Surreal September was more than just a challenge—it was about elevating your AI art skills through the imaginative world of surrealism.

We provided structured subthemes and a detailed workbook to teach actual surreal design principles, guiding participants through an iterative creative process similar to a condensed AI art course.

Surrealism made for the perfect theme because it allowed everyone to jump in and start creating. With iconic imagery and accessible techniques, participants (whether beginners or experienced) found they weren’t starting from scratch. The Surrealism workbook offered a solid foundation, helping everyone push their creativity further.

If you learned something new or pushed your skills, that’s what makes you a winner. 🙌

Now, let’s celebrate the standout works from each week and highlight the creativity that emerged!

Week 1: Dreamscapes 🌌

For Week 1, participants created dreamscapes—artworks inspired by the unpredictable and strange nature of dreams, where reality is distorted, and the impossible becomes real.

🥇 1st Place:  Staircaseflash

Staircaseflash created a dreamscape that stood out for its striking colors and surreal elements. The piece perfectly captured that dreamlike atmosphere, with an imaginative composition that felt fluid and limitless.

🥈 2nd Place:  CaffeineSpaceman

The second-place entry featured a captivating balance between real-world imagery and fantasy, with clever use of light and texture that gave the artwork a vivid, dreamlike quality.

🥉 3rd Place:  PROBABLYNOTHING

Ethereal Dreamscape: Swinging Between Worlds by NightCafe Creator 

PROBABLYNOTHING embraced the unpredictability of dreams, combining ethereal, floating elements with rich textured clouds to create a scene that was both striking and surreal.

See all the amazing entries here, and make sure to support your fellow creators with likes, comments, and shares!

Let’s move into Week 2’s winners!

Week 2: The Uncanny 👁️

For Week 2, we explored The Uncanny—art that evokes an unsettling feeling, making familiar things appear strange or disturbing.

🥇 1st Place: 977

977 captured the essence of the uncanny by taking something seemingly ordinary and adding a subtle twist that made it unsettling. The eerie, off-balance elements gave the piece a haunting quality.

🥈 2nd Place: Bgomez4911

A Surreal Reflection by NightCafe Creator Bgomez4911

The second-place entry featured a familiar scene distorted just enough to create discomfort, embodying the uncanny valley. The small but impactful changes made the work both intriguing and unsettling.

🥉 3rd Place:  KayKar

[Artist Name] played with the line between human and artificial, resulting in an uncanny image that felt disturbingly lifelike yet wrong in subtle ways.

Check out all the eerie and unsettling entries from Week 2 here,and don’t forget to show your support with likes, comments, and shares!

Week 3: Surrealist Techniques 🌀

For Week 3, we focused on Surrealist Techniques—using methods like unexpected juxtapositions, distortions of scale, and dreamlike elements to create truly surreal art.

🥇 1st Place: Yourillusionhjart

Yourillusionhjart used juxtaposition masterfully, combining unrelated objects in surprising ways that evoked curiosity and wonder. The seamless blending of these elements made for a striking piece.

🥈 2nd Place: EveCrowe

🥉 3rd Place:  joni9887

joni9887embraced distortion as a core element, creating fluid, warped forms that felt spontaneous and alive. The distorted elements brought out the unpredictability of surrealism, capturing the spirit of early surrealist experimentation beautifully.

Take a look at all the creative entries from Week 3 here, and be sure to engage with your fellow creators!

Week 4: A Surreal Finale ✨

For the final week, we invited participants to use everything they learned throughout the month—combining techniques and modifiers to create a unique, surreal masterpiece.

🥇 1st Place: Blue Rue

Windblown by NightCafe CreatorBlue Rue.

Blue Rue created a standout piece that brilliantly combined multiple surrealist techniques. The layering of elements and use of modifiers resulted in a cohesive and imaginative work that perfectly captured the spirit of a surreal finale.

🥈 2nd Place: Perky1245

Wondering Heart of a Sad Traveler by NightCafe Creator Perky1245

The second-place entry brought together unexpected elements from earlier weeks, blending strange juxtapositions and distorted perspectives into a striking and well-balanced composition.

🥉 3rd Place: all_CPS

master of none by NightCafe Creator all_CPS

all_CPS pushed creative boundaries by using rich textures and combining iconic surreal elements, resulting in an artwork that felt dynamic, bold, and perfectly on theme.

Check out all the unique and imaginative entries from our final week here, and celebrate your fellow creators’ incredible journeys through Surreal September!

By the Numbers

Total Entries Submitted: 

4,100+ incredible works of surreal art.

Community Votes Cast:

Over 224,200+ votes from our amazing community.

Total Number of Awesome Voters:

Sitting at 3,900+ total voters.

These stats highlight the incredible enthusiasm and creativity the community brought to Surreal September. Every vote, submission, and share contributed to making this event truly special.

A Huge Thank You and What’s Next?

Thank you to everyone who participated in Surreal September! Whether you were exploring surrealism for the first time or honing your skills, the creativity and passion from the community made this event truly special. We hope you learned, experimented, and found inspiration through every challenge. 🙌

We’re not stopping here—up next, we’re diving into Haunted October Nights! Get ready for a month of eerie, enchanting themes that will push your creativity even further. Let’s continue this journey together as we explore new themes, build our skills, and create incredible AI art!

Join us for Haunted October Nights here.