AI art generators are transforming the way we access and create art, making it easier and cheaper than ever before. They might not fully take the place of human artists, but they’re surprisingly good at imitating their work, and often you can use them for free or at a very low cost. Whether you’re using a free AI art generator or paying for one, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the best it has to offer. In this article, we’ve rounded up 20 amazing AI art styles you’ve got to try. Let’s get started.
Top 20 AI Art Styles
We tested AI art styles offered by over a dozen AI art generators to find the best ones for you to explore. Just a heads up, the AI art styles we’re about to show you aren’t listed in any specific order. With that said, let’s check them out.
1) Realism
Realistic AI art closely resembles real life, capturing the details, textures, and colors of the physical world. This style is celebrated for its ability to replicate the nuances of nature, people, and objects. It’s the perfect bridge between the digital and the real. Various AI tools can make realistic AI images. However, the best of the bunch is Grum AI Art Generator.
What’s Great About Realism?
Realism works well for projects where accuracy and lifelike representation are crucial. This is because it helps viewers have a clear and relatable visual experience with AI-generated photos.
Use Cases of Realism
- Architectural visualization
- Medical illustrations
- Product mockups and advertisements
- Educational content
- Virtual reality environments
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A group of friends camping, sitting around a campfire under the stars in the desert.
We fed this prompt into Grum and it produced the image below
2) The Absurd
“The Absurd” AI art style is one of the AI art styles featured on Dream by Wombo. This style enables the AI art generator to create images that defies conventional logic. Images generated in this AI art style usually have surreal juxtapositions and fantastical scenarios that seem to leap straight from the depths of the AI’s imagination.
What’s Great About The Absurd?
The Absurd is overwhelmingly unique. It never fails to surprise and delight viewers by presenting the familiar in an unfamiliar context. This is particularly nice for sparking creativity and thought.
Use Cases of The Absurd
- Creating engaging content for social media. Advertising campaigns
- Art exhibitions
- Visually stimulating game development
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A chocolate labrador puppy wearing a detective hat, sitting next to a magnifying glass and a map.
Following the prompt, Dream by Wombo generated this image
3) Expressionism
The expressionist art style conveys emotions and feelings through art, using bold colors, dramatic brush strokes, and often distorted or exaggerated forms. Expressionism aims to express the artist’s inner experiences, so it’s deeply personal and impactful.
What’s Great About Expressionism?
This AI art style is particularly nice because it can evoke strong emotions and create a powerful connection between the artwork and the viewer.
Use Cases of Expressionism
- Therapeutic or mental health-related applications
- Storytelling in movies, video games, and books Advertising and branding
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A cozy weekend morning scene with a steaming mug of coffee, and a lazy cat curled up on a soft blanket next to a sunny window overlooking a quiet street.
We found the expressionist AI art style on Dream by Wombo, so we ran this prompt on the tool and it created this image
4) Cinematic
The cinematic AI art style captures the essence of film and storytelling, creating scenes that feel like they’re straight out of a movie. It focuses on dramatic lighting, composition, and mood, setting the stage for narrative moments that are visually compelling. The “Cinematic” art style is available on Fotor. It closely resembles the “Cinematic render” style on Imagine AI.
What’s Great About the Cinematic AI Art Style?
Cinematic AI art can evoke the same emotions and excitement one might feel while watching a film. Each image created in the cinematic AI art style resembles a frozen moment in a larger story.
Use Cases of Cinematic Art
- Creating concept art for films and video games,
- Marketing, where captivating visuals can draw in an audience
- Storybooks that include pictures
Sample Prompt and Images
Remember how we mentioned that Fotor’s “Cinematic” style looks a lot like the “Cinematic render” style on Imagine AI? Let’s actually test that theory! We’ll use the prompt below to see if these AI art styles really do share similarities.
Prompt: A band of pirate parrots searching for treasure on a tropical island with a volcano.
Based on this prompt, Fotor generated the following image in the “cinematic” style.
