AI Caricature Prompts: Copy-Paste Prompts for ChatGPT, GPT Image and Nano Banana

The ChatGPT caricature prompt that went viral in February 2026 is: "Create a caricature of me and my job based on everything you know about me." You upload a close-up photo, send that line, and ChatGPT draws you with an oversized head surrounded by props from your work and hobbies, pulled from its memory of your chats.

It only works well when ChatGPT already knows you, and new accounts get something generic. The fix is to tell the model what to include and what to exaggerate, which is what the 36 prompts below do. They work in ChatGPT, GPT Image 2, Nano Banana, and most image models that accept a reference photo.

Quick answer: which caricature prompt to use

The viral ChatGPT caricature prompt: what the trend actually was

The trend took off in the first week of February 2026. Mashable, USA Today, TechRadar, Newsweek, The Register and the BBC all covered it within about ten days. Newsweek called it "the first big ChatGPT trend of the year."

How it worked:

1. Upload a close-up photo of yourself to ChatGPT.
2. Paste the prompt: "Create a caricature of me and my job based on everything you know about me."
3. ChatGPT combines your face with what it remembers from past conversations.

The Straits Times described the output as resembling boardwalk street-artist drawings, "with semi-exaggerated facial features, depicting individuals engaged in their jobs or hobbies." The New York Post noted backgrounds full of personal details: books with uncanny titles, screens with graphs, flags, even fantasy football stats. TechRadar's reporter found his caricature pulled a remembered description of his own desk and office.

The images spread across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn, according to BBC Bitesize. The Register cited a Fortra analyst who counted about 2.6 million of them posted to Instagram as of February 8.

What the coverage agreed on:

• It depends on chat history. Mashable and Fast Company both noted that the prompt needs a substantial ChatGPT history. New users get a generic office scene.
• None of the articles we read named a specific model. Coverage says "ChatGPT," and several note that Gemini and other image models can do the same thing.

The AI caricature prompt formula

Every prompt below follows the same structure:

[Style] caricature of the person in the reference photo.
Exaggerate: [1 to 3 features].
Keep recognizable: [face shape, eyes, hairline, glasses, etc.].
Body and pose: [small body, action, props].
Scene: [setting with 3 to 5 specific objects].
Finish: [medium, line quality, colors, background].

The "keep recognizable" line is the one people skip. Without it, the model often trades your likeness for a generic funny face.

What to exaggerate (and what to leave alone)

Real caricature artists pick the one or two features that make someone instantly identifiable, then push those. Everything else stays close to real.

• Push: a distinctive smile, strong eyebrows, big hair, a prominent chin or jawline, glasses, freckles, a beard shape, ears that stick out.
• Keep close to real: eye color, skin tone, eye spacing, hairline shape. These carry identity.
• Be kind: weight, skin conditions, disabilities, and features someone is self-conscious about are not jokes for a gift. If you are making it for someone else, exaggerate their best feature, usually the smile.
• Limit it: one to three features. Four or more and it stops looking like anyone.

How to use a reference photo

Because the photo matters more than the prompt, check it against this list before you start.

• Front-facing or slight three-quarter angle. Profile shots lose the eyes and smile.
• Even light, no heavy shadow across half the face.
• Face large in the frame. A crop from a group photo at 200 pixels wide gives the model almost nothing.
• Natural expression. A real smile exaggerates better than a neutral passport face.
• No filters. Beauty filters already distort features, and the model will exaggerate the distortion.
• For multiple people, upload one clear photo per person and say which is which: "Person in image 1 on the left, person in image 2 on the right."

36 copy-paste AI caricature prompts

Each prompt assumes you have attached a reference photo. Replace the bracketed parts.

Classic big-head exaggeration

1. Boardwalk marker sketch

Classic boardwalk caricature of the person in the reference photo. Oversized head, tiny body. Exaggerate the smile and eyebrows. Keep the face shape, eyes, and hairstyle clearly recognizable. Loose black marker lines with soft watercolor wash, plain cream paper background, artist signature scribble in the corner.

2. Magazine cover caricature

Editorial magazine-style caricature of the person in the reference photo, large expressive head on a small body, gouache painting texture, strong confident brushstrokes. Exaggerate [the jawline and hair]. Keep eyes, skin tone, and glasses accurate. Muted teal background, dramatic side lighting.

3. Bobblehead

Turn the person in the reference photo into a collectible bobblehead figure: huge glossy head, small stiff body on a round base. Exaggerate the grin. Keep hairstyle, face shape, and eye color accurate. Studio product photo, soft shadow, white background.

4. Clay figure

Stop-motion clay caricature of the person in the reference photo. Big head, stubby arms, visible fingerprint texture in the clay. Exaggerate [the nose and ears] slightly. Keep the smile and hair clearly theirs. Warm miniature set, shallow depth of field.

