What this workflow does

Creates three distinct versions of the same portrait subject, each in a radically different art style: photorealistic → pop art → high fantasy.

This is a powerful technique for exploring creative directions, building a portfolio, or showing clients multiple visual concepts from a single brief.

Who it's for

Concept artists exploring visual directions for a project
Designers presenting style options to clients
Content creators who need varied visuals from one concept
Artists studying how different styles transform the same subject

How to use it

Realistic Portrait. Start with a cinematic, photorealistic version. This establishes the subject — their features, expression, and mood.
Artistic Interpretation. Take that same subject and transform it into bold Pop Art. This tests how the character reads in a graphic, high-contrast style.
Fantasy Version. Reimagine the subject as a fantasy character. This pushes the concept into a completely different genre while maintaining recognition.

Tips for best results

Keep the subject description consistent across all 3 steps. Same age, hair color, expression — only the style changes.
Use the same seed (if your model supports it) for more consistent facial features.
Specify the same aspect ratio for all three to create a cohesive triptych.
Works best with: Midjourney v6+, Flux Pro, DALL-E 3.

Creative variations

Try swapping Step 2 or 3 with other styles: watercolor, anime, Art Nouveau, cyberpunk, or oil painting. The framework works with any combination.

Steps (3)

Realistic Portrait

Describe your subject in the [subject] field (e.g., "a woman in her 30s with red hair and green eyes, looking over her shoulder"). **Write down this exact description** — you'll reuse it in Steps 2 and 3 to maintain consistency across all three styles.

Cinematic Portrait — Dramatic LightingIMAGEINTERMEDIATE

Artistic Interpretation

Use the **exact same [subject] description from Step 1**. The prompt transforms it into Pop Art style — Warhol-inspired color blocks and graphic poster look. The key is keeping the subject identical so the three versions form a cohesive triptych.

Pop Art Portrait — Warhol DotsIMAGEBEGINNER

Fantasy Reimagining

Again, use the **same [subject] description from Step 1**, but now add fantasy elements (e.g., "elven ears, enchanted forest backdrop"). The prompt adds high fantasy styling while preserving recognition of the original subject.

Elf Archer — High Fantasy PortraitIMAGEINTERMEDIATE

🎨 Creative Portrait Series