I’ve been seeing this AI photo and watercolor illustration trend on Threads, and of course, it got my curiosity.
The style immediately caught my attention because it takes one photo and turns it into something that feels like a little piece of art. The top half keeps the original photograph, while the bottom half reimagines the same moment as a small handmade watercolor-style illustration on textured paper.
So, I had to try it with photos of my golden retrievers, KB and KENZO.
I saw several prompts for this trend and used one as a starting point, then tweaked it to better create the look I wanted—especially keeping the original photo recognizable while creating a simple illustrated version underneath.
What I love most about this AI trend is the soft watercolor effect. It’s subtle, minimal, and artistic without taking away from the original photo. I also love all the empty space surrounding the small illustration. It gives the finished image a quiet, almost storybook or art-book feel.
And, of course, seeing one of KB and KENZO’s Golden Hug moments transformed this way made it even more special.
What Is the AI Photo Watercolor Illustration Trend?
This AI trend combines two different versions of the same photo into one vertical image.
The upper half features the original photograph with a natural, editorial look.
The lower half transforms the main subject from the photo into a small watercolor-style illustration placed on a warm, textured paper background.
The illustration isn’t meant to reproduce every detail in the photograph. Instead, it simplifies the scene while preserving the most recognizable parts — such as your dog’s appearance, pose, expression, and interaction.
That simplicity is what makes this effect so pretty.
How to Create an AI Watercolor Poster From Your Dog Photo
You only need a favorite dog photo and an AI image generator that allows you to upload an image and use it as a visual reference. For this example, I used ChatGPT.
Step 1: Choose Your Dog Photo
Start with a photo where your dog is clearly visible.
Photos with a meaningful pose, expression, or interaction work especially well.
For my images, I used several photos of my dogs, KB and KENZO, sharing their Golden Hugs. Their pose naturally gives the illustration a recognizable focal point.
You can also try:
– a portrait of one dog
– two dogs sitting together
– your dog on an adventure
– a special vacation photo
– a seasonal photo
– a favorite everyday moment
The background can be simple or detailed because the AI will simplify many of those elements in the illustrated portion.
Step 2: Upload Your Photo
Upload your chosen dog photo to your AI image generator.
Make sure the photo is attached before entering the prompt so the AI can use your actual image as its reference.
Step 3: Copy and Paste This AI Watercolor Prompt
Here is the modified prompt I used in ChatGPT.
Create a high-end editorial poster from my uploaded photo in a strict 3:4 vertical composition. Divide the canvas horizontally into two exactly equal sections, with the top half occupying 50% of the image and the bottom half occupying 50%.
Top half: Preserve the original photograph as faithfully as possible. Keep the subjects, identity, facial features, expressions, pose, body proportions, objects, and spatial relationships unchanged. Preserve the realistic photographic texture, natural lighting, shadows, atmosphere, and original color mood. Apply only subtle, sophisticated editorial color grading so it feels like a premium magazine photograph or independent art publication. If needed, extend the surrounding background naturally and seamlessly to fit the composition, but do not stretch, distort, or alter the main subjects.
Bottom half: Reinterpret the most recognizable visual elements of the original photograph as a minimalist handmade watercolor-style illustration on warm off-white textured paper. Preserve the essential subject, silhouette, proportions, key pose, and emotional relationship. Simplify unnecessary details while keeping the image immediately recognizable. Use delicate, slightly imperfect hand-drawn lines, soft watercolor and subtle gouache-style brushwork, flat painted shapes, visible paper grain, handmade texture, and slightly irregular organic edges.
Keep the main illustrated subject small, centered, and carefully composed, occupying approximately 10–20% of the bottom half, with a large amount of negative space around it. Use only a few minimal illustrated elements from the original environment when needed.
Extract the dominant colors from the original photograph and compress them into no more than 4 main colors. Keep the palette restrained, harmonious, and refined.
Do not include text or typography.
The final result should feel quiet, poetic, refined, minimal, handmade, artistic, and editorial — like an independent art book cover. Avoid cartoon styling, colored-pencil texture, crayon texture, glossy digital illustration, 3D rendering, or busy decorative compositions.
Step 4: Generate Your Image
Once your photo and prompt are ready, generate the image.
One thing to remember with AI image creation is that every result can be a little different.
Even when you use the same prompt, the size of the illustration, amount of background detail, watercolor texture, or interpretation of your dog may vary.
That is part of experimenting with AI art.
If the first version isn’t quite what you imagined, generate another one or make a small adjustment to the prompt.
Step 5: Make Small Changes If Needed
You don’t necessarily need to rewrite the entire prompt.
Instead, tell the AI exactly what you want changed.
For examples:
– Make the watercolor illustration smaller and leave more empty space around it.
– Simplify the background illustration.
Small follow-up edits can often get you much closer to the look you want.
Try This AI Watercolor Trend With Your Dog Photos
If you enjoy turning your favorite dog photos into creative AI artwork, give this photo + watercolor illustration trend a try.
Choose a photo that makes you smile, upload it, copy the prompt, and see how AI reimagines that moment as a simple watercolor-style illustration.
Try it with portraits, adventures, seasonal photos, or one of those everyday moments with your dog that you never want to forget.
And remember — every AI creation will be a little different, which is part of the fun.
Give it a try with your dog photos and see what kind of little watercolor artwork you create.
For More AI Fun for Dog Lovers
Want to try more creative ways to transform your dog photos with AI and ChatGPT? Check out our AI for Dog Lovers collection for more fun AI photo ideas, prompts, and tutorials you can use with your own dog photos.