Which AI Drawing Tool Is Best for Scientific Comics? A Hands‑On Comparison

Overview

Three AI image‑generation services are evaluated for creating scientific infographics: Banana Painter, NotebookLM, and JiMeng AI. All accept a textual prompt that describes the target content and the desired visual style, then output a single‑page illustration.

1. Banana Painter

Banana Painter connects to Google’s Nano Banana Pro model. Workflow: compose a prompt that includes the subject (e.g., “OpenClaw”) and a style keyword such as “hand‑drawn comic”, then submit the prompt to obtain a PNG image. Free tier provides 10 points (≈1 image). Paid tier costs ¥39.9 per month and yields roughly 60 images. Access URL: https://nana.wuyoufanyi.com. Strengths : strongest hand‑drawn feel, lively comic aesthetics. Weaknesses : frequent text garbling and crowded layout; may require multiple attempts to obtain a satisfactory result.

2. NotebookLM

NotebookLM is Google’s AI note‑taking platform that extracts key points from uploaded or pasted text and then renders an infographic in a selected style. Steps: (1) paste or upload source text; (2) click “Summarize”; (3) choose a drawing style (e.g., “clean technical”). The system produces a single image without text corruption. Free quota is about two generations per day; paid plan costs ¥70 per month for unlimited use. Access URL: https://notebooklm.google.com. Strengths : clear information hierarchy, reliable one‑shot generation. Weaknesses : limited visual creativity and fewer style options.

3. JiMeng AI

JiMeng AI is a ByteDance‑owned platform that uses the same prompt format as Banana Painter. It is hosted domestically, providing low latency for Chinese users. Free daily quota is available; the paid plan costs ¥41 per month and allows generation of more than 4,000 images. Access URL: https://jimeng.jianying.com. Strengths : stable domestic access, orderly layout, intuitive UI. Weaknesses : weakest hand‑drawn feel, flat cartoon style, lower creative flexibility.

Prompt used for comparison

画一个卡通手绘风格的信息图来介绍下面的内容：OpenClaw 是一款直接运行于用户本地设备的智能程序，而非传统的网页版人工智能对话工具。它拥有与用户同等的系统操作权限，能够像人类用户一样在终端执行各类指令并管理本地文件。该系统的工作逻辑分为感知、思考、执行与记忆四个核心环，使其能够通过第三方通讯平台接收指令并转化为具体行动。通过调用技能模块与本地能力，它不仅能高效完成任务，还能通过本地存储的学习记录不断优化对用户偏好的理解。这种设计让 OpenClaw 能够以后台静默运行的方式，成为一个真正懂用户且具备实操能力的本地私人助理。

Observed output differences

Banana Painter : strongest hand‑drawn texture and rich details, but text often garbled and layout can be crowded; multiple attempts may be needed.

NotebookLM : clean, logical layout with no garbling; visual style is simple and less playful.

JiMeng AI : tidy, uniform flat‑cartoon layout; lowest hand‑drawn quality and limited creativity.

Side‑by‑side comparison

视觉风格 : Banana Painter – hand‑drawn, lively; NotebookLM – rational, clean; JiMeng AI – flat cartoon, tidy.

信息传达 : Banana Painter – vivid but sometimes crowded; NotebookLM – logical and precise; JiMeng AI – core points highlighted, easy to read.

适合场景 : Banana Painter – popular‑science comics, social‑media posts; NotebookLM – technical documentation, internal training; JiMeng AI – product introductions, poster covers.

易用性 : Banana Painter – third‑party entry, stability uncertain; NotebookLM – low flexibility in style; JiMeng AI – stable domestic access, straightforward operation.

Recommendation

Use NotebookLM for rapid generation with minimal prompt engineering. Choose Banana Painter when high visual creativity and eye‑catching comic style are required. Opt for JiMeng AI for cost‑effective bulk image production.