5. Sunday comic strip

Caricature of the person in the reference photo drawn as a Sunday newspaper comic character. Bold ink outlines, flat halftone colors, oversized head. Exaggerate their most distinctive feature, [freckles / beard / curly hair]. Speech bubble that says "[short line]". Keep the face recognizable.

6. Pencil portrait with a twist

Graphite pencil caricature of the person in the reference photo, realistic shading on the face but a comically tiny body in a [superhero cape]. Exaggerate only the smile. Keep all other facial proportions close to real. Sketchbook page, visible pencil texture.

Profession and hobby (the viral-trend style)

7. The viral prompt, rebuilt for any model

Create a caricature of the person in the reference photo as a [job title]. Oversized head, small body, cheerful expression. Keep the face clearly recognizable. Surround them with objects from their work: [object 1], [object 2], [object 3], [object 4]. Add small hobby details: [hobby 1], [hobby 2]. Bright hand-drawn cartoon style, clean white background.

8. Software developer

Caricature of the person in the reference photo as a software developer at a cluttered desk: three monitors of code, a rubber duck, a mechanical keyboard, an empty coffee mug pyramid. Big head, tiny hands typing fast with motion lines. Exaggerate the focused frown. Keep face recognizable. Colorful cartoon style.

9. Nurse or doctor

Friendly caricature of the person in the reference photo as a [nurse / doctor] in scrubs, stethoscope around the neck, holding a giant coffee cup labeled "[shift name]". Oversized head, warm smile exaggerated. Keep face, hair, and skin tone accurate. Hospital corridor background in soft pastel cartoon style. No blood or medical gore.

10. Teacher

Caricature of the person in the reference photo as a [subject] teacher at a chalkboard covered in [equations / verbs / maps], stacks of papers, a red pen, an apple. Big head, expressive eyebrows raised mid-explanation. Keep face recognizable. Watercolor and ink cartoon style.

11. Chef

Caricature of the person in the reference photo as a chef flipping a pan with flames, tall white hat, towel over the shoulder, ingredients flying. Exaggerate the confident grin and [mustache]. Keep face recognizable. Busy restaurant kitchen, bold comic colors.

12. Weekend hobbyist

Caricature of the person in the reference photo doing their favorite hobby, [trail running / gardening / playing guitar / fishing]. Oversized head, small energetic body, exaggerated joyful expression. Keep face recognizable. Include [3 specific props]. Sunny outdoor cartoon scene.

13. Content creator

Caricature of the person in the reference photo as a content creator mid-recording: ring light, phone on a tripod, microphone, a wall of sticky notes that say "[channel topic]". Big head, exaggerated excited expression. Keep face recognizable. Vivid pop-art colors.

Couple and family

14. Couple on a tandem bike

Caricature of the two people in the reference photos riding a tandem bicycle, person from image 1 in front, person from image 2 behind. Both have oversized heads and laughing expressions. Keep both faces clearly recognizable. Seaside promenade, bright watercolor style.

15. Family portrait, gently exaggerated

Warm family caricature of the [number] people in the reference photos, posed on a couch like a formal portrait but with big heads and small bodies. Exaggerate each person's smile only. Keep every face recognizable and in this order, left to right: [names or image numbers]. Include the family dog. Soft storybook illustration style.

16. Anniversary then-and-now

Caricature of the couple in the reference photos in two panels: left panel as they looked on their first date in [year style clothing], right panel as they look now. Big heads, affectionate expressions, same faces in both. Caption at the bottom: "[X] years".

17. Siblings road trip

Caricature of the [siblings] in the reference photos crammed into a tiny convertible, luggage piled high, one holding a paper map upside down. Oversized heads, exaggerated expressions of excitement and mild panic. Keep every face recognizable. Retro 1960s travel poster style.

Office farewell and gift

18. Leaving-card cover

Farewell caricature of the person in the reference photo waving goodbye from a paper airplane flying out of an office window. Big head, cheerful expression. Keep face recognizable. Banner below reads "Good luck, [Name]!". Clean cartoon style, white background, room at the edges for signatures.

19. Retirement

Retirement caricature of the person in the reference photo in a hammock between two palm trees, laptop being tossed into the ocean, [hobby props] nearby. Oversized head, blissful expression. Keep face recognizable. Sunny tropical cartoon style. Text: "Happy Retirement, [Name]".

20. Team inside joke

Caricature of the person in the reference photo as the office hero who [always fixes the printer / brings the snacks / answers every question], wearing a cape made of [sticky notes]. Big head, proud expression. Keep face recognizable. Office background, bright comic style.

