Full guide
This comprehensive guide teaches you how to craft compelling prompts for AI image generation. Master the art of prompt engineering to transform your creative visions into stunning visuals.
Note
All example images in this guide were generated using the Pruna-optimized FLUX models on Replicate:
What is an image generation prompt?
A “prompt serves as your creative blueprint” - it’s the textual instruction that guides AI models to generate specific images. Think of it as directing a digital artist who can paint anything you can describe.
Effective prompt engineering involves “strategically crafting descriptions” that communicate your vision clearly and completely. The precision of your language directly influences the quality and accuracy of the generated output.
Prompting principles for image generation
Master these fundamental principles to create compelling prompts that generate better, more accurate results.
✅ DO |
❌ DON’T |
|---|---|
Use descriptive, direct language “mountain peak covered in snow” |
Use command-style instructions “please generate a mountain peak covered in snow” |
Focus on positive description “clean-shaven professional headshot” |
Describe by negation “man without facial hair” |
Be specific “oak tree against orange sky” |
Be vague or generic “nice scenery” |
Include style and atmosphere cyberpunk warrior, Mars, crimson sunset |
Add unrelated or conflicting elements “knight in space armor with unicorns and robots” |
Use prompt enhancement tools Refine your prompt using “improve prompt” features |
Overcomplicate at first Start with simple descriptions before adding complexity |
Keep styles compatible Combine styles that naturally work together |
Combine impossible or conflicting styles oil painting + pencil sketch + cubist anime watercolor |
Leverage AI-powered suggestions Use enhancement tools or suggestions when refining prompts |
Add unnecessary complexity up front Begin simple and only add detail as needed |
Word Order and Emphasis Placement: Some models prioritize words mentioned earlier in the prompt. So even though the structure above is a recommended best practice, you can experiment with different word orders to emphasize the aspects you want to see in the image.
Length Guidelines: Short prompts (10-20 words) are good for simple concepts, medium prompts (20-50 words) are optimal for most use cases, and long prompts (50+ words) are used for complex scenes with many details.
Iterative Improvement: Generate multiple variations, compare results side by side, identify successful elements, and build a personal prompt library.
Tip
Successful prompts follow a structured approach that prioritizes the most important elements first. This hierarchy ensures the AI focuses on your primary vision before adding supporting details.
Creating a image generation prompt
Every well-crafted prompt contains four key components:
Primary Subject: The central focus of your image
Subject Behavior: Actions, poses, or states
Visual Style: Artistic medium or approach
Environmental Context: Setting, atmosphere, and mood
Step 1: Define the primary subject
Begin by identifying the main focus of your image. Whether it’s a person, animal, object, or scene, be as descriptive as possible. Avoid command language - describe what exists rather than instructing the AI to create something.
Subject Specification Guidelines:
Human Subjects: Include age range, gender, clothing style, posture, facial expression
Animal Subjects: Specify breed/variety, size, coloration, behavior, habitat
Object Subjects: Detail materials, dimensions, condition, placement
Scene Subjects: Define location, time period, weather conditions, atmosphere
"a purple prune character [...]"
"a happy purple prune character with a roundish body [...]"
"a happy knitted purple prune character with expressive eyes, cute arms and a roundish body [...]"
Tip
Detailed subject descriptions lead to more accurate and personalized results.
Step 2: Enhance with descriptive modifiers
Modifiers transform basic descriptions into rich, detailed imagery. These descriptive elements add depth, mood, and visual interest to your prompts.
Essential modifier categories include:
Environmental Settings: “urban street at dusk”, “pristine mountain meadow”
Artistic Approaches: “watercolor painting”, “digital illustration”, “charcoal sketch”
Emotional Atmosphere: “serene and peaceful”, “tense and dramatic”
Lighting Conditions: “soft diffused light”, “harsh directional lighting”
Color Schemes: “monochromatic blues”, “warm earth tones”
Perspective Views: “low angle shot”, “overhead view”
Artistic Influences: “inspired by Monet”, “reminiscent of Art Nouveau”
"a happy knitted purple prune character with expressive eyes, cute arms and a roundish body, reading a book, animated style, in a living room"
"a low angle shot of [...] a cozy dimly lit living room during a rainy day"
Tip
Descriptive modifiers help you create more detailed and personalized images. For more details, see the Image generation prompt categories section.
