Surrealist portraiture is a style of art that emerged in the early 20th century as part of the Surrealist movement. It challenges our perception of reality by creating dreamlike and often unsettling portraits using a variety of techniques. In this collection of 50 text-to-image AI art prompts, each provides detailed descriptions of subjects to be drawn along with modifiers such as art genres, styles, mediums, techniques, lighting settings, color settings, and suitable descriptive terms. This allows for the creation of visually stunning and thought-provoking works that explore the mysteries of the human mind and the surreal aspects of the natural world. From dystopian to ethereal, each prompt provides a unique opportunity to explore the depths of one’s imagination and create a breathtaking work of art.

50 text-to-image surrealist prompts: unlock your imagination

1. A distorted face with multiple eyes and mouths, some of them on the forehead and cheeks; Horror, Mystery; Surrealism, Expressionism; Oil, Charcoal; Dark, dramatic lighting; Contrasting colors of red and black; terrifying, grotesque; by Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon, and Pablo Picasso; Unreal engine 5
2. A woman with a birdcage instead of a head, holding a key in her hand; Freedom, Imprisonment; Surrealism, Symbolism; Pencil, Ink; Bright, natural lighting; Pastel colors of pink and blue; whimsical, surreal; by Rene Magritte, Frida Kahlo, and Leonora Carrington; Unreal engine 5
3. A man with a fish tail and scales instead of a lower body, sitting on a rock by the sea; Fantasy, Transformation; Surrealism, Romanticism; Watercolor, Collage; Warm, sunset lighting; Vibrant colors of green and orange; fantastical, mercurial; by Max Ernst, John William Waterhouse, and Yayoi Kusama; Unreal engine 5
4. A child with a clock face instead of a nose and ears, wearing a hat with numbers on it; Time, Childhood; Surrealism, Cubism; Acrylic, Digital; Cool, artificial lighting; Monochromatic with shades of gray; quirky, abstract; by Marcel Duchamp, Joan Miro, and Andy Warhol; Unreal engine 5
5. A woman with a flower bouquet instead of hair and butterflies flying around her head; Beauty, Nature; Surrealism, Art Nouveau; Oil, Pastel; Soft, diffused lighting; Harmonious colors of yellow and purple; lovely, floral; by Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, and Frida Kahlo; Unreal engine 5
6. A man with a tree trunk instead of a torso and branches instead of arms, standing in a forest; Nature, Identity; Surrealism, Eco-Art; Wood, Sculpture; Dim, natural lighting; Earthy colors of brown and green; organic, wooden; by Henry Moore, Joseph Beuys, and Anselm Kiefer; Unreal engine 5
7. A woman with a starry sky instead of skin and planets instead of eyes, lying on a bed; Space, Dream; Surrealism, Pop Art; Digital, Collage; Bright, cosmic lighting; Sparkling colors of blue and gold; celestial, cosmic; by David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, and Damien Hirst; Unreal engine 5
8. A child with a balloon instead of a head and strings instead of hair, floating in the air; Imagination, Adventure; Surrealism, Dadaism; Paper, Mixed Media; Colorful, festive lighting; Rainbow colors of red and yellow; playful, whimsical; by Jean Arp, Marcel Duchamp, and Banksy; Unreal engine 5
9. A woman with a mirror instead of a face and reflections instead of features, holding a brush in her hand; Self, Perception; Surrealism, Post-Impressionism; Oil, Glass; Soft, natural lighting; Neutral colors of white and gray; reflective, mysterious; by Paul Gauguin, Paul Cezanne, and Cindy Sherman; Unreal engine 5
10. A man with a lion’s mane and claws instead of hair and hands, roaring in a jungle; Animal, Power; Surrealism, Fauvism; Acrylic, Pastel; Warm, tropical lighting; Vivid colors of orange and green; fierce, wild; by Henri Matisse, Andre Derain, and Franz Marc; Unreal engine 5
11. A woman with a snake instead of a tongue and fangs instead of teeth, hissing in a cave; Danger, Seduction; Surrealism, Gothic; Clay, Metal; Dark, eerie lighting; Metallic colors of silver and black; sinister, venomous; by Edgar Allan Poe, H.R. Giger, and Marina Abramovic; Unreal engine 5
