Effect · Art & Style
American Comic — a photo turns into a cartoon.
American Comic redraws a photo as a flat, outlined cartoon, background included. The sample opens on a young man with dark hair in a loose beige suit, white T-shirt and white trainers, hands in his pockets, standing against a pale wall with two seascape pictures. Midway through, he and the room switch to bold outlines, flat colour and wide, round eyes.
The sample
What happens in the American Comic sample.
For the first four frames the sample stays photographic. The man stands still with hands in pockets while sunlight throws a long shadow across the wall beside him. In the fifth frame the change starts: his face is already drawn with round white eyes, while the suit still looks half real. From the sixth frame on, everything is a cartoon. His hair becomes a spiky black shape, the suit turns flat tan with dark outlines, and the seascape pictures and wall become simple blocks of colour.
His pose, beige suit, white T-shirt and white trainers all carry over into the drawing, as does the layout of the room with its two pictures and slanted shadow. The camera does not move. In the cartoon version the face gains large round white eyes with small black pupils and a simpler shape. The sample starts from a full-length, front-facing shot with a plain wall behind, so a similar clean composition is a good place to begin.
The recipe
American Comic, on paper.
Read from the effect catalog the app itself ships, so these are the settings your run will use.
| Spec | This effect |
|---|---|
| Engine | Vidu |
| Resolution | 720p |
| Clip length | 4s |
| Cost | 2 credits (~$0.80) |
| Source images | One photo |
| Aspect ratio | Follows your photo |
| Category | Art & Style |
| Text prompt | Built in (shown below) |
The prompt
The exact prompt behind it.
King AI sends this text with your photo. You do not type it; it is shown so you can see what the effect asks for.
In the [scene/background], the image features [number and type of subjects] — [description of subject 1], [description of subject 2] (if present). They are [action/state, such as standing, sitting, looking upward], with expressions that convey [emotion keyword]. At this moment, all the subjects in the image are undergoing a style transformation — shifting from their original style into the Rick and Morty-style of American animation, including changes to the surrounding environment. Requirements:\Replace the placeholders above with the specific details based on the image content. ultra HD 8K realistic, smooth motion, realistic physics, highly detailed environment
Your photo
Photos that suit it.
One-tap effects have one input. The photo you pick is your creative control.
Full length, facing forward
A head-to-toe shot of one person facing the camera opens the sample, so a similar standing photo is a safe start.
A tidy background
The wall, pictures and shadow were all redrawn as flat shapes. A simple, uncluttered setting keeps that look clean.
Clear clothing colours
His beige suit and white T-shirt kept their colours in the drawing. Outfits in clear, solid colours match what the sample shows.
How it works
Running American Comic in four steps.
Pick your photo
The tips above come from what the sample shows. A clear, well-lit subject is the safe start.
Open Art & Style and tap American Comic
In the King AI app on iPhone, iPad or Mac, or in the web studio. Opening the effect does not spend credits.
Choose the length
4s. Cost: 2 credits (~$0.80).
Generate, then try another photo
The photo changes the result more than a second run of the same photo does.
Keep exploring
More Art & Style effects.
Toy Me
Turn around and come back as a glossy toy figure on a stand.
ExploreClayshot
The photo turns into a hand-held instant print with the subject turned to clay.
ExploreClayshot Duo
Two people as smiling clay figures inside a hand-held instant print.
ExploreEvery effect, by category
All the effect pages on one list, grouped the way the app groups them.
ExploreFAQ
American Comic, answered.
What does the American Comic effect do?
A young man in a beige suit and white trainers stands by a sunlit wall with two seascape pictures, then he and the room turn into a flat cartoon with bold outlines.
Does American Comic change the background too?
Yes, in the sample. The pale wall, the two seascape pictures and the sunlit shadow are all redrawn as flat colour shapes with dark outlines, at the same moment the man turns into a cartoon. His suit, T-shirt and trainers keep their colours, and his pose stays the same.
How much does American Comic cost?
2 credits per run (~$0.80). New verified accounts receive 3 welcome credits once. The welcome bonus covers one supported first run costing 2 credits.
How long is a American Comic video?
4s at 720p. It follows the shape of your photo. Nothing you export is watermarked, on any plan.
Do I need to write a prompt?
No. King AI sends the built-in prompt shown on this page together with your photo.
Get started
Try American Comic.
New verified accounts receive 3 welcome credits once. The welcome bonus covers one supported first run costing 2 credits. Nothing you export is watermarked.