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30 Anime And Cartoon Characters Get Turned Into Realistic High Schoolers And Teachers By This Artist
Interview With Artist
The top '90s animated series shaped a whole generation and aired between 1990 and 1999. These cartoons were frequently aimed at children but some of them (shows like Family Guy, South Park, etc.) also were made for an older generation. With that being said, those of you who were born in the 1990s undoubtedly spent many hours as children watching shows like Doug Funnie, Rugrats, and The Simpsons.
An intriguing project named "Saturday school" was produced by artist Daniel Voshart using Artbreeder and Photoshop. He made fifty fake school photos showing popular cartoon characters who aged like they were at the end of high school/university in the '90s.
The artist also told Bored Panda quite a few notable things regarding the project, "I know there has been a movement against AI art recently due to the non-consensual datasets being used. "Saturday School" was made before the rise of Midjouney, DALL-E Stable Diffusion, etc. No typing in prompts. Each face took about a day to make. This project was made possible with Artbreeder and their Flickr Faces HD Dataset where 'Only images under permissive licenses were collected'. As well as Photoshop."
More info: voshart.medium.com | voshart.com | Etsy
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Jane Lane From Daria
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This is a new english teacher who is trying to be strict but is really just mean
Daniel Atkins 2 years ago
“I’m Not Selling Out. I'm Attempting To Acquire The Skills & Knowledge That Will Allow Me To Sell Out.” Jane Lane
We also asked the author of the series to explain to us how he came up with the idea for "Saturday school".
"I am far from the first to imagine cartoon characters 'as real people' but when a coworker told me Spongebob was Black, it seemed like a curious and fun challenge. That was the start of things.
When I decided to do a series of portraits, I thought about old-school graduation posters and how fun it would be to have them all attend the same imaginary school."
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#2
Butt Head From Bevis And Butt Head
BluEyedSeoulite 2 years ago
I went to school with a guy who looked like him. His name was Joel. I'm sad he didn't play into it
Thegoodboi 2 years ago
I'm pretty sure I know this Joel you speak of lol I know a Joel too that looks like him
Load More Replies... Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
Everyone's afraid of this kid and avoids him but he really just wants to graduate already and usually skips the classes he's not taking online
#3
Ashley Spinelli From Recess
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago (edited)
Artist here: everyone was aged to high-school/university graduate age. They were made for a graduation poster that can be found at the Etsy link on this page.
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This girl has a new boyfriend every time you turn around, and also don't turn aroimd or she'll punch you in the nose
We were also wondering what sort of tools were required to create these portraits.
"The tools I used were Photoshop and Artbreeder.
Artbreeder is a tool that allows you to make modifications to portraits (gender, age, ethnicity, etc.). If it recognizes the face, you can then make changes (the technical term is move through latent space). One needs to first prepare the flat cartoon to be realistic enough to be recognized by the software. Attached is a GIF process of how I made Superintendent Chalmers from the Simpsons. He didn't make the cut, though!
Sometimes it was a celebrity as a starting point. Arthur the Aardvark is based on a young John Legend."
#4
Daria Morgendorffer From Daria
Daniel Atkins 2 years ago
“I don’t have low self-esteem. I have low esteem for everyone else.” – Daria Morgendorffer
DC 2 years ago
"I don't like to smile, unless I have a reason to." - Daria Morgendorffer
Load More Replies... Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This is a student who will spend lunch playing spikeball in the hall and is not afraid to roast a teacher, yet she never gets in trouble for it
#5
Inspector Gadget
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This is the principal goimg out looking for kids with bathroom passes who aren't anywhere near the bathroom
Daniel also shared with us how long it takes for him to make one portrait from this series. "Each character took about a day but it typically ranged between 4-12 hours. Spongebob was an outlier and took many days with several disastrous attempts."
To choose the characters he wanted to work on he told us that he actually made a list. "My partner and I made a really long list of the most memorable characters from cartoons we could remember. Non-Canadians might not appreciate the references to Reboot but I would be betraying my childhood if I changed them for more obvious fan favourites."
#6
Keesha Franklin From Magic School Bus
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago
Artist here: reminder that Keesha was aged to high-school/university age. Part of a graduation poster print. (Etsy link above)
Ozymandias73 2 years ago
NGL, if I had a daughter, I can see this would be what she looked like.