12. A man with a book instead of a head and words instead of eyes, reading in a library; Knowledge, Literacy; Surrealism, Conceptual Art; Paper, Ink; Dim, artificial lighting; Sepia colors of brown and beige; intellectual, literary; by Marcel Broodthaers, Joseph Kosuth, and Barbara Kruger; Unreal engine 5
13. A child with a rainbow instead of hair and clouds instead of ears, smiling in the sky; Joy, Wonder; Surrealism, Naive Art; Watercolor, Crayon; Bright, sunny lighting; Rainbow colors of red and yellow; cheerful, colorful; by Henri Rousseau, Grandma Moses, and Keith Haring; Unreal engine 5
14. A woman with a pearl necklace instead of a neck and earrings instead of ears, posing in a museum; Elegance, Wealth; Surrealism, Rococo; Oil, Gold Leaf; Bright, artificial lighting; Pastel colors of pink and blue; glamorous, ornate; by Jean-Honore Fragonard, Francois Boucher, and Jeff Koons; Unreal engine 5
15. A man with a guitar instead of a chest and strings instead of ribs, playing in a concert; Music, Passion; Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism; Acrylic, Spray Paint; Colorful, dynamic lighting; Contrasting colors of red and blue; musical, expressive; by Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Jean-Michel Basquiat; Unreal engine 5
16. A woman with a butterfly instead of a mouth and wings instead of eyelashes, fluttering in a garden; Beauty, Transformation; Surrealism, Art Deco; Oil, Silk; Soft, natural lighting; Harmonious colors of yellow and purple; delicate, graceful; by Tamara de Lempicka, Erte, and Gustav Klimt; Unreal engine 5
17. A man with a clock instead of a heart and gears instead of veins, standing in a factory; Time, Mechanization; Surrealism, Steampunk; Metal, Leather; Dark, industrial lighting; Metallic colors of bronze and copper; mechanical, steely; by H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and Leonardo da Vinci; Unreal engine 5
18. A child with a flower instead of an eye and petals instead of eyelids, smelling in a field; Nature, Sensation; Surrealism, Pointillism; Oil, Pastel; Bright, sunny lighting; Vibrant colors of green and red; floral, fragrant; by Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, and Vincent van Gogh; Unreal engine 5
19. A woman with a bird instead of a hand and feathers instead of fingers, flying in the air; Freedom, Flight; Surrealism, Futurism; Acrylic, Collage; Warm, sunset lighting; Vivid colors of orange and blue; airy, dynamic; by Umberto Boccioni, Giacomo Balla, and Robert Delaunay; Unreal engine 5
20. A man with a skull instead of a face and bones instead of teeth, laughing in a graveyard; Death, Humor; Surrealism, Gothic; Clay, Charcoal; Dark, moonlight lighting; Monochromatic with shades of black; macabre, ironic; by Edgar Allan Poe, Tim Burton, and Damien Hirst; Unreal engine 5
21. An otherworldly portrait of a person with an intricate tree growing out of their head; Surrealism, Fantasy; Oil, Mixed media; Mysterious, low-key lighting; Earthy, organic colors; ethereal, entangled, mysterious; by Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, and Dorothea Tanning; Unreal engine 5
22. A portrait of a person with a face made of melting clock pieces; Surrealism, Abstract; Acrylic, Digital; Harsh, artificial lighting; Cool colors with warm highlights; eerie, dystopian, metallic; by Salvador Dali, Giorgio de Chirico, and René Magritte; Unreal engine 5
23. A portrait of a person with multiple faces layered on top of each other; Surrealism, Abstract; Graphite, Digital; Diffuse, dreamy lighting; Monochromatic with pop of bright colors; complex, ethereal, liminal; by Max Ernst, Joan Miró, and Francis Picabia; Unreal engine 5
24. A portrait of a person with an aurora borealis glowing inside their head; Surrealism, Fantasy; Watercolor, Digital; Soft, diffused lighting; Cosmic colors with warm undertones; ethereal, astral, magnificent; by Yves Tanguy, Remedios Varo, and Max Ernst; Unreal engine 5
25. A portrait of a person with a face made of gossamer threads; Surrealism, Abstract; Charcoal, Mixed media; Stark, high-contrast lighting; Monochromatic with pops of iridescent colors; intricate, delicate, ethereal; by Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, and Frida Kahlo; Unreal engine 5
