AI Image Prompting Guide
Learn how to write prompts that produce stunning, predictable AI images. Whether you want photorealistic portraits, anime characters, product shots, or abstract art, the right prompt makes all the difference.
1. The basic prompt formula
A strong prompt usually contains four parts:
- Subject: What or who is in the image?
- Style: How should it look? (photorealistic, anime, oil painting, 3D render, pixel art)
- Setting / Background: Where is the subject? What is the environment?
- Details: Lighting, camera angle, mood, colors, time of day, weather.
Example — simple vs detailed
Simple:
a cat
Detailed:
a fluffy orange tabby cat sitting on a sunlit windowsill, soft morning light, cozy living room, photorealistic, shallow depth of field, 85mm lens, warm colors, highly detailed fur
2. Style keywords that work well
Photography styles: photorealistic, DSLR, 35mm, 85mm portrait lens, macro, wide-angle, aerial, drone shot, golden hour, blue hour, studio lighting, softbox, rim light, bokeh, shallow depth of field.
Art styles: oil painting, watercolor, acrylic, pencil sketch, charcoal, digital art, concept art, matte painting, flat vector illustration, line art, anime, manga, chibi, comic book, pop art, impressionist, surrealist.
3D / render styles: 3D render, octane render, unreal engine 5, blender, cinema 4D, isometric, low-poly, voxel art, claymation, Pixar style, Disney style.
Art styles: oil painting, watercolor, acrylic, pencil sketch, charcoal, digital art, concept art, matte painting, flat vector illustration, line art, anime, manga, chibi, comic book, pop art, impressionist, surrealist.
3D / render styles: 3D render, octane render, unreal engine 5, blender, cinema 4D, isometric, low-poly, voxel art, claymation, Pixar style, Disney style.
3. Lighting and atmosphere
Lighting is one of the fastest ways to improve an image. Try these descriptors:
golden hour light, dramatic side lighting, soft diffused light, neon lights, volumetric fog, backlit silhouette, cinematic lighting, overcast daylight, bioluminescent glow, spotlights, candlelight
4. Camera and composition terms
- Angles: eye-level, low angle, top-down, dutch angle, bird's-eye view, worm's-eye view
- Framing: close-up, medium shot, full body, wide shot, extreme close-up, portrait, landscape orientation
- Technical: f/1.8, ISO 100, 4K, 8K, HDR, ray tracing, film grain, sharp focus, bokeh background
5. Negative prompts and what to avoid
Tell the model what you don’t want by adding negative descriptions:
blurry, low quality, distorted face, extra fingers, deformed hands, oversaturated, watermark, text, cropped, bad anatomy, out of frame
Tip: You can include these negatives directly inside your main prompt by saying “without X” or “no X” and the model will usually understand.
6. Prompt examples by use case
Product photography
Minimalist product photo of a matte black wireless headphone on a clean white marble surface, soft studio lighting, subtle shadow, luxury aesthetic, 8K, photorealistic, commercial photography
Character / portrait
Portrait of a young woman with freckles, wearing a knit sweater, sitting in a cozy café by a rainy window, warm ambient light, bokeh background, 85mm lens, photorealistic, cinematic color grading
Landscape / nature
Dramatic mountain landscape at sunrise, snow-capped peaks reflecting in a still alpine lake, pink and orange clouds, mist rolling through pine forest, wide-angle, 8K, highly detailed, nature photography
Anime / illustration
Anime girl with long silver hair and glowing blue eyes, wearing a futuristic cyberpunk jacket, standing under neon signs in a rainy Tokyo alley, vaporwave colors, detailed anime illustration, sharp lineart
Abstract / concept art
Abstract flowing shapes made of liquid chrome and iridescent glass, deep teal and magenta gradient background, soft studio lighting, 3D render, octane render, minimalist composition
7. Prompt length and structure tips
- Start with the most important subject. The beginning of a prompt usually has the strongest influence.
- Keep prompts between 20 and 120 words for the best balance of detail and coherence.
- Use commas to separate concepts so the model can parse them independently.
- Repeat the most important style or subject word once near the start and once near the end for emphasis.
- Experiment with the same prompt in different aspect ratios (square, portrait, landscape).
8. Try it now
Copy any prompt above, paste it into the Studio, choose your model and size, and generate.
Open Studio →