Having a good source image is important, the cover photo is an example from a daily challenge on Seaart, which was for 'lighthouse', this reference image is a lighthouse on the TV show From.
Using base models such as Flux and SDXL can create cartoon versions of photos, fine tuned models can be selected along with LORAs for a specific pre-set style.
Using Control Net and image to image will work depending on the strength settings and your prompt. The higher the strength the less it will look like a cartoon and remain similar to a photo. The lower and more creative you allow the strength setting will make it more cartoon in style but with the tradeoff of some changes to the image.
Of note, some of the style in fine tuned models and LORAs can be added through detailed prompting, however high strength fine tuned models and LORAs allow for drastic image output changes.
Prompting the details of what is in the reference image allows the AI image generator to have a better frame of reference, instead of relying on the AI to visually decode the photo. Add your detailed prompt of the reference image to the end of your full prompt.
Prompting for specific hand drawn techniques will change the image output. Examples include prompting for pencil, charcoal, or pen, which colors, rotoscope, expressive sketch, decompressed comic, splash page, cover art, wordless, multi-panel, comic overlaid on photo background, eras such as 1990s or modern etc. All of these will effect the style of the drawing output.
Prompting for a specific artist will give the outcome a closer look to that particular style, you can prompt the AI to blend multiple artists together, an example such as (make a comic in the art style of Bernie Wrightson blended with Mike Mignola, with Ben Templesmith color flourishes)
An ideal prompt will have the detailed description of the VFX changes you want to start (cartoon style), followed by the detailed prompt of the reference image, combined you will guide the AI to match the reference image while following your preferred style changes.
