Cheatsheet
Quick reference guide for crafting effective image generation prompts.
Tip
For comprehensive guidance with detailed examples and explanations, see the Full guide guide.
Prompt formula
Core components
Primary Subject - What/who is the focus? - Be specific: “young woman with short black hair” not “person” - Include details: age, appearance, clothing, expression
Subject Behavior - What are they doing? - Use descriptive actions: “reading”, “walking”, “smiling”
Visual Style - Artistic medium/aesthetic - Examples: “photorealistic”, “oil painting”, “anime style”, “watercolor”
Environmental Context - Setting & atmosphere - Location: “living room”, “mountain peak”, “urban street” - Lighting: “golden hour”, “soft studio lighting”, “dramatic shadows” - Mood: “peaceful”, “energetic”, “mysterious”
Quick tips
✅ DO: - Use descriptive, direct language - Be specific about subject details - Include style and atmosphere - Start simple, add complexity gradually
❌ DON’T: - Use command language (“please create…”) - Describe by negation (“without facial hair”) - Be vague (“nice scenery”) - Combine conflicting styles
Style keywords
“anime style”, “cel-shaded”, “large eyes”, “vibrant colors”, “dynamic poses”
“photorealistic”, “ultra-detailed”, “8K quality”, “studio lighting”, “85mm lens”, “shallow depth of field”
“cartoon style”, “bold outlines”, “bright colors”, “clean line art”, “playful design”
“oil painting”, “visible brush strokes”, “watercolor”, “charcoal drawing”, “pencil sketch”
“3D rendered”, “ray-traced”, “unreal engine quality”, “vector art”
“vintage Polaroid”, “film grain”, “70s aesthetic”, “sepia tone”, “distressed”
Quality enhancers
Keywords |
|---|
“ultra-sharp focus”, “professional grade”, “high resolution”, “cinematic composition”, “award-winning design”, “museum quality” |
Common subjects
“portrait”, “headshot”, “professional”, “candid moment”, “group photography”
“landscape photography”, “sunset”, “mountain view”, “wildlife”, “botanical illustration”
“architectural photography”, “interior design”, “modern building”, “urban street”
“mystical”, “fantasy art”, “magical”, “high fantasy”, “wizard”
“cyberpunk”, “futuristic”, “space scene”, “neon lighting”, “holographic displays”
“product photography”, “professional”, “luxury”, “commercial photography”
Prompt length guidelines
Length |
Use Case |
|---|---|
Short (10-20 words) |
Simple concepts |
Medium (20-50 words) |
Optimal for most uses |
Long (50+ words) |
Complex scenes with many details |
Troubleshooting
Problem |
Solution |
|---|---|
Image doesn’t match prompt |
Simplify, use more specific words, check word order |
Poor quality |
Add quality enhancers, specify lighting, add technical terms |
Unwanted elements |
Use negative prompts: “blurry, low resolution, pixelated, distorted, extra digits, watermarks” |
Style inconsistencies |
Choose one primary style, remove conflicting keywords |
Negative prompts
Category |
Keywords |
|---|---|
Technical Quality |
“blurry, low resolution, pixelated, distorted” |
Anatomical Issues |
“extra digits, malformed, asymmetrical” |
Unwanted Elements |
“watermarks, signatures, text overlays” |
Style Conflicts |
“cartoon style, anime aesthetic” (when seeking realism) |
Learn more
📚 Full guide: Full guide - Comprehensive prompting guide with detailed examples, style categories, troubleshooting, and advanced techniques
Related guides:
Cheatsheet - Image editing quickstart cheatsheet
Cheatsheet - Video generation quickstart cheatsheet