Step 3: Apply quality enhancement terms
Quality enhancers are specialized terms that improve the technical and artistic quality of generated images. These “magic words” guide the AI toward higher-quality outputs.
Photography Quality Enhancers: * “ultra-sharp focus”, “professional grade”, “studio quality” * “HDR processing”, “high resolution”, “crystal clear” * “cinematic composition”, “perfect exposure”
Artistic Quality Enhancers: * “museum quality”, “gallery worthy”, “award-winning” * “masterful technique”, “exceptional detail” * “trending on art platforms”, “viral artwork”
Technical Quality Enhancers: * “ray-traced rendering”, “unreal engine quality” * “octane render”, “photorealistic textures”
"low angle shot of a happy knitted purple prune character with expressive eyes, cute arms and a roundish body, reading a book, animated style, in a cozy dimly lit living room during a rainy day"
"[...] award winning design"
Tip
Quality enhancement terms help you create more detailed and professional images. For more details, see the Image generation prompt categories section.
Image generation prompt categories
Understanding how specific words and phrases impact your generated images is essential for crafting effective prompts. Each term you include shapes the visual output in predictable ways. This section explains not just what terms to use, but “what visual effects they create” and “how they influence the final image”.
Visual style vocabulary
Visual style terms control the artistic medium, rendering technique, and overall aesthetic approach of your generated images. These keywords transform how subjects appear and what mood the image conveys.
"anime style character portrait of a young woman with large expressive eyes, detailed flowing hair, dynamic pose, cel-shaded art style, vibrant colors, intricate costume design"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Character proportions |
“anime style” and “chibi” create large eyes (2-3x normal size), stylized proportions, with chibi featuring oversized heads and small bodies for cute/whimsical effects |
Animation techniques |
“cel-shaded” uses flat color blocks with hard shadows (no gradients), “clean line art” provides sharp definition, “dynamic poses” and “dynamic motion lines” create energetic action with motion lines and exaggerated perspectives |
Facial & hair details |
“large eyes”, “expressive emotions”, and “exaggerated emotions” create exaggerated facial expressions, while “detailed hair”, “flowing hair”, “stylized hair strands”, and “spiky hair” add complex hair designs with individual strands |
Costume & armor |
“detailed costumes”, “intricate costumes”, and “detailed armor” add technical details, while “exaggerated emotions” enhances character personality |
Specialized styles |
“mecha designs” and “sleek mecha designs” create futuristic robotic suits with geometric shapes and sci-fi aesthetics, “fantasy elements” add magical components |
Quality terms |
“fine details” and “delicate contours” enhance precision, “vibrant colors” increase saturation, “soft shadows with hatching” add shading depth |
Genre subtypes |
“manga art”, “shonen”, “shojo”, “seinen”, “isekai” define specific anime/manga genres and target audiences |
"professional portrait of a woman in a tailored purple suit holding a purple prune, studio lighting, shallow depth of field, 85mm lens, photorealistic, ultra-detailed, 8K quality"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Realism level |
“photorealistic”, “hyper-realistic”, and “ultra-detailed” render subjects to look like real photographs, not artistic interpretations |
Resolution quality |
“8K quality”, “UHD”, “16K”, “high-resolution” provide ultra-high resolution with fine detail rendering that improves texture and sharpness |
Focus & depth control |
“depth of field” controls focus blur (shallow creates blurry backgrounds, deep keeps everything sharp), “bokeh effect” creates artistic blur with soft circular highlights, “sharp focus” keeps everything crisp, “macro photography” captures extreme close-ups revealing textures invisible to naked eye |
Camera lens effects |
“85mm lens” and “telephoto lens” provide telephoto compression that flatters faces and creates professional portrait look, “wide-angle lens” shows more environment and context |
Lighting styles |
“studio lighting” and “studio quality” provide controlled, even illumination typical of professional photography setups, “cinematic lighting” creates dramatic film-like illumination with strong contrast and mood, “natural lighting” offers realistic outdoor illumination |
Photography formats |
“RAW photography” and “professional photography” provide unprocessed looks with high dynamic range and natural color rendition, “photorealistic textures” add realistic surface qualities |
Detail enhancement |
“finely detailed” increases overall detail level throughout the image |
"modern minimalist logo design for tech startup called Pruna, clean geometric shapes, bold typography, vector art style, professional branding, sleek interface design"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
