How to Write the Best AI Image Prompt

When you use an AI to make pictures, coming up with the right description is key. A good description gives the AI just what it needs to get your vision.

I've spent a lot of time experimenting with how to describe what I want the AI to draw. Here are some things I've learned that really seem to help the AI understand.

Mastering AI Image Prompts: Get the image output that you want

Be really clear about the main subject. Instead of just saying "landscape", describe exactly what you see like "a beautiful mountain scene with a big waterfall in the sunset". Small details make a big difference.

Mentioning styles can also guide the AI, like describing something that looks like a Van Gogh painting or a photo.

Give the AI specifics like if it should be a pencil sketch close up or from far away. Saying what colors or mood you want sets the feeling.

The more you can say about what you see and how it looks, the better job the AI can do creating the picture in your head. Keep trying new things and adjusting based on the results too.

With practice getting better at describing what you imagine, you'll find the fun of seeing your ideas come to life through AI art. I hope these tips help you create some great pictures!

The 4 Key Ingredients For AI Image Prompt Generation

An AI image prompt typically consists of several components that guide the generation of an image by an AI model. These components can be broken down into four main parts.

1. Subject:

• Be specific: Instead of "a landscape," describe a "lush, mountainous landscape with a cascading waterfall bathed in golden afternoon light."
• Include details: Describe the subject's appearance, actions, and emotions. Are they majestic, playful, or mysterious?

2. Style and Technique:

• Reference art styles or artists: "A painting in the style of Van Gogh" or "a minimalist photorealistic render."
• Specify medium and composition: "A charcoal sketch with dramatic close-up framing" or "a pixel art scene with isometric perspective."

3. Mood and Atmosphere:

• Use evocative words: "A serene underwater world" or "a cyberpunk cityscape bustling with neon lights."
• Describe the overall feeling: Peaceful, whimsical, ominous, or nostalgic?

4. Additional Details:

• Color palette: Mention specific colors or color schemes you prefer.
• Lighting: Describe the light source and its intensity.
• Composition: Specify the focal point and overall arrangement of elements.
• Additional elements: Include details like specific plants, animals, or objects you want to see.

When describing what you want the picture to be, keep it short and simple. If you write too much, the AI may get confused. 

Don't be afraid to change things up and try different styles too. You can even show the AI example pictures to help explain what you mean. The cool thing is you can keep adjusting your description based on the pictures it makes. 

The more details you give about colors, sizes, and anything you see in your mind, the better of a job it will do matching the picture in your head. 

Mostly, just remember to have fun with it and let your imagination run wild! I hope these tips are helpful for creating some really great AI pictures that you'll love.

Sample AI Image Prompts and their output

"The scene is set in a forest on a sunny day. Tall trees grow all around with leaves up above letting some sunlight come through in places.

The ground is covered in nature's colors like deep greens and browns. Moss and plants grow in spots while dirt and fallen leaves make up other areas.

Play with how the light and shadows fall. Some parts will be brightly lit while others stay a bit darker. This will make the picture look more interesting and realistic.

Focus on all the tiny details of what grows on the forest floor. Show the different trees, plants, mushrooms and anything else naturally found beneath the leafy branches overhead.

Make the colors of nature really pop using rich greens and browns. Capture the beauty of the small things growing and living in this peaceful wooded area."

"Show a picture of an old fisherman out on the water. Focus on his face closely and use the light from the natural outdoors.

Capture all the details that show his age and experience from spending so much time at sea. Things like wrinkles, spots, and other features will help tell his story.

Show the textures in his skin and clothes that come from years of being outdoors in all kinds of weather. Pay attention to any little marks or signs of a life working hard as a fisherman.

Use the lighting from outside like sunlight to highlight his face and features. This will help make the portrait feel real and show the textures in his skin and clothes clearly.

The goal is for his face alone to convey what his life as a fisherman has been like through just how he looks in the close up picture."

"A peaceful garden at night, illuminated by the moon.
Vibrant flowers in full bloom stretch as far as the eye can see, their vivid colors glowing softly in the pale light.
Render the scene in lush 3D, with delicate petals and leaves rendered with intricate precision.
View the garden from a low angle, looking out over the expanse of colorful blossoms as they spill away into the darkness.
The moon hangs low and full above the garden, bathing the floral landscape in a dreamlike luminance.
Subtle shadows fall across the garden, darkening winding pathways that cut through bursting flowerbeds.
Focus on rich textures, from soft petals to velvety grass damp with dew. Leverage gentle contrasts to make flora emerge from the night.
Create a sense of calm through the beauty and solitude of nature at rest under the watchful light of the moon."

"Create a vivid 3D rendering of a futuristic spaceship in a cubist art style.
Render the spacecraft with crystalline geometry - flat planes and sharp angles that break it up into abstract fragments.
View it from an oblique perspective, showing segments of its cubist structure against the inky black void of space.
Incorporate a rainbow spectrum of colors that blend together in geometric patterns across the ship's surface.
Focus on pristine textures, allowing light to reflect off sleek panels in ultra-high resolution detail.
Fragment the spaceship into interlocking cubist pieces that overlap and intersect in non-realistic ways.
Imbue it with a sense of elegant alien technology through clean lines and expertly balanced FORM.
Include faint stars and nebulae in the background for ambient lighting and sense of setting.
Render this futuristic craft with studio precision and photo-real quality despite the abstract cubist breakdown of FORM."

"Capture an endearing moment between a young child and their furry pet companion.
Focus in closely on their faces as they interact, with eyes gazing into each other expressing care and affection.
Use natural outdoor light to subtly illuminate their features and the emotion in their eyes.
Show the child sweetly petting or hugging their pet, while the animal leans into the gentle touch, tail gently wagging.
Convey the deep bond between the two through subtle smiles and body language that speaks volumes without words.
Render textures with photographic precision, from soft wisps of hair to delicate fabrics and pet fur.
Employ a warm color palette reminiscent of sun-kissed skin and golden hues to set a serene, comforting mood.
Capture a snapshot of purity, trust and unconditional love shared between a child and their loyal animal friend on a peaceful afternoon."