I thought AI art prompts were just typing random words until I saw what a good one does

I used to scroll past those 'here's my prompt' posts and roll my eyes. Figured it was just people typing 'beautiful sunset' and getting lucky. Then last month I tried making a piece for my portfolio and spent 3 hours tweaking keywords. The difference between 'cyberpunk street' and 'cyberpunk street, neon reflections on wet asphalt, rain falling through streetlight, 1980s aesthetic' was night and day. First one gave me a blurry mess, second one actually looked like something I'd hang on my wall. Has anyone else found a specific set of prompt words that just clicks for them?

3 comments

3 Comments

laura_wilson13d ago

my buddy james spent like 2 hours on a prompt for a fantasy castle and got this boring generic tower. then he added "moss growing between cobblestones, ivy climbing up the left wall, broken stained glass window with blue light coming through" and it turned into this super detailed atmospheric ruin. he was so mad he hadn't tried that sooner. now he always includes at least 3 specific texture words or lighting details and it works every time.

emma_jones13d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah that "broken stained glass" detail is pure gold. Details like that really make the scene pop.

xenam8413d ago

Right? Every time I try to add a tiny detail like that I end up overthinking it and describing the dust motes in the air for three paragraphs (which nobody asked for).