Negative Prompts for Perfect AI Image Generation

Negative prompts are a powerful tool for refining the output of AI image generation systems like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Leonardo.

By specifying keywords that describe what you don’t want to see in the final image, you can guide the model away from undesired elements and towards your intended vision.

Crafting effective negative prompts is an art that complements the skill of writing positive prompts. While the exact negative prompt will depend on the specific image you’re trying to create, there are certain universal negative keywords that can reliably improve image quality across a variety of subjects.

These universal negatives target common flaws in AI-generated images, such as poor anatomy, wonky composition, fuzzy details, and more.

For instance, if you’re aiming to generate a portrait image but want to avoid a black & white aesthetic, simply include keywords like “black & white” or “monochrome” in your negative prompt. The AI will then steer clear of grayscale outputs and focus on producing color images instead.

These work with any generative Ai like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, Leonardo, etc.

Commonly Used Words In Negative Prompts

The following common negative keywords are useful for avoiding poor quality artifacts and other undesirable elements in your generated images:

• Malformed limbs
• Mutated
• Mutated hands
• Mutated limbs
• Missing arms
• Missing fingers
• Picture frame
• Poorly drawn hands
• Poorly drawn face
• Text
• Signature
• Username
• Watermark
• Worst quality
• Collage
• Pixel
• Pixelated
• Grainy
• Ugly
• Bad anatomy
• Bad proportions
• Bad quality
• Blurry
• Cropped
• Deformed
• Disconnected limbs
• Out of frame
• Out of focus
• Dehydrated
• Error
• Disfigured
• Disgusting
• Extra arms
• Extra limbs
• Extra hands
• Fused fingers
• Gross proportions
• Long neck
• Low res
• Low quality
• Jpeg
• Jpeg artifacts

Experiment with combinations of these negative keywords alongside your positive prompt to find the right mix that consistently yields high-quality results. Often, these keywords can help solve pesky issues like misshapen hands or eyes that plague many AI-generated images.

Negative Prompts For Proper Human Anatomy

One of the most common frustrations faced by users is the challenge of generating human figures with proper anatomy. The following negative keywords are especially useful for avoiding bodily distortions and abnormalities:

• Too many fingers
• Bad anatomy
• Bad hands
• Amputee
• Missing fingers
• Missing hands
• Missing limbs
• Missing arms
• Extra fingers
• Extra hands
• Extra limbs
• Mutated hands
• Mutated
• Mutation
• Multiple heads
• Malformed limbs
• Disfigured
• Poorly drawn hands
• Poorly drawn face
• Long neck
• Fused fingers
• Fused hands
• Dismembered
• Duplicate
• Improper scale
• Ugly body
• Cloned face
• Cloned body
• Gross proportions
• Body horror

Rather than cramming all of these keywords into a single prompt, try different combinations and observe how each one impacts the final image.

This iterative process will help you develop a feel for which negative keywords are most effective for generating anatomically correct humans.

Negative Prompts For Realistic Images

Achieving photorealistic outputs in AI image generation is a combination of choosing the right model and using carefully crafted negative prompts.

To steer the AI away from rendering your image in alternative art styles, consider including the following negative keywords:

• Deviant art
• Cartoon
• CGI
• Render
• 3D
• Artwork
• Illustration
• 3D render
• Cinema 4D
• Artstation
• Octane render
• Painting
• Oil painting
• Anime
• 2D
• Sketch
• Drawing
• Bad photography
• Bad photo

By explicitly excluding terms associated with illustrations, drawings, paintings, cartoons, and CGI, you can preserve the photorealistic quality of your generated images.

Negative Prompts For SFW Images

Sometimes AI image generators can produce NSFW content even when that wasn’t your intent. To keep your outputs solidly in SFW territory, try using these simple negative keywords:

• Nipples
• Nsfw
• Uncensored
• Cleavage
• Nude

In most cases, even a short negative prompt containing these terms is sufficient for generating SFW images.

Negative Prompts For Landscape & Nature Images

When generating sweeping vistas and other natural scenes, the following negative keywords can help you avoid some common pitfalls:

• Multiple angles
• Overexposed
• Simple background
• Plain background
• Grainy
• Portrait
• Grayscale
• Monochrome
• Underexposed
• Low contrast
• Low quality
• Dark
• Distorted
• White spots
• Deformed structures
• Macro

Negative Prompts For Objects

Inanimate objects generated by AI can often appear asymmetrical or otherwise flawed. Including these negative keywords in your prompts can help:

• Oversized
• Tilted
• Asymmetry
• Parts
• Components
• Design
• Broken
• Cartoon
• Distorted
• Extra pieces
• Bad proportion
• Inverted
• Misaligned
• Macabre
• Missing parts

By thoughtfully leveraging negative prompts alongside your positive ones, you can take your AI-generated images to the next level of quality and refinement. Invest the time to master this skill and you’ll be rewarded with stunning bespoke visuals straight out of your imagination.

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