From the same prompt, Imagine AI made the image below in the “cinematic render” style
5) Psychedelic
The psychedelic AI art style brings together vibrant colors, swirling patterns, and surreal visuals that seem to transport the viewer to another dimension. It draws inspiration from the psychedelic movement of the 1960s and 70s. During this era, people were really open to exploring their consciousness and having experiences that changed how they perceived the world.
The psychedelic AI art style is featured on many AI text-to-image tools. However, Canva creates the best psychedelic images.
What’s Great About the Psychedelic AI Art Style?
Viewing psychedelic AI art is the easiest way to break free from the constraints of reality. In psychedelic pictures, you find an escape into worlds of pure imagination.
Use Cases of the Psychedelic AI Art Style
- Album and music festival posters
- Fashion and textile design
- Mindfulness and meditation apps
- Nightclub and event promotions
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A vintage train chugging through a landscape where the trees are giant broccoli.
From the prompt above, Canva generated this image
6) Anime
Anime is distinguished by its colorful visuals, exaggerated expressions, and often fantastical themes. Humans and animals in AI anime images are typically designed with large, expressive eyes that convey emotion vividly. They also have small mouths, which helps to emphasize their emotional states. The anime AI art style can be found on many AI image generators.
What’s Great About the Anime AI Art Style?
Anime conveys a wide range of emotions and stories, from the epic and fantastical to the subtle and everyday. Its exaggerated features and expressive eyes draw viewers into the characters’ worlds. And while looking at photos generated in the anime AI art style, you tend to connect deeper with them and remember them for longer.
Use Cases of the Anime AI Art Style
- Animated series and movies
- Video game character design and environments
- Graphic novels and webcomics
- Marketing materials targeting younger audiences
- Custom avatars and profile pictures for social media and gaming platforms
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: An old fisherman repairing nets on a wooden dock with fishing boats bobbing in the background.
Based on this prompt, Canva made the image below
7) DigitalDaVinci
We found this AI art style on Deep Dream Generator. Pictures created in the DigitalDaVinci style reflect a digital reimagining of classical portraiture. They showcase a high level of detail, soft lighting, and realistic textures that are reminiscent of the works of old masters like Leonardo da Vinci.
What’s Great About DigitalDaVinci?
We appreciate the DigitalDaVinci AI art style for its stunning blend of classical beauty and modern AI techniques. This style gives us a sense of connection to historical art while providing a fresh, contemporary take that’s both familiar and new.
Use Cases of DigitalDaVinci
- Creating digital avatars for online profiles or virtual reality.
- Producing concept art for film and video games set in historical or fantasy settings.
- Generating cover art for historical fiction or romance novels.
- Designing personalized gifts such as digital portraits.
- Crafting marketing materials for luxury brands that want a touch of classical elegance.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: An open, antique book on a library desk with a vintage brass lamp illuminating the pages.
Deep Dream Generator, following the prompt above, created this image
8) Comic Book
Photos of the Comic Book AI art style embody the vivid motion, intense emotions, and bold lines typical of traditional comic books. The distinguishing marks of this style are its strong, often angular outlines, clear colors, and the use of shading techniques like cross-hatching to add depth and texture. You can find Comic Book on Imagine AI.
What’s Great About Comic Book?
What we love about this AI art style is how it brings characters and stories to life with energy and clarity. The exaggerated features and action-packed scenes are visually striking but also evoke the nostalgic charm of older and modern comics.
Use Cases of Comic Book
- Graphic novels and webcomics creation.
- Storyboarding for films and animations.
- Designing superhero or character-themed merchandise.
- Marketing campaigns with a pop culture twist.
- Educational materials that require comic visuals.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A chef in a busy restaurant kitchen preparing a delicious meal.
Following the prompt, Imagine AI generated this image
9) Ice Art
Ice Art captures the frozen beauty and crystalline structures of ice in vivid detail. The objects in an AI-generated photo that’s based on this art style usually look as if they are sculpted entirely from ice, and they appear both magical and realistic. We discovered this AI art style on Deep AI.
What’s Great About Ice Art?
We love Ice Art for its pure and delicate aesthetics. As light filters through the ice, it casts gentle shadows and highlights intricate details of the AI photo.