26. An eerie portrait of a person with a third eye on their forehead, their hair made of galaxies, and their skin covered in constellations; Surrealism, Fantasy, Cosmic; Oil painting, Pointillism; Dim, mysterious lighting; Monochromatic with shades of blue; ethereal, cosmic, mysterious; by Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, and Yves Tanguy; Unreal engine 5
27. A portrait of a person with a tree growing out of their head, their body made of leaves and branches, and their eyes resembling acorns; Surrealism, Nature, Fantasy; Charcoal, Sketch; Soft, natural lighting; Monochromatic with shades of green; intricate, organic, fantastical; by Rene Magritte, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, and Frida Kahlo; Unreal engine 5
28. A portrait of a person with butterfly wings, their body covered in intricate butterfly patterns, and their eyes resembling butterfly eyes; Surrealism, Nature, Fantasy; Digital art, Mixed media; Bright, vibrant lighting; Monochromatic with shades of orange; beautiful, intricate, gossamer; by Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, and Meret Oppenheim; Unreal engine 5
29. A portrait of a person with a bird’s nest for hair, their body covered in feathers, and their eyes resembling bird eyes; Surrealism, Nature, Fantasy; Oil painting, Collage; Warm, natural lighting; Monochromatic with shades of brown; elaborate, intricate, avian; by Max Ernst, Leonora Carrington, and Remedios Varo; Unreal engine 5
30. A portrait of a person with a clock face for a head, their body made of gears and machinery, and their eyes resembling clock hands; Surrealism, Steampunk, Industrial; Digital art, Mixed media; Cold, metallic lighting; Monochromatic with shades of gray; complex, mechanical, dystopian; by Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, and Giorgio de Chirico; Unreal engine 5
31. A portrait of a person with an owl’s head, sitting in a forest; Surrealism, Dark art; Oil painting, Charcoal; Muted and eerie lighting; Monochromatic with shades of gray and black; Creepy, Eldritch, Atmospheric; by Max Ernst, Leonora Carrington, and Remedios Varo; Unreal engine 5
32. A portrait of a woman with a third eye in the center of her forehead, surrounded by a field of flowers; Surrealism, Fantasy; Digital painting, Mixed media; Soft, ethereal lighting; Monochromatic with shades of pink and purple; Mysterious, Mystical, Enchanting; by Salvador Dali, Remedios Varo, and Leonor Fini; Unreal engine 5
33. A portrait of a man with a melting face, standing on a beach with a stormy sky in the background; Surrealism, Horror; Sculpture, Mixed media; Harsh, contrasted lighting; Monochromatic with shades of brown and black; Gruesome, Uncanny, Disturbing; by Salvador Dali, HR Giger, and Rene Magritte; Unreal engine 5
34. A portrait of a child with butterfly wings, sitting in a field of mushrooms; Surrealism, Magical realism; Watercolor, Ink; Soft, diffused lighting; Monochromatic with shades of green and blue; Dreamy, Enchanting, Whimsical; by Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, and Frida Kahlo; Unreal engine 5
35. A portrait of a woman with multiple faces, each one expressing a different emotion, standing in a city street at night; Surrealism, Expressionism; Digital painting, Collage; Bright neon lighting; Monochromatic with shades of blue and green; Moody, Intense, Emotional; by Max Ernst, Francis Bacon, and Joan Miro; Unreal engine 5
36. A portrait of a person whose head is replaced by a beautiful, intricate clock; Surrealist, Steampunk; Oil painting, Digital art; Dimly lit, with flickering candlelight; Monochromatic with metallic hues; intricate, detailed, ethereal; by Salvador Dali, René Magritte, and Max Ernst; Unreal engine 5
37. A portrait of a person with flowers blooming from their head and birds perched on their shoulders; Surrealist, Nature; Watercolor, Collage; Soft, natural lighting; Vibrant, colorful; floral, beautiful, dreamlike; by Frida Kahlo, Remedios Varo, and Leonora Carrington; Unreal engine 5
