I finally decided to try making a rick and morty self portrait to see if I could pull off that iconic, bug-eyed look without looking like a total mess. There's just something about Justin Roiland's art style that feels incredibly accessible yet weirdly specific, and honestly, seeing yourself transformed into a character that could feasibly be yelled at by Rick Sanchez is a bit of a trip.
Whether you're a die-hard fan of the show or you just want a new profile picture that stands out, turning yourself into a cartoon is a fun weekend project. You don't need to be a professional animator at a big studio to get the job done, but you do need to understand the "rules" of the multiverse's aesthetic.
Why the Rick and Morty Art Style Hits Different
The art style in Rick and Morty isn't trying to be beautiful in a traditional sense. It's chaotic, a little bit gross, and very expressive. That's exactly why a rick and morty self portrait works so well—it captures personality through exaggeration rather than perfect proportions.
The first thing you notice is the line work. It's clean but has a certain "wiggle" to it. It's not the stiff, perfect vector lines you see in corporate logos. It feels alive. Then there are the colors. The palette is usually bright but slightly desaturated, which gives it that classic sci-fi animation vibe. When you're putting yourself into this world, you have to embrace the imperfections. If you have a big nose, make it bigger. If your hair is always messy, make it look like you just walked through a localized tornado.
Getting the "Rick" Look Just Right
If you're going to DIY this, you need to break down the anatomy. Humans in Rick's world don't follow the rules of biological symmetry.
The Eyes: It's All in the Asterisk
The most recognizable part of any rick and morty self portrait is definitely the eyes. They aren't just circles with dots in them. Most of the time, the pupils are these little "asterisk" or "scribble" shapes. It's a shorthand way of showing that the characters are either stressed, drunk, or just generally over it.
When you draw your own eyes, don't make them perfectly round. Give them a bit of a squash. And don't forget the heavy eyelids if you want to look as cynical as the smartest man in the universe. If you're going for a more "Morty" look, make the eyes wider and the pupils slightly larger to convey that constant state of existential dread.
Lines and Outlines
The outlines are almost always black and fairly thick. One mistake people make when trying to recreate this style is using lines that are too thin. You want that bold, comic-book-adjacent look. However, the internal lines—like the ones for the nose or the folds in clothes—should be a bit thinner than the main silhouette. This creates depth without making the character look like a flat coloring book page.
DIY vs. Hiring an Artist
Now, let's be real. Not everyone has the patience to sit down with a drawing tablet for five hours. If you're tech-savvy, using a program like Procreate or Photoshop is the way to go because you can layer your work. You can trace a photo of yourself to get the basic head shape and then "cartoonify" it from there.
But if the thought of drawing a straight line makes you break out in a sweat, there are plenty of artists who specialize in this. You can find people who will take a photo of you and your dog and turn it into a full-blown rick and morty self portrait set in front of the garage or the Citadel of Ricks. It's a popular gift for a reason—it's personalized, it's funny, and it shows you actually know what the person likes.
If you do go the professional route, make sure to give them specific details. Don't just say "make me look like a character." Tell them what shirt you're always wearing, or if you want to be holding a portal gun or a can of whatever space-beer Rick is drinking this week. The more personal details you add, the better the final result feels.
Picking Your Iconic Background
A rick and morty self portrait isn't really complete until you're standing somewhere recognizable. You can't just have a white background; that's boring. You need to be in a setting that tells a story.
The most common choice is the Smith family garage. It's iconic. You've got the workbench, the weird alien tech gathered in the corners, and that dusty, lived-in feel. It's the "home base" of the series.
If you want something a bit more adventurous, you could go with a portal background. The swirling green vortex is synonymous with the show. It's also great because the bright green provides a huge contrast to whatever colors your character is wearing, making the portrait pop. Or, if you're feeling extra, you could put yourself on a planet with three suns or inside a "Microverse" battery. The sky is the limit—literally.
Making It Personal: The Little Details
The difference between a generic cartoon and a great rick and morty self portrait is in the small stuff. Think about your "thing." Do you always have a coffee mug in your hand? Put a weird alien logo on it. Do you wear glasses? Make them slightly crooked or reflect the green glow of a portal.
One of the coolest things about this art style is how it handles "gross" details. Don't be afraid to add a little bit of spit on the corner of the mouth if you're trying to look like Rick, or some beads of sweat on the forehead if you're going for the Morty vibe. These tiny additions are what make the portrait feel like it actually belongs in an episode of the show.
The Process of Seeing Yourself Cartoonized
There's a weird psychological thing that happens when you see a finished rick and morty self portrait of yourself. It's a mix of "Oh wow, that totally looks like me" and "Wait, do I really look that stressed out?" The style is inherently satirical, so it's going to poke a little fun at your features.
But that's the charm. It's not supposed to be a glamorous oil painting that belongs in a museum. It's supposed to be a fun, slightly irreverent take on your own identity. It's about embracing the absurdity of life, just like the show does.
If you're doing this for a friend or a partner, it's honestly one of the best reactions you'll ever get. People love seeing themselves through the lens of their favorite media. It's like a little nod that says, "Yeah, we'd probably survive a trip through a wormhole together—or at least we'd look funny trying."
Final Thoughts on Your Multiverse Debut
At the end of the day, creating a rick and morty self portrait is just a great way to engage with a show that has meant a lot to a lot of people. It's creative, it's a bit silly, and it results in a piece of art that's uniquely yours.
Whether you're sketching it out on a napkin, spending hours on a digital canvas, or commissioning an artist to handle the heavy lifting, the goal is the same: to step into a world where anything is possible and nothing is taken too seriously. So, grab a portal gun (or a stylus), pick a dimension, and get to drawing. You never know which version of yourself you might find staring back from the canvas. Just try not to get turned into a pickle. That joke is way overplayed by now, even in the multiverse.