How to Write AI Art Prompts in 5 Steps (Examples Included)

AI art generators are proving their power in translating human descriptions into stunning visuals. So, how can you make the AI understand the kind of masterpiece in your mind? We’ve got you covered! This article offers a practical guide on how to write AI art prompts from scratch. Besides, we’ll show you proven tips and some art prompt samples that enhance your creative process. Let’s begin!

(All image below from Midjourney Discord Community)

How do AI art generators work?

AI art generators can produce art based on your instructions. More specifically, you provide the AI with a prompt, which is a description of your desired image, and the AI then uses its machine learning and complex algorithms to create art that matches your vision.

Example Of a Prompt Used On The Midjournal AI Art Tool

So, where do these generators inspire from? We might all know that AI is not born with creativity like humans. Instead, these tools are trained on huge data (a massive amount of existing art). Remember, the more detailed and practical your prompt is, the better AI can generate art to meet your needs. For instance, instead of saying “a tranquil landscape,” try something like “green grass landscape with a small stream and birds flying.”

How To Write an Effective AI Art Prompts

Now that you understand how important a prompt is in generating AI art, it’s time to craft an effective one using the five simple tactics below.

Describe Things in Details

As mentioned, a detailed prompt helps generate a stunning visual that captures your intent. So, how to nail this step? Here are crucial aspects to include:

• Image style: Do you want a photograph, sketch, illustration, or 3D rendering?
• Subject: You need to mention the main element of the image. For instance, it could be about the objects, people, animals, landscapes, etc
• Relevant details: What is the size, shape, color, or texture of the object that you expect? Don’t just say “bird”; describe a “majestic bald eagle with piercing golden eyes and a powerful wingspan”:

Let’s do a quick test! We asked Midjourney – a leading AI art generator, to create new art for us. Applying those tactics above, we’ve come up with this prompt: “A cartoon-styled illustration of plump Serpent Gorynych with kind eyes in a Santa hat and a bag of gifts in his hands.”

Here’s the result:

Illustrations of Serpent Gorynych In Christmas Style

Include References To Other Artworks

Here’s a tip to elevate your prompts and ensure the outcome achieves the specific artistic effects you desire. So, if you feel inspired by a particular style, movement, or artist, name it! For instance, you could say “a portrait in the style of Van Gogh” or “a landscape in the style of Art Deco.”

Below is what Midjourney presented to us when we input the prompt “A surreal image in the style of Salvador Dhali, picturing of a person taking a break and sitting in a park or by a body of water.”

Surreal Images Generated By Midjourney

Suggest A Mood Or Emotion

Yes, AI art generators can understand your request on mood or emotion for the art. So, identify the feeling you want your artwork to convey and use descriptive language to train the AI tools.

For instance, when you say, “Calm seascape with gentle waves lapping on a sandy beach,” the output will transfer tranquility and peace. Or, “A vibrant carnival scene filled with colorful rides, laughing people” will convey joy and excitement.

Define The Composition

Now, think about the overall layout of your artwork. You should identify whether your subject is centered or surrounded by a vast landscape, what the backdrop is, etc. Let’s say “a close-up portrait of a woman with blonde hair, taking up most of the foreground, with a blurred cityscape in the background.”

Here’s a list of keywords that will help you provide composition details for the AI artwork:

• Resolution and ratio: specify your desired image size (e.g., high resolution: 3840×2160, widescreen: 16:9, or square: 1:1)
• Lighting style: it could be “realistic lighting,” “soft lighting,” “high contrast lighting”, etc
• Camera Angle: define the perspective with keywords like “bird’s-eye view,” “close-up,” “aerial viewpoint,” etc

For instance, we gave Midjourney this detailed prompt: “A close-up photograph of two glasses of cava clinking on a restaurant terrace with the town’s fireworks blurred in the night background, all in a 16:9 aspect ratio.”

Here’s what we’ve got:

Images Of Clinking Glasses Created By Midjourney

Use Open-ended Phrasing

This involves giving the AI generators room to showcase their creativity. Use this tactic when you want to see unexpected and surprising results for your artwork.