2D design styles |
“vector art” creates infinitely scalable clean geometric shapes with no pixelation, “minimalist” and “clean design” provide simple uncluttered layouts with generous white space, “flat design” creates 2D appearance with solid colors and no gradients or shadows |
Geometric & technical elements |
“geometric patterns” adds precise shapes and mathematical symmetry, “clean lines” provides precise technical-looking illustrations without organic curves, “corporate style” creates professional business aesthetics, “modern graphic design” establishes contemporary digital design principles |
3D rendering quality |
“ray-traced rendering” creates ultra-realistic 3D computer graphics with accurate light physics and reflections, “unreal engine quality” and “octane render” provide video game-level 3D rendering with realistic materials and lighting, 3D rendering and “computer-generated” establish CG appearance |
Professional polish |
“polished finish” creates glossy professional appearance, “professional branding” adds corporate identity elements, “sleek interface” establishes modern UI aesthetics, “digital art” marks computer-created artistic work |
Color & impact |
“bold colors” and “digital illustration” increase saturation and contrast for visual impact |
"children's book illustration of a friendly cartoon prune standing next to his house bold outlines, bright colors, playful design character, and clean line art"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Visual clarity |
“cartoon style” creates simplified features and vibrant colors, “bold outlines” and “thick black lines” add strong lines defining forms with clear visual separation, “clean line art” provides sharp definition, “flat design” creates 2D appearance with bold colors and “bright colors” for cheerful playful design |
Character exaggeration |
“exaggerated features” and “comically large features” create oversized heads and eyes with dynamic proportions, “simple shapes” and “simple geometric shapes” simplify forms for visual impact, “exaggerated expressions” enhance emotional display |
Animation aesthetics |
“rubber hose style” creates 1930s animation look with smooth bendy limbs, “cel animation” and “cel-shaded” use flat color fills with no shading for classic animation appearance, 2D animation establishes flat animated look, Western cartoon style and “retro cartoon style” define regional animation traditions |
Narrative styles |
children’s book illustration creates friendly approachable characters with soft colors, “anthropomorphic animals” adds human traits to animal characters, “playful design” and “whimsical” create fun energetic compositions, “fun characters” enhance enjoyment |
Technical detail |
“minimal line work” and “smooth curves” create refined simplicity, “sketchy strokes” and “hatching” add hand-drawn texture, “comic book art” establishes sequential art aesthetic |
"vintage Polaroid photo of a classic diner interior serving prunes, 70s aesthetic, faded colors, film grain texture, nostalgic atmosphere, retro design elements"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Era-specific aesthetics |
“70s design” creates earth tones with groovy patterns, “80s style” provides neon colors and synthwave aesthetics, “90s nostalgia” establishes 90s-era visuals, “old-school” and “throwback style” evoke past periods, “vintage style” and “retro aesthetic” establish period-appropriate looks, “grunge” adds gritty alternative styles |
Photography effects |
“film grain” adds textured noise overlay simulating analog film, “sepia tone” creates brownish monochrome vintage photograph appearance, “Polaroid photo” provides square format with soft vintage colors, “vintage film” and “webcam photo” establish lo-fi camera aesthetics, “captured on security camera” creates surveillance-style imagery |
Aged textures |
“distressed textures”, “distressed”, “weathered”, and “weathered look” create worn aging appearance, “faded colors” uses muted washed-out palette suggesting historical artifacts |
Nostalgic atmosphere |
“nostalgic atmosphere” evokes emotional memories and historical time periods, “analog feel” suggests pre-digital era, “old-school design” emphasizes traditional approaches, “classic typography” and “class typography style” use period lettering, “sepia” adds brownish tonal effects |
"oil painting of a bowl filled with rotten prunes, visible brush strokes, soft blending, canvas texture, classical art style, natural lighting, museum quality art"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Painting media |
“oil painting”, “acrylic paint”, and “gouache” create rich vibrant colors with visible brush strokes and glossy surfaces, “realistic painting” and “lifelike” establish photographic quality |
Transparent media |
“watercolor” creates transparent flowing colors with bleeding edges, “watercolor bleeding” and “bleeding edges” add colors flowing together, “gradient washes” create smooth color transitions, “transparent” effects show layering |
