How to Write Better AI Image Prompts 2025 – From Basic to Advanced [With Examples]

Artificial intelligence image generation has moved from being an experimental playground for tech enthusiasts to becoming one of the most powerful creative tools available to anyone with an internet connection. What once required expensive design software, years of training, or a professional art team can now be achieved by typing the right words into a prompt box.

The exciting part is that the AI will create what you ask for. The challenging part is that it will also create exactly what you ask for, and nothing more. If your instruction is vague, you will get a vague result. If your prompt is specific, vivid, and well-structured, you will get something close to what you imagine. This is why prompt writing is an art form in itself.

Whether you are using Midjourney, DALL·E, Stable Diffusion, Leonardo AI, or another generator, the principle is the same: the better you communicate with the AI, the better your image will be. In this guide, we will move from the basics to advanced techniques, with practical examples at every step so you can start creating exactly what you see in your mind.

What Exactly is an AI Image Prompt

An AI image prompt is simply a set of written instructions given to an AI model that tells it what to generate. The words you use, the order you place them in, and the detail you provide will influence every aspect of the final output.

If you type “a cat” into a generator, you might get a random digital drawing of a cat. If you type “a fluffy white Persian cat with emerald green eyes, curled up on a velvet armchair, lit by warm afternoon sunlight streaming through a lace curtain” you have given the AI enough information to produce a specific, vivid image.

Prompt writing is like speaking to a very literal artist who has perfect technical skill but no imagination of their own. They will never add extra elements unless you ask for them, and they will never guess your preferred style unless you make it clear.

Also Read: Prompt Engineering and Popular Prompting Techniques

How Long Should an AI Image Prompt Be

The length of your prompt depends on how much control you want over the outcome.

• For a simple concept or a playful experiment, ten to fifteen words can work.
• For detailed commercial projects or complex scenes, thirty to sixty words will give the AI more to work with.
• There is no hard word limit on most tools, so you can go longer as long as your instructions remain clear and logically ordered.

A short prompt might give the AI more freedom to improvise, which can sometimes produce happy surprises. A longer prompt is like giving a precise blueprint. Both have their place depending on your goal.

What Style of Language Works Best for AI Image Prompts

Always use natural, descriptive language rather than a jumble of keywords. Imagine you are explaining the scene to a professional photographer or painter. Write in complete phrases. Avoid mixing unrelated ideas in a single sentence unless you want a surreal combination.

Instead of writing “dog park sunny photo realistic high quality” you will get better results with “a photorealistic image of a Labrador playing fetch in a sunny park, captured on a DSLR camera, with vivid colors and sharp detail.”

The Core Structure of a Strong Prompt

A reliable way to create better prompts is to follow a basic structure. You can then add or remove elements depending on how much detail you want.

1. Subject or Scene: Who and What

Identify the main focus of your image first. This could be a person, animal, object, or an entire environment.

Example progression:

• “A lighthouse”
• “A tall lighthouse on a rocky cliff”
• “A tall red-and-white striped lighthouse standing on a rugged cliff overlooking the ocean”

2. Description: What They Are Doing, Where, and How

Add context by describing the action or setting.

Example:
“A tall red-and-white striped lighthouse standing on a rugged cliff, waves crashing against the rocks, gulls flying overhead.”

3. Aesthetic and Style: How It Looks

Choose the style or medium. This could be a painting, digital art, a photograph, or something experimental.

Examples:

• “In the style of Vincent van Gogh”
• “Hyper-realistic digital painting”
• “Minimalist vector art”

4. Precise Details

Layer in the small details that bring the scene to life.

Example:
“A tall red-and-white striped lighthouse standing on a rugged cliff, waves crashing against the rocks, gulls flying overhead, painted in rich oil textures with visible brushstrokes.”

5. Mood or Emotion

Specify the atmosphere you want to convey.

Examples:

• Peaceful and serene
• Dark and foreboding
• Joyful and vibrant

6. Composition

Tell the AI how the shot should be framed or from what perspective it should be viewed.

Examples:

• Close-up portrait
• Wide panoramic view
• Bird’s-eye perspective

7. Color Palette

Define the dominant colors if it matters to you.

Examples:

• Muted pastels
• Bold primary colors
• Warm golden tones

How to Keep Your Prompts Natural and Descriptive

Think about the five senses when writing your prompt. What does the scene look like, but also what might it feel like? Is there a sense of motion? Is there light filtering in from a specific direction? These descriptive touches help the AI model understand the mood as well as the subject.