RafCo (he/him) 2 years ago
I was going to say she looks like a high-schooler in this picture, but then I read the title of the list.
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This girl obviously let her mom dress her for picture day and regrets it, i can see it in her eyes. Also she looks like nia from dance moms
#7
Philip Fry From Futurama
Perfumista Perfumista 2 years ago
partly because he looks like a teenager
Load More Replies... BluEyedSeoulite 2 years ago
Nah. Just look at Peet Montzingo. He is basically every male ginger cartoon character personified!
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This kid wears basketball shorts in the winter, but is a baseball player who usually skips PE
AI art recently had taken over the internet, with people being both opposing and supportive of it, so we wanted to know how the author of the project felt about that.
"I think generative text-to-image AI is going to be a great tool for artists but we are at a weird point in history where, in the rush to be first, developers used datasets without consideration of the artist. Maybe they didn't realise... or think that artists wouldn't notice. I used them briefly until I had a Soylent Green moment.
I've noticed the biggest advocates of unrestricted text-to-image AI are non-artists. They haven't developed an appreciation for the community that they base their current work on.
There is also the legal aspect: I can't trust an AI's output to make something transformative or original. It would be great if it could provide citations for the final output but it can't."
#8
Marge Bouvier From Simpsons
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This chemistry teacher uses water and food dye for lab experiments, also she wears a wig and everyome knows it but she thinks its super realistic
wenchie 2 years ago
She looks a bit like a famous girl but I'm struggling to put my finger on it. Ashley Tisdale maybe?
#9
Ned Flanders From Simpsons
Kristina Cowan 2 years ago
I actually thought of Ted Lasso, but this is a really good younger Ned.
Cassidy Moore 2 years ago
What a pitiful little mustache compared to Flanders' thicc and full one
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago (edited)
Artist here: Ned was aged to high-school/university age. Part of a graduation poster print. Etsy link above.
#10
Misty Waterflower From Pokemon
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago
Artist here: everyone was aged to high-school/university graduate age. They were made for a finished product that can be found at the Etsy link on this page.
BluEyedSeoulite 2 years ago
The hair bugs me. They should have drawn a high pony in the middle and turned her face to the side a bit so it looks more on the side. With heavy face framing layers. This is like "Give me a Bob but leave this ONE section long for a random side pony. I will never be able to wear my hair entirely down without looking like I have a random patch of extensions"
Sans Serif 2 years ago
Often thought to have no surname, Misty Waterflower is her name as she reappears in Pokémon Reset Bloodlines. "The Pokémon Reset Bloodlines universe (known also as the Resetverse) chronicles the adventures of Ash Ketchum as he wakes up in a new timeline."
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Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This girl goes out to pizza hut for lunch every day with her friends and has a C or lower everything except theater
#11
Peter Griffin From Family Guy
Spooky Scary Skeletons 2 years ago
There's a guy out there who literally looks/sounds like Peter who does this at conventions. peter1-63a...d-jpeg.jpg 
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This is the football coach. His son is on the team, obviously, and he recently signed up his 5 year old for their first tackle team.
#12
Arthur Read
Ari 2 years ago
Well they are supposed to be reimagined as highschool students
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Daniel Voshart 2 years ago
Artist here. Yes, young John Legend was the basis of the portrait.
Load More Replies... Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This kid is a sophomore but nobody realizes it, they think he is a freshman and people are surprised when he jumps into the drivers seat in a car
Tiramisu 2 years ago
That is an exact description of me. Well, last year me, bcuz I am a junior now
Load More Replies... #13
Hank Hill From King Of The Hill
Ozymandias73 2 years ago
"Hey Hank, whatcha goin to college for?" "Ta learn everything there is 'bout Propane and propane accessories"
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This is the math teacher that everyone tries to avoid because he actually hates math but they were short on teachers and he got an A in geometry 101 so...
#14
Dot Warner From Animaniacs
Ari 2 years ago
Imagining all the songs and crazy shenanigans they might get up to lol
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Ozymandias73 2 years ago
These are all imagined as high school students or teachers.
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#15
Vegeta From Dragon Ball Z
Chucky Cheezburger 2 years ago
Kinda looks like he got a wiff of a rancid fart but still trying to stay composed.