Use Cases of Ice Art
- Seasonal marketing campaigns, especially for winter holidays or events.
- Concept art for film and video game environments, particularly in fantasy or winter settings.
- Decorative pieces for winter-themed events or celebrations.
- Inspirational posters or artwork with a focus on nature and the environment.
- Creative backdrops or themes for ice hotels, bars, or winter resorts.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A snowy street at night with glowing lanterns and a bundled-up street musician playing the violin.
Using the prompt, Deep AI actually generated this pleasantly surprising image
10) 3D Art
This AI art style is achieved through algorithms that simulate a three-dimensional environment. In 3D images, textures, lighting, and shadows to interact as they would in reality. As a result, 3D digital artworks have volume and depth and appear tangible. Are you drawn to 3D art? Try it on Adobe Firefly, Canva, or Deep AI.
What’s Great About 3D Art?
3D AI photos appear hyper-realistic and fantastically imaginative. They engage your senses in a way that flat images cannot.
Use Cases of 3D Art
- Creating detailed game environments and characters.
- Generating realistic visual effects and animations.
- Prototyping products in 3D before manufacturing.
- Creating virtual models for buildings and spaces.
- Building interactive models for simulations and learning tools.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A white car parked in front of a quaint café on a street in the early morning.
For this example, we used Deep AI to generate the following image from the prompt
11) 3D Origami
The 3D origami AI art style mimics traditional origami to create models with a faceted appearance. Photos based on this style have geometric patterns and the illusion of paper’s texture and folds, rendered in three dimensions. Deep AI can help you create 3D origami photos.
What’s Great About 3D Origami?
The charm of 3D origami AI images lies in their blend of simplicity and complexity. 3D origami combines the nostalgic and meticulous craft of origami with the precision of digital art.
Use Cases of 3D Origami
- Making showstopping pieces for digital galleries and exhibitions.
- Designing eye-catching graphics for marketing campaigns.
- Teaching geometric concepts through visually appealing models.
- Innovating package designs with origami-inspired elements.
- Designing animations.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A rustic pottery workshop with clay pots and tools, and an artisan shaping a vase.
We fed this prompt into Deep AI’s 3D Origami Art Generator, and it created the image below
12) Cubism
The cubist AI art style is a digital interpretation of the avant-garde art movement that began in the early 20th century. It breaks down objects and scenes into simple shapes and reassembles them in abstracted forms, often displaying multiple viewpoints simultaneously. Cubism is featured on Deep AI.
What’s Great About Cubism?
Cubist AI art challenges our perception of reality. The style pushes the boundaries of how art represents life and invites us to interpret the world through a different, more analytical lens.
Use Cases of Cubism
- Enhancing graphic designs.
- Inspiring patterns and prints for clothing and accessories.
- Creating unique wall art or textiles for modern spaces.
- Building distinct brand images.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A glossy red apple on an old wooden table with a sunny window in the background.
After using this prompt on Deep AI, the tool produced the following photo
13) Glass Art
Glass art is a style of AI art that emulates the translucency, reflectiveness, and fluidity of glass. It often incorporates elements appearing as if they are encased in or made of glass, allowing for a play of light and shadow that makes the artwork look delicate.
What’s Great About Glass Art?
This AI art style can portray any object in a fragile and beautiful manner. The way light bends and colors refract within the glass elements adds a layer of depth and realism that is both striking and subtle.
Use Cases of Glass Art
- Decorative design elements in interior design.
- Artistic illustrations for children’s books or fantasy novels.
- Creative advertising for luxury goods or fragrances.
- Unique backgrounds or overlay effects in web design.
- Themed artwork for mindfulness and meditation spaces.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A squirrel taking selfies with a forgotten phone in the park.
This time, we used Imagine AI to bring our prompt to life. Here’s what Imagine AI created
14) Pixtoon
The Pixtoon AI art style has a vibrant, cartoon-like quality. Pixtoon images usually have bright colors, clean lines, and expressions and proportions similar to those found in animations and illustrations. Do you like Pixtoon? Check it out on AI Arta.
