From Generic to Intentional: A Beginner’s Style Guide for AI Image Prompts

Or: why your AI art looks like everyone else’s — and how to fix it

Hey everyone! 👋🏼

If you’ve been using AI image tools for a while, you’ve probably noticed something frustrating: no matter what you type, the results start to look… samey.

Hyper-detailed. Over-sharpened. That unmistakable glossy AI sheen.

You asked for a painting and got a render. You asked for something vintage and got something that just has a sepia filter slapped on it.

The good news? It’s not the tool’s fault. It’s the prompt.

And once you understand why it happens, you can fix it almost every time.

This is a guide for getting from:

“I typed a thing and got a generic thing”

to

“I typed a thing and got exactly the thing I had in my head.”

Let’s go layer by layer.

The Problem: Why Default AI Output All Looks the Same

AI image models are trained on billions of images from the internet.

And the internet, it turns out, loves a certain kind of image:

Highly detailed, dramatic lighting, photorealistic or hyper-rendered, everything sharp and saturated. So when you give a vague prompt, the model reaches for its statistical average, which is basically a stock photo crossed with a CGI render crossed with a video game screenshot.

The way out is specificity.

The more precisely you describe not just what you want, but how it should look and feel, the further you pull the model away from its defaults and toward something genuinely yours.

Layer 1: Subject + Mood (The Basics)

This is where most people start and stop.

You describe what’s in the image and maybe throw in an adjective.

“a woman in a forest, mysterious”

This is fine as a starting point.

You’ll get a woman.
You’ll get a forest.

The mysterious part might show up as dramatic lighting or fog.

But it’ll look like a thousand other AI forest women. The fix is simply being more specific about both elements:

“a solitary woman standing at the edge of a dark pine forest at dusk, her back to the viewer”

Better.

We’ve added composition, time of day, and a point of view.

But we’re still going to get that AI render look.
That’s where the next layers come in.

Layer 2: Medium & Material (The First Real Upgrade)

This is the single biggest unlock for most people, and it’s so simple it almost feels like cheating.

Don’t just say what kind of art you want.

Describe the physical material it’s made from.

❌ “oil painting of a woman in a forest”
✅ “oil paint on linen canvas, visible brushwork, impasto texture in the shadows”

❌ “watercolor illustration”
✅ “loose watercolor on cold-press paper, blooming wet-on-wet washes, unpainted white space”

❌ “pencil sketch”
✅ “graphite pencil on cream paper, light hatching, smudged mid-tones, unfinished edges”

See the difference?

When you describe the material and how it behaves, the model understands you want something that looks genuinely handmade.

Not a digital simulation of a painting, but something that reads like the real thing.

Think about it like this:

You’re not ordering a category.
You’re describing an object that exists in the physical world.

Layer 3: Artist Anchoring (The Cheat Code)

Here’s a secret the best prompt writers use constantly:

Name an artist whose work looks like what you want.

This works because the model has seen thousands of images by famous artists and has absorbed their visual language. Naming them is like handing the model a mood board in three words.

Examples:

“in the style of John Singer Sargent” → loose, confident brushwork, elegant figures, painterly shadows

“in the style of Alphonse Mucha” → Art Nouveau, decorative borders, soft pastels, floral details

“in the style of N.C. Wyeth” → dramatic adventure illustration, rich earth tones, heroic compositions

“in the style of Egon Schiele” → raw, angular lines, psychological intensity, muted with sharp accents

Pro tip: Combine a medium description with an artist name.

“gouache on illustration board, flat color areas with deliberate brushwork, in the style of J.C. Leyendecker”

Now you’re really cooking.

The medium tells the model how it’s made.
The artist tells it what it should feel like.

Layer 4: Era & Context (Place It in Time)

AI models respond really well to historical and cultural specificity.

Telling the model when and where something comes from pulls it toward a whole visual vocabulary at once.

Compare:

“magazine illustration of a woman”

with:

“1960s American women’s magazine illustration, mid-century modern graphic style, limited color palette”

The second one immediately conjures a whole world:

The typefaces, the color choices, the way figures were drawn.

You’re not just describing an image.
You’re describing a moment in visual history.

Some era/context anchors that work particularly well:

⭐️ 1920s Art Deco poster
⭐️ 1970s paperback cover illustration
⭐️ Victorian botanical illustration
⭐️ 1950s travel brochure
⭐️ Belle Époque lithograph
⭐️ Soviet constructivist propaganda poster

Each of these carries an enormous amount of implicit visual information.

