How to Write the Perfect Prompt for Image Generation: Steps and Creative Examples

Crafting the right prompt for image generation is the key to unlocking powerful, vivid, and accurate visuals with generative AI. When creating digital artwork, mockups, or just experimenting, the words you choose shape the outcome. A well-written prompt turns vague ideas into focused visual results and saves time by reducing trial and error.

This article breaks down the steps to creating the best prompt for an AI image generator and provides AI image prompt examples to get you started. Whether you’re using Depositphotos AI Image Generator, Midjourney, DALL·E, or other image generation tools, you’ll learn how to guide the AI with clarity, creativity, and precision.

Key aspects of the best prompt for AI image generator

Before you even type a word, know this—AI responds best to clear, descriptive language. The more context you give, the closer the output matches your vision.

Here’s what the best prompts for AI art typically include:

1. Subject. Who or what is the image about?
2. Style. Is it photorealistic, surreal, vintage, 3D, cartoon?
3. Details. Lighting, color palette, background, mood, composition.
4. Medium or technique. Oil painting, pencil sketch, digital art, etc.
5. Optional tags. Camera angle, resolution, aspect ratio (especially in tools like Midjourney or DALL·E).

Example: “A cozy reading nook in a modern Paris apartment, soft lighting, muted colors, digital painting style, 4K, wide angle.” This photo prompt ensures the AI doesn’t have to guess what you mean.

How to craft an AI image prompt

With around 34 million new AI-generated images being created every single day, standing out starts with writing a clear, effective prompt. Writing a strong AI image prompt is about guiding the AI with enough detail to reduce randomness while leaving room for creativity. Here’s how to write prompts that consistently deliver high-quality results:

1. Start with the main subject

Begin by clearly identifying what the image should focus on. This can be a person, object, scene, or action. Avoid abstract concepts; opt for tangible subjects that paint unique mental pictures.

Use nouns and include modifiers for specificity.

• Weak: A city;
• Strong: A futuristic city skyline with flying cars and glass towers at night.

This step helps the AI prioritize what to generate in the center or foreground of your image.

2. Add descriptive adjectives and attributes

Enrich your subject with descriptors: shape, mood, color, texture, material, and motion. Think like a storyteller or a visual designer. The goal is to help the AI “see” the image before it generates it. Balance visual and conceptual details to guide AI interpretation. 77% of skilled prompters agree: the key to getting better AI images lies in using precise, descriptive keywords—a small effort that makes a noticeable difference.

Example: A serene white sand beach with turquoise water, palm trees swaying in the breeze, and soft golden sunlight.

The richer your vocabulary here, the more tailored your AI image prompt will be.

3. Set the environment or context

Where is your subject located? What’s happening around them? Context adds depth, makes the image feel whole, and elevates its impact, transforming subjects into captivating visual stories.

Examples:

• In a misty forest at sunrise;
• Inside a cozy bookshop with vintage shelves and hanging lights;
• On the surface of Mars, with red rocks and a dusty sky.

This part of your prompt for image generation anchors the scene.

4. Specify the art style or medium

Different AI tools support various styles, so mention the visual style or medium you want. It’s the difference between a flat image and one that matches your brand, vision, or aesthetic.

• Style types: realistic, cinematic, impressionist, vaporwave, steampunk, digital painting, anime, 3D render, etc.;
• Medium types: oil painting, ink sketch, watercolor, film photography, pixel art, etc.

Example: A digital painting of a girl standing in the rain, soft brush strokes, impressionist style, muted colors.

5. Add camera or composition details

For tools that simulate photography or CGI (like Midjourney or DALL·E), composition cues boost realism.

• Camera terms: macro, close-up, wide angle, aerial view, low angle, backlit;
• Composition extras: rule of thirds, shallow depth of field, cinematic lighting, bokeh background, etc.

Example: A macro shot of a honeybee on a sunflower, soft focus, natural lighting, shallow depth of field.

This level of detail often distinguishes average prompts from the best prompts for AI art.

6. Mention mood or lighting

Lighting has a huge visual and emotional impact. So does the tone or mood of an image.

• Mood examples: calm, eerie, joyful, mysterious, romantic;
• Lighting examples: golden hour, moody shadows, candlelit, neon lights, soft glow.

Example: A mysterious alleyway at night, lit by flickering neon signs, wet pavement reflecting light, noir style.

This helps match the emotional goal of your image.

7. Test, refine, and remix

No matter how well-written, a single prompt will not always yield perfect results. Modify it by changing keywords, adjusting the order, or narrowing the scope.

Many tools also let you generate a prompt from image references, which can be a great way to learn what works. Use those insights to evolve your own AI art prompt examples.

20 fun and practical examples of an AI image prompt

These AI image prompt examples are designed for variety, helping you play, create, or plan content.

1. “A minimalist workspace by the ocean, white desk, sunlight through sheer curtains, Scandinavian style.”
2. “Gothic cathedral at dusk, dramatic sky, photorealistic, wide angle lens.”
3. “A smiling Shiba Inu in a bow tie, cartoon style, vibrant background, children’s book illustration.”
4. “Renaissance portrait of a woman in modern clothes, oil painting technique, warm color palette.”
5. “Macro shot of dew on a leaf, soft focus, nature photography style.”
6. “Futuristic Tokyo street at night, neon lights, Blade Runner vibe, cyberpunk style.”
7. “An open book with glowing pages, magical light coming out, dark forest background, fantasy theme.”
8. “Interior of a cozy café, raining outside the window, warm lighting, vintage decor.”
9. “Aerial view of Santorini, blue domes, summer daylight, high-res photo style.”
10. “Stylized 3D render of a robot watering plants, Pixar style, cute and bright colors.”
11. “Cybernetic hummingbird sipping nectar from a neon flower in a bioluminescent rainforest at twilight.”
12. “Steampunk Mona Lisa with clockwork eyes and brass skin, oil painting style.”
13. “Underwater library with merfolk librarians and jellyfish chandeliers, watercolor technique.”
14. “Time-traveling Victorian gentleman in a futuristic spaceport, hyper-realistic digital art”
15. “Quantum cat existing in multiple dimensions simultaneously, surrealist sculpture.”
16. “Miniature city growing inside a crystalline geode, macro photography.”
17. “Sentient cloud beings communicating through lightning, impressionist style.”
18. “Ancient tree of life with roots forming a labyrinth, etching technique.”
19. “Ghostly violinist performing in a misty moonlit graveyard, charcoal sketch.”
20. “Robotic chef preparing a molecular gastronomy feast, pop art poster design.”

Final thoughts

A good prompt for image generation is more than a sentence; it’s a creative blueprint. The clearer your words, the better the results. Whether you’re crafting surreal art or quick mockups, strong prompts put visual control in your hands. Discover how to bring your creative visions to life with the powerful tools offered by Dream Engine.