Auto-generate 3D food emoji icons with n8n

Form input → GPT generates style JSON → AI renders an icon (prompt targets 400×400, transparent) → auto-save to Google Drive

Who

Designers, developers, and creators who need on-demand or batch 3D food emoji icons in n8n

You get

Submit a food name and receive a consistently styled 3D food emoji icon (the prompt targets 400×400 pixels and a transparent background; actual size and transparency not tested by us) saved to Google Drive

You need

n8n · google-drive

Steps

1. Configure the trigger form

   Add or verify the `Form Trigger` node (`Trigger: Food Emoji Form Submission`). Set the form title to `Submit a food item`. Add one required field with label `What food emoji would you like to generate?` and placeholder `a green apple`. Suggested form description: `Enter a food name (e.g. avocado, donut) to generate a 400×400-pixel 3D emoji 🥑`. Save and obtain the form URL or embed code for submissions.

2. Generate style JSON and render icon

   This step combines two sequential sub-nodes: 1) **Prepare Style‑JSON Prompt (Set node)**: Add an Edit Fields (Set) node, create a field named `json_generator` of type string, and set its value to the following expression (preserve original variables and line breaks): ``` =Given the food item: "{{ $json['What food emoji would you like to generate?'] }}", generate a JSON object describing how it should be styled as a 3D-rendered emoji-style icon suitable for use in a digital food icon set. The style should be modern, playful, and semi-realistic, with a transparent background and a 400x400 pixel size. The JSON should include these sections: - form (shape, outline, detail) - lighting (gloss, shadow, detail) - texture (surface, detail) - background (type, detail) - color_handling (strategy, look, detail) - color_palette (detail) Adapt each parameter thoughtfully based on the physical properties and personality of the given food item. ``` 2) **LLM: Generate Style‑JSON (OpenAI node)**: Add an OpenAI node, select model `gpt-4.1-mini` (as configured in the source template), set message content to `={{ $json.json_generator }}`, and enable `jsonOutput: true`. Ensure the OpenAI credential is attached. When executed, this node outputs a structured JSON describing the emoji’s visual style.

   Execution prompt · Source text。Prepare Style‑JSON Prompt node (Edit Fields / Set) json_generator field value

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   =Given the food item: "{{ $json['What food emoji would you like to generate?'] }}", generate a JSON object describing how it should be styled as a 3D-rendered emoji-style icon suitable for use in a digital food icon set. The style should be modern, playful, and semi-realistic, with a transparent background and a 400x400 pixel size.
   
   The JSON should include these sections:
   
   - form (shape, outline, detail)
   
   - lighting (gloss, shadow, detail)
   
   - texture (surface, detail)
   
   - background (type, detail)
   
   - color_handling (strategy, look, detail)
   
   - color_palette (detail)
   
   Adapt each parameter thoughtfully based on the physical properties and personality of the given food item.

3. Image generation

   Add an OpenAI node, set resource to `image`, and use model `gpt-image-1` (as shown in workflow.json). Enter the following expression in the prompt field (preserve original variables): ``` =Generate a 3D-rendered emoji-style digital icon of a {{ $('Trigger: Food Emoji Form Submission').item.json['What food emoji would you like to generate?'] }}, designed with the following visual specifications: {{ $json.message.content.toJsonString() }} Render the icon centered in a 400x400 pixel square, isolated on a transparent background, with no props or text. The result should look like a high-quality digital food emoji: slightly exaggerated, clean, friendly, and polished — consistent with a modern mobile icon set. ``` Ensure the OpenAI credential is attached. When executed, the node returns the generated image data.

   Execution prompt · Source text。Image‑Gen: Render Food Emoji Icon node prompt field

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   =Generate a 3D-rendered emoji-style digital icon of a {{ $('Trigger: Food Emoji Form Submission').item.json['What food emoji would you like to generate?'] }}, designed with the following visual specifications:
   {{ $json.message.content.toJsonString() }}
   
   Render the icon centered in a 400x400 pixel square, isolated on a transparent background, with no props or text. The result should look like a high-quality digital food emoji: slightly exaggerated, clean, friendly, and polished — consistent with a modern mobile icon set.

4. Save to Google Drive

   Add a Google Drive node and choose the upload file operation. Configure: - Name: `={{ $('Trigger: Food Emoji Form Submission').item.json['What food emoji would you like to generate?'] }}` - Drive: `My Drive` - Folder: `root` (or select an existing folder) - Input data field: `data` Ensure the Google Drive OAuth2 credential is attached. After execution, the generated food emoji icon is saved to the specified Google Drive location with the above filename.

You are setting up an n8n workflow that auto-generates 3D food emoji icons from a user-submitted food name and saves them to Google Drive. Before starting, confirm: 1) n8n instance is accessible; 2) OpenAI API credential (openAiApi) and Google Drive OAuth2 credential (googleDriveOAuth2Api) are configured; 3) OpenAI account has credit and a verified organization. Then configure the form trigger, style-JSON generation node, image generation node, and Google Drive save node in order. If you want to adjust the visual style, edit the prompt text in the Set node and the image generation node.