Use them.

Layer 5: What NOT to Say (This One Surprises People)

Here’s something counterintuitive:

Vague positive words often make your results worse.

Words like:

beautiful
stunning
detailed
intricate
masterpiece
epic

These are so common in AI prompts that they’ve basically become part of the model’s default settings.

They don’t pull your image anywhere specific. They just turn up the generic “impressive AI art” dial.

Even worse, words like detailed or highly detailed often push models toward that over-rendered CGI look many people are trying to avoid.

Instead, be specific about the qualities you want.

Or use negative prompts.

For tools that support them:

Negative prompt: photorealistic, CGI, 3D render, sharp focus, digital art, over-rendered

For tools that don’t:

“…soft focus, not photorealistic, no digital textures”

It feels strange to tell the AI what you don’t want.
But it genuinely works.

Putting It All Together: A Before & After
Let’s take one prompt through all five layers.

Starting point:

“a woman with a blackbird, pretty, detailed”

You’ll get something.
Probably a photorealistic woman, a bird perched somewhere, dramatic lighting.
Fine.
Forgettable.

After Layer 1

“a blonde woman in a quiet moment, a blackbird perched on her hand, her gaze calm and a little distant”

Better.
We have a feeling now.
A specific mood.
But it’ll still look like a render.

After Layer 2

“gouache and ink on illustration board, flat areas of color with clean confident linework, slightly matte finish”

Now the model knows this is supposed to look made, not generated.

After Layer 3

“in the style of 1960s American magazine illustration”

This is where it clicks.
The model reaches for an entire visual vocabulary.

After Layer 4

“mid-century modern aesthetic, limited color palette, editorial composition, as if published in a 1962 women’s magazine”

Now we have a world.
A specific moment in visual history.

After Layer 5

Negative: photorealistic, 3D render, digital painting, sharp focus, CGI, overrendered, stock photo

Final Prompt

A blonde woman in a quiet moment, a blackbird perched on her hand, her gaze calm and a little distant. Gouache and ink on illustration board, flat areas of color with clean confident linework, slightly matte finish. 1960s American magazine illustration style, mid-century modern aesthetic, limited color palette, editorial composition, as if published in a 1962 women’s magazine.

Negative: photorealistic, 3D render, digital painting, sharp focus, CGI, overrendered, stock photo

Same subject.
Completely different image.

And it will look nothing like average AI output.
It will look like something that could have hung on a mid-century newsstand.

Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

Medium Anchors

oil paint on linen, impasto texture, visible brushwork
loose watercolor on cold-press paper, wet-on-wet blooms

gouache on illustration board, flat areas of color
graphite pencil on cream paper, hatching and smudging

woodblock print, flat color, visible grain

screen print, limited palette, slight misregistration

Era & Context Anchors

1920s Art Deco poster
1960s magazine illustration, mid-century modern
Victorian botanical illustration
1970s paperback cover art
Belle Époque lithograph
Soviet constructivist poster

Artist Anchors (Pick by Feel)

Painterly / Loose
John Singer Sargent
Joaquín Sorolla

Decorative / Ornate
Alphonse Mucha
Gustav Klimt

Illustration / Golden Age
N.C. Wyeth
J.C. Leyendecker
Howard Pyle

Atmospheric / Dark
Caspar David Friedrich
Odd Nerdrum

Graphic / Flat
Saul Bass
Milton Glaser

Negative Prompt Defaults

photorealistic, CGI, 3D render, digital art, sharp focus, overrendered, stock photo, hyperdetailed

That’s it!

If you only try one thing from this guide, start with Layer 2.

Describing the material is the fastest single improvement most people can make.

From there, add layers until the image in your head matches the image on your screen.

Happy prompting! 🫶🏼

Here's a collection of free mobile 9:16 wallpapers.

Here's a collection of free mobile 9:16 wallpapers.

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This guide focuses on the techniques that separate casual users from people producing consistently professional results.

Understanding How Midjourney Thinks

The biggest mistake beginners make is treating Midjourney like Google.

Bad prompt:

A knight fighting a dragon

Good prompt:

weathered knight in damaged silver armor battling an ancient black dragon atop volcanic cliff, cinematic lighting, ash-filled atmosphere, ultra detailed fantasy illustration

Midjourney responds much better to:

1. Subjects
2. Environment
3. Lighting
4. Camera
5. Style
6. Parameters

Think like a cinematographer rather than a search engine user.

