How to Write AI Image Prompts - Complete Beginner's Guide

Introduction to Prompt Writing

A prompt is the text description you give to an AI image generator to tell it what to create. The better your prompt, the closer the result matches your vision. This guide will teach you how to write prompts that get great results.

Basic Prompt Structure

The Essential Formula

Start with this simple structure:

[Subject] + [Description] + [Setting] + [Style] + [Quality]

Example Breakdown

Prompt: "A golden retriever playing in autumn leaves, central park, warm sunlight, professional photography, highly detailed"

• Subject: A golden retriever
• Description: playing in autumn leaves
• Setting: central park
• Style: professional photography
• Quality: highly detailed

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Define Your Subject

Be specific about what you want:

• Vague: "a dog"
• Better: "a golden retriever puppy"
• Best: "a fluffy golden retriever puppy with big brown eyes"

Step 2: Add Actions or Poses

Describe what the subject is doing:

• "sitting peacefully"
• "running through"
• "looking at the camera"
• "holding a flower"

Step 3: Describe the Setting

Where does the scene take place:

• "in a cozy living room"
• "on a tropical beach at sunset"
• "in a futuristic city"
• "against a plain white background"

Step 4: Specify the Style

How should it look:

• Photography: portrait photography, product shot, macro
• Art styles: oil painting, watercolor, digital art
• Specific artists: in the style of Monet, Pixar style
• Aesthetics: minimalist, vintage, cyberpunk

Step 5: Add Quality Modifiers

Boost the output quality:

• "highly detailed"
• "professional quality"
• "8K resolution"
• "award-winning"
• "masterpiece"

Effective Keywords by Category

Lighting Keywords

• Natural: golden hour, soft daylight, overcast
• Studio: studio lighting, ring light, softbox
• Dramatic: rim lighting, chiaroscuro, backlit
• Mood: moody, warm, cool tones

Camera/Photography Terms

• Angles: from below, birds eye view, eye level
• Lenses: 85mm portrait, wide angle, macro lens
• Depth: shallow depth of field, bokeh, sharp focus
• Film: shot on film, 35mm, analog

Art Style Keywords

• Traditional: oil painting, watercolor, charcoal
• Digital: digital art, concept art, illustration
• Specific: anime, pixar, ghibli, comic book
• Movements: art nouveau, impressionist, surrealist

Quality Keywords

• highly detailed, intricate details
• professional, award-winning
• 8K, high resolution, sharp
• masterpiece, beautiful

Example Prompts by Use Case

Portrait Photography

Professional headshot of a confident businesswoman, 
navy blazer, neutral gray background, soft studio lighting, 
85mm lens, shallow depth of field, corporate photography

Product Shot

Elegant glass perfume bottle on white marble surface, 
soft shadows, minimalist composition, luxury cosmetics 
photography, professional product shot, highly detailed

Fantasy Art

Majestic dragon perched on a mountain peak at dawn, 
scales shimmering with iridescent colors, vast fantasy 
landscape below, epic digital art, concept art style, 
highly detailed

Anime Character

Anime girl with long pink hair and blue eyes, wearing 
a school uniform, cherry blossoms falling, soft spring 
lighting, beautiful anime art, key visual quality

Landscape

Serene mountain lake at golden hour, snow-capped peaks 
reflected in crystal clear water, pine forests on shores, 
dramatic clouds, landscape photography, national geographic 
style

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Being Too Vague

❌ "A nice picture"

✅ "A serene Japanese garden with a red bridge over a koi pond, morning mist, soft lighting, photography"

Contradicting Yourself

❌ "A dark scene with bright sunlight"

✅ Choose one lighting mood and be consistent

Too Many Subjects

❌ "A cat and dog and bird and fish playing together in a forest near a castle with dragons"

✅ Focus on one or two main subjects

Forgetting Style

❌ "A woman holding flowers"

✅ "A woman holding flowers, portrait photography, soft natural lighting"

Advanced Techniques

Weighted Emphasis

Some platforms support emphasis (check your platform):

• (important element:1.5) - More emphasis
• [less important] - Less emphasis

Prompt Order

Generally, put most important elements first. AI often gives more weight to earlier words.

Negative Prompts

Tell the AI what NOT to include:

• "blurry, low quality, deformed"
• Helps avoid common problems

Reference Specific Styles

Be specific about artistic references:

• "in the style of Studio Ghibli"
• "trending on ArtStation"
• "Unreal Engine rendering"

Iterative Improvement

Start Simple, Then Refine

1. First attempt: Basic description
2. Review result: What's missing or wrong?
3. Add details: Include what was missing
4. Refine style: Adjust artistic direction
5. Polish: Fine-tune quality modifiers

Keep What Works

• Save successful prompts
• Build a personal prompt library
• Note which keywords work best
• Develop your own style

Prompt Templates

General Template

[Subject with details], [action/pose], [location/background], 
[lighting description], [artistic style], [quality modifiers]

Portrait Template

[Person description], [clothing], [expression], [background], 
[lighting type], portrait photography, [lens info], [quality]

Product Template

[Product] on [surface], [background], [lighting setup], 
product photography, commercial quality, [specific details]

Quick Tips Summary

1. Be specific - Details matter
2. Describe style - Always include artistic direction
3. Add quality words - They make a difference
4. Think about lighting - It sets the mood
5. Keep it focused - One main subject
6. Iterate - Refine based on results
7. Save successes - Build your prompt library

Writing good prompts is a skill that improves with practice. Experiment, observe what works, and develop your own prompting style!