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Official BytePlus partner · Talking portraits

Make a painting talk, in any language

To make a painting talk, upload the portrait to KreatorFlow Lip Sync, add a voice line, and press Generate. OmniHuman 2.0 moves the painted lips, eyes and head to the words while keeping the brushwork, so the portrait speaks for up to 5 minutes.

  • Oil, watercolour and drawings
  • Any language you have audio for
  • Keeps the painted style
  • 720p or 1080p
  • 4 credits per second

Last updated

Art
Made with KreatorFlow Lip Sync from one AI-generated picture and a French Text to Speech voice. 7 seconds at 720p, French. Press play to hear it. AI-generated video.
On this page
  1. A talking portrait, not a mouth pasted on canvas
  2. How to make a painting talk in three steps
  3. Tips for paintings and portraits
  4. Ideas for talking paintings
  5. More lip sync examples
  6. Real sitters, rights and consent
  7. Talking painting questions
  8. Keep exploring

A talking portrait, not a mouth pasted on canvas

Lip Sync runs ByteDance's OmniHuman 2.0, an audio-driven model, through BytePlus (KreatorFlow is an official partner of BytePlus, a ByteDance company). It reads the voice and animates the whole face, so a painted sitter blinks, raises an eyebrow on a joke and turns slightly towards you, instead of only moving its mouth.

The example above started as an AI-generated portrait in an 18th-century style and a French voice line made in the Audio studio. No real person was used.

How to make a painting talk in three steps

  1. 1

    Pick the painting

    A portrait where the face is large, sharp and turned roughly towards the viewer: an oil portrait, a watercolour, your own artwork, or a classical-style portrait you generated. Crop away the frame and the wall.

  2. 2

    Write what it says

    Type a line and pick a voice, or upload a narration (MP3 or WAV, 4 seconds to 5 minutes). Lines in French, Italian, Dutch or any other language work when the audio is in that language.

  3. 3

    Bring it to life

    Add an optional direction, choose 720p or 1080p, and press Generate. 4 credits per second at 720p, shown before you start.

Tips for paintings and portraits

  • Use a straight, high-resolution scan or photo. Shot square-on, without glare from varnish or glass, and without the gallery wall around it.
  • Choose a large face. Bust and half-length portraits work far better than a small figure in a landscape or crowd scene.
  • Keep the style in the direction. For example “The painting style, colours and background stay unchanged. He speaks warmly and turns slightly towards the viewer.”
  • Match the voice to the era. A slower, measured delivery suits a formal portrait; a lively one suits a cheerful scene.
  • Keep movement gentle. Big gestures and fast camera moves can make a painting look less like a painting.

Ideas for talking paintings

Museum and gallery content

A portrait in your collection introduces itself, the artist or the period, for social posts or a screen in the room.

History lessons

An imagined sitter from the period narrates daily life, in the language of the time.

Art channels

A talking portrait as the recurring host of an art history or culture channel.

Your own artwork

Artists can give a portrait they painted a voice to show it off or to sell prints.

Language learning

A painting that speaks a short line in French, Italian or Spanish, for learners.

Theatre and events

A talking portrait as an opener for a themed evening, a launch or an exhibition.

More lip sync examples

Real results, each from one picture and one voice track or song.

Song

Singing

“City lights are calling me home, I don't want to walk these streets alone.”

16 seconds at 720p · English · An original soul song made in the Audio studio

Podcast

Two people, one speaker

“Okay, so here's the thing nobody tells you about starting a podcast. The first ten episodes? Nobody listens…”

14 seconds at 720p · English · The Jonah voice

Animal

A talking dog

“Okay, I need everyone to stay calm. I did not eat the sandwich. The sandwich simply left.”

6 seconds at 720p · English · The Jonah voice

Anime

An anime character in Japanese

“こんばんは!雪がきれいですね。今日はずっと、あなたに会いたかったんです。”

6 seconds at 720p · Japanese · A Japanese Text to Speech voice

Real results from KreatorFlow Lip Sync, each made from one AI-generated picture (no real people) and audio from our Audio studio. Press play to hear them. AI-generated video.

Real sitters, rights and consent

Many portraits show real people. When the person in a painting is real and recognisable, our rules treat it like a photo of them: you need their permission, public figures are not allowed without it, and it must never be used to put words in a real person's mouth to mislead anyone. Read the policy on real people's faces.

You also need the right to use the image itself. Your own work and images you licensed are fine; check the terms of museum photos and remember that modern art is usually still under copyright.

Consent and responsible use

Lip Sync makes the person in a photo say whatever the audio says, so it comes with clear rules. On the website you confirm, the first time you generate with a new photo, that you are that person or have their permission. Photos are screened before anything is charged, and photos with nudity or of minors are refused.

  • Use a photo of yourself, or of someone who has given you permission to make them speak. A character you created, an animal or a drawing is fine.
  • Use a voice you have the right to use: your own, one of our voices, a voice you cloned with consent, or a recording you have permission for. The same goes for any music or song.
  • No sexual content, nothing involving anyone under 18, and no impersonation: never make a real person appear to say something they did not say in order to mislead, harass or defraud.
  • No celebrities, politicians or other public figures unless they have given you permission and you hold the rights for that use.
  • When you post a talking video of a real person, say that it is AI-generated. Many platforms require that label.

Read the full rules in the Acceptable Use Policy on real people's faces and the Terms.

Talking painting questions

How do I make a painting talk?

Upload an image of the portrait to KreatorFlow Lip Sync, add a voice line, and press Generate. OmniHuman 2.0 animates the painted face: the lips follow the words, and the eyes, brows and head move with the voice, while the brushwork and colours come from the painting.

Will it still look like a painting?

Yes, the video starts from your image, so the style comes with it. To keep it painterly, say in the direction that the painting style, colours and background stay unchanged, and keep movement gentle.

Can I make a portrait of a famous historical figure talk?

A portrait of a real, recognisable person is treated like a photo of that person: the consent rules apply, and public figures are not allowed without permission. Never use one to make it look as if a real person said something they did not. Paintings of unknown or imagined sitters, your own art and AI-generated portraits avoid the question.

Do I need the rights to the painting?

You need the right to use the image. Your own artwork is fine. Very old paintings are often in the public domain, but a museum's photo of one can have its own terms, and modern artworks are usually still protected. Check before you publish.

Which languages can the painting speak?

Any language you have audio for. The lips follow the sound, not the text. The built-in voices on the Lip Sync page are English; for other languages, make the line in the Audio studio or upload a recording.

How much does a talking painting cost?

4 credits per second at 720p and 6 at 1080p. A 30-second museum-style introduction costs 120 credits at 720p. Lip Sync needs a paid plan (from $15 for the first month on Creator) or a credit pack (from $8).

Does it work with sculptures, statues and drawings?

Drawings and sketches with a clear face work like paintings. Statues and busts can work when the face is large and lit from the front, though results vary more than with a painted face.

Give a portrait a voice

Add a painting and a voice line, and see the price before you generate. Available on any paid plan or credit pack.

Keep exploring