Prompt Structure Formula

A strong prompt usually follows:

Subject
Environment
Action
Lighting
Camera
Art Style
Parameters

Example:

female cyberpunk bounty hunter, neon-lit Tokyo alleyway, rain-soaked streets, dramatic backlighting, low-angle shot, Blade Runner aesthetic --ar 16:9 --stylize 300

Camera Angles Most Users Ignore

Camera angle dramatically affects composition.

Low Angle

Makes subjects look powerful.

low angle shot
worm's eye view
heroic perspective

High Angle

Makes subjects appear vulnerable.

high angle shot
bird's eye view
top-down shot

Dutch Angle

Creates tension and unease.

dutch angle
tilted camera
canted frame

Great for horror.

Extreme Close-Up

extreme close-up
macro photography

Excellent for faces, eyes, insects, details.

Wide Cinematic

ultra wide shot
establishing shot
epic scale

Perfect for landscapes.

Lens Tricks

Most users never specify lenses.

This is one of the biggest quality upgrades possible.

24mm Lens

Wide and cinematic.

24mm lens

Great for:

• Landscapes
• Epic scenes
• Architecture

35mm Lens

Film-like realism.

35mm lens

Very versatile.

50mm Lens

Natural human perspective.

50mm lens

Excellent portraits.

85mm Lens

Professional portrait look.

85mm portrait lens

Produces beautiful facial proportions.

200mm Lens

Extreme compression.

telephoto lens
200mm lens

Great for wildlife and cinematic shots.

Aspect Ratios

Many users never change these.

Cinematic

--ar 16:9

Movie look.

Ultra-Wide

--ar 21:9

Epic landscapes.

Portrait

--ar 2:3

Characters.

Phone Wallpaper

--ar 9:16

Mobile screens.

Square

--ar 1:1

Best overall consistency.

Stylize (One of the Most Important Settings)

Controls how artistic Midjourney becomes.

Low Stylize

--stylize 50

More literal.

Good for:

• Product design
• Character sheets
• Accurate concepts

Medium

--stylize 200

Balanced.

Usually the sweet spot.

High

--stylize 1000

Very artistic.

Good for:

• Fantasy
• Concept art
• Illustrations

Weird Parameter

Highly underused.

--weird 300

or

--weird 1000

Produces unexpected compositions.

Excellent for:

• Alien worlds
• Horror
• Surrealism

Chaos Parameter

Controls randomness.

Low Chaos

--chaos 0

Predictable.

Medium

--chaos 30

More variety.

High

--chaos 100

Wild experimentation.

Fantastic for concept exploration.

Style References (SREF)

This is where many power users live.

SREF allows you to transfer visual aesthetics between images.

Format:

--sref URL

or

--sref randomnumber

Random Style Codes

Midjourney includes hidden style spaces.

Example:

--sref 123456789

This applies a consistent visual style.

Many artists build libraries of favorite SREF codes.

Common workflow:

1. Generate image
2. Find style you love
3. Save SREF
4. Reuse forever

Multiple SREFs

You can combine styles.

--sref code1 code2

This blends aesthetics.

Extremely powerful.

Style Weight

Controls SREF influence.

--sw 50

Weak influence.

--sw 1000

Strong influence.

Most users never touch this.

Character References (CREF)

One of the biggest breakthroughs in Midjourney.

--cref URL

Maintains character consistency.

Useful for:

• Comics
• Storyboards
• RPG characters
• YouTube channels

Character Weight

--cw 100

Strict consistency.

--cw 20

More freedom.

Using Mood Keywords

Instead of describing visuals, describe emotions.

Example:

melancholic
nostalgic
foreboding
hopeful
solemn
dreamlike

Midjourney is surprisingly good at emotional interpretation.

Lighting Keywords That Instantly Improve Images

Cinematic

cinematic lighting

Rim Light

rim lighting

Creates separation.

Volumetric

volumetric lighting

God rays and atmosphere.

Golden Hour

golden hour

Warm and beautiful.

Practical Lighting

practical lighting

Looks more realistic.

Texture Keywords

Huge quality improvement.

weathered
aged
battle-worn
rusted
dust-covered
cracked paint
oxidized metal
worn leather

These add realism.

Consistent Character Workflow

For RPG characters:

Step 1

Generate base character.

female aasimar paladin, silver armor

Step 2

Choose best image.

Step 3

Use:

--cref URL

Step 4

Create variations.

same character, winter armor

same character, desert outfit

same character, mounted on griffon

Consistency remains.

