The doodle street portrait is a picture of a real street or café in which you are redrawn as a coloured pencil doodle while everything else stays a photograph. On videosi you can make it from one photo of yourself in about a minute, and this guide answers the questions the trend page does not: where it came from, how it differs from other doodle trends, which photos work, which model draws it, what it costs and what to check before posting.
Key takeaways
- Only the person is redrawn; the street, the light and the passers-by stay a sharp photograph.
- The name appeared on AI image tools by 1 November 2026, and no original creator or first post is confirmed.
- One sharp, evenly lit photo is the whole input, and no prompt is needed.
- One image costs 1 credit, and a failed generation returns it automatically.
In this guide
- What is a doodle street portrait?
- Where did the trend come from?
- How is it different from the crude doodle photo trend?
- What kind of photo works best?
- Do I have to write a prompt?
- Which AI model draws the doodle?
- How much does it cost?
- Why does my doodle not look like me?
- Can I use it for a couple, a friend or a family photo?
- Is it safe to post, and should I label it?
- Can I choose a different drawing style?
- Is the doodle street portrait still trending?
What is a doodle street portrait?
A doodle street portrait keeps a real photo of a street, café terrace or shop window and redraws only the person in it as a coloured pencil character. The passers-by, taxis and light stay photographic. The effect works because two different textures sit in one frame: a sharp photograph and a soft hand-drawn figure with an ink outline and blushed cheeks. On videosi it comes from one photo of you.
Where did the trend come from?
The name Doodle Street Portrait appeared on AI image tool trend lists by 1 November 2026, listed as a 2:3 image trend. We could not find an original creator or one viral post for this exact name, so we do not claim a first date. The idea of putting a pencil version of yourself inside a real photo also circulates on TikTok and Instagram, but without one consistent name. Treat it as an early trend that is still taking shape.
How is it different from the crude doodle photo trend?
The crude doodle trend, which spread through ChatGPT in 2026, turns the whole picture into a clumsy MS Paint style drawing and often makes people barely recognizable. The street portrait does the opposite: the background stays a sharp photograph and only the person is drawn, with a recognisable likeness. If you want the whole picture redrawn, you need a different tool; the videosi page keeps the world real.
What kind of photo works best?
Pick a picture of you out and about, full or half body, with a street, café terrace or shop window behind you. A cup, a bag or a phone in your hand adds charm because the doodle copies it. Sharp, evenly lit photos work better than blurry or backlit ones, because the face is the first thing to lose detail. Group photos work, but only one main person gets redrawn.
Do I have to write a prompt?
No. Public guides to this look describe a prompt that says keep the photo, redraw the person in coloured pencil, keep their hair, glasses and clothes, and let real objects overlap the drawing. videosi applies a tested version of that for you and keeps the exact text private. Your only inputs are your photo and pressing Generate, so there is nothing to copy, paste or get wrong.
Which AI model draws the doodle?
The videosi page runs on GPT Image 2.5, an image model from OpenAI. It receives your photo and returns one vertical 2:3 picture at about 1K resolution. The model needs an explicit rule that the rest of the photo is untouched, otherwise it tends to redraw the whole street. That rule and a likeness rule are the two parts of the prompt that matter most.
How much does it cost?
One image costs 1 credit on the doodle street portrait page. Credit packs start at $6.99 for 10 credits and do not expire. There is no free generation on this page, purchases are final, and a failed or blocked generation returns its credits automatically, so you only pay for images that are delivered.
Why does my doodle not look like me?
Three causes cover most cases. The photo is small or blurry, so the model has no face to copy. The photo is backlit, so skin tone and eyes are lost in shadow. Or glasses, hair or a hat are partly hidden. Use one sharp, evenly lit picture where hair, glasses and clothes are visible, and generate again. Each new try costs 1 credit, so fix the photo first.
Can I use it for a couple, a friend or a family photo?
The page is built for one main person. If several adults are in the photo, only the main person is redrawn and the others stay photographic, which can look odd if you wanted both drawn. Use pictures of adults who agreed to be edited, and avoid photos of children. Pets are not supported on this page.
Is it safe to post, and should I label it?
A doodle of yourself in your own photo is a normal edit, but posting rules change quickly, so label it as AI-edited where TikTok, Instagram or another platform asks. Do not use someone else's face without consent. Remember that the passers-by in your background are real people in a real photo, so avoid posting scenes where strangers are easy to identify.
Can I choose a different drawing style?
Not on this page. It makes one look: coloured pencil with a clean dark ink outline, soft hatching and blushed cheeks. Other styles such as marker doodles, ink sketches or chalk drawings exist on other tools. The videosi page stays with one look so that the outcome is predictable, and it does not offer a style menu.
Is the doodle street portrait still trending?
As of 1 November 2026 it is emerging rather than peaking: the name is on AI image tools, and related doodle photo styles spread widely in 2026, but we found no confirmed viral post for this exact version. That is a reason to try it early rather than a reason to skip it. If the stage changes, the trend page is updated with a dated note.
If you want to see the look before you decide, open the doodle street portrait page, pick a photo of yourself with a real scene behind you and press Generate. The trend is early, so the best results come from clear photos and a scene with some atmosphere.
