, creating a harmonious yet futuristic setting. It highlights the resurgence of natural elements in a tech-dominated world.
Key Elements: Flora and fauna, natural textures like wood and leaves, tribal-inspired styles, and eco-friendly technology.
a portrait of a woman in nature punk style, with tribal makeup, plant-like hair, and surrounded by lush greenery and flowersDieselpunk:
Description: Dieselpunk draws from the interwar and early to mid-20th century, envisioning a world where diesel engines dominate technology. It marries industrial aesthetics with art deco design, creating a retro-futuristic landscape rooted in an alternate history.
Key Elements: Streamlined machinery, art deco architecture, leather pilot jackets, gas masks, and smoky skies, enhanced by bold geometric shapes and vintage propaganda posters.
a woman in dieselpunk style, wearing a leather jacket and a gas mask, in a smoky industrial environment with streamlined machinesTraditional and Artistic Portrait Styles
Watercolor:
Description: Watercolor art is recognized for its fluidity and transparency, featuring soft washes of color that blend uniquely with water and paper.
Key Elements: Soft edges, gentle gradients, and an ethereal appearance often depict light, airy scenes or delicate subjects.
a portrait of a woman in watercolor style, with soft pastel colors, delicate brushstrokes, and flowing watercolor washesOil Painting:
Description: Oil painting, a classic medium, provides rich textures and vibrant colors through layered application. It’s known for its depth and fine detail.
Key Elements: Bold brushstrokes, visible textures like impasto, and layered colors that allow for realistic or expressive works.
a woman in oil painting style, featuring rich, layered colors, bold strokes, and realistic facial featuresPencil Sketch:
Description: Pencil sketches serve as foundational art, offering simplicity and precision for quick outlines or detailed studies.
Key Elements: Fine lines, intricate shading, and cross-hatching to build tones, with a monochrome palette emphasizing form and light.
a pencil sketch of a woman, with fine lines, detailed shading, and cross-hatchingInk Dripping Drawing:
Description: This style utilizes ink’s fluidity to create dynamic, abstract forms that convey motion through dripping lines and varied weights.
Key Elements: Ink splatters, dripping lines (both controlled and random), and stark black-and-white contrast for movement and depth.
a portrait of a woman in ink dripping drawing style, with ink splatters, dripping lines, and a monochrome paletteGritty Comic Book Art:
Description: Gritty comic book art adds raw texture to storytelling, often depicting darker or intense narratives.
Key Elements: Heavy inking, strong shadows, a moody color palette, and dynamic compositions that convey action and drama.
a portrait of a woman in gritty comic book art style, with heavy inking, a moody color palette, and dynamic posesCharcoal Drawing:
Description: Charcoal drawing is loved for its rich blacks and wide range of shades, providing dramatic, high-contrast works.
Key Elements: Bold contrasts, soft gradations or sharp lines, and a smudgy texture that creates various effects.
a charcoal drawing of a man, with strong shadows, smudged lines, and deep shadingPointillism:
Description: Pointillism is a technique using small, distinct dots of color to create images, exploring how the eye blends colors and tones.
Key Elements: Systematic or random dots of pure color, blending visually from a distance to form detailed scenes or portraits.
a pointillism portrait of a woman, using small dots of color to form the image, with intricate textures and high contrastHistorical and Cultural Portrait Styles
Renaissance Art:
Description: Renaissance art is recognized for its pursuit of realism and naturalism, emphasizing advancements in anatomy, perspective, and composition. It revives classical ideals and humanism.
Key Elements: Realistic proportions, chiaroscuro lighting (contrasting light and dark), rich attire, and religious or mythological themes.
a portrait of a woman in Renaissance art style, with realistic proportions, chiaroscuro lighting, and rich attireNaive Art:
Description: Naive art employs a childlike and simplistic approach, focusing on imaginative interpretations rather than strict realism.
Key Elements: Simplified forms, bright contrasting colors, and imaginative backgrounds depicting everyday life with an untrained yet vivid style.
a portrait of a man in naive art style, featuring simplified forms, bright colors, and an imaginative backgroundYūga Style:
Description: The Yūga style represents Japanese refinement and elegance, emphasizing simplicity and natural surroundings.
