Create Viral AI Catwalk Videos: Cartoon Characters Meet Their Real-Life Versions

If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok lately, there’s a big chance you’ve seen those viral AI videos where cartoon characters walk confidently on a fashion runway side by side with their real-life versions. From SpongeBob to anime characters, these AI catwalk videos look cinematic, futuristic, and surprisingly realistic. No wonder many of them have reached millions of views in just a few days.

The good news is, you don’t need to be a professional video editor or an AI engineer to create videos like this. You don’t even need a powerful computer. Everything can be done using one smart tool called YouArt.ai. This platform works as an AI agent that combines image generation and video generation in one automatic workflow, using some of the most advanced AI models available today.

In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how I create AI catwalk videos using YouArt.ai. I’ll explain the prompt preparation, image generation, video generation, and how to turn everything into a viral-ready video. Just follow the steps, and you’ll be surprised how easy it is.

Step 1: Preparing the Prompt

Before we touch YouArt.ai, the most important part is the prompt. A good prompt is the foundation of a great AI result. To make things easier, I’ve already prepared a master prompt and a video prompt that you can reuse for different characters.

Master prompt for image generation:

You are an expert cinematic AI prompt engineer specialized in viral TikTok content.

TASK:

Generate a highly detailed text-to-image prompt that shows:

- One original cartoon/anime character

- And its real-life HUMAN version inspired by the cartoon

IMPORTANT COMPOSITION RULE:

Both characters must exist in the SAME SCENE and SAME SPACE,

walking naturally SIDE BY SIDE on a single fashion runway.

There must be NO split screen, NO divider, NO comparison layout, and NO visual separation.

REAL-LIFE HUMAN VERSION RULES (CRITICAL):

- The real-life version must be a realistic human, not a cartoon and not a professional fashion model

- Face must remain human, but facial structure, proportions, and expression are inspired by the cartoon character

- Key facial traits (eye shape, jawline, nose style, head shape, facial expression) should resemble the cartoon version

- Body proportions should feel natural but subtly reflect the cartoon’s silhouette

- Hair, accessories, and outfit must be realistic adaptations inspired by the cartoon design

- The goal is: “a believable human if this cartoon character existed in real life”

Both characters must:

- Walk forward together on a fashion runway / catwalk

- Have synchronized walking steps

- Share similar posture and walking rhythm

- Clearly feel like two versions of the same character

CHARACTER INFO:

- Character name: {fill here} 

- Original source: {fill here} 

VISUAL COMPOSITION:

- Cartoon/anime version rendered in its original art style

- Human version rendered with photorealistic skin, natural imperfections, realistic textures

- Natural distance between characters

- Full body shot (head to toe)

- No exaggerated fashion poses

ENVIRONMENT:

- High-end fashion show runway

- Glossy reflective floor

- Blurred audience on both sides

- Dramatic overhead spotlights

- Cinematic fashion show atmosphere

CAMERA & LIGHTING:

- Eye-level camera angle

- Medium-wide shot

- Cinematic 85mm lens look

- Shallow depth of field

- High contrast cinematic lighting

- Studio lighting mixed with runway spotlights

QUALITY & STYLE KEYWORDS (must include):

cinematic, fashion runway, catwalk walk, hyper realistic, ultra detailed, dramatic lighting, viral TikTok style, 8K resolution, ultra sharp focus

ASPECT RATIO & FRAMING:

- Vertical composition

- Aspect ratio 9:16

- Optimized for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts

NEGATIVE PROMPT (IMPORTANT):

cartoon face, animated face, cosplay costume, professional fashion model, supermodel look, split screen, comparison layout, before after, divider, border, vertical line, exaggerated anatomy, extra limbs, low quality, blurry, watermark, text overlay

OUTPUT RULES:

- Output ONLY ONE final text-to-image prompt

- No explanations

- No bullet points

- Ready to paste into Midjourney, Leonardo AI, Stable Diffusion, or DALL·E

Image to video prompt

Cinematic fashion runway walk, cartoon character and hyper-realistic real-life version walking side by side, synchronized catwalk steps, dramatic runway lighting, glossy floor reflections, slow forward camera movement, ultra smooth motion, 4K, 60fps, viral TikTok aesthetic

From the master prompt, you only need to fill in two things.

1. Character name, for example SpongeBob.
2. Original source, which is the cartoon or series title, such as SpongeBob SquarePants.

After filling in those details, continue with the following steps.

1. Select all of the completed master prompt and copy it.
2. Open ChatGPT in your browser.
3. Paste the prompt into ChatGPT and hit Send.
4. ChatGPT will automatically generate a ready-to-use text-to-image prompt for the next step.

This method saves a lot of time because you don’t have to manually rewrite prompts every time. You can simply replace the character name and source, and you’re good to go. It’s perfect if you plan to create multiple videos with different characters.

Step 2: Generating the Image with YouArt.ai

Now it’s time to turn your prompt into a stunning AI-generated image.

1. Copy the text-to-image prompt generated by ChatGPT.
2. Open the YouArt.ai website.
3. Log in using your Google account. After logging in, you’ll instantly receive 100 free credits to try the workflow.
4. Click on New Project.
5. Choose Image Models.
6. Select the image generator model you want. Available options include Nano Banana Pro, Seedream, OpenAI Image, ImaGen 4, Qwen, and Stable Diffusion. For this tutorial, Nano Banana Pro is the recommended choice.
7. Paste the prompt from ChatGPT into the prompt field.
8. Choose the aspect ratio, resolution, and image batch. For vertical videos, use 9:16, 1K resolution, and 1 image output.
9. Click Run and wait a few seconds.
10. Your AI image is now ready and can be used to generate the video.

This image will show both the cartoon character and its realistic human version walking together in the same runway scene.

Step 3: Generating the Video

Once the image is ready, the next step is turning it into a cinematic video.

1. Click the plus (+) button to add a new node.
2. Select Video Models.
3. Choose your preferred video generator model. YouArt.ai provides powerful options such as Sora 2, Hailuo 02, Kling, Veo 3.1, and others. In this workflow, Veo 3.1 is the recommended option.
4. Copy the image-to-video prompt above and paste it into the video prompt box.
5. Set the aspect ratio to 9:16, the duration to 8 seconds, and the video quality to 1080p.
6. Click Run and wait a few minutes while the video is being generated.
7. Once the process is complete, your AI catwalk video is finished and ready to use.
8. Download the video directly to your device without any watermark.

The final result looks smooth, cinematic, and highly professional.

Combining Multiple Characters

If you want to make the video even more engaging, simply repeat the steps above for other characters. Change the character name and original source in the master prompt, generate new images, and convert them into videos.

After that, combine all the clips using your favorite video editing software. You can use CapCut, Premiere Pro, or any mobile editor you’re comfortable with. Add music, transitions, and color grading to enhance the overall vibe.

This is exactly how many viral TikTok creators produce those multi-character AI catwalk videos.

Video Tutorial Reference

If you prefer learning visually, you can watch the full step-by-step video tutorial here:

The video shows the entire workflow in real time, making it easy to follow from start to finish.

Conclusion

AI catwalk videos that feature cartoon characters alongside their real-life versions are currently one of the hottest trends on TikTok. Their cinematic look and creative concept make them incredibly shareable and highly engaging.

With YouArt.ai, creating these videos is simple, fast, and beginner-friendly. You don’t need advanced technical skills or expensive software. Just follow the steps, experiment with different characters, and keep refining your style.

Now it’s your turn. Start creating, stay consistent, and who knows? Your next AI catwalk video might be the one that goes viral and reaches millions of views.