The Art of Visual Prompting

Image prompts are fundamentally different from text prompts. You're not describing what something is—you're describing how it should look. This lesson teaches you to think visually and translate that into effective prompts.

The Image Prompt Formula:

Effective image prompts typically include:

[Subject] + [Action/Pose] + [Environment/Setting] + [Lighting] + [Style] + [Mood/Atmosphere] + [Technical specs]

Not every prompt needs all elements, but this structure helps ensure comprehensive descriptions.

Example breakdown:

Weak prompt: 'a cat'

Strong prompt: 'a fluffy orange tabby cat [subject] sitting on a windowsill [action/setting], golden hour sunlight streaming through lace curtains [lighting], watercolor painting style [style], peaceful and cozy atmosphere [mood], soft focus, warm color palette [technical]'

Element 1: Subject Description

Be Specific About the Subject:

Vague: 'a person'
Better: 'a woman in her 30s'
Best: 'a woman in her 30s with curly auburn hair, wearing a blue business suit, confident expression'

Describe physical traits, clothing, expressions, or distinguishing features. Specificity helps the AI understand who or what should appear in the image.

Element 2: Action or Pose

Adding action brings life and story to your prompt.

Examples:

• 'standing in front of a chalkboard'
• 'holding a glowing orb'
• 'running through a rainy street'
• 'looking directly at camera, slight smile'

These subtle actions create more dynamic, engaging results than static descriptions.

Element 3: Environment or Setting

Context adds depth. Think about where the subject is and what surrounds them.

Examples:

• 'in a cozy cafe with vintage decor'
• 'floating in deep space near a glowing nebula'
• 'standing on a mountaintop at sunrise'
• 'inside a futuristic laboratory'

The setting influences lighting, tone, and overall feel of the image.

Element 4: Lighting

Lighting dramatically impacts mood and realism. Try descriptive terms like:

• 'soft diffused morning light'
• 'dramatic cinematic lighting'
• 'backlit with glowing rim light'
• 'neon reflections on wet pavement'
• 'golden hour sunlight'

AI models respond especially well to lighting cues — often more than to camera details.

Element 5: Style

Style determines the artistic direction. It can range from realism to specific aesthetics or techniques:

• 'digital painting'
• 'watercolor illustration'
• '3D render in Unreal Engine'
• 'cinematic photo, 50mm lens'
• 'art nouveau poster'
• 'cyberpunk concept art'

Combine multiple styles if relevant: 'photo-realistic portrait in cinematic lighting, inspired by Baroque paintings.'

Element 6: Mood and Atmosphere

Mood communicates emotional tone. Even the same subject can feel completely different depending on atmosphere.

Examples:

• 'melancholic and rainy'
• 'hopeful sunrise after storm'
• 'tense and mysterious shadows'
• 'joyful, bright summer energy'

Adding emotional adjectives helps align color, lighting, and expression automatically.

Element 7: Technical and Camera Details

For photorealistic outputs, add technical cues:

• 'shot on 85mm lens, f/1.8 aperture'
• 'depth of field, bokeh background'
• 'ISO 400, cinematic film grain'
• 'high dynamic range, realistic reflections'

These help models mimic photography realism.

Advanced Composition Techniques

Composition describes how elements are arranged. You can direct AI compositionally:

• Framing: 'close-up portrait', 'wide landscape', 'top-down view'
• Focus: 'subject in foreground, background blurred'
• Balance: 'symmetrical composition, centered subject'
• Perspective: 'low-angle hero shot', 'bird’s-eye view'

Experiment with perspective to influence storytelling and emphasis.

Negative Prompting

Negative prompts tell the AI what to avoid. Especially useful to remove distortions or unwanted artifacts.

Examples:

• '--no text, --no watermark'
• '--no extra limbs, --no blurry faces'
• '--no distortion, --no background clutter'
• '--no cartoon style'

Negative prompting refines results without having to rephrase the entire positive description.

Iterative Prompting Workflow

1. Start broad: Generate initial ideas with a general prompt.
2. Refine selectively: Adjust one variable (style, lighting, mood) at a time.
3. Use image-to-image: Upload your output, then re-prompt to improve details or composition.
4. Upscale or edit: Finalize with tools like Photoshop or Leonardo Canvas for finishing touches.

AI prompting is iterative—each round improves precision.

Common Prompting Mistakes

• Too vague (“a nice scene”) → AI guesses too broadly.
• Overstuffed (“a cat, dog, mountain, river, rainbow, spaceship...”) → AI loses focus.
• Missing context (“portrait” without lighting or mood).
• Contradictory styles (“cartoon realistic oil painting”).
• Ignoring seed consistency → leads to unpredictable changes.

Practical Exercise

Try these prompt evolution steps:

1. Start: “a man in a park”
2. Add detail: “an elderly man feeding pigeons in a quiet city park”
3. Enhance: “an elderly man feeding pigeons in a quiet city park at dawn, soft golden light, cinematic atmosphere”
4. Style: “digital painting in Studio Ghibli style, warm pastel tones, soft lighting”

Each version teaches how every detail affects outcome.

Ethical and Creative Guidelines

• Respect originality: Avoid replicating living artists’ names without permission.
• Transparency: If an image is AI-generated, label it as such.
• Diversity and inclusion: Use prompts that avoid stereotypes and promote representation.
• Commercial use: Verify platform license terms before selling or publishing AI visuals.
• Human creativity first: AI should extend—not replace—your artistic vision.

Integrating AI Images into Your Work

Combine AI visuals with human creativity:

• Education: Create visual examples or storyboards for lessons.
• Marketing: Generate quick concepts for campaigns.
• Design: Prototype visuals before full-scale production.
• Content creation: Use as illustrative support, not the sole product.

Human direction gives context, story, and intent—AI provides visual acceleration.

Summary

Visual prompting is an evolving skill combining imagination, precision, and experimentation. The best results come from thinking like an art director—defining story, emotion, and composition clearly. The more intentionally you prompt, the more AI becomes an expressive creative collaborator rather than a random generator.