Here are some ways to add open-ended phrasing to your prompt:

• Intriguing descriptions: when you say “a cat with fur that shimmers like moonlight”, you create a sense of mystery, and the AI will generate it in its own way
• Abstract concepts: use words like “dreamlike,” “surreal,” or “imaginary” to add extra unique touches
• Mood-evoking words: Ai can understand the “melancholy” or “hopeful” mood and translate it into visuals

Our Tips To Write Better AI Art Prompts

We’ve just walked you through a simple guide on how to write a good AI art prompt. Here are additional tips to consider:

• Use a short and concise prompt: While detailing is essential to help AI understand your thoughts, overly complicated prompts are not recommended. So, make it short and sweet while including all the necessary keywords 

• Make use of adjectives: Descriptive words are the perfect way to express the subject, composition, and style in detail

• Avoid conflict keywords: Contradictory terms can confuse the AI. So, avoid writing prompts like “realistic, abstract portrait”

• Leverage AI writing tools: If you find it challenging to create a concise prompt, why not use AI copywriting tools like ChatGPT or Gemini? They will not only help you create new prompt ideas but also refine your descriptions for better results

• Use the appropriate language for the tools to understand: AI art generators have different keyword recognition capabilities. So, if you want them to comprehend your instructions, it’s essential to research and understand their functionality first. Stay tuned for an introduction to some popular tools in the last section.

Related Article: Can you sell AI-generated art?

50 AI Art Prompt Examples You Can Try

Need more inspiration for your art prompt? Here’s a curated list of effective samples you can test immediately.

An AI Art Generated By Dall-E

1. A 3D rendering of a dogwood tree with vibrant red leaves in a surrealist style.
2. An illustration of a desert landscape in the pointillism style with a panoramic aspect ratio.
3. A photograph of a cyberpunk robot in a neon-lit city from a worm’s-eye view.
4. A sketch of a fox in neon colors and abstract composition.
5. A 3D rendering of a futuristic car in the style of surrealism with high detail.
6. An elderly man fishing by a river in the winter in the style of Baroque art with a narrow aspect ratio.
7. A 3D rendering of a floating island with pastel colors and a fantastical look.
8. A picture of a dragonfly surfing on a wave in synth-wave style with a wide-angle view.
9. A photograph of a band performing on a rooftop in the style of Andy Warhol with a square aspect ratio.
10. A group of cats at a masquerade ball in a Victorian style.
11. A sketch of an enchanted forest in the style of Romanticism with a bird’s-eye viewpoint.
12. An illustration of a spaceship navigating an asteroid field in the style of Jackson Pollock with dynamic motion.
13. A sketch of two dogs playing chess on a park bench with whimsical details.
14. Two aliens exploring a planet in cubism style with bright colors and low resolution.
15. A picture of a person meditating in a Zen garden in the style of Eastern Romanticism from a bird’s-eye view.
16. A 3D rendering of a high-tech workspace with a minimalist look and depth of field.
17. A cubist painting of a bustling marketplace with vibrant colors and intricate textures.
18. An illustration of a man reading a book in a cozy room in sepia tones.
19. An Impressionist oil painting of a snowy village with a vertical aspect ratio.
20. A photograph of a seaside town at dusk in the style of Alfred Hitchcock taken from a high vantage point.
21. An illustration of a family vacation in the mountains in the style of Norman Rockwell.
22. An abstract painting of a tree growing through a cityscape with vivid colors and low resolution.
23. A beachfront tiki bar at twilight with turquoise and coral tones in a pop art style.
24. A 3D rendering of a moonlit garden with glowing flowers from an overhead view.
25. A 3D rendering of a robot dog in a sleek, futuristic style with high definition.
26. Graffiti-style painting of a futuristic cityscape with an industrial look and detailed textures.
27. A sketch of a steamship in sepia tones with realistic textures and low resolution.
28. A chalk drawing of a child flying a kite in a surrealist dreamscape.
29. A watercolor painting of a bustling café with fantasy elements in bright colors.
30. An oil painting of a stormy sea with a ship in distress in a classic maritime style.
31. A 3D rendering of a futuristic aircraft taking off with a cyberpunk aesthetic and wide aspect ratio.
32. A space station shown in metallic tones, hyper-realistic, with dramatic lighting.
33. A creative illustration of a mermaid playing the harp in a Disney cartoon style.
34. A street scene outside a 1950s soda shop in monochromatic tones with a nostalgic feel.
35. A retro-style alien playing a vintage arcade game in glowing neon with medium resolution.
36. A 3D rendering of a futuristic skyline at dawn with a neon aesthetic.
37. A low-detail oil painting of a foggy harbor at dawn with soft tones and backlit illumination.
38. An image of an abandoned haunted house with eerie lighting in a Gothic style.
39. An animated GIF of a cat DJing at a club with a pixel art look.
40. A Baroque painting of a marketplace with abstract touches and high resolution.
41. A photograph of a young woman walking in a snowstorm making direct eye contact with the camera in a close-up view.
42. A watercolor painting of a flock of seagulls over a calm sea at sunrise with ethereal textures.
43. A fantasy painting of a dragon circling a castle on a mountaintop with an epic tone.
44. A candid photograph of a dancer in mid-leap at the edge of a cliff in an art deco style.
45. A 3D rendering of a hyper-modern train station with Art Deco elements and dynamic lighting.
46. An illustration of a river flowing through a futuristic city in the style of Art Nouveau with bold outlines.
47. A photograph of a couple watching the sunset on a bench in sepia tones.
48. A minimalist painting of a mountain range in pastel colors and high resolution.
49. A sketch of two children talking in a playground with a fantastical look and narrow aspect ratio.
50. A surrealist collage of a dystopian world in neon colors and 4K resolution.

