This topic describes how to write prompts for text-to-image generation, including prompt formulas and prompt examples. You can use them to quickly get started with image creation.
Scenario:
Prompt parameters
The text-to-image model has two parameters related to prompts:
prompt: Positive prompt, supports both Chinese and English. It describes the image you want to generate with text. The guidelines described in this topic are all about this parameter.
negative_prompt: Negative prompt, describes content you do not want to see in the image.
Text-to-image V2 also supports prompt rewriting using an LLM.
prompt_extend: Specifies whether to enable intelligent prompt rewriting. The default is true, which enables intelligent rewriting by an LLM. We recommend using the default value.
Text-to-image V2
{
"input": {
"prompt": "A flower shop with exquisite windows, beautiful wooden doors, and flowers on display",
"negative_prompt": "people"
},
"parameters": {
"prompt_extend": true
}
}You may already know that writing effective prompts is not easy. This topic summarizes two categories of prompt techniques, and you can gradually build your prompt-writing skills.
Prompt templates: Two prompt templates are provided to meet different requirements.
Prompt dictionary: Conveys image content through five major elements: shot size, perspective, lens type, style, and lighting.
Prompt formulas
Prompts describe the content in an image. The more complete, precise, and rich the prompt is, the higher the quality of the generated image and the closer it is to your expectation. For beginners, here are two prompt formulas for different requirements:
Basic formula
Target users: New users trying AI creation for the first time, and users using AI as source of inspiration. Simple and free prompts make more imaginative images.
Prompt = Entity + Environment + Style
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Prompt example | Image effect |
25-year-old Chinese girl, round face, looking at the camera, elegant ethnic costume, commercial photography, outdoor, cinematic lighting, half-body close-up, delicate light makeup, sharp edges. |
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Advanced formula
Target users: Users with some experience in AI image generation. Adding richer and more detailed descriptions to the basic formula can effectively improve image quality, richness, and expressiveness.
Prompt = Entity (Entity description) + Environment (Environment description) + Style (Style definition) + Camera language + Atmosphere + Detail modifiers
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Prompt example | Image effect |
A panda made of wool felt, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, dressed in a blue police uniform vest, with a belt around the waist, carrying police equipment, wearing blue gloves, leather shoes, in a running posture, felt effect, surrounded by animal kingdom city street shops, premium filter, street lamps, animal kingdom, childlike wonder, adorable appearance, night, bright, natural, cute, 4K, felt material, photographic lens, centered composition, felt style, Pixar style, backlight. |
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Prompt dictionary
By writing prompts in different dimensions, you determine the content, style, details, and other aspects of the generated image. We have prepared common dimensions and prompt examples for your reference.
1. Shot size
Shot size refers to the size of the subject in the image frame, caused by varying distances between the camera and the subject. It is generally divided into long shot, full shot, medium shot, close-up, extreme close-up. Examples:
Shot type | Prompt example | Image effect |
Extreme close-up | Extreme close-up shot | High-definition camera, emotional photography, sunset, extreme close-up portrait. |
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Close-up | Close-up: 18-year-old Chinese girl, ancient costume, round face, looking at the camera, elegant ethnic costume, commercial photography, outdoor, cinematic lighting, half-body close-up, delicate light makeup, sharp edges. |
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Medium shot | Medium shot | Cinematic fashion glamour photography, young Asian woman, Chinese Miao girl, round face, looking at the camera, elegant dark ethnic costume, medium wide-angle lens, sunny, utopian, shot with a high-definition camera. |
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Long shot | Long shot | Shows a long shot, with two small figures standing on a distant mountaintop against a magnificent snowy mountain background, with their backs to the camera, quietly admiring the sunset. The sunset's glow bathes the snow-capped mountains in a golden light, creating a stark contrast with the azure sky. The two people seem captivated by this spectacular natural scene, and the entire image is filled with tranquility and harmony. |
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2. Perspective
Camera perspective refers to the angle chosen when the camera captures an image. Examples:
Perspective type | Prompt example | Image effect |
Eye level | Eye level perspective | The image shows a grassland scene captured from an eye level perspective, where a flock of sheep leisurely graze on the lush green grass, their wool glowing with a warm golden hue in the weak morning sunlight, creating beautiful light and shadow effects. |
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Bird's eye | Bird's eye perspective | The scene depicts a view looking down at the ice lake from the air, with a small boat in the center, surrounded by vortex patterns and vibrant blue seawater. Spiral abyss, the scene is shot from above in a top-down perspective, showing intricate details such as ripples on the surface and layers beneath the snow-covered ground. Gazing out at the cold vast expanse. Creating an awe-inspiring sense of tranquility. |
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Low angle | Low angle | Shows a spectacular scene in a tropical area, where tall coconut trees stand like towering giants, with lush branches pointing towards the blue sky. The camera uses a low angle perspective, making viewers feel as if they are standing under the trees, experiencing the majesty and vitality of nature. Sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves, creating dappled light and shadow, adding a touch of mystery and romance. The entire image is filled with tropical flavor, making one almost smell the coconut fragrance and feel the pleasant breeze on their face. |
