Mastering AI art prompts is like unlocking a secret door to an atelier where imagination mingles with pixels.
If you want to learn the best prompts for AI art, anime, digital paintings, and other visual assets, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ll review the ingredients of prompts that generate images closest to your vision. Plus, we’ll offer free AI prompt examples you can use for your projects.
We’ll also tackle a simple truth behind this exciting tech: while AI can create stunning pieces, there’s an irreplaceable quality to art made by human hands. In this light, we’ll cover how you can use AI art to complement human-made graphic design projects like the ones Penji provides. Let’s jump right in!
Understanding AI Art Prompts
AI art prompts are text-based directives or suggestions given to an artificial intelligence system designed to generate art.
The prompt guides AI’s image generation process, instructing it on what to create. These instructions range from simple descriptions to complex narratives, tackling details about the subject, style, mood, and even the specific artistic techniques to be emulated.
Just like AI for video editing and AI for email marketing, AI art generators provide an easy way to get your project done in seconds. But this technology can’t create art by itself; you have to know how to prompt it correctly to get the visuals you need.
Key Ingredients for Effective AI Art Prompts
Here are the key factors that generate the best masterpieces from AI art prompts. I generated images through Canva’s Magic Media using each of these factors, building from one ingredient to the next. Let’s see how each aspect contributed to the final image.
1. Zoom In on the Subject
Define the central subject of your image. Whether it’s a character, an object, or an abstract idea, your descriptions will serve as the focal point of your AI art prompts.
Here are a few examples:
- “An owl…”
- “A mom…”
- “A chair…”
Here’s what I got when I used the AI art prompt, “A dog:”
2. Describe the Content of Your Image
Ground your prompt with the nature of the image you want. Would you want a photograph, a sketch, or a 3D rendering? Or perhaps an illustration or a painting? This essential step sets the stage, offering the AI a clear starting point.
As seen from the previous set of images, where I just used the prompt “a dog” without any qualifier, the images rendered were a mix of photographs, a sketch, and a comic strip. It’s because Ai doesn’t have a clear context of the image you want it to generate.
That said, you can start your prompt with phrases like:
- “An illustration of an owl…”
- “A photograph of a mom…”
- “A 3D rendering of a chair…”
Here are the images I got using the prompt, “A 3D rendering of a dog:”
3. Embellish with Relevant Details
The devil is in the details. Enrich your prompts with descriptors that bring more context into what you want to get out of the image generator. Take the time to conceptualize aspects like:
- Color palette
- Texture
- Environment
- Emotion
Check out the images I got when I used the prompt, “A 3D rendering of a dog with a playful expression in a park enveloped in summer colors:”
4. Define the Form and Style
Artistic identity is as much about the how as it is about the what. Are you aiming for abstract expressionism or minimalist charm? Perhaps you want the surrealism of Dali or the vivid impressionism of Van Gogh.
Here are examples of aesthetic principles to guide your AI art prompts:
- “In the style of abstract expressionism…”
- “With a minimalist look…”
- “Mimicking Salvador Dali…”
These are the images I got with the prompt, “A 3D rendering of a dog with a playful expression in a park enveloped in summer colors in the style of Monet impressionism:”
5. Composition is Key
The composition of your artwork—the framing, lighting, and perspective—plays a critical role in its impact. Use keywords to detail these aspects, setting the stage for how your subject is portrayed.
For instance, you can write:
- “With volumetric lighting…”
- “From an aerial viewpoint…”
- “In a resolution of 4096 x 2160…”
Here are the images generated with the prompt, “A 3D rendering of a dog with a playful expression in a park enveloped in summer colors in the style of Monet impressionism with sunset lighting:”
The more ingredients you include, the more you give AI context to the image you want to generate. Here’s a prompt template you can try for yourself:
Fill-in-the-Blank AI Art Prompt Template
“A [nature of image] of a [subject] with [emotions, colors, textures, etc.] in a [framing, setting, perspective, etc.] in the style of [artistic style] with [type of lighting, viewpoint, etc].”
10 Free AI Art Prompt Templates
Here are free AI art prompts you can use. Feel free to tweak these according to your project’s unique goals.
1. Future Metropolises
“An illustration of a future city, alive with cutting-edge architecture, where skyscrapers boast unique, complex designs, and holographic ads illuminate the skyline.”
