Rubber Hose Animation Style: How to Recreate It with ChatGPT and Its Alternatives
Rubber Hose style animation was the first uniquely recognizable style of American animation and dominated theatres throughout the 1920s. However, with the advent of color animation, its popularity gradually declined and the style eventually faded from mainstream use.
Today, thanks to AI tools like ChatGPT, you can recreate that nostalgic charm with ease. In this guide, we'll show you how to generate Rubber Hose-Style art and explore fun alternatives to match your creative vision. Be sure to read this guide to the end to discover how you can revive this vintage animation style and bring its charm into the 21st century.
Part 1: What is Rubber Hose Animation Style

Rubber hose animation is the defining characteristic of the earliest inkblot cartoons, which emerged during the mid-1920s. Because they leapt newspaper comic strips, they share a visual identity - think heavy use of black inks on white backgrounds and exaggerated facial expressions.
It was the first widely adopted animation style in American film history and is named after the flexible, tube-like limbs of the characters - resembling actual rubber hoses. This design allowed for smooth, exaggerated movements that were easy to animate, especially in an era before advanced techniques like rigging or skeletal animation existed.
This style dominated the golden age of animation with characters like Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie, Betty Boop, and Felix the Cat. However, as animation technology advanced and color and realism became more popular, Rubber Hose fell out of mainstream use.
Part 2: Step-by-Step Guide to Create Rubber Hose Animation with ChatGPT
ChatGPT -4 and -4o offer image generation capabilities, allowing users to create images in different styles, including Rubber Hose art style. Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to create Rubber Hose Animation with ChatGPT:
- Open your web browser and go to ChatGPT's official site. Users can also download the ChatGPT app on their Android, iOS, Windows or macOS devices. Select the model that supports image generation, such as ChatGPT -4.
- Input text prompt: use descriptive and specific prompts such as "Generate a 1920s-style cartoon character with rubber hose limbs, white gloves, big eyes with pie cuts, wearing a vintage hat, standing in a black-and-white cartoon setting."
- Click on the "Send" button to begin the image creation process. ChatGPT will provide you with a Rubber Hose animation image that matches your description within seconds.
- Preview the image and click the "Download" button the save the image in a popular format. Users can seamlessly upload the image to various social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and more.
Part 3: Best Alternatives to Create Rubber Hose Animation Style Images
ChatGPT is a powerful tool for generating images in the Rubber Hose animation style. However, free users are limited to just 3 image generations per day. To unlock unlimited image generation and access to additional features, you'll need to upgrade to the paid version.
But don't worry; there are several tools available online that allow you to create unlimited Rubber Hose-style animations for free or with fewer restrictions:
1. HitPaw FotorPea
Hundreds of image-generation tools are available online, but nothing compares to HitPaw FotorPea. This is one of the best Rubber Hose Animation Generators available. It allows users to create images in the vintage style and offers the option to download them on multiple platforms. The best part of this tool is that it offers a wide range of AI art styles, including Rubber Hose, Disney, Pixar, Powerpuff, Funfo Pop, and more. Plus, FotorPea offers an intuitive dashboard, allowing users to easily generate images without any professional help.
Moreover, FotorPea supports high-resolution images, cross-device compatibility, and various AI tools, making it perfect for projects, social media content, or even merchandise design. Whether you're an aspiring animator or simply nostalgic for the golden age of cartoons, FotorPea is a must-try tool in the AI art space.
Key Features of HitPaw FotorPea
Here are the top features of HitPaw FotorPea that make it one of the best AI image generators available online."
- Intuitive Interface: HitPaw is widely praised for its user-friendly interface. Many content creators have noted that the platform offers one of the best design experiences, making it incredibly easy to create Rubber Hose-Style images.
- Support for Various Art Styles: FotorPea is home to hundreds of art styles, which include famous art styles like Rubber Hose, Disney, Animation, Cartoon, VFX, and Cyberpunk.
- Various AI Tools: The program offers hundreds of AI-powered tools designed to enhance creativity and streamline the design process. These include tools for image enhancement, background removal, photo restoration, face swapping, and text-to-image generation.
- Compatibility: This program works seamlessly with various devices, such as Windows and macOS. It supports all Windows versions, such as 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11.
How to Create Rubber Hose Animation Style Images with HitPaw FotorPea?
With HitPaw FotorPea, image creation is straightforward. Here is how you can create Rubber Hose Animation Style images with HitPaw FotorPea:
Step 1: Download and Launch HitPaw FotorPea
Go to the HitPaw FotorPea official site and click on the download button. Install it and launch the program. Choose the "AI Generator" feature from the left panel.

Step 2: Enter Prompt and Choose Art Style
Start by typing a clear prompt into the input box. The more detailed your prompt, the more accurate and stylized your result will be. After entering your prompt, select your desired AI art style, such as Rubber Hose.

Step 3: Generate AI Images
After you enter the prompt, choose the art style. Select the image size and resolution. Once all the requirements are complete, select the "Generate" button to begin the video creation process.

Step 4: Preview and Download
Finally, AI will automatically generate the image related to your description. Preview the image and click "Download" to save it in a popular format.

2. Canva

Canva is an excellent tool for video and image editing, but what many people don't realize is that it also offers powerful AI image generation capabilities. With this tool, users can generate images in various styles, including Rubber Hose. Canva is a web-based tool, meaning no software downloading or installation is required to use the program. Additionally, it is directly integrated with popular social media platforms like Instagram, enabling users to share their generated images instantly and effortlessly.
Pros
- Web-based program, no software downloading or installation required.
- Amazing Image editor includes tools like crop, resize, filter & effects, and more.
- Free to use; no subscription plan is required to generate images.
Cons
- Generated images from the free version come with a Canva watermark
3. Midjourney

Midjourney is an AI image generator that allows you to generate images from text prompts, including Rubber Hose. It is based on generative adversarial networks and consists of 2 parts: one that generates images and one that evaluates them.
Pros
- Allows users to generate high-quality images.
- Offers a wide range of image editing and modifying features and tools.
- Faster in generating images than Canva.
Cons
- The tool is only available on Discord.
Final Thought
Looking for a way to bring back the Rubber Hose style? Look no further! In this guide, we have mentioned how you can generate this vintage art style using ChatGPT. Further, we have also introduced you to the best AI Image Generator, allowing users to create Rubber Hose images effortlessly. Among them, HitPaw FotorPea is the best option.
(*Final Reminder: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Before using the relevant features, please make sure to:
① Consult a qualified legal professional in your jurisdiction to evaluate any legal risks that may apply;
② Carefully read and fully understand the HitPaw Term of Service and HitPaw Privacy Policy;
③ Ensure that all generated content complies with applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations, particularly those related to synthetic media and deepfake technologies.)
Share this article:
Select the product rating:
Daniel Walker
Editor-in-Chief
My passion lies in bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and everyday creativity. With years of hands-on experience, I create content that not only informs but inspires our audience to embrace digital tools confidently.
View all ArticlesLeave a Comment
Create your review for HitPaw articles