21. Promotion congratulations

Caricature of the person in the reference photo climbing a giant stack of [spreadsheets / blueprints / case files] to plant a flag at the top labeled "[new title]". Big head, triumphant grin. Keep face recognizable. Playful editorial illustration style.

Pet caricatures

22. Dog with a job

Caricature of the dog in the reference photo as a [barista / pilot / detective], standing on hind legs, oversized head, exaggerated [floppy ears / underbite / tongue]. Keep coat color, markings, and eye color accurate. Warm cartoon style, simple background.

23. Cat as a grumpy boss

Caricature of the cat in the reference photo as a grumpy CEO behind a huge desk, tiny tie, paws folded. Exaggerate the unimpressed expression and fluffy cheeks. Keep fur pattern and eye color accurate. Moody office, painterly cartoon style.

24. Pet and owner lookalike

Caricature of the person in image 1 and the dog in image 2 side by side, drawn so they share the same hairstyle and expression. Big heads, small bodies. Keep both clearly recognizable. Park bench, bright watercolor style.

25. Royal pet portrait, cartoon version

Caricature of the pet in the reference photo as a pompous royal on a velvet throne, crown slightly too big, oversized head. Keep markings and eye color accurate. Oil-painting texture but cartoon proportions, gold frame.

For a softer, animated-movie look, our Disney Pixar style pet portrait guide has prompts built for that style.

Sports fans

26. Game-day superfan

Caricature of the person in the reference photo as a superfan in the stands, face painted in [team colors], foam finger, oversized head, mouth wide open cheering. Keep face recognizable under the paint. Crowd and stadium lights behind, bold comic style. Do not include official team logos.

27. Fantasy league champion

Caricature of the person in the reference photo lifting a giant homemade trophy, surrounded by stat sheets and snacks, wearing a jersey with the number [XX]. Big head, exaggerated victory scream. Keep face recognizable. Living room setting, bright cartoon style.

28. Weekend athlete

Caricature of the person in the reference photo mid-[swing / kick / serve] in [golf / soccer / tennis], tiny body stretched in an impossible pose, oversized head with exaggerated determination. Keep face recognizable. Motion lines, sunny field, comic style.

29. Rival fans couple

Caricature of the two people in the reference photos on a couch, one in [team A colors], one in [team B colors], each holding a remote and glaring at each other playfully. Big heads, keep both faces recognizable. Warm cartoon style. No official logos.

Wedding

30. Couple caricature for guest book

Wedding caricature of the couple in the reference photos, oversized heads, bride and groom [or two brides / two grooms] holding hands under a floral arch. Keep both faces clearly recognizable. Soft ink and watercolor, cream background, space around the edges for guest signatures.

31. Save-the-date

Caricature of the couple in the reference photos riding a vintage scooter with cans trailing behind. Big heads, laughing. Keep faces recognizable. Text at top: "Save the Date", text at bottom: "[Date] - [City]". Clean illustrated style, pastel palette.

32. Welcome sign mascots

Caricature of the couple in the reference photos as two small cartoon figures peeking over a welcome sign that reads "Welcome to the wedding of [Name] and [Name]". Oversized heads, cheerful. Keep faces recognizable. Botanical border, elegant illustration style.

33. Bridal party lineup

Caricature lineup of the [number] people in the reference photos in matching [outfits], big heads, each doing a signature pose. Keep every face recognizable, order left to right: [image numbers]. Playful illustrated style, white background.

Political-style satire (keep it safe)

Satirical caricature is a long tradition, but AI tools add two risks: realistic fakes that mislead, and many platforms restrict images of real public figures. These prompts satirize archetypes rather than named people.

Guidelines:

• Aim the satire at ideas, behavior, or roles, and leave real people's bodies alone.
• Keep it obviously cartoonish. Never photorealistic.
• No real people in sexual, violent, or fake-news scenarios.
• Label it as satire when you post it.

34. The generic politician

Satirical editorial cartoon of a fictional politician with a huge smile and tiny ears, shaking hands with six people at once using extra arms. Not based on any real person. Classic newspaper cartoon ink style, caption: "Election season".

35. Bureaucracy

Satirical cartoon of a fictional official buried under a mountain of forms, only a stamping hand visible, a sign reading "Simplification Committee". Exaggerated, obviously cartoonish, not based on a real person. Black and white ink style.

36. Yourself as a campaign poster

Satirical campaign poster caricature of the person in the reference photo running for "[Mayor of the Group Chat]", oversized head, overconfident grin. Keep face recognizable. Retro screen-print style, slogan: "[funny promise]".

Which models to use for AI caricatures on Oakgen

ChatGPT works fine for this. If you already use it and like the result, you don't need anything else. Where Oakgen helps is choosing between models and doing something with the result afterward.