Drawing media |
“charcoal drawing” creates black and white with soft edges and smudging effects, “pencil sketch” uses fine lines hatching and subtle shading, “ink illustration” provides bold line work, “pastel art” creates soft powdery colors with matte finish |
Brush & texture quality |
“visible brush strokes”, “thick brush strokes”, and “layered paint” show artist’s hand creating tactile surface, “canvas texture”, “coarse canvas texture”, “visible fibers”, and “stretched fabric” suggest woven fabric pattern of physical surfaces, “brush strokes” add hand-crafted quality |
Artistic movements |
“impressionist” emphasizes light and color with visible brush strokes, “expressionist” adds emotional intensity and distortion, “cubist” creates geometric layered perspectives with “angular shapes” and “layered perspectives”, “classical art” and “classical proportions” establish traditional aesthetics, “geometric patterns” add mathematical precision |
Surface effects |
“smooth blending” vs “rough lines” create different transitions, “smudged edges” add softening effects, “artistic style” and “hand-drawn” emphasize manual creation, “ornate” adds decorative complexity, “high contrast” creates dramatic value differences |
Printmaking & mixed media |
“woodcut” creates high contrast carved appearance with bold black and white areas, “lithography” adds lithographic stone effects, “mixed media” combines techniques for complex layered surfaces |
Atmospheric effects |
“dreamlike” creates surreal ethereal qualities |
Subject matter vocabulary
Subject matter terms specify what appears in your image - the environments, activities, objects, and contexts that create your visual narrative. These terms define the content and setting of your generated images, working alongside visual style to create complete compositions.
"professional architectural photography of a esthetic living room with artsy prune couch and a painting of a bowl of prunes, HDR processing, ultra-sharp focus, perfect golden hour lighting, cinematic composition"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Interior spaces |
“interior design” focuses on room layouts furniture placement and decor styling, “home decor” emphasizes domestic aesthetics, “residential design” creates home-like atmospheres with domestic comfort, “room layouts” establishes spatial arrangements |
Architectural focus |
“architectural photography” and “professional architectural photography” emphasize structural elements lines and spatial relationships, “building exteriors” shows facade details, “spatial design” and “environmental design” establish layout principles |
Commercial environments |
“office spaces” creates professional environments with desks computers and work settings, “retail environments” provides commercial spaces with displays and shelving, “commercial spaces” establishes business-oriented atmospheres |
Urban contexts |
“urban architecture” creates modern city landscapes with buildings and streets, “public spaces” provides open areas like parks plazas for multiple people |
Professional photography |
“HDR processing” enhances dynamic range, “ultra-sharp focus” provides crisp detail, “perfect golden hour lighting” creates warm illumination, “cinematic composition” adds filmic framing |
Artistic interpretations |
“watercolor painting style” and “impressionist technique” provide painted versions, “soft pastel colors” add gentle tones, “gentle morning mist” creates atmospheric mood, “peaceful lakeside cottage” establishes serene settings |
"modern mobile app dashboard design for a startup called Pruna, clean minimalist interface, wireframe layout, user experience design, responsive design elements, professional UI patterns"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Screen layouts |
“mobile app screens” creates smartphone-sized layouts with touch-friendly elements and vertical orientation, “website layouts” establishes web page structures, “dashboard designs” provides data visualization interfaces with charts graphs and metrics |
Design process |
“wireframes” show structure outlines without color or styling revealing layout logic, “mockups” provide realistic final designs showing completed interfaces, “user interface design” and “user experience design” establish interaction principles |
Digital elements |
“app icons” are square/rounded square graphics representing applications, “button designs” create interactive elements with depth shadows or flat modern styling, “navigation elements” include menus tabs and controls for moving through digital spaces, “digital interfaces” establish screen-based interactions |
Modern patterns |
“responsive design” adapts layouts across screen sizes and devices, modern UI patterns follow contemporary design principles, “modern minimalist typography design” uses “clean sans-serif fonts” for contemporary text styling |
"The word "PRUNA" is made of soft, flowy pruple fur on a vibrant-colored floor, well-lit by sunlight on a bright afternoon."