Instead of “vintage car street photo” try “a shiny red vintage convertible parked on a cobblestone street in Paris, with sunlight reflecting off its chrome details and soft shadows cast by nearby trees.”

Also Read: Marketing project topics + ChatGPT prompts

Experimenting with Prompt Length and Structure

Different AI tools interpret the prompt order differently. In many cases, the first part of the prompt carries slightly more weight, so it is wise to put the most important details first. You can also experiment with breaking the description into short, clear phrases separated by commas for better parsing.

Example:
“Victorian tea party in a rose garden, pastel colors, soft afternoon light, painted in delicate watercolor style.”

Then try reversing elements to see how the AI changes emphasis:
“Delicate watercolor painting of a rose garden, pastel colors, soft afternoon light, Victorian tea party scene.”

Also Read: What is Agentic AI? A Comprehensive Guide

Advanced AI Image Prompt Engineering Elements

Once you are confident with the basics, you can start adding techniques that give you more control.

Using Token Weighting

Some AI models let you assign weight to certain parts of a prompt so they are prioritized. In Midjourney, for example, you can write:
A red apple::2 on a wooden table::1
The apple is given more importance than the table.

Focusing on What You Want

Avoid negative phrasing unless the AI supports explicit negative prompts. Instead of “not blurry” write “sharp focus with high clarity.”

Adding Reference Images and Style Modifiers

You can upload an image and ask the AI to replicate its style or use it as part of the composition. Style modifiers include photography terms like:

• 85mm lens
• Shallow depth of field
• Long exposure

And art references like:

• Art Nouveau
• Cubism
• Ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock print

Setting Image Quality and Aspect Ratios

Most tools let you request higher resolution or specify dimensions.
Examples:

• “8K resolution ultra-detailed”
• “Aspect ratio 16:9” for cinematic landscapes
• “Aspect ratio 1:1” for social media squares

Using Negative Prompts

If the platform allows it, you can explicitly exclude elements.
Example: “Portrait of a young woman, soft lighting, high detail, no text, no watermark, no extra limbs.”

Enroll Now: Ai Marketing Course

Additional Creative Elements to Consider

Once you have the structure, you can refine the image further by thinking like a photographer or a film director.

• Framing: extreme close-up, wide establishing shot, over-the-shoulder view
• Lighting: golden hour sunlight, candlelight glow, dramatic side lighting
• Color scheme: monochrome, duotone, pastel blend, bold neon
• Level of realism: cartoon style, semi-realistic, photorealistic

Also Read: What is Multi-Agent AI?

Real World Prompt Examples

For Marketing Materials

“A clean, minimalist flat lay of eco-friendly skincare products in amber glass bottles with white labels, placed on a marble counter with fresh eucalyptus leaves, lit by soft natural daylight, photorealistic, 8K resolution.”

For Photography

“A black and white photograph of a weathered fisherman mending nets on a wooden dock, captured in high contrast lighting with a shallow depth of field, taken on a Leica M6.”

For Art

“A dreamlike oil painting of a staircase spiraling into the clouds, with golden birds in flight and soft pastel skies, inspired by the surrealist style of René Magritte.”

For Cartoons and Caricatures

“A cheerful cartoon fox wearing a green bow tie, serving coffee at an outdoor Paris café, with bright colorful buildings in the background.”

For Video Game Concept Art

“A futuristic cyberpunk marketplace at night, glowing neon signs in Japanese and English, rain-soaked streets reflecting light, viewed from street level, ultra-detailed digital concept art.”

Tips and Tricks for Better Results

1. Iterate often: Adjust your wording, swap adjectives, and test different styles.
2. Combine themes: Merge concepts like “steampunk” and “ancient Rome” to create unique ideas.
3. Reference real artists: Mentioning a known art style can instantly define the mood.
4. Keep a prompt journal: Save your best prompts for future projects.

Popular AI Image Generator Tools

• Midjourney: Great for detailed artistic images
• DALL·E: Strong with realism and editing existing images
• Bing Image Creator: Free with good general output
• Leonardo AI: Versatile for both realistic and stylized work
• PicLumen: Easy to use on mobile for casual creation

Can you use AI-generated images for commercial purposes legally?

As laws adapt to an AI-first world, there are still grey areas around AI generated images. Always check the licensing terms of your AI tool before using images commercially. Avoid prompts that reproduce copyrighted characters or exact styles of living artists (actors or actresses specifically) without permission. It can also help to be transparent when using AI-generated visuals in professional contexts (Platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram can automatically detect and tag synthetic content).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)