Hello creative friends,
Have you ever had a clear picture in your head but no way to bring it to life? A scene, a character, a feeling. You can imagine it perfectly but you don’t have the drawing skills to put it on paper.
Most of us have been there.
This is why AI image generation feels so exciting. You type a few words, press a button and an image appears. Sometimes it looks incredible. Other times, it looks strange, wrong or nothing like what you had in mind.
That gap between what you imagine and what the AI gives you is frustrating. But here’s the good news.
The problem usually isn’t the AI.
It’s the way we talk to it.
That conversation is called a prompt.
Once you understand how prompts work, AI stops feeling random. You gain control. And instead of hoping for a good result, you start designing one.
This newsletter will show you how to do exactly that, step by step, in plain language.
AI Is an Artist That Can’t See
Think of AI like a very talented artist who is blindfolded.
It has every brush, color and technique you can imagine. But it can’t see what’s inside your head. It only knows what you tell it.
Your words are its eyes.
If your instructions are unclear, the artist guesses. Sometimes those guesses are lucky. Most of the time, they miss the mark. Clear prompts remove guesswork.
When people say, “AI doesn’t understand me,” what they usually mean is, “I didn’t explain my idea clearly.”
Image Prompt: A creative human silhouette typing on a laptop, glowing AI interface projecting imaginative images into the air, floating art concepts, warm futuristic atmosphere, cinematic lighting, digital illustration.
What Exactly Is a Prompt?
A prompt is simply the text you type into the AI.
It can be:
One word
One sentence
A short paragraph
That’s it.
The AI does not understand intention. It understands language patterns. Every word you choose pushes the image in a certain direction.
If you write:
“Dog”
You’ll get a dog.
If you write:
“Small white dog sitting on a couch”
You’ll get something closer to what you want.
The goal of prompting is not to be fancy. The goal is to be clear.
The Biggest Beginner Mistake: Writing Too Much
Most beginners think better prompts mean longer prompts. That’s usually wrong.
Long prompts often confuse the AI because they contain:
Repeated ideas
Conflicting instructions
Unnecessary details
Think about ordering coffee. A clear order works better than a long explanation.
The same rule applies to prompts.
Example
❌ Too long:
“I want a field of orange flowers from California, very bright and happy, lots of flowers everywhere, drawn with pencils, detailed background, artistic style.”
✅ Better:
“Colored pencil illustration of bright orange California poppies.”
The second version works because it focuses on:
Medium
Subject
Key visual detail
Short and focused prompts usually win.
Image Prompt: Split illustration, left side cluttered chaotic artwork with too many elements, right side clean focused illustration of orange flowers, minimal composition, educational comparison style
Word Choice Changes Everything
AI reacts strongly to specific words.
Small changes in vocabulary can completely change the image.
For example:
“Big” vs “Gigantic”
“Pretty” vs “Ethereal”
“Scary” vs “Ominous”
Try upgrading common words:
Pretty → elegant, ethereal, delicate
Bright → glowing, neon, sun drenched
Dark → moody, shadowy, cinematic
Think of words as brush strokes. Better words create better images.
Numbers Matter More Than You Think
If you say “cats,” the AI knows there is more than one cat. But it doesn’t know how many.
If the number matters to you, say it clearly.
Vague: “Birds on a fence”
Clear: “Three blue birds sitting on a wooden fence”
If you want many objects, use collective words like:
Crowd
Flock
Fleet
Forest
These words help the AI group things correctly.
Describe What You Want, Not What You Don’t Want
This part surprises many people.
AI does not handle negative instructions well.
If you say:
“A birthday party with no cake”
The AI still focuses on the word cake and may include it.
Instead, describe what is present.
Better:
“A birthday table filled with pizza, snacks, and soda”
When you fill the scene with what you want, unwanted elements naturally disappear.
A Simple Prompt Checklist You Can Always Use
When you don’t know where to start, use this checklist. You don’t need every item every time.
Subject — Who or what is the main focus?
Medium — Photo, painting, watercolor, 3D render?
Environment — Where is it happening?
Lighting — Soft, cinematic, neon, golden hour?
Color Palette — Pastel, vibrant, monochrome?
Mood — Peaceful, eerie, joyful, lonely?
Composition — Close-up, wide shot, portrait?
Image Prompt: A cinematic wide shot of a lonely astronaut standing in a vast sunflower field during golden hour, dramatic lighting, emotional atmosphere, painterly style, high detail
Five Prompt Recipes You Can Use Right Now
1. Photorealistic Portrait
“A hyper realistic close up portrait of a young woman with freckles and bright blue eyes, natural sunlight on her face, soft blurred city background, shot on 35mm film.”
2. Whimsical Illustration
“A watercolor illustration of a fox reading a book inside a hollow tree, cozy atmosphere, warm autumn colors, soft edges, children’s storybook style.”
3. Cinematic Sci-Fi Scene
“A futuristic cyberpunk city at night, rain falling, neon signs reflecting on wet streets, a lone figure holding an umbrella, moody cinematic lighting.”
4. 3D Animated Character
“A cute 3D robot holding a flower, bright studio lighting, soft textures, pastel background, animated movie style.”
5. Surreal Art
“A surreal oil painting of a lightbulb containing a violent ocean storm, floating in deep space, dreamlike and detailed.”
Image prompt: A surreal fantasy illustration of a lion made entirely of clouds standing in the sky at sunset, soft glowing light, dreamy atmosphere, imaginative concept art
Final Thoughts
There is no perfect prompt. Sometimes the AI surprises you in the best way. Sometimes it fails completely. That’s normal. Prompting is a conversation. You say something. The AI responds. You adjust. Over time, you get better results faster.
Keep prompts simple. Be specific when it matters. And don’t be afraid to experiment. Open the prompt box. Picture what you want to see. Then describe it clearly.
Your imagination is the real tool.
Happy creating.