What’s Great About Pixtoon?
Pixtoon AI photos inspire a feeling of nostalgia, appealing to a wide audience range. They simplify reality while highlighting emotion and character. So, if you’d like to connect with viewers on an instinctive and emotional level, generate pictures in the Pixtoon AI art style.
Use Cases of Pixtoon
- Colorful illustrations for children’s books
- Creating user-friendly interfaces and characters in mobile apps and games.
- Crafting approachable, fun photos for family-oriented products and services.
- Designing lively visuals to capture the interest of students.
- Producing animated content for social media.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A small child holding a colorful kite on a windy beach with waves crashing.
From this prompt, AI Arta generated this image
15) Futuristic
The futuristic AI art style showcases intricate designs that erase the boundaries between technology and traditional art. It’s distinguished by really saturated colors, sleek lines, and dynamic shapes. Futuristic is among the AI art styles on Adobe Firefly.
What’s Great About the Futuristic AI Art Style?
Futuristic AI images can transport one to an imaginative realm where art and technology converge. They make you intimately connected to your hopes for the future.
Use Cases of Futuristic AI Art
- Creating concept art for movies, video games, or graphic novels set in futuristic worlds.
- Inspiring innovative product designs
- Crafting digital marketing material for tech companies or modern product lines.
- Inspiring tech-forward fashion designs with futuristic patterns.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A teenager in a garage working on a robotics project surrounded by tools and computer parts.
We ran this prompt on Firefly, with the following image settings:
- Color and tone: Toned image
- Lighting: Long time exposure
- Composition: Closeup
Based on the prompt and the settings, Firefly whipped up the image below
16) Vector Look
The vector look AI art style is characterized by its clean lines, flat colors, and 2D shapes. If you’re into vector images, you should explore Vector Look on Adobe Firefly.
What’s Great About Vector Look?
We appreciate this style for its simplicity and elegance. Its professional, polished look is suitable for a wide range of designs, from minimalist ones to more complex ones.
Use Cases of Vector Look
- Creating memorable and versatile logos.
- Making clean and fast-loading graphics for websites.
- Smooth computer-generated animations.
- Educational and informative graphics.
- Business cards, brochures, and posters regardless of size.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A cozy fireplace with a rocking chair and a cat curled up on a knitted blanket beside it.
When working with this prompt in Adobe Firefly, we adjusted the image settings as follows:
- Color and tone: Cool tone
- Lighting: Studio light
- Composition: Closeup
Here’s one of the photos that Firefly made
17) Paper Craft
The paper craft AI art style resembles hand-cut and folded paper art. This art form brings the illusion of depth and physical texture to a flat image. Objects in photos based on this style have layers seemingly piled upon one another to create a detailed, sculptural effect. Adore paper craft? Explore it on Stable Diffusion.
What’s Great About Paper Craft?
Paper craft AI photos are accessible, and appear as if one could reach out and touch their creases and folds. The natural and organic feel of paper makes images created in this AI art style warm and inviting.
Use Cases of Paper Craft
- Creating hands-on materials for learners.
- Textured event invitations.
- Art pieces for interior decorations.
- Memorable print and digital ads.
- Giving product packaging an eco-friendly appearance.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A solitary lighthouse standing on a rocky cliff with stormy seas below and dark clouds above.
Based on this prompt, Stable Diffusion created this image
18) Caricature
Caricatures are playful, friendly portrayals of the physical attributes of the people they represent. Caricature art takes a person’s most noticeable features and turns them up to the max, making them bigger, bolder, and more dramatic. Many AI text-to-image softwares offer caricature art, but the tool that’s best at creating images in this AI art style is Stable Diffusion.
What’s Great About Caricature?
Through portraying personalities in an amusing way, caricatures show us a side of ourselves that’s larger than life.
Use Cases of Caricature
- Personalized gifts.
- Entertainment at parties or fairs where artists draw guests on the spot.
- Sharp and witty political cartoons in newspapers or magazines.
- Eye-catching and memorable characters in advertisements.
- Funny social media profiles and content.
Sample Prompt and Images
Prompt: A musician performing on a stage.
