How To Write AI Art Prompts That Deliver (2024)

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AI has made it easier to complete a wide range of tasks—whether you’re writing a standout cover letter, concocting lines of software code, or brainstorming ideas for a novel. Now, you can even use this technology in art, thanks to the advent of AI art generators. With the help of AI art tools, you can enter a text prompt like “Impressionist oil painting of a mountain range,” and in seconds, an AI art generator will render a piece of digital art that matches your description.

On the surface, generating AI art requires almost no skill: You can just type what you want to see, sit back, and let the software generate AI art. For the best results, however, it’s wise to be a little strategic. That means learning how to write AI art prompts that most accurately capture your intention.

How do AI art generators work?

AI art generators are AI tools that use algorithms to create images that resemble drawings, paintings, photographs, or other forms of visual art. They are trained on vast databases of images, allowing them to associate prompt words like “Impressionist” with an artistic style that they can replicate. These systems can generate new images, or they can edit and transform existing pieces based on prompts. In most cases, these generative AI tools run on machine learning. Popular AI image generators include Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, and Gemini.

How to structure AI art prompts

The best prompts for AI art tend to include several layers of description: The more you write, the more likely the AI tool will generate art you like. Here are elements to include in your AI prompt:

Subject or scene

Start by defining your main subject or scene, and try to add all the details you’re picturing in your head. For example, you could enter:

• “a person walking through a futuristic cityscape wearing a gray suit”
• “a turbulent ocean scene on a rainy day”
• “a portrait of an elderly woman sitting at a kitchen table smiling”

Artistic style or influence

Specify the art form, art style, or art movement you’d like the AI to emulate. Examples include:

• “an abstract painting in the style of Jackson Pollock”
• “a pencil sketch in the style of Monet”
• “a watercolor painting in a Romantic style”

Precise details

Describe specific characteristics, like textures, layers, and lighting. For instance:

• “man’s face partially obscured by leaves on a tree branch”
• “a farmhouse lit by golden hour lighting”
• “wispy clouds in a light blue sky, painted with thick brushstrokes”

Mood or emotion

Help the AI model by indicating the mood or emotional tone you want the artwork to express. Possible prompts include:

• “eerie and haunting”
• “somber”
• “cheerful and bright”

Composition

You can dictate compositional elements like the image’s aspect ratio, angle, and point of view. For instance:

• “bird’s-eye view”
• “12-by-16 aspect ratio”
• “dissolve to gray in lower third”

Color palette

You can also prompt AI to render your image in specific colors. For example, you might enter:

• “yellow, orange, and brown palette”
• “black and white cinematic lighting”
• “beige tones”

Tips for writing AI image prompts

Given all that AI image generators can do, you might find these tools a bit overwhelming when you first start using them. Crafting specific prompts can simplify the image generation process and help you get what you’re looking for quickly—and prevent you from having to modify and re-modify your directions. Here are a few tips for writing effective AI art prompts:

Give clear and detailed instructions

Write AI art prompts that clearly define the subject, setting, and style of the artwork you want. Avoid vague descriptions; instead, give concrete details about everything from clothing to color schemes to lighting. This will ensure you receive an image that’s similar to the one you’re envisioning.

Specify artistic styles

Mention specific artistic styles or techniques to shape the overall look and feel of the artwork. You can reference specific art movements like “Abstract Expressionism” or provide general aesthetic guidelines such as “Minimalist style.” You can also craft prompts that name a specific artist.

Use action verbs

Words that convey action can add flair to your digital painting or illustration. AI image generators can apply words like “speeding,” “reflecting,” or “glowing” to the entirety of an image, ultimately producing results that are dynamic, engaging, and unique.

Try incorporating negative prompts

One way to create effective prompts is to tell your AI tool what you don’t want to see. For instance, your text prompt could read: “A scene from the bottom of the ocean, but no submarines or other human technology.”

Give the AI tool freedom to create images

While you might have your desired image fully formed in your mind, giving the AI creative freedom can yield unexpected results, some of which might kickstart your creative process and inspire new ideas. If you’re open to taking your image in a new direction, specify essential instructions but hold back on details.

AI art prompt examples

Wondering how to bring your bring prompt together? Here are three examples of great AI art prompts:

“Create an image of a smiling koala in a pop art style”

This prompt names a subject, specifies an artistic style, and provides a key detail (“smiling”). This level of specificity will help the AI tool get your image right the first time. Once you see the machine’s output, you might want to incorporate instructions about details like color palette.

“Create a photorealistic image of an emerald necklace in a display case in a high-end jewelry store”

This prompt specifies style (you want realistic images), subject matter, and scene. Each additional detail takes a step backward, as it were: The most important object is presented first (the necklace), with additional information about the immediate and more distant surroundings provided next.

“Create a colorful visualization of time slipping away”

You can also use AI art generators to turn abstract ideas into visuals. This prompt intentionally avoids concrete nouns and literal verbs, thus giving the generator creative license to interpret the text. If you don’t like the results, you can always refine the prompt with additional specificity.

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