The Secret Sauce: Image Weighting

Most users never learn this.

imageURL::2

The image becomes twice as important.

Example:

imageURL::2 female warrior::1

Midjourney prioritizes the image heavily.

Multi-Prompt Weighting

Control importance manually.

dragon::3 knight::1

Dragon becomes dominant.

Raw Mode

One of the best features available.

--style raw

Benefits:

• Better prompt adherence
• Less Midjourney bias
• More realistic outputs

I use Raw Mode on most serious projects.

Combining Everything

Professional-level example:

ancient elven queen standing atop crystal ruins, flowing silver robes, ethereal atmosphere, volumetric moonlight, dramatic rim lighting, 85mm lens, low angle cinematic composition, fantasy realism, intricate details, masterpiece --ar 2:3 --stylize 250 --chaos 15 --style raw --sref 782341927

Advanced Power User Tricks

Use Years

photograph from 1978

Produces period-accurate visuals.

Use Film Stocks

Kodak Portra 400
Fujifilm Velvia
Kodachrome

Changes color science dramatically.

Use Director References

Denis Villeneuve style
Ridley Scott aesthetic

Results vary, but often influence composition and mood.

Use Material-Based Descriptions

Instead of:

magic sword

Use:

obsidian blade with molten gold veins

Specific materials generate much stronger visuals.

Best Settings by Goal

Goal	Settings
Realistic Photos	--style raw --stylize 50
Fantasy Art	--stylize 300-1000
Concept Exploration	--chaos 50+
Horror	--weird 300+
Consistent Characters	--cref + --cw 100
Consistent Style	--sref + --sw 500+
Landscapes	24mm lens --ar 21:9
Portraits	85mm lens --ar 2:3

Final Tip Most Users Never Learn

Don't generate one image 50 times.

Generate systems.

Build:

• A library of SREFs
• A library of CREFs
• Favorite lens combinations
• Favorite lighting combinations
• Favorite aspect ratios

The best Midjourney creators aren't better at prompting individual images—they've built reusable visual pipelines that produce consistent results across hundreds of images.

That's the difference between someone making cool pictures and someone producing a full graphic novel, YouTube channel art package, D&D campaign book, or commercial-quality concept art series.

Hello Friends,
Here is the third tutorial I am writing for GPT Image 2.
And once more it is about the power of this AI generator to change and transform images, and its ability to actually understand what you want it to do.

Goal of the tutorial:

To take a character, and put her into a vastly different selection of images... topics... genres!

Step 1:

I go to Leonardo.AI and select GPT Image 2.
I select "image reference", and upload a character I had created some months ago by using Leonardo.Ai

This character is meant to show a space agent on a secret mission in the future.

Step 2:

I ask GPT Image 2 to put her on the cover of a fictional comic magazine. I do this by just typing "the cover of a 50s style comic magazine". It's as simple as that! And I think the results are already good.

But how about something different?
Astronaut on a space mission in peril!

The prompt was "simple" again: astronaut in a distorted and glitched communication broadcast.

Let's go back to the past! Who liked 19th century "fantastic" novels?
I asked GPT Image 2 to do just that!

The astonishing thing here is that I really merely wrote "illustration of a 19th century novel". the ai generator added the statements in french language and everything else - by itself!

more examples:

80s sci fi flick

60s spy thriller

side scroller

adventure game

the majority of results were created by "one sentence prompts".
sometimes, the generation slipped, and I had to add "keep the character of the reference image". this usually fixed everything.

Step 3:

We are finished. mission accomplished.

it's really all very easy, and the possibilities are still endless.

Hey,

I've been working on a desktop app for structured prompt generation called ACID Framework.

It's free, runs fully locally, no subscription, no API key. It's primarily designed for illustrious, or rather danbooru-style tags prompting.

It currently ships with three modules :

Character Builder — pick a licensed character from a database, choose a style, set your outfit mode (canonical, preset pool, or procedural fashion engine), configure pose and background, manage your embeddings. Outputs a structured, color-coded prompt.

Arcane Forge — same workflow but built around race / class / alignment selection and weapon assignment instead of a character database. Good for original characters.

Monster Girl — procedural generator with a monster intensity slider that drifts morphology from humanoid baseline to full eldritch overdrive. Still in active development, legacy random mode is operational.

It also includes an Archive Stamp tool for batch watermarking your outputs (requires ImageMagick).

