Alright, so you want to get the best results possible from those AI image generators but you're not really sure how to write your prompts. No problem - here are some of my tips for crafting prompts that will really help the AI visualize exactly what you want.
First off, be as specific and descriptive as you can. Give the AI a lot of details to work with. For example, instead of just saying 'dog', you could say 'a fluffy brown golden retriever sitting in a green field'. The more info you provide, the more accurately it can interpret your vision.
It also helps to add adjectives that appeal to different senses beyond just visuals. So you might say something like 'a cozy crackling fire with the sounds of laughter and smell of cinnamon'. Engaging multiple senses gives it a richer prompt to grab onto.
You'll get better results keeping your prompt fairly concise too, like one or two sentences max. Any longer and the details might get muddled. Be methodical in what parts are most important to include.
Consider using examples as inspiration for your descriptions. Saying 'an outdoor party like in the movie Grease' taps into a visual it can reference. And don't be afraid to get weirdly specific - weird prompts can yield cool unexpected results!
Play around with variations of the same idea to see what works best too. Tweaking small parts of your prompt each time helps the AI hone in on your vision. And most importantly, just have fun experimenting! Don't be afraid to try unconventional prompts - the weirder, the better results sometimes. Have fun and get creative with those AI image generators!
Example of a weirdly specific prompt that yielded cool results
Here's an example of a weirdly specific prompt that yielded cool results from an AI image generator:
I once entered the prompt
"a jack-o-lantern wearing sunglasses and skateboarding on the moon."
Even though it was such an odd and specific image, the AI was able to generate a surprisingly compelling picture from that prompt!
It showed a round orange pumpkin carved into a smiling face, perched atop a skateboard. The pumpkin was wearing round jack-o-lantern-sized sunglasses with orange lens. In the background was a grey, dusty landscape that was unmistakably the surface of the moon. The pumpkin appeared to be in motion on the skateboard, its stem acting as arms stretched out for balance.
Small moon rocks and dust kicked up behind the rolling board in a trail. There was even a lit cigarette poised comically in the pumpkin's mouth stem. It had captured the whimsical absurdity of the prompt in a genuinely amusing and well-executed piece of art.
It was such a random combination of elements that I never expected the AI to be able to visualize so clearly. But it went to show that throwing strange or unexpected ideas at the generator can really pay off in unexpected ways. The weirder the prompt, the more creative potential there is for interesting results!
How the AI is able to generate such compelling and detailed images from specific prompts
Here's an explanation of how AI image generators are able to create compelling images from specific text prompts:
AI image generators like DALL-E 2 work by using large neural networks trained on vast datasets of image-text pairs. During training, the network learns patterns and relationships between the pixels of images and the words used to describe them.
When prompted with new text, the network has not seen that exact combination of words before. But it can draw from what it learned during training to make inferences about what visual elements tend to co-occur with certain descriptions.
For example, if prompted with "a cat sleeping on a bed," the network knows from its training data that cats are furry animals, beds are rectangular structures for resting, and sleeping involves closing one's eyes in relaxation.
It then uses stochastic sampling techniques to iteratively generate pixels that it thinks would best match that prompted description based on probabilities inferred from its training. Features like fur, beds, and closed eyes are more likely to emerge.
Through numerous generations and modifications guided by its text understanding, it's able to assemble those ideas into a novel image composition that visualizes the prompt. Additional details come from broader preconceptions also learned during training.
So while it hasn't seen that exact prompt, the network can still pull from its enormous base of knowledge to visualize even very specific descriptions through probabilistic, trial-and-error image synthesis guided by its text comprehension abilities.
Can the AI generate images based on more abstract or metaphorical prompts?
While AI image generators have become very proficient at visualizing concrete descriptions, they still have limitations when it comes to more abstract or metaphorical prompts. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Models are only as good as the data they were trained on. If metaphors/abstractions weren't well-represented in the training datasets, the model won't have strong implicit associations to draw from.
- Ambiguous or multi-interpretable prompts can confuse the model. It works best when there is a clear dominant interpretation to visualize.