Key Elements: Delicate lines, traditional Japanese attire, and serene natural scenery, embodying harmony and timeless grace.
a portrait of a woman in Yūga style, with delicate lines, traditional Japanese attire, and natural sceneryEdo Period Woodblock Print:
Description: Edo period woodblock prints, or ukiyo-e, capture urban life’s pleasures and realities during Japan’s Edo period, focusing on entertainment, nature, and cultural figures.
Key Elements: Bold outlines, flat vibrant colors, and detailed landscapes or everyday scenes with a narrative focus.
a portrait of a woman in Edo period woodblock print style, with bold outlines, flat colors, and ukiyo-e landscapesRoman Statue:
Description: Roman statues showcase classical features and lifelike textures, commemorating significant figures or deities.
Key Elements: White marble, classical facial features, and lifelike textures convey the grandeur and authority of ancient Rome.
a Roman statue of a woman, with classical features, white marble, and lifelike texturesEmbroidery:
Description: Embroidery portraits mimic the intricate cross-stitch and needlework techniques used in textiles, producing delicate designs that appear hand-stitched.
Key Elements: Thread-like lines, fabric texture, and traditional patterns portraying culturally or historically significant subjects.
an embroidery portrait of a woman, resembling a cross-stitch fabric with thread-like lines and traditional patternsMosaic Art:
Description: Mosaic art arranges small, colored tiles to create detailed scenes, evoking ancient Roman and Byzantine art.
Key Elements: Tiled patterns, bright hues, and detailed imagery that convey significant cultural and historical themes with rich narratives.
a mosaic portrait of a woman, using small colored tiles to create a vibrant pattern and detailed imageryPop Culture and Media-Inspired Portraits
Superhero Style:
Description: Drawing from comic book culture, this style captures the larger-than-life energy of heroes in dynamic poses.
Key Elements: Bold poses, comic book line work, dynamic backgrounds, and vibrant costumes reflecting heroism.
a portrait of a superhero in superhero style, with bold poses, comic book line work, and a dynamic backgroundVintage Rubber Hose Animation:
Description: Reflecting early animation of the 1920s and 1930s, this style features characters with rubber hose-like limbs and exaggerated expressions.
Key Elements: Simple shapes, fluid lines, exaggerated expressions, and a monochrome or limited color palette.
a portrait of a woman in vintage rubber hose animation style, with simple shapes, exaggerated expressions, and fluid linesModern Cartoon:
Description: This style captures the colorful, detailed animation of modern TV and film, offering a bright, engaging aesthetic.
Key Elements: Bright colors, high contrast, and smooth shading bring characters to life with bold flair.
a modern cartoon portrait of a woman, with bright colors, high contrast, and smooth shading3D Movie Character:
Description: Inspired by computer-animated movies, this style focuses on realism with fully rendered textures for a cinematic effect.
Key Elements: 3D modeling, detailed textures, and realistic lighting add depth and physicality.
a 3D movie character portrait of a woman, with detailed textures, realistic lighting, and cinematic shadingVintage Film Still:
Description: Vintage film stills transport viewers to the early-to-mid 20th century with a nostalgic glimpse into classic cinema.
Key Elements: Grainy textures, monochrome tones, and cinematic lighting capture a vintage movie atmosphere.
a portrait of a woman in vintage film still style, with grainy textures, monochrome colors, and cinematic lightingChildren’s Cartoon Character:
Description: This style is reminiscent of whimsical characters in children’s shows or picture books.
Key Elements: Playful expressions, bright hues, and whimsical backgrounds capture the spirit of childhood storytelling.
a children's cartoon character portrait of a man, with playful expressions, bright hues, and whimsical backgroundsRetro Video Game Sprite:
Description: Inspired by 8-bit and 16-bit early video games, this style has a nostalgic digital aesthetic.
Key Elements: Pixel textures, limited color palettes, and geometric forms that echo iconic video game characters.
a retro video game sprite portrait of a woman, with pixel textures, limited color palette, and geometric formsExperimental and Abstract Portrait Styles
DMT Art Style:
Description: DMT art is inspired by surreal, hallucinogenic imagery, creating intricate and vibrant otherworldly patterns.