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This kid will think that he's a jock and he's friends with the jocks but he's actually very gay and not a jock
#16
Professor Farnsworth From Futurama
gabriel Pagonis 2 years ago
good news everyone i found a deminsion where were a tv show and this artist drew me as a charector that im guessing is from deminsion butbi domt know who what do you think ghandi
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This is the school counselor and so nobody goes for counseling
#17
Bobby Beavis From Bevis And Butt Head
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago
Artist here: fun fact, yes NPH was part of the portrait mix but was largely passed on a paintover of the cartoon face to make it human enough to be recognized by Artbeeder.
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Daniel Voshart 2 years ago
Artist here: I never noticed that connection before but can't unsee. Creed's smile.
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nuberiffic 2 years ago (edited)
Again: "Bevis" Also, you got it right in the character name. Also also, his name isn't bobby Beavis. Damn, that's a lot to get wrong haha
#18
Theodore “Tj” Detwiler From Recess
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This guy is a senior and seems like a huge mamas boy but he actually almost has a down payment for a house
Marley Nachi 2 years ago
lol, the AI needs to work on making kids, he already has stubble and chest hair lol
Jellicle bat 2 years ago
Well the post is how they'd look as high schoolers or teachers. And I don't think people are that young-looking in highschool
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#19
Turanga Leela From Futurama
Kristie Yuill 2 years ago
They've also turned some animals into people, so I think they're just trying to make the characters more realistic, and since cyclopses aren't real this is a creative interpretation.
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bibbitybobbityboop 2 years ago
This doesn’t feel like her at all(this is my opinion, I mean no hate)
#20
Chuckie Finster From Rugrats
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This is the freshman that shows up like this and then looks like a 21 year old by halloween
#21
Garfield
Show thyself 2 years ago
Why did op made him human? He's a cat - a mostly grumpy, fat, ginger cat.
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
Everyone thinks he's admin but he's actually a history teacher
#22
Thomas The Tank Engine
AmyDuhCute1 2 years ago
EWWW NOOOO WHYYYYY U RUINED THOMAS FOR MEEEEEEEEEEEEE (even though i don't like it my bros watch it though)
Ches Yamada 2 years ago
There's a "train simulator" joke here somewhere (youtube video a few years back, someone made a song about the game)
#23
Dexter Mcpherson From Dexter’s Lab
Emily Nevins 2 years ago
He'll probably grow up to be one with his personality
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boredkoala 2 years ago
🎶 From the masked horror on your street corner!....I'm a Night Surgeon! 🎶
#24
Son Goku From Dragon Ball Z
Behnjamin 2 years ago
At least this looks better than DBEvo. I mean the hair could be a little more spikier. But its definlty better than the actor they had
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#25
Tommy Pickles From Rugrats
#26
Ash Ketchum From Pokemon
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This guy doesnt show up to school, ever, but somehow he does the online assignments and passes every class
RafCo (he/him) 2 years ago
Not this guy. This guy is giving hand-jobs at the Greyhound station mens room to feed his meth habit.
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#27
Vincent Pierre Lasalle From Recess
#28
Gerald Martin Johanssen From Hey Arnold
BisexualBaddie 2 years ago
The whole point is that they're supposed to be high schoolers, so if they look younger or older than they are, it's because they're supposed to look like that lol
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago
Artist here: reminder that Gerald was aged to high-school/university age. Part of a graduation poster print. (Etsy link above)
Load More Replies... #29
Doug Funnie
The_Bipolar_Express_1225 2 years ago
He looks like if Mark Zuckerberg and Ernest from the Ernest movies had a baby
#30
Lois Pewterschmidt From Family Guy
Margrete Sonnenberg 2 years ago
If you give her purple skin she'll be one step closer to ao oni monster.
#31
Yakko From Animaniacs
the Return of Bruno 2 years ago
I just don't see it. At all. And yet, it's perfect. So many of these sorta capture the basics (face shape) but do not capture the essence at all. This one seems the opposite.
RafCo (he/him) 2 years ago
I used to work with this guy. He had a whole forest of plants growing on his desk. Loved this guy. Marc, hope things are going well for you man!
Neuropotathy 2 years ago
He has white mercedec from 90's and I can smell his cologne from here.
#32
Kenny Mackormack From South Park
#34
Miss Frizzle From Magic School Bus
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 2 years ago
Her hair looks like it wants to scream in agony.