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Font styles |
“serif typeface” = traditional, formal fonts with decorative flourishes (e.g., Times New Roman); “sans-serif design” = modern, clean fonts without decorative elements, geometric and minimal; “script fonts” and “calligraphy” = flowing, cursive text suggesting elegance and personalization; “hand-lettering” adds personalized touch |
Text effects |
“3D text effects” and “extruded letters” = depth, beveled edges, and realistic shadows; “dimensional letters” add spatial effects; “dynamic shadows” and “layered depth” create three-dimensional appearance; “beveled edges” add dimensional styling |
Lighting & materials |
“neon signs” = glowing electric text with color halos suggesting artificial lighting; “holographic” = rainbow-shimmer effect suggesting futuristic technology; Material effects (“gold”, “silver”, “bronze”, “chrome”, “reflective steel”, “iron”, “woodgrain”, “stone-carved”, “mossy”, “clay”, “leaf-textured”, etc.) = text rendered in different substances with realistic textures |
Vintage & distressed |
“vintage lettering” = weathered, aged text with faded colors and period-appropriate styles; “distressed”, “retro”, “weathered”, “70s-inspired”, “grunge”, “old-school” add historical wear; “ornate”, “embellished” add decorative complexity; “blackletter” and “medieval” establish historical typography |
Size & proportion |
“billboard style”, “oversized”, and “towering letters” = text designed for large-scale viewing; “statement text” and “bold” create strong presence; “delicate”, “fine print”, “subtle”, “compact”, “tiny letters” create delicate small text; “fluctuating size”, “exaggerated perspective”, “tapering edges” create dynamic scaling; “uniform size”, “block lettering”, “monospaced”, “heavy-weight” create consistent bold styling |
Artistic styles |
“graffiti” = street art aesthetic with bold, overlapping letters and spray paint effects; “abstract”, “brush strokes”, “doodle-style”, “watercolor” add artistic media effects; “swirly”, “tech-inspired”, “glitchy”, “sci-fi”, “sharp edges” establish genre-specific aesthetics |
Destruction effects |
“fragmented”, “cracked”, “broken pieces”, “jagged shards”, “distorted”, “pixelated”, “fragmented lines”, “digital noise”, “shattered effects” = broken, jagged text suggesting destruction or decay |
Surface textures |
“rough”, “grainy”, “embossed”, “tactile patterns” = textured surfaces; “water droplets”, “melted wax”, “ink splashes”, “flowing lava” add liquid effects; “frosted glass”, “transparent”, “stained glass” create translucent materials; “stitched”, “embroidered”, “denim-textured”, “patchwork”, “shiny”, “translucent”, “neon acrylic”, “molded plastic”, “sand”, “ice”, “fire”, “clouds”, “smoke” add various material properties; “traditional”, “elegant”, “formal”, “sleek”, “minimalist”, “geometric”, “clean” establish styling aesthetics; “decorative text”, “logo design”, “word art”, “text effects” establish application contexts; “dramatic”, “sharp serifs”, “modern typography”, “elegant fonts”, “bold typography” enhance impact |
"luxury product photography of a knitted purple prune action figure, elegant minimalist composition, soft studio lighting, commercial photography quality, clean background, professional product styling"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Professional portraits |
“corporate headshots” = professional portraits emphasizing competence and approachability; “executive portraits” = confident business imagery suggesting authority and success; “professional portraits” establishes formal photography |
Product presentation |
“luxury product showcase” = high-end presentation emphasizing quality and exclusivity; “clean background” = removes distractions to focus attention; “professional product styling” = precise arrangement for maximum visual appeal; “commercial products” creates marketable displays; “premium wristwatch product photography” provides luxury examples |
Lighting & atmosphere |
“soft studio lighting” = even, flattering illumination without harsh shadows; “natural window lighting” creates realistic illumination; “commercial photography quality” establishes professional standards |
Styling & composition |
“elegant minimalist composition” establishes refined aesthetics; “clean background” removes distractions; “high-end materials presentation” emphasizes quality materials; “shallow depth of field” creates focus effects |
Business contexts |
“office environments”, “business meetings”, “workplace scenes”, “professional settings” create corporate atmospheres; “commercial photography quality” establishes professional standards |
Marketing elements |
“advertising style” = polished, marketable imagery designed to sell or persuade; “marketing materials”, “brand photography” = consistent style reinforcing corporate identity; “business photography” establishes commercial focus |
Food & lifestyle |
“food styling expertise” = appetizing food presentation with artistic plating and lighting; “artisanal dessert presentation”, “chocolate cake with fresh berry garnish” provides luxury food examples; “appetizing visual presentation” creates desirable imagery |
