If you've ever tried to create something with an AI image generator, you know the frustration. The perfect image you have in your mind comes out as a distorted, six-fingered nightmare on the screen. It's a common problem that can make you want to give up on AI art altogether.
After spending the better part of a year testing every major AI image generator-from Midjourney to DALL-E-I've learned one critical lesson: the problem usually isn't the AI, it's the prompt. Getting great results isn't about magic; it's about giving the AI a better description of what you want.
Experts call it "prompt engineering," but you don't need a special degree to master it. It all comes down to including a few essential elements in your description, going beyond just a simple idea. Nailing your prompt is the single best way to avoid bizarre results and finally get the AI to create the image you were actually thinking of.
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Writing a good AI image prompt isn't hard, but it may take a little more work than you expect. These are my best expert tips for crafting the right prompt, including some helpful phrases to use and common mistakes to avoid.
Start with these three elements
When you first write your prompt, you might feel overwhelmed or like you're not sure where to start. I've been there, and the best place to begin is with the essentials. These are the three necessary elements every prompt needs. Once you have something for each of these, you can build it out from there.
Characters and elements in the scene
Setting or where it takes place
Dimensions, like portrait, landscape or a specific ratio (3:2, 16:9, etc)
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