Load More Replies... Mangelo Il Fumatori 2 years ago
I always thought that Miss Frizzle looked more like a young Bette Midler.
#35
Brain From Pinky And The Brain
#36
Hamato Yoshi From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
#37
Susan “Mandark” Astronomanov From Dexter’s Lab
#38
Bob From Reboot
Behnjamin 2 years ago
I come from the net. Through systems, peoples and cities to this place: Mainframe. My format: Guardian; to mend and defend. To defend my new-found friends, their hopes and dreams. To defend them from their enemies. They say the user lives outside the net and inputs games for pleasure. No one knows for sure, but I intend to find out. [pause] Reboot!
#39
April O’neil From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Ari 2 years ago
Eh it's supposed to be reimagined as highschool students.
Load More Replies... Daniel Voshart 2 years ago
Artist here: reminder that April was made to be high-school/university age. Part of a graduation poster print. (Etsy link above)
#40
Eric Cartman From South Park
#41
Sailor Venus From Sailor Moon
#42
Margaret “Peggy” Platter From King Of The Hill
#43
Pinky From Pinky And The Brain
Chucky Cheezburger 2 years ago
The same thing we do every night Pinky...Try to TAKE OVER THE WORLD!
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#44
Arnold Pearlstein From Magic School Bus
#45
Pepper Ann
Yeah, okay. 2 years ago
This... actually looks really like what she should look like. It's balanced, too (no weird forehead/too tiny nose/chin).
#46
Bobby’s World
#47
Arnold Shortman From Hey Arnold
#48
Spongebob
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago
Artist here. Yes. https://medium.com/@zachezer/is-plankton-black-the-ethnic-identities-of-cartoon-characters-a3a1f4a3cbf4
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Autumn Artemis 2 years ago
Anyone else imagine SpongeBob being a ginger? This is pretty neat too but that's always what I saw him as lol
sturmwesen 2 years ago
what... how...there is no spongebob vibe at all. Where is the goofiness?
Nadia D 2 years ago
I feel the same) He looks like a soviet pioneer. Way too serious 🙂
Load More Replies... Margrete Sonnenberg 2 years ago
The best human SpongeBob I've seen is the one from the musical
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Zedrapazia 2 years ago
That's the first time I see an AI that is able to recognize if a drawn character is Asian this website here. Nice!
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago (edited)
Artist here: The AIs definitely still contain biases but in counter-intuitive ways. For each portrait, I looked what the character's nationality/ethnicity was (when available) to help guide my interpretation. Attached is the Artbreeder interface. Artbreeder...b8-png.jpg 
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago
Artist here. (Re-posting a response) I share people's concerns about the rise of AI art. I made this project in late 2020 before "prompt artists" were a thing. I've never hidden the fact that I use Artbreeder for the face. But the idea, as others have mentioned below, that I just uploaded a cartoon into Artbreeder and it spat out a result is completely false. The cartoons required lots of paint-over and guidance. The hats/clothing and etc are all photoshopped on. Example process attached. Chalmers-9...a685b5.jpg 
nuberiffic 2 years ago
These were impressively uninteresting. What's the point even? To remove anything that made the character design unique?
Immortal Emperor Paradox 2 years ago
Except the one from Sailor Moon and DBZ, there weren't any anime characters.
Zedrapazia 2 years ago
That's the first time I see an AI that is able to recognize if a drawn character is Asian this website here. Nice!
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago (edited)
Artist here: The AIs definitely still contain biases but in counter-intuitive ways. For each portrait, I looked what the character's nationality/ethnicity was (when available) to help guide my interpretation. Attached is the Artbreeder interface. Artbreeder...b8-png.jpg
Daniel Voshart 2 years ago
Artist here. (Re-posting a response) I share people's concerns about the rise of AI art. I made this project in late 2020 before "prompt artists" were a thing. I've never hidden the fact that I use Artbreeder for the face. But the idea, as others have mentioned below, that I just uploaded a cartoon into Artbreeder and it spat out a result is completely false. The cartoons required lots of paint-over and guidance. The hats/clothing and etc are all photoshopped on. Example process attached. Chalmers-9...a685b5.jpg
nuberiffic 2 years ago
These were impressively uninteresting. What's the point even? To remove anything that made the character design unique?
Immortal Emperor Paradox 2 years ago
Except the one from Sailor Moon and DBZ, there weren't any anime characters.
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