From this prompt, Stable Diffusion produced the photo below
Please keep in mind that the caricature AI art style best suits an image that’s focused on one person. If you use this style for images featuring many people or objects, you won’t get the best out of the style.
19) Surrealist Sculpture
Surrealist sculpture art style bends reality. The objects in the AI photos defy conventional rules of form, proportion, and function. This style often merges dreamlike elements with everyday things, thus provoking thought, surprise, and intrigue. Do you like surrealist sculpture? Check it out on Deep AI.
What’s Great About Surrealist Sculpture?
This AI art style breaks the monotony of the expected, pushing the boundaries of creativity. Surrealist sculptures invite you into a world of the subconscious where the normal rules don’t apply.
Use Cases of Surrealist Sculpture
- Pieces in art galleries.
- Unusual decorations in parks or city streets.
- Props in magical movies or plays.
- Funky decor for restaurants or shops.
- Educational materials to help students learn about creativity and the imagination.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A pair of worn hiking boots at the entrance of a lush green forest.
When we ran the prompt on Deep AI the first time, it generated this image
20) Watercolor
The watercolor AI art style is like a digital version of traditional watercolor paintings. It’s known for its gentle look, with colors that seem to flow into each other, creating soft transitions and a sense of airiness. If you’re into Watercolor, try it on Canva, Adobe Firefly, or Midjourney.
What’s Great About Watercolor?
This style is great at showing feelings and moods in a smooth, calming way. It often makes people feel relaxed and peaceful. Because of the see-through quality and the way the colors can be piled on top of each other, it has a classic, almost storybook kind of beauty.
Use Cases of Watercolor
- Illustrations for children’s books.
- Greeting cards that convey warmth and personal touch.
- Backgrounds for websites and mobile apps.
- Packaging designs for organic beauty and health products.
- Art therapy tools, providing soothing visuals to help with relaxation and mental well-being.
Sample Prompt and Image
Prompt: A vibrant street market scene with vendors, fresh fruits, and flowers, bustling with shoppers.
Here’s one of the images that Canva generated from the prompt
We also tested the prompt on Adobe Firefly with the following image settings:
- Color and tone: Vibrant colors
- Lighting: Golden hour
- Composition: Landscape photography
Below is one of the images that Firefly generated
FAQs About AI Art Styles
Can AI create new art styles?
AI’s skill in creating images is getting incredibly advanced. Now, you can ask smart AI programs, like Chat-GPT 4, to come up with new art styles just for you, inspired by your own ideas. You can even show the AI some pictures in different styles and ask it to learn from those styles and mix them together to make something new. The options are endless.
What is the best AI art styles generator?
The best AI tool for creating art is the one that can make images in the exact styles you want. After testing different AI art styles generators, we believe Adobe Firefly is the top choice.
What is the most popular AI for art?
The most well-known AI tool for creating art is called Midjourney. But, it’s a bit pricey because it doesn’t have a free trial, and using it costs at least $24 a month.
What are novel AI art styles?
Novel AI art styles are unique and innovative ways of creating art using artificial intelligence. Unlike traditional art made by humans with paint, pencils, or digital tools, AI art styles are generated by computer programs that can mix colors, shapes, and textures in ways we might not expect. The cool thing about AI art is that it can learn from existing artworks to create something completely new, offering a fresh and sometimes surprising perspective on what art can be. Some novel AI art styles include psychedelic, ice art, and futuristic.
How do I write prompts for an AI art generator?
Writing a prompt for an AI art generator starts with having a picture in mind of what you want. Simply jot down your idea any way you can, and the AI will take it from there to create an image for you. If you’re not sure where to begin, you can use AI writing tools like Chat-GPT to help come up with ideas for your prompts.
Conclusion
There are over 100 different AI art styles, way more than we’ve covered here. How good an AI-made image looks and how well it fits what you need depends on the art style you choose and the AI tool you use. If you’re not sure which AI art generator to pick, try the ones we’ve mentioned in this article . And when you’re making images with an AI tool, remember to use any extra features that the tool offers to customize your images just how you like them.