5 AI Art Generators To Try Out AI Art Prompting

Before concluding this topic on how to write prompts for AI art, let’s review the top five well-known tools in the field.

Midjourney – Best Image Generator

How To Write AI Art Prompts By Midjourney On Discord

Midjourney is one of the most well-known AI art tools on the market. It’s a top choice for many users seeking to create diverse types of art, ranging from photorealistic to hyperrealistic images.

You can simply type your desired image description, and Midjourney will bring it to life. You can also provide additional guidance through keywords and reference images so the tool can better guess your point.

One unique feature of Midjourney is that it operates within a Discord chatroom, where you can see and get inspired by others’ prompts and creations.

Bing Image Creator (Microsoft Designer) – Free Image Generators

The Interface Of Bing Image Creator

Developed by Microsoft, Bing Image Creator is a favorite among those who seek touches of vibrancy and intricate details in their desired artwork. This tool suggests an optimal prompt structure that might aim for better output. That is “Adjective + Noun + Verb + Style.” For instance, “Close-up of a steaming cup of coffee with latte art in a cozy Parisian cafe, vintage style.”

The best part about Bing Image Creator is that you can use it for free. Head to its site, type your prompt, and hit “Create” to see the results.

Dall-E

Some Art Samples Created By Dall-E 2

Dall-E is a reputable AI art model developed by OpenAI. It also follows your prompts closely to deliver high-quality results that excel in creativity.

While tools like Midjourney focus on photorealistic, DALL-E is better at generating surreal landscapes and abstract ideas. So, if you prefer art styles like digital art, cyberpunk, or steampunk, DALL-E is a go-to solution.

HypoArt

Using HypoArt To Generate Two Pieces of AI Art

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use AI art generator, HypoArt is a nice option. This text-to-image feature by Hypotenuse AI can generate one-of-a-kind images based on your description.

Not familiar with crafting prompts? Worry not! HypoArt offers an optional step-by-step guide that walks you through selecting the perfect image type, aesthetic, mood, style, and aspect ratio for your visuals. Moreover, it can create multiple versions of your concept, giving you diverse selections on a theme.

Night Cafe

Using NightCafe To Generate A Watercolor Painting Of A Bustling Cafe

The last name on our list features an AI tool with a simple interface and a curated selection of artistic styles (e.g., cinematic, fantasy, surreal). Besides the text-to-image functionality, NightCafe can also generate art based on existing images, sketches, and poses. Another advantage of this platform is that it lets you join the NightCafe community, where you can share your artwork, get feedback, and get inspired by others.

Conclusion

As you nailed how to write AI art prompts that work, you’ve made a big step toward creating stunning masterpieces that meet your needs. So, choose your favorite AI art generator and let this article guide your artistic journey.

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