"a portrait of a running child in a forrest wearing a dress with purple prunes, soft studio lighting, shallow depth of field, shot with 85mm lens, professional headshot style"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Portrait types |
“headshots” = tight framing on face and shoulders, professional for business use; “portrait photography” establishes focused human imagery; “professional headshot style” creates corporate portraits; “intimate portraits” adds personal connection |
Expression & character |
“candid shots” = natural, unposed expressions capturing authentic moments; “emotional expressions” = facial features conveying feelings and personality; “character studies” = detailed portrayal revealing personality and background; “character portrait” adds narrative depth |
Studio vs natural |
“studio portraits” = controlled lighting and background for professional polished look; “natural lighting portraits” = realistic outdoor illumination; “soft studio lighting”, “realistic lighting” create professional illumination |
Detail & framing |
“close-up faces” = extreme intimacy, revealing skin textures and subtle details; “detailed facial features” adds precision; “detailed skin textures” creates realistic surfaces; “realistic human proportions” establishes natural anatomy |
Lighting effects |
“dramatic lighting” = high contrast illumination creating mood and visual interest; “soft studio lighting” provides even illumination; “shallow depth of field” creates focus effects |
Lens & technique |
shot with 85mm lens = flattering focal length that compresses features and creates professional look; “neutral background” removes distractions |
Professional contexts |
“executive portrait”, “professional portraits”, “character portrait of a weathered adventurer” establish various professional uses; “professional character design”, “concept art quality” add detailed artistry; “tailored charcoal suit”, “neutral background” establish contextual elements |
"candid moment of a street vendor arranging purple prunes in a bustling French market square on a rainy day, captured with 35mm lens, natural lighting, documentary photography style, warm color palette"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Group compositions |
“group photography” = multiple people in frame, showing relationships and interactions; “family portraits” = posed or candid groupings showing generational connections; “team photos” = group shots showing professional or organizational relationships; “social gatherings”, “human interactions”, “group dynamics”, “social scenes”, “community events” create varied social contexts |
Candid vs staged |
“candid moments” = unposed, natural behavior capturing authentic human experiences; “lifestyle photography” = aspirational scenes showing idealized everyday activities; “candid moment of a street vendor” provides documentary examples |
Environmental context |
“street photography” = urban environments with people moving through daily life; “cultural activities” = scenes showing traditions, ceremonies, or regional customs |
Documentary approach |
“documentary style” and “documentary photography style” = journalistic approach with realistic, unmanipulated scenes; “natural lighting” creates realistic illumination; “warm color palette” adds atmospheric tone |
Photography technique |
captured with 35mm lens = wider angle including more environment and context; “motion blur in background” creates dynamic effects |
Artistic interpretations |
“oil painting style group portrait with classical composition” provides painted versions of group scenes |
"mystical wizard's study with floating spell books and glowing crystals, ancient library setting, magical blue illumination, detailed fantasy art style, high fantasy aesthetic"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Fantasy worlds |
“fantasy art” = impossible landscapes and creatures with magical or supernatural elements; “mystical landscapes” = impossible geography with floating islands, crystal formations, and magical physics; “otherworldly scenes” create impossible settings; “supernatural themes” add magical elements |
Magical beings |
“magical creatures” = dragons, unicorns, phoenixes, and invented beings with fantastical powers; “mythological figures” add legendary characters; “wizards” = mystical spellcasters with staffs, robes, and magical implements |
Enchanted environments |
“enchanted forests” = mystical woodlands with glowing flora, animated trees, and magical atmosphere; “fantasy architecture” creates magical buildings; mystical wizard’s study with floating spell books and glowing crystals, “ancient library setting” provides magical locations |
Storytelling aesthetics |
“fairy tales” = whimsical storytelling aesthetic with castles, princesses, and moral narratives; “magical realism” = realistic settings infused with subtle fantastical elements |
Magical elements |
“magical elements” and “floating objects” = defying gravity, suggesting supernatural forces at work; “glowing crystals” = luminous, otherworldly materials emitting magical energy; “magical blue illumination” adds supernatural lighting |
Artistic styles |
“detailed fantasy art style”, “high fantasy aesthetic”, “intricate magical details” create detailed magical artwork; “anime-style fantasy character with magical elements and detailed costume” combines anime with fantasy |
