Cell Shaded Art

Best for:

Character designsGame concept artYouTube thumbnailsSocial media postsDesktop wallpapersTwitch banners

✨ Sample prompt used to generate the hero image Copy

Cell-shaded 3D render of a bounty hunter in a dusty desert outpost, Borderlands art style, 16:9 landscape format. Thick black ink outlines on every form — character, buildings, rocks, ground. Flat color zones with hard-edged shadow bands — no smooth gradients. The character wears a tattered poncho, a wide-brimmed hat, and carries an oversized sci-fi revolver covered in hand-drawn scratch marks. Harsh noon sun casting strong downward shadows. Muted earth-tone palette with a vivid teal accent on the weapon's energy core. Hand-drawn cross-hatching on the darkest shadows.

Prompt Variations

Nano Banana 2

Character Portrait Profile Picture, Social Media

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Cell-shaded 3D render portrait of [SUBJECT — e.g., a rogue mechanic with goggles on their forehead and grease-stained overalls], 1:1 square format. Thick black ink outlines on all forms. Flat color zones with hard-edged shadow bands — no smooth gradients. Bold [COLOR PALETTE — e.g., warm orange-and-brown with a bright cyan accent]. Dramatic side-lighting creating strong two-tone shadow split on the face. Clean [COLOR] background. Borderlands / Breath of the Wild art style.

Action Scene / Battle Desktop Wallpaper, Twitch Banner

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Cell-shaded 3D render of [SUBJECT] in a dynamic battle scene — [ACTION — e.g., a swordfighter mid-slash with an arc of energy trailing from the blade], 16:9 landscape format. Thick black ink outlines on every element. Flat color zones with hard-edged shadow bands. Speed lines radiating from the action point. [ENVIRONMENT — e.g., crumbling stone arena] rendered in the same cell-shaded style. Vivid saturated color palette with [ACCENT COLOR] on energy/special effects. Dramatic camera angle. Borderlands meets Breath of the Wild.

Environment / Landscape Desktop Wallpaper, Game Concept

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Cell-shaded 3D render of a [ENVIRONMENT — e.g., sprawling coastal village with windmills, stone walls, and sailboats in a harbor], 16:9 landscape format. Every surface has thick black ink outlines. Flat color zones with hard-edged shadow bands on buildings, rocks, and foliage. Golden-hour lighting with strong directional shadows. Hand-drawn cross-hatching on the darkest shadow areas. Breath of the Wild / Wind Waker aesthetic. Inviting, adventurous atmosphere.

Vehicle / Weapon Design Concept Art, Social Media

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Cell-shaded 3D render of [OBJECT — e.g., a heavily modified post-apocalyptic motorcycle with oversized exhaust pipes, bolted-on armor plating, and glowing nitro tanks], three-quarter view on a clean background, 16:9 landscape format. Thick black ink outlines on all mechanical forms. Flat color zones with hard-edged shadow bands. Hand-drawn scratch marks and wear detail on the metal surfaces. Borderlands junk-aesthetic. Bold industrial color palette with a vivid [ACCENT COLOR] on the glowing/energy elements.

Group Shot / Party Lineup Social Media, Character Roster

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Cell-shaded 3D render of a lineup of [NUMBER] characters standing side by side in hero poses — [DESCRIBE EACH BRIEFLY — e.g., a tank with heavy armor, a healer with a staff, a nimble rogue, and a gunslinger with dual pistols], 16:9 landscape format. Each character has a distinct silhouette and color identity. Thick black ink outlines on all forms. Flat color zones with hard-edged shadow bands. Consistent flat background with [COLOR]. Borderlands / party-select screen aesthetic. Each character's personality conveyed through pose and expression.

ChatGPT

Character Portrait

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Create a cell-shaded 3D character portrait of [SUBJECT]. Thick black ink outlines on all forms. Flat color zones with hard-edged shadow bands — no smooth gradients. Bold [COLOR PALETTE]. Dramatic side-lighting. Borderlands / Breath of the Wild art style. 1:1 square format.