Key Elements: Psychedelic backgrounds, vivid patterns, and dream-like figures blur reality and fantasy.
a portrait of a woman in DMT art style, with psychedelic backgrounds, vivid patterns, and dream-like figuresPsychedelic Artwork:
Description: Reflecting the 1960s counterculture, psychedelic art features imaginative scenes with mind-altering aesthetics.
Key Elements: Kaleidoscopic colors, flowing lines, and geometric patterns evoke altered states of perception.
a portrait of a woman in psychedelic artwork style, with kaleidoscopic colors, flowing lines, and geometric patternsSurrealism:
Description: Surrealism blends realistic and dream-like elements, creating thought-provoking compositions.
Key Elements: Juxtaposed objects, unexpected combinations, and otherworldly landscapes blur reality and imagination.
a portrait of a woman in surrealism style, with juxtaposition of realistic and dream-like elements, in an otherworldly settingLow Poly Style:
Description: Low poly art simplifies subjects into geometric shapes, reducing detail while maintaining recognizable forms.
Key Elements: Faceted shapes, minimal colors, and polygonal forms capture an abstract digital aesthetic.
a low poly style portrait of a woman, with faceted shapes, minimal colors, and polygonal formsOrigami Style:
Description: Origami style draws from Japanese paper folding, turning characters into geometric, folded forms.
Key Elements: Folded textures, geometric shapes, and paper-like materials convey the simplicity of origami.
a portrait of a woman in origami style, with folded textures, geometric shapes, and paper-like materialsLego Figurine:
Description: This style reimagines subjects as blocky, plastic characters like the iconic construction toys.
Key Elements: Plastic textures, blocky forms, and simple facial features capture the playful spirit of the toys.
a portrait of a woman in Lego figurine style, with plastic textures, blocky forms, and simple facial featuresVinyl Sticker:
Description: Vinyl sticker art mimics the look of collectible decals with bright colors and thick outlines.
Key Elements: Vibrant hues, thick outlines, and playful poses make characters look like collectible stickers.
a vinyl sticker portrait of a woman, with vibrant colors, thick outlines, and playful posesRealistic Photography Styles
Stock Photo:
Description: Stock photo style captures everyday scenes in polished, highly realistic ways suitable for commercial use.
Key Elements: Neutral lighting, plain backgrounds, and realistic yet simple poses.
a stock photo portrait of a woman, with neutral lighting and a plain background, in a realistic poseDouble Exposure Photograph:
Description: Double exposure style blends multiple images to create artistic compositions, often merging subjects with nature or cityscapes.
Key Elements: Multiple exposures, blending effects, and layered backgrounds to produce intricate visuals.
a double exposure photograph of a woman, with layered blending effects and natural elements in the backgroundPolaroid Photo:
Description: Polaroid photo style mimics instant film photography from classic Polaroid cameras, complete with vintage filters.
Key Elements: Vintage filters, high contrast, and a distinctive white border that resembles Polaroid prints.
a Polaroid photo portrait of a woman, with vintage filters, high contrast, and a white borderGolden Hour:
Description: Golden hour style captures the warm, glowing light that appears just after sunrise or before sunset, making portraits radiant and flattering.
Key Elements: Warm tones, long shadows, and radiant light to enhance natural beauty.
a portrait of a woman in golden hour style, with warm tones, long shadows, and radiant lightFaded Photograph:
Description: Faded photograph style recreates vintage photography with a nostalgic, aged appearance.
Key Elements: Desaturated colors, sepia tones, and grainy textures that mimic an old photograph.
a faded photograph of a woman, with desaturated colors, sepia tones, and grainy texturesWrapping Up
Exploring different portrait styles opens a vast world of creative possibilities, allowing you to capture the essence of your subjects in exciting and unique ways. Whether it’s the neon-lit streets of a cyberpunk city or the flowing washes of watercolor art, each style brings its own distinct flavor and flair.
Don’t hesitate to experiment and blend these styles together to develop your own signature aesthetic. By combining traditional and futuristic elements or blending abstract and realistic approaches, you can create stunning and imaginative portraits that stand out.