38. A portrait of a person with their face half-submerged in water, surrounded by aquatic creatures and plants; Surrealist, Underwater; Oil painting, Mixed media; Mysterious, dimly lit with bioluminescent light; Monochromatic with shades of blue and green; ethereal, fantastical, eerie; by Yves Tanguy, Joan Miró, and André Masson; Unreal engine 5
39. A portrait of a person with multiple faces, each displaying a different emotion; Surrealist, Expressionism; Charcoal, Pen and ink; Dramatic, harsh lighting; Monochromatic with shades of gray; complex, thought-provoking, unsettling; by Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon, and Edvard Munch; Unreal engine 5
40. A portrait of a person with a tree growing out of their head, with leaves and branches entwining around their body; Surrealist, Nature; Acrylic, Digital art; Bright, sunlit lighting; Vibrant, colorful; organic, entangled, fantastical; by Giorgio de Chirico, Max Ernst, and Paul Delvaux; Unreal engine 5
41. A woman’s face split in half, with one side representing light and the other dark; Surrealism, Dadaism; Oil paint, Digital art; Harsh, contrasting lighting; Black and white with a pop of vibrant color; eerie, unsettling, and mysterious; by Frida Kahlo, Man Ray, and René Magritte; Unreal engine 5
42. A portrait of a person with the head of a bird and the body of a human; Surrealism, Fantasy; Ink, Charcoal; Low key lighting with a spotlight on the head; Monochromatic with warm hues of orange and red; ethereal, dreamlike, and fantastical; by Salvador Dali, Leonora Carrington, and Remedios Varo; Unreal engine 5
43. An elderly man’s face melting like a candle with a landscape inside the melting face; Surrealism, Impressionism; Mixed media, Collage; Soft, natural lighting; Warm and cool hues with pops of bright color; enigmatic, intriguing, and imaginative; by Salvador Dali, René Magritte, and Max Ernst; Unreal engine 5
44. A self-portrait of a person with a third eye in the middle of their forehead; Surrealism, Mysticism; Watercolor, Pastel; Diffused lighting with a halo around the head; Monochromatic with shades of blue and purple; mystical, introspective, and meditative; by Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, and Frida Kahlo; Unreal engine 5
45. A portrait of a person with a shattered face, revealing a cosmic landscape underneath; Surrealism, Cosmic art; Acrylic, Digital art; Flickering, otherworldly lighting; Monochromatic with shades of blue and purple; cosmic, vast, and mystical; by Salvador Dali, Yves Tanguy, and Joan Miró; Unreal engine 5
46. An otherworldly portrait of a humanoid figure with a head made of stars and galaxies, surrounded by a celestial aura; Space, Fantasy; Surrealist portraiture, Digital art; Glowing neon lighting; Cosmic hues with a focus on blue and purple; Astral, cosmic, ethereal; by Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, and Rene Magritte; Unreal engine 5
47. A surrealist portrait of a person with a transparent face, revealing a galaxy within; Abstract, Space; Surrealist portraiture, Oil painting; Glowing neon lighting; Cosmic hues with a focus on pink and yellow; Ethereal, cosmic, gossamer; by Yves Tanguy, Remedios Varo, and Leonora Carrington; Unreal engine 5
48. A surrealistic portrait of a woman with branches growing out of her hair, standing in a dense forest with a mysterious aura; Fantasy, Nature; Surrealist portraiture, Watercolor; Low-key lighting; Earthy tones with a focus on green and brown; Ethereal, mystical, detailed; by Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, and Max Ernst; Unreal engine 5
49. A surrealist portrait of a person with a clock instead of a face, standing on an infinite staircase; Fantasy, Abstract; Surrealist portraiture, Pen and Ink; High-key lighting; Monochromatic with a focus on black and white; Dystopian, elaborate, intricate; by Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, and Giorgio de Chirico; Unreal engine 5
50. A surrealistic portrait of a person with multiple faces and limbs, standing in a desolate wasteland with a stormy sky; Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic; Surrealist portraiture, Digital art; Dark, moody lighting; Monochromatic with a focus on shades of gray; Elaborate, dystopian, intricate; by Max Ernst, Rene Magritte, and Yves Tanguy; Unreal engine 5