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How to add the characters to your story

Who is in it, with a photo or a 3D avatar, and how to review their portraits before the story is created.

Create my story

Characters are added on two screens: first who is in the story and what part they play, then what each one looks like. Before the story is written you see their portraits and can change them.

The main character

The first question is “Who is the main character?”: “A boy or a girl”, “An adult”, “A pet” or “Another character”, magical or invented. You give them a name and an age. The age helps the drawing look like them.

“Who is the main character?” with the options A boy or a girl, An adult, A pet and Another character

Who comes along

Next, the screen offers the most common companions, one tap each: a pet, a friend, mom, dad, a brother or sister, a grandparent. “Someone else” holds everyone else (uncles and aunts, cousins, teachers, neighbors…) and the option to create one from scratch. Each card is a single character.

The cast holds up to 4 characters, 2 in the free gift story. Each one gets a role: main character, co-star, companion or villain.

Cast with the main character and shortcuts to add their pet, friends or family
  1. The main character, with their name and age.
  2. The most common companions, one tap each.
  3. “Someone else”: the rest of the family, friends and characters.
“Who else is in it?” sheet with the Family, More people and Pets and characters groups

Characters that are already drawn

Your characters are the ones you already drew in other stories: they join just as they are, with no need to describe them again, and look the same as last time. Magical characters is a catalog of 41 characters from fairy tales and legends (Red Riding Hood, Robin Hood, Zeus, Merlin…), also ready to join. Each one takes a spot in the cast.

“Your characters” list with characters already drawn in other stories
Gallery of magical characters on cuentosIA to add to the cast

What each one looks like: with a photo

On the next screen you describe each character. The recommended option is Upload a photo: a photo of their face, in good light and with no one else in it. cuentosIA checks it and lets you know if something seems off (a different age, another person in the photo, a face that can’t be seen) and offers to crop it or change it. When the story is finished, the original photo is deleted.

Below the photo, “Tell us what they're like, too” is an optional space for their personality: how they act and talk in the story.

The photo is only used to draw the portrait: the story shows the illustration, never the photo.

Character card with the recommended Upload a photo option and the area for choosing the photo
  1. “Upload a photo”, the recommended option.
  2. “Describe physically”, with the 3D avatar.
  3. Choose the photo and adjust the crop.
  4. The original photo is deleted when the story is finished.

No photo: the 3D avatar

If you would rather not upload photos, choose Describe physically and build their 3D avatar: hair, face, eyes, accessories, body and extras. On a phone it opens full screen and has a “Surprise me” button. Anything the avatar can’t show, like a small scar, goes in “Details the avatar cannot show”.

You can also describe what they are like on the inside, their character and their quirks, under “Personality”.

cuentosIA 3D avatar creator with the options for hair, face, eyes and accessories
  1. Hair, face, eyes, body and extras.
  2. Each trait is one tap.
  3. “Done” saves the avatar.

Review the portraits

When you press “Draw my cast”, cuentosIA draws each character in the story’s style. On “Your cast is ready” you see them all before anything is written.

  • Edit character changes their details or their description.
  • Edit illustration touches up the drawing, with quick ideas like an astronaut suit, knight armor, a pirate costume or pajamas.
  • Previous versions brings back an earlier portrait.
  • Someone missing? Add character adds one more.
“Your cast is ready” screen with the illustrated portraits of two characters
  1. The story’s regenerations.
  2. “Edit illustration” touches up the drawing.
  3. “Edit character” changes their details.
Panel for editing a character’s illustration, with quick costume ideas
  1. Quick ideas: a space suit, a costume, pajamas.
  2. Or describe the change yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Choose “An adult” as the main character, upload your photo or build your avatar, and pick a children’s story, a story for adults or a memoir.

A photo of the face, from the front or close to it, in good light, with nothing covering the face and no one else in the shot. If it is a group photo, crop it so only that person shows.

Yes: as the main character with “A pet”, or as a companion with the “Pet” shortcut, with their photo, like any other character. Cats, bunnies and other pets work the same way.

It is only used to draw their portrait. The story shows the illustration, never the photo, and the original photo is deleted when the story is finished.

More about this

Now you know how. Time for yours

All three modes cost the same: one story. If you get stuck on a step, this guide is still here.

Create my storyBack to the guide