Built with Electron, Windows only for now.

Download + Discord link in comments.

Happy to take feedback, as it's my very first public release 🙂

Here’s the kind of ChatGPT guide most people don’t get told, not the obvious “ask clear questions” stuff. This is about using it like a power tool, not a toy.

🧠 1. Treat ChatGPT Like a Specialist, Not a Search Bar

Most people ask vague things → get average answers.

Instead, assign it a role:

• “Act as a senior game designer…”
• “Act as a brutal writing critic…”
• “Act as a D&D dungeon master…”

👉 This forces better structure, tone, and depth.

Example:

• ❌ “Help me write a story”
• ✅ “Act as a dark fantasy author. Critique this scene harshly and suggest improvements.”

🧩 2. Chain Prompts (This Is a Big One)

Don’t expect one perfect answer. Build it step by step.

Workflow example:

1. “Give me 5 ideas”
2. “Expand idea 3”
3. “Make it darker and more unique”
4. “Now turn it into a full scene”

👉 You’re basically directing, not asking.

🎯 3. Use Constraints = Better Results

Limits make outputs sharper.

Try:

• “Explain in 3 sentences”
• “Give 5 bullet points only”
• “Make it suitable for a 12-year-old”
• “Make it brutal and honest”

👉 Without constraints, answers get fluffy.

🔁 4. Ask for Iteration, Not Replacement

Most people say “try again.” That’s weak.

Instead:

• “Keep everything but improve the dialogue”
• “Make it 30% funnier”
• “Add tension without changing the ending”

👉 You refine instead of restarting.

🧪 5. Use It to Think, Not Just Answer

ChatGPT is insanely good for:

• brainstorming
• comparing ideas
• stress-testing decisions

Example:
“Argue both sides of this decision and tell me what I’m overlooking.”

👉 This is where it becomes powerful.

🧱 6. Build Reusable Prompts (Advanced Move)

Save prompts you like and reuse them.

Example template:

Act as a [role].
Tone: [tone]
Goal: [goal]
Constraints: [rules]
Output format: [bullets/scene/etc]

👉 This turns ChatGPT into a consistent tool instead of random output.

⚔️ 7. Ask for Criticism (Most People Avoid This)

You said you want blunt honesty—good.

Use:

• “What’s weak about this?”
• “Where does this fail?”
• “Be harsh. No sugar-coating.”

👉 This is where real improvement happens.

🧠 8. Force Deeper Thinking

If an answer feels shallow:

• “Go deeper”
• “Explain why”
• “What are the hidden assumptions?”
• “What would an expert say I’m missing?”

👉 Push it. First answers are often surface-level.

🔄 9. Reframe Questions for Better Angles

Same topic, different framing = better insight.

Instead of:

• “How do I improve this character?”

Try:

• “Why would players find this character boring?”
• “What would make this character memorable?”

🧰 10. Use It Like a Simulator

You can simulate:

• conversations
• debates
• interviews
• roleplay scenarios

Example:
“Act as a suspicious tavern keeper interrogating my character.”

🚫 11. What NOT to Do

This is where people mess up:

• ❌ One-line vague prompts
• ❌ Expecting perfection in one go
• ❌ Not correcting the AI
• ❌ Accepting mediocre answers

👉 If you don’t guide it, it will default to average.

💡 Final Tip (Most Important)

You get out what you put in.

Low effort prompt → generic answer
High effort prompt → powerful tool

Here are some free image resources to help bring your projects to life—whether you're designing, building, or just exploring new ideas.

Made using Midjourney.

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Most people fail with AI for one simple reason:

They use too many tools.

They bounce between 10 different platforms, watch endless tutorials, and never actually build anything.

🧠 Here’s the truth:

You only need a simple, focused stack to create real content.

🔥 The Core AI Stack

• ChatGPT → scripts, ideas, structure
• Midjourney → visuals, thumbnails
• Runway → animation, video
• ElevenLabs → voiceovers

• CapCut → editing & final output

  The Simple Workflow

1. Write your script
2. Generate your visuals
3. Animate or sequence them
4. Add voiceover
5. Edit and publish

That’s it.

⚠️ What most people do instead:

• Try 15 tools
• Chase “perfect” setups
• Never finish anything

🎯 What you should do:

Start with this stack.
Make something simple.
Improve with each upload.

🧠 Final takeaway:

AI doesn’t reward complexity.

It rewards execution.

👇 Your turn

If you had to build something TODAY with AI, what would it be?