- Generating images based on abstract concepts, emotions, or metaphors requires a level of nuanced understanding, reasoning and creativity that today's AI has not achieved.
- Models tend to perform best when prompts appeal to concrete visual details and combinations they can directly map pixels to.
That said, some metaphorical prompts have succeeded to varying degrees by relying more on visually grounded elements. For example, an image for "the sadness of autumn leaves" might include falling brown leaves and overcast skies.
With further advances, AI may gain better abilities to grasp subtle meanings and generate more interpretive, metaphorical art. But for now, simplicity and direct mappings to visual cues work best. The technology remains limited in translating truly abstract ideas, concepts and nuanced meanings into pixels. Understanding language at that level remains a challenge for AI.
How do I give AI image generator instructions?
Here are some tips for giving effective instructions to an AI image generator:
- Be specific in your prompt. Give as many vivid details as possible about the scene, objects, people, etc. The more information you provide, the better able the AI will be to visualize it.
- Use affirmative language rather than negatives. For example, say "a beach with palm trees" rather than "not a forest". Positives help direct the generation.
- Provide context or references when helpful. Citing examples (e.g. "similar to Monet's water lilies painting") gives the AI a visual template to work from.
- Request multiple iterations if needed. Most tools let you refine the prompt and resubmit to get variations. This helps the AI hone the results.
- Give feedback on outcomes. Liking/disliking images trains the model for future generations. Commenting on what's right/wrong also gives guidance.
- Be patient. Image generation takes time as the AI explores possibilities. Don't keep rapidly changing prompts before it finishes.
- Try adjusting keywords or modifiers. Small adjustments like "tropical beach" vs "sandy beach" can influence the feel.
- Keep language simple, clear and concise. Too many modifiers or complex wording can confuse rather than aid the visualization.
With practice tailoring prompts, you'll get better at providing the right level of detail and guidance for AI generation tools to imagine the scene you're describing. Feedback also helps improve the tools over time.
How do I create a prompt from an image?
Here are some tips for creating a textual prompt based on an image:
- Describe the main subjects and most prominent visual elements. Identify key objects, people, activities, colors, etc.
- Note attributes like size, positioning, materials. For example, "a large red balloon floating in the blue sky".
- Capture the overall scene or environment. Mention backgrounds, settings, weather conditions.
- Use adjectives to convey textures, lighting, moods. For example, "a lone sailboat gliding across choppy gray waters at dusk".
- Note interactions if any. Describe actions, poses, relationships between visual elements.
- Compare or reference other images to provide context. For example, "similar to a Monet painting of a water lily pond".
- Consider abstracting or interpreting elements symbolically if desired. But keep it grounded in observable visual details.
- Review your description out loud or have someone else review. Revise any vague or ambiguous terms that don't clearly depict the scene.
- Keep the prompt relatively concise while hitting the most important identifying visual features.
With practice analyzing images and distilling the key scenic attributes, you can get skilled at turning photographs into effective textual prompts for AI systems to recreate or replicate the scene from words alone.
In my experience playing around with different AI image generators, I've found that the quality of the prompt makes a huge difference in the outcome. A well-written, descriptive prompt allows the AI to really understand your vision and translate it accurately into a final image. But prompts that are too vague or ambiguous can result in misinterpreted, unclear images.
I think the most important things when crafting a prompt are to be as specific and detailed as possible, while keeping it fairly concise. Bombarding the AI with unnecessary extra details seems to muddle the results rather than help. I like to focus on 3-5 key visual elements and use vivid adjectives to paint a clear picture.
Reference examples are also incredibly useful as guidelines for the AI. Giving cultural, historical or artistic references in the prompt helps ground the generation. In my experience, the AI can then imbue its own creative style while retaining the overall vibe.
My personal preference when prompting is to strike a balance between uniqueness and realism. Pushing too far into surrealism risks losing clarity, but familiar tropes alone aren't as engaging. Getting that sweet spot captures the imagination while keeping it comprehendible.
Overall, prompts are so fun to experiment with! I love how tweaking small parts unveils new unforeseen creations. It's really satisfying to nail the description and see the AI manifest your vision. With practice, anyone can get skilled at prompting AI art generators.