GPT Image 2.5 is now available on Oakgen in two variants, Flare and Sunburst. You can use it for text-to-image in the Image Generator and for reference-photo edits in the Image Editor. It is new, so run a couple of test caricatures against GPT Image 2 before switching your whole workflow; the generator shows the credit cost before you submit.

Compare before committing. Image Arena runs the same prompt across two to six models side by side, so you can see which style suits a prompt before spending more attempts. Image Arena is text-to-image, though, so it won't take your reference photo. Use it to pick a style and model, then run the winner with your photo in the image generator. Our Image Arena walkthrough shows the setup.

For more GPT Image 2 prompts beyond caricatures, see the GPT Image 2 prompt library.

Why AI caricatures fail

Likeness loss. The number one complaint. Causes: a small or blurry reference, a filtered selfie, or no "keep recognizable" instruction. Fix the photo first.

Too many exaggerated features. "Big nose, big ears, big chin, huge eyes" produces a stranger. Pick one to three.

Generic props. "At work" gives you a laptop and a coffee mug. Name the specific objects that make someone's job theirs.

Wrong person in multi-person images. Models swap faces between people. Number your reference images and say who goes where.

Mean instead of funny. Exaggerating someone's weight or a feature they dislike lands badly, especially on a gift. Push the smile.

Garbled text. Keep banner text short, put it in quotes, and use GPT Image 2 when the words matter.

Privacy: think before you upload

Security researchers were blunt during the trend. In The Register, Fortra's Josh Davies noted that the prompt says "based on everything you know about me," so sensitive employer information could sit in the prompt history if an account is taken over. He called it a hypothetical risk at the time. In BBC Bitesize, ESET's Jake Moore advised avoiding photos with family members or anything sensitive in the background.

Practical rules:

• Crop out other people, especially children, unless they agreed.
• Remove ID badges, screens, documents, and anything with your employer's name.
• Check the data and training settings of whatever tool you use.
• Think about what the finished image reveals. A caricature surrounded by your company's product and your city's skyline tells a stranger a lot.
• Only upload someone else's photo if they're in on the joke.

Take it further: animate your caricature

A caricature makes a great first frame. Upload it to an image-to-video model and ask for one small motion, "winks and tips his hat," or pair it with audio in a talking photo tool so it delivers a farewell message. Our guide on how to animate a photo covers which method to use and why smaller motion looks better.

For other photo-based styles, see AI anime art from a photo and face swap templates for creative edits.

Sources

• Mashable, "ChatGPT caricature trend: What it is, prompt to try it," February 4, 2026: https://mashable.com/article/chatgpt-caricature-trend-explained-prompts (accessed 2026-09-26)
• Fast Company, "ChatGPT caricatures are taking over social media, but at what cost?," February 2026: https://www.fastcompany.com/91487696/chatgpt-caricature-trend-tiktok-ai-generated-pictures (accessed 2026-09-26)
• USA Today, "New ChatGPT trend turns you into a caricature. Here's how it works," February 5, 2026: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2026/02/05/ai-caricature-chatgpt-trend-2026/88527597007/ (accessed 2026-09-26)
• TechRadar, "I tried the new ChatGPT caricature trend and was shocked how well the AI chatbot knows me," February 6, 2026: https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/chatgpt/i-tried-the-new-chatgpt-caricature-trend-and-was-shocked-how-well-the-ai-chatbot-knows-me (accessed 2026-09-26)
• The Straits Times, "Move over, Ghibli: caricatures are the next ChatGPT trend," February 8, 2026: https://www.straitstimes.com/life/move-over-ghibli-caricatures-are-the-next-chatgpt-trend (accessed 2026-09-26)
• New York Post, "ChatGPT's viral caricature trend proves how well it knows you, and it's freaking people out," February 9, 2026: https://nypost.com/2026/02/09/lifestyle/chatgpts-new-viral-trend-proves-how-well-it-knows-you/ (accessed 2026-09-26)
• Newsweek, "Backlash Mounts Over AI Caricature Trend," February 11, 2026: https://www.newsweek.com/ai-caricature-trend-backlash-environmental-data-chat-gpt-11505901 (accessed 2026-09-26)
• The Register, "Posting AI-generated caricatures on social media is risky, infosec killjoys warn," February 11, 2026: https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/02/11/posting-ai-caricatures-on-social-media-is-bad-for-security/4917947 (accessed 2026-09-26)
• BBC Bitesize, "Do we need to be careful about the ChatGPT caricature trend?," February 2026: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zdh8b7h (accessed 2026-09-26)
• Oakgen image model configuration for GPT Image 2 Edit, Nano Banana 2 Edit, and Nano Banana Pro Edit (reference limits and provider costs at 1 USD = 260 credits), and Image Arena limits (checked 2026-09-26)