AI Drawing Prompt Guidelines
Tips for creating quality AI drawing prompts.
- When You Have a Clear Vision:
- Avoid Abstract and Vague Terms
- Use specific descriptions to help AI accurately understand your needs.
- E.g. Instead of just saying “eating ramen,” break it down into detailed actions; replace “the freedom of the wind” with concrete visual compositions.
- The Order of Keywords Affects Their Weight:
- Generally, keywords placed earlier carry more weight and better represent the main content of the image.
- Optimal Prompt Length
- Prompts that are too short or excessively long can affect AI comprehension. It’s generally recommended to keep prompts within 10 to 30 words.
- Avoid Abstract and Vague Terms
- When You Lack Inspiration:
- Experiment with Open-ended Descriptions
- Try incorporating open-ended phrases to stimulate the AI’s creativity, which could lead to unexpectedly impressive results.
- E.g. “A surprising view of the sky” or “a stunningly beautiful girl.”
- Experiment with Open-ended Descriptions
- Each time you input a prompt, the generated results are randomized, and using the exact same prompt won't necessarily produce the same image again!
- Great works or promising creations are rare and unique—save them while you can!
Structure of Quality AI Drawing Prompts
Composition Prompt
| Item | Description | Example / Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Character and Subject | Describe the core character, theme, or object in the image, providing specific details about their posture, emotions, or attributes. | E.g. Clothing and outfit, Hairstyle and hair color, Facial features, Expression, Body language, Physique... |
| Scene Features | Set the details of the overall background and environment. | E.g. Indoor, Outdoor, Primitive forest, Underwater, Space, Concert, Futuristic city, White background, No background... |
| Light and Shadow | Direction and type of light sources. | rim light, backlight, soft light, spotlight, natural light, volumetric light, God Rays, sunset light, golden hour light, noon light, morning light, neon light, moonlight, bloom effect... |
| Camera Perspective | The angle of photography. | close-up, selfie angle, wide-angle lens, full-body shot, upper-body shot, landscape view, distant view, long shot, fisheye lens, macro shot, eye-level angle, bird's-eye view, low-angle shot, side profile, over-the-shoulder shot, medium shot, point of view, tilted angle... |
Visual Prompt
| Item | Description | Example / Keywords | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image quality | Image resolution. | resolution 4K, resolution 8K, bestquality, masterpiece, intricate detailed... | |
| Style | Artistic style of the image. | Realistic photography | realistic, photoreal, photography, photorealistic... |
| Painting style | oilpainting, watercolor, alcohol painting, inkwash, lineart, comic, manga, anime, sketch, art nouveau, flat-vector... | ||
| Theme style | sci-fi, cyberpunk, surrealism, baroque, impressionism, pop art, sculpture, gothic, embroidery, c4d... | ||
| Contrast | The difference between the light and dark areas in an image, affecting the depth, sense of layers, and visual impact of the image. | Low contrast | The difference between light and dark is minimal, creating a soft, smooth transition and a warm, dreamlike atmosphere, suitable for scenes such as dawn, cloudy days, or gentle emotional moments. |
| Medium contrast | Maintaining a moderate difference between light and dark, with clear and natural image details, suitable for most everyday or natural scenes, such as landscape photography and portraits, offering a balanced visual effect. | ||
| High contrast | Brightening the highlights and darkening the shadows, enhancing the contrast between light and dark, creating dramatic and strong visual impact. Ideal for showcasing intense light sources or deep shadows, commonly seen in black-and-white photography, urban night scenes, and similar settings. | ||
| Size | Aspect ratio of the image. | 1:1 (square), 4:3 (classic), 16:9 (widescreen), 9:16 (portrait for mobile), other custom sizes... | |
Prompt Example Analysis
- Composition Prompt:
- Character and Subject: Silhouette of a cowboy riding into the sunset.
- Scene Features: Sunset
- Light and Shadow: Sunset + Silhouette
- Camera Perspective: Not specifically mentioned, but only the subject can be considered as a "close-up."
- Visual Prompt:
- Image quality: C4D
- Style: C4D
- Contrast: C4D
- Size: 1:1（1024 x 1024）
- C4D (Cinema 4D) is a versatile 3D modeling, animation, and rendering software known for its intuitive interface and creative flexibility. The C4D design style features vibrant colors, simple geometric shapes, and dynamic light and shadow effects, creating modern and visually striking compositions. It is widely used in motion graphics, product visualization, and architectural rendering.
- Composition Prompt:
- Character and Subject: An 18-year-old beautiful girl with black hair, dressed in typical Gothic attire.
- Scene Features: ...standing in front of a towering Gothic building. + The scene conveys a dark and mysterious atmosphere, showcasing the intricate details of the Gothic architecture with pointed arches and elaborate stonework. + The overall mood is haunting and captivating, emphasizing the girl's elegance against the imposing backdrop.
- Light and Shadow: The scene conveys a dark and mysterious atmosphere.
- Camera Perspective: The scene conveys a dark and mysterious atmosphere, showcasing the intricate details of the Gothic architecture with pointed arches and elaborate stonework.
=> It can be inferred that it is a low-angle (from below) shot.
- Visual Prompt:
- Image quality: Not specifically mentioned.
- Style: Anime + Gothic
- Contrast: Medium
- Size: 9:16（768 x 1368）
- Composition Prompt:
- Character and Subject: a magical creature, miniature dragon baby, cute dragon, eyes wide open.
- Scene Features: On a stone plate full of moss, + surrounded by many hard stones and stars, + fantasy world,
- Light and Shadow: soft light, amazing lighting,
- Camera Perspective: sharp focus, depth of field,
- Visual Prompt:
- Image quality: 32K Super high resolution, high quality,
- Style: 3D rendering, realistic photos
- Contrast: Medium
- Size: 1:1（1120 x 1120）
- Negative Prompt: nsfw, two heads, two faces
- "nsfw"（Not Safe For Work）: A Negative Prompt used to exclude explicit, adult, or inappropriate content from the generated image.
Let ChatGPT Help You Write AI Drawing Prompts
ChatGPT Prompt Example
I would like you to help me write an AI drawing prompt using the following structure to generate an image: Composition Prompts (including: characters and subjects, scenes, lighting, camera angles) and Visual Prompts (including: quality, style, color saturation). Please guide me step by step to provide detailed inputs and then combine them into a complete prompt. The final prompt should be translated into English, composed of concise and specific keywords separated by commas, and should not exceed 30 words.
*This is for reference only and can be modified as needed.*
Flexible Usage Guide
- Adjust Focus Based on Needs:
- Structuring AI drawing prompts is designed to help users understand the various elements that make up an image. It serves as a reference and can be adjusted based on specific needs.
- Certain AI tools may be more sensitive to specific elements (such as style or camera angles), so you can refine these areas accordingly.
- Gradual Fine-Tuning and Optimization:
- Start by testing the AI's results with brief descriptions, allowing the tool to work freely and observing its characteristics.
- Based on the generated outcomes, gradually adjust specific aspects (such as perspective, lighting, or style) to bring it closer to the ideal effect.
- Explore Tool Characteristics:
- Each AI tool interprets prompts differently, so it's important to test various tool features, such as supported styles and preferred resolutions.
- After exploring, record effective keywords and gain an understanding of each tool's strengths and characteristics in terms of image style and effects.