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Aerial | Aerial perspective | Shows heavy snow, village, roads, lights, trees. Aerial perspective, realistic effect. |
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3. Lens type
Lens type refers to different categories of camera lenses based on focal length, function, and application scenarios. Examples:
Lens type | Prompt example | Image effect |
Macro | Macro lens | cherries, carbonated water, macro, professional color grading, clean sharp focus, commercial high quality, magazine winning photography, hyper realistic, uhd, 8K |
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Ultra-wide angle | Ultra-wide angle lens:, island under blue sea and sky, sunlight filtering through tree leaves, casting dappled shadows. |
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Telephoto | Telephoto lens | Shows a cheetah standing in a lush forest under a telephoto lens, facing the camera, with the background cleverly blurred, making the cheetah's face the absolute focus of the image. Sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves, creating dappled light and shadow effects on the cheetah, enhancing the visual impact. |
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Fisheye | Fisheye lens | Shows a scene where a woman stands and looks directly at the camera under the special perspective of a fisheye lens. Her image is exaggeratedly enlarged in the center of the frame, while the surroundings show strong distortion effects, creating a unique visual impact. |
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4. Styles
Style describes the specific artistic style, expression technique, or visual characteristics that the image should have. Examples:
Style type | Prompt example | Image effect |
3D cartoon | Female tennis player, short hair, white tennis outfit, black shorts, returning the ball from the side, 3D cartoon style. |
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Post-apocalyptic | City on Mars, post-apocalyptic style. |
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Pointillism | A cute white little house, thatched roof, a snow-covered prairie, bold use of pointillism, Monet feel, clear brushstrokes, blurred edges, primitive edge texture, low saturation colors, low contrast, Morandi colors. |
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Surrealism | A pink glowing river in a deep gray sea, with a minimalist, beautiful, and aesthetic atmosphere, cinematic lighting with a surrealist style. |
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Watercolor | Light watercolor, outside a cafe, bright white background, fewer details, dreamy, Studio Ghibli. |
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Clay | Clay style, little boy in a blue sweater, brown curly hair, dark blue beret, drawing board, outdoors, seaside, half-body shot. |
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Realistic | Basket, grapes, picnic cloth, hyper realistic still life photography, macro lens, Tyndall effect. |
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Ceramic | Shows a highly detailed ceramic dog lying quietly on a table with a delicate bell tied around its neck. Each strand of the dog's fur is intricately carved, and the details of its eyes, nose, and mouth are lifelike. |
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3D | Chinese dragon, cute Chinese dragon sleeping on white clouds, charming garden, in morning mist, close-up, front view, 3D, C4D rendering, 32k ultra high definition, 32k UHD, Chinese punk, 32k UHD, animal statue, octane rendering, ultra high definition. |
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Ink painting | Orchid, ink painting, white space, artistic conception, Wu Guanzhong style, delicate brushstrokes, texture of rice paper. |
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Origami | Origami masterpiece, kraft paper panda, forest background, medium shot, minimalism, backlight, best quality. |
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Gongbi | At dawn, a plum blossom stands proudly in the snow, with petals as delicate as silk, dewdrops lightly hanging, showcasing the exquisite beauty of Gongbi painting |
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Chinese ink style | Chinese ink style, a man with long black hair, golden hairpin, golden butterflies flying around, white clothing, high detail, high quality, deep blue background, with faintly visible ink bamboo forest in the background. |
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5. Lighting
Lighting can create various atmospheres and effects to meet different creative needs. Examples:
Lighting type | Prompt example | Image effect |
Natural light | Sunlight, moonlight, starlight | The image shows morning sunlight streaming onto the ground of a dense forest, with silver-white rays penetrating the treetops, creating dappled light and shadow, creating a realistic and serene atmosphere. |
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Backlight | Backlight | Shows that in a backlit environment, the model's contour lines become more distinct, with golden light and silk surrounding the model, creating a dreamlike halo effect. The entire scene is full of artistic atmosphere, showcasing high-level photography techniques and creativity. |
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Neon light | Neon light | City street scene after rain, neon lights reflect colorful rays on the wet ground. Pedestrians hurry by with umbrellas, vehicles slowly drive through the bizarre streets, leaving colorful trails. The entire image is filled with the mystery and romance of the urban night, as if each raindrop is telling a story of the city. |
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Ambient light | Ambient light | Romantic artistic scene by the river at night, ambient lights gently illuminate the water surface, a group of lotus lanterns slowly drift toward the center of the river, the light and the rippling water surface reflect each other, creating a dreamlike visual effect. |
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