Action Scene

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Create a cell-shaded 3D action scene of [SUBJECT] in [ACTION]. Thick black outlines, flat color zones, hard-edged shadows, speed lines, dramatic camera angle. [ENVIRONMENT] in the same cell-shaded style. 3:2 landscape format.

Environment

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Create a cell-shaded 3D landscape of [ENVIRONMENT]. Every surface has thick ink outlines. Flat color zones with hard-edged shadows. Cross-hatching on darkest areas. Golden-hour lighting. Breath of the Wild / Wind Waker aesthetic. 3:2 landscape format.

Midjourney

Character Portrait

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Cell-shaded 3D render of [SUBJECT], thick black ink outlines, flat color zones, hard-edged shadow bands, bold palette, dramatic side-lighting, Borderlands Breath of the Wild style --ar 1:1

Action Scene

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Cell-shaded 3D action scene, [SUBJECT] in [ACTION], thick outlines, flat colors, hard shadows, speed lines, dramatic angle, vivid palette --ar 16:9

Group Lineup

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Cell-shaded 3D character lineup, [NUMBER] characters in hero poses, thick ink outlines, flat colors, distinct silhouettes, Borderlands party-select aesthetic --ar 16:9

Stable Diffusion

Character Portrait

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**Prompt:** \`Cell-shaded 3D render, [SUBJECT], thick black outlines, flat color zones, hard-edged shadows, bold palette, Borderlands style, dramatic lighting\`

Action Scene

Copy

**Prompt:** \`Cell-shaded 3D action scene, [SUBJECT] in [ACTION], thick outlines, flat colors, speed lines, hard shadows, dramatic angle, vivid colors\`

Environment

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**Prompt:** \`Cell-shaded 3D landscape, [ENVIRONMENT], thick ink outlines, flat color zones, hard shadow bands, cross-hatching, golden hour, Breath of the Wild style\`

Image-to-Image Transformations

Nano Banana 2

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Using the attached photo as reference, transform the entire image into a cell-shaded 3D render. Apply thick black ink outlines on every form — people, objects, and background. Replace all smooth shading with flat color zones and hard-edged shadow bands. Preserve the composition, poses, and overall scene layout. Use a bold, saturated version of the original colors. Borderlands / Breath of the Wild art style.

Follow-up refinements

• “Add cross-hatching on the darkest shadow areas”
• “Make the outlines thicker and bolder”
• “Push the color palette to be more saturated / more muted”
• “Add speed lines and a more dynamic feeling”

ChatGPT

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[Upload Photo] "Transform this photo into a cell-shaded 3D render. Apply thick black ink outlines on every form. Replace shading with flat color zones and hard-edged shadow bands. Borderlands / Breath of the Wild art style. Preserve the composition."

Midjourney

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[IMAGE_URL] Cell-shaded 3D render, thick black ink outlines, flat color zones, hard-edged shadows, bold saturated colors, Borderlands style --iw 1.5 --ar 16:9

Stable Diffusion

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Tips & Best Practices

• The two non-negotiables: “Thick black ink outlines on every form” + “flat color zones with hard-edged shadow bands — no smooth gradients.” If you skip either, you get standard 3D.
• Name the reference: “Borderlands” for gritty sci-fi, “Breath of the Wild” for natural landscapes, “Jet Set Radio” for urban, “Wind Waker” for whimsical. The game reference calibrates the AI.
• Cross-hatching adds depth: For the deepest shadow areas, adding “hand-drawn cross-hatching” gives a layered, graphic-novel quality.
• Accent colors pop: Because cell shading uses flat colors, a single vivid accent color (cyan, magenta, orange) stands out dramatically against muted backgrounds.
• Common pitfalls: Don’t say “cartoon” (too generic). Don’t mix “smooth lighting” with cell shading — they conflict. Avoid “photorealistic” — it overrides the flat shading.
• Pairs well with: Superhero Comic Book (similar ink emphasis, 2D vs 3D), Pixelated / 16-bit (different retro gaming aesthetic)

Related Styles

Superhero Comic Book

Pixelated / 16-bit