Image generated via Picsart:
2. Kaleidoscope of Colors
“An abstract illustration that’s a riot of colors and gradients, creating an abstract scene that pulsates with movement and vibrant energy.”
Image generated via DALL·E:
3. Intimate Portraiture
“A portrait photograph of a beautiful and strong woman with long black hair and dark eyes that captures the essence, emotion, and personality of a subject against a sunset backdrop.”
Image generated via Gencraft:
4. Mystic Forests
“A painting featuring an ancient, shadowy forest where giant trees loom, and their twisted branches cast ghostly shadows, evoking a narrative of mystery and solitude.”
Image generated via Canva’s Magic Media:
5. Epic Moments in History
“A photograph of the moon landing, with detailed imagery of the astronauts and the lunar module against the desolate lunar backdrop.”
Image generated via Gencraft:
6. Futuristic Flora
“Image of a futuuristic garden where mechanical plants blend with the organic, creating a surreal, futuristic botanic vista.”
Image generated via DALL·E:
7. Global Dialogue
“A depiction of a United Nations assembly, capturing the diverse gathering of world leaders engaged in meaningful discussions for global betterment.
Image generated via Canva’s Magic Media:
8. Artistic Reinterpretations
“A painting of the Eiffel Tower at night in Van Gogh’s artistic style, focusing on the interplay of light, color, and texture to evoke a sense of tranquility and beauty.”
Image generated via Picsart:
9. Fashion Forward
“A fashion illustration of a futuristic trend, where technology and style converge, showing off innovative fabrics, wearable tech, and avant-garde designs.”
Image generated via Canva’s Magic Media:
10. Architectural Wonders
“A blueprint of an awe-inspiring piece of architecture that defies traditional design principles, blending form, function, and fantasy.”
Image generated via DALL·E:
AI Art Prompts Tips and Tricks
Here are a few tips and tricks to boost your AI art prompts and allow you to get awesome designs for your project.
- Use Clear, Descriptive Language. Make your prompt detailed and specific. The more you keenly describe your vision, the closer Ai will be to the outcome you’re aiming for. Make sure to specify not only the subject but also the color palette, setting, and mood you want for the image.
- Grow Your Artistic Vocabulary. Check out artistic styles and pick out the ones closest to your vision for your project. For instance, you can prompt AI to create an image anchored on impressionism, expressionism, Art Nouveau, and more. You can also mention specific art masters in your prompt to offer a more specific context.
- Evoke Moods. You can use emotions or atmospheres to prompt Ai, such as serene, melancholic, energetic, and others. Doing so can add a depth of feeling to the image you generate.
- Experiment with Metaphors. You can include metaphors or even analogies in your art prompts. For instance, prompting AI to generate “a city that sleeps under a blanket of stars” can inspire algorithms to create something unique. I used the exact prompt and here’s the image I got from Gencraft:
Will AI Replace Human Artists?
The rise of AI has sparked debates about whether it will replace human creatives. And here’s the simple answer: No.
While AI offers impressive images that can mimic various styles or produce entirely new pieces, it lacks intuition, consciousness, and the ability to experience life, which profoundly influences artistry and creative strategy.
For instance, many of our clients here at Penji love working with our designers because they offer visual assets that provoke thought, evoke emotions, and resonate on a personal level.
In the end, it’s not about competition between humans and technology. It’s about humans having an opportunity to use AI as a tool to complement their creativity and work efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a good prompt for AI art?
The best prompt for AI image generator platforms is one that combines science and art. It must be specific and imaginative, including clear descriptions of the desired subject, style, and mood with creative details that guide the AI towards your unique vision. Let the examples above guide you as you write your prompt. You can also use AI prompt generator platforms like Neural Writer, AI text prompt generator, and promptoMANIA to help you craft art prompts.
How do I get AI image generator prompts?
You can get AI image prompts from online articles (such as this blog) as well as online communities dedicated to AI art, including forums or social media groups. In addition, many AI art platforms offer galleries of user-generated content, providing inspiration and examples of effective prompts.
What can you create with AI art?
Legally, you can use AI art to generate creative content for various projects, provided the generated art is original and doesn’t replicate copyrighted works. Practically, it serves a wide array of applications, including enhancing graphic design, providing visual content for websites and social media, and developing educational materials.
