Timeless Prompt Engineering for AI Image Generation

Remember, When it comes to Prompt Engineering for AI image generator such as Midjourney or Stable Diffusion, it’s not about memorizing prompts, but mastering the art of learning.

Hero Kominato
AI Movies & AI Video
5 min readSep 27, 2023

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In this article, I will share tips for prompt engineering for any AI image generator that will remain effective even after algorithm changes.

Generated with Midjourney

Mindset for AI image generation:

Learn how to learn

Adopting a ‘learn how to learn’ mindset is vital. The tricks and tips you gather today may become obsolete tomorrow. However, the ability to grasp new tools, understand AI’s characteristics, and effectively use them will always remain priceless. But how can you build such a timeless skillset? Keep reading 👇

Stock image of studying
Photo by Unseen Studio on Unsplash

Patience is key in AI image creation. If your initial results don’t match your expectations, don’t despair. Iterate and refine your inputs until you’re satisfied. Remember, even if you’re struggling after 100 attempts, it’s probably time to try a new approach, not to quit.

Stock image of Patience
Photo by Sam Moghadam Khamseh on Unsplash

Learning From the Masters: Find Your AI Art Inspiration

Collect inspiration from others

You’ll find plenty of inspiration around you on numerous platforms. Here are recommended three main platforms where you can learn the latest prompts from other masters.

Social media

If you’re looking to learn up-to-date prompting techniques, consider following some influencers on X (Twitter) or tracking topics on Reddit.

Screenshot of Nick St. Pierre Tweet

Pros: You can access the most recent information and tips on prompting.
Cons: Your timeline may become cluttered with irrelevant information.

Discord

In some AI image generation tools like Midjourney, you can freely view and learn from others’ creations. Go to search bar to type your keywords to see how other created.

Screenshot of Midjourney Discord

Pros: You can examine practical examples, including all the settings that people have used.
Cons: Filtering search results can be challenging and may take time to find what you’re looking for.

Prompt library Website

AI Prompt Library, where users can browse millions of AI art images generated by models such as Stable Diffusion and Midjourney.

Midjourney
Screenshot of Prompt Hero Website
PromptHero

Pros: The interface is clean, which makes it easy to search for what you want.
Cons: It’s not updated with recent algorithm changes. You might come across some older photos created by outdated AI models.

Writing effective prompt

To make AI art, you need to know how to craft effective prompts.

Create your own framework

What you ultimately need is to create your own framework for generating images with image generators.

Stock Image of Equation
Photo by Artturi Jalli on Unsplash

Key components like art style, color palette, lighting, and composition can make all the difference. Know the components you need for AI image generation. Create your own AI image framework using key components.

For instance, below is a framework for extremely detailed images:

Subject, Material/Texture, Style of Image, Mood, Genre, Perspective, Technique, Lighting, Format, Depth of Field, Focal Length, Time of Day, Motion, Framing, Color Scheme, Camera Settings

Having frameworks not only enriches your images but also elevates your productivity, as you no longer have to worry about how to write a effetive prompt again.

Make sure to update your framework as you learn about algorithm changes in AI Image Model (This is why It’s important to stay up to date with social media).

Use AI to create framework

Surprisingly, AI can guide you in creating more effective prompts by learning from successful examples. For instance, copy an effective prompt from a community member’s work and input it into an AI like ChatGPT for structural analysis. This can be your secret weapon to create personalized prompts for stunning AI art.

For example, let’s say that I liked this “Star wars directed by Wes Anderson” image generated by community member.

Screenshot of Midjourney Discord

Copy the prompt then paste it in ChatGPT. Use AI to help you to deconstruct into reusable components.

Analyze the following midjourney AI image prompt. 
Break it down into multiple components and
construct a reusable framework based on it:
{sample prompt}
Screenshot of ChatGPT responses
Screenshot of responses from ChatGPT 2
AI created details analysis on the given prompt, you can now start using these components as a foundation of your creation.

Also, If you are lazy, just ask

Using these components, write an example prompt 
to generate stunning images with midjourney.
Screenshot of asking chatGPT to write prompt
Boom!

Final Thoughts

By adhering to the timeless tips and tricks outlined in this guide, you can continuously enhance your AI art, exploring the captivating possibilities of this emerging technology. Despite the ever-evolving algorithms of AI models, these timeless pieces of advice will remain crucial and beneficial in any AI image generation.

Don’t forget to stay tuned to updates on AI art generation tools by following my Medium account for upcoming articles!

“The only limit to AI art is our imagination.”

Thank you for reading until the end! See you in the next one!

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AI Movies & AI Video
AI Movies & AI Video

Published in AI Movies & AI Video

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Hero Kominato
Hero Kominato

Written by Hero Kominato

⭐️Sharing Tips for Filmmaking and AI assisted filmmaking.

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