How to Use This System
Answer each section thoughtfully. Not every element needs to be filled—choose what serves your artistic vision. The more specific you are, the more unique your output will be.
CORE ELEMENTS
1. Subject & Focus
What is the primary subject of your artwork?
- Main subject: _______________
- Secondary elements: _______________
- Subject count/quantity: _______________
- Subject relationship (if multiple): _______________
2. Action, State & Mood
What is happening, or what emotional state exists?
- Physical action/movement: _______________
- Emotional mood/atmosphere: _______________
- Energy level (kinetic, static, explosive, serene): _______________
- Narrative moment (beginning, climax, aftermath): _______________
3. Environment & Setting
Where is this occurring?
- Location type: _______________
- Spatial context (enclosed, vast, intimate, infinite): _______________
- Environmental conditions (weather, atmosphere): _______________
- Time of day/season: _______________
4. Style, Medium & Artistic Tradition
What artistic approach defines this work?
- Primary medium (oil, digital, watercolor, sculpture, etc.): _______________
- Art movement (Impressionism, Surrealism, Cyberpunk, etc.): _______________
- Artist reference (“in the style of…”): _______________
- Level of realism (photorealistic, stylized, abstract): _______________
5. Era & Cultural Context
When and where is this aesthetically rooted?
- Historical period: _______________
- Cultural influence: _______________
- Technological era (if sci-fi/fantasy): _______________
VISUAL REFINEMENT
6. Lighting & Illumination
How is light behaving in this scene?
- Light source (natural, artificial, magical): _______________
- Quality (harsh, soft, diffused, dramatic): _______________
- Direction (backlighting, rim light, top-down): _______________
- Color temperature (warm, cool, neutral): _______________
7. Color Palette & Theory
What colors dominate this work?
- Primary colors: _______________
- Color harmony (complementary, analogous, monochromatic): _______________
- Saturation level (vibrant, muted, desaturated): _______________
- Color symbolism/meaning: _______________
8. Composition & Perspective
How is the visual space organized?
- Compositional rule (rule of thirds, golden ratio, centered): _______________
- Perspective type (bird’s eye, worm’s eye, isometric, one-point): _______________
- Focal point placement: _______________
- Negative space approach: _______________
9. Texture & Detail
What is the surface quality and level of detail?
- Texture type (smooth, rough, organic, geometric): _______________
- Detail density (minimalist, intricate, hyperdetailed): _______________
- Material qualities: _______________
- Surface treatment: _______________
10. Depth & Dimensionality
How is space and depth communicated?
- Depth of field (shallow, deep, infinite): _______________
- Layering (foreground, middle, background): _______________
- Atmospheric perspective (yes/no): _______________
- Spatial compression/expansion: _______________
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
11. Technical Quality
What are