"serene alpine lake at sunrise with a bowl of purple prunes nearby the water, mist rising from crystal-clear water, pine forest reflections, peaceful mountain atmosphere, landscape photography, HDR processing, cinematic composition"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Landscape types |
“landscape photography” = wide vistas showing natural scenery and environmental context; “nature scenes”, “outdoor environments” establish natural settings; “scenic vistas” = panoramic views showing grand natural beauty; “mountain views” = elevated perspectives showing terrain and atmospheric depth; “forest paths” = intimate trails through dense vegetation creating depth and mystery |
Natural elements |
“sunset skies” = warm orange, pink, and purple colors creating dramatic sky backdrops; “ocean waves” = dynamic water motion suggesting movement and natural power; “natural textures” add realistic surface qualities; “mist rising from crystal-clear water” creates atmospheric effects; “pine forest reflections” establishes forest environments |
Wildlife & botanical |
“wildlife photography” = animals in natural habitats with authentic behaviors; “botanical illustrations” = plant close-ups revealing detailed textures, veins, and structures; “intricate natural details” adds precision; “extreme close-up” = reveals microscopic natural details invisible to casual observation |
Mood & atmosphere |
“serene alpine lake at sunrise”, “peaceful mountain atmosphere” creates tranquil natural settings; “morning light creating prismatic effects” adds atmospheric lighting |
Professional techniques |
“environmental photography”, “nature documentaries” establish documentary approaches; HDR processing = enhanced dynamic range showing details in both bright and shadow areas; “cinematic composition” adds filmic framing |
Photography techniques |
shot with 100mm macro lens at f/8 provides technical specifications; “dramatic backlighting” creates silhouette effects |
Artistic interpretations |
children’s book illustration of enchanted forest landscape provides illustrated versions of nature |
"a massive space ship docking at a cafe with neon purple letters "pruna station", futuristic engineering design, dramatic cosmic lighting, highly detailed sci-fi concept art"
Category |
Visual Effect |
|---|---|
Futuristic environments |
“futuristic cities” and “futuristic cityscape concept art” = advanced urban landscapes with flying vehicles, towering architecture, and high-tech infrastructure; “high-tech environments” = polished metallic surfaces, clean lines, and advanced user interfaces; “digital worlds” establishes virtual spaces |
Cyberpunk aesthetics |
“cyberpunk aesthetics” = dark, neon-lit urban dystopias with advanced technology and social decay; “cyberpunk architectural design” creates urban decay appearance; “neon lighting effects” adds electric atmosphere; “neon signage reflecting on wet pavement” establishes urban scenes |
Space & cosmic settings |
“space scenes” = cosmic environments with planets, stars, and spacecraft; “massive space station orbiting a colorful nebula” provides space structures; “nebulae” = colorful cosmic clouds in space backgrounds creating dreamy, otherworldly atmospheres; “space exploration” establishes cosmic journeys; “space exploration aesthetic” creates cosmic atmosphere |
Technology & interfaces |
“neon lights” = electric, glowing signage creating atmospheric artificial illumination; “holographic displays” = translucent 3D interfaces suggesting advanced visual technology; “advanced technology” establishes future tech; “robots” = mechanical beings ranging from friendly assistants to military hardware |
Transport & architecture |
“futuristic vehicles” = sleek spacecraft, flying cars, or advanced transportation concepts; “futuristic engineering design” creates advanced structures; “detailed urban planning” establishes organized cities |
Dystopian landscapes |
“dystopian landscapes” = dark, oppressive settings suggesting societal collapse or authoritarian control; “bustling metropolitan street at twilight” creates urban night scenes |
Artistic styles |
“sci-fi art”, “highly detailed sci-fi concept art” create detailed futuristic artwork; “digital painting technique” establishes digital art style; “trending artwork”, “trending on creative platforms” add contemporary appeal |
Photography techniques |
“urban photography style”, “cinematic street lighting”, “dramatic cosmic lighting” create dramatic illumination; “depth of field effects”, “documentary photography approach” add technical effects; “highly detailed” enhances precision |
Advanced prompting strategies
Master these sophisticated techniques to refine your image generation and achieve more precise results.
Prompting specific AI models
Different AI image generation models have distinct strengths and respond optimally to specific prompting strategies. Understanding these differences helps you tailor your approach for better results.
Diffusion-Based Models: These models excel with structured keyword combinations, respond well to technical photography terminology, and benefit from specific artistic style references. They also support comprehensive negative prompt functionality.
Language Model-Based Models: These models prefer natural, conversational descriptions, work effectively with paragraph-style prompts, respond to narrative and contextual details, and have limited negative prompt functionality.
Specialized Platforms: These models favor concise, high-impact phrases, respond well to reference image integration, benefit from artistic movement keywords, and support parameter-based fine-tuning.
Non-English Models: These models may require more verbose prompts to generate accurate results. Prompt adherence is often better when translated to the target language.
Adjusting generation arguments
Beyond crafting effective prompts, understanding and tuning generation parameters can significantly impact the quality and characteristics of your generated images. These parameters control technical aspects of the generation process, such as the number of denoising steps, creative control, and output format.
Important Considerations: Not all models support the same arguments, usage may differ across platforms, start with defaults and gradually adjust to see how changes affect your results, quality vs. speed trade-offs.
Parameter |
Purpose |
Typical Values & Effects |
|---|---|---|
num_inference_steps |
Number of denoising iterations |
Lower (10-20): Faster generation, less detail Higher (30-50): Slower generation, higher quality Typical range: 20-40 steps |
guidance / strength |
How closely the model follows your prompt |
Lower (2-3): More creative interpretation, realistic Higher (6-10): Stricter adherence, stronger effects Typical range: 3-7 |
seed |
Controls randomness and reproducibility |
Set to specific number: Reproducible results Leave empty: Random generation each time |
num_outputs |
Number of images to generate |
Typically 1-4 outputs More outputs increase processing time |
aspect_ratio |
Dimensions of the output image |
“1:1”: Square “16:9”: Wide landscape “9:16”: Portrait “4:3”: Traditional photo |
output_format |
Image file format |
“webp”, “png”, “jpeg” PNG: High quality, larger files WebP/JPEG: Compressed, smaller files |
output_quality |
Compression quality for output |
Range: 0-100 Higher values = better quality, larger files Not applicable to PNG format |
prompt_strength (img2img) |
How much the original image changes |
Lower (0.3-0.5): Subtle changes, preserves original Higher (0.7-1.0): Major transformations Default: 0.8 |
optimization |
Some models support runtime optimizations that impact speed and quality |
mischallaneous: differs per model and platform |
megapixels |
Approximate output resolution |
“1”: Standard resolution Higher values: Increased detail, slower generation |
Tip
Document your parameter choices alongside your prompts. This helps you reproduce successful results and understand which settings work best for different types of images.
Using negative prompts
Not all models support negative prompts. But when they do, they allow you to specify unwanted elements, helping eliminate common issues and refine your output quality.
Common Exclusion Categories:
Technical Quality Issues: “blurry”, “low resolution”, “pixelated”, “distorted”
Anatomical Problems: “extra digits”, “malformed”, “asymmetrical”
Unwanted Elements: “watermarks”, “signatures”, “text overlays”, “brand logos”
Style Conflicts: “cartoon style”, “anime aesthetic” (when seeking realism)
"a purple knitted pruna holding a sign that says "pruna endpoints are awesome!" realistic photo on street in Paris on a sunny cheerful day"
"blurry, low resolution, pixelated, distorted, extra digits, malformed, asymmetrical, watermarks, signatures, text overlays, brand logos, cartoon style, anime aesthetic"
Tweak results with image editing
Once you have a generated image that you’re happy with but you can’t get the exact result you want, you can tweak it with image editing.
Example workflow:
Generate an image
Tweak the image with image editing
See the image editing guide for more information on advanced prompting strategies.
Troubleshooting common issues
Problem |
Solution |
Check |
Try |
|---|---|---|---|
Image doesn’t match prompt |
Simplify the prompt and focus on core elements |
Word order and emphasis placement |
Using more specific descriptive words |
Poor image quality |
Add quality enhancement keywords |
Technical specifications and lighting |
Different quality markers for your style |
Unwanted elements appearing |
Use negative prompts effectively |
Prompt for conflicting elements |
More specific positive descriptions |
Style inconsistencies |
Choose one primary style |
For conflicting style keywords |
Removing secondary style references |
Anatomical issues (extra fingers, etc.) |
Add anatomical quality keywords |
Negative prompts for common issues |
More specific pose descriptions |
Next steps
Full guide - Learn how to prompt for image editing
Full guide - Learn how to prompt for video generation
Addressing biases in models - Learn about creating inclusive and diverse content
Prompt engineering tools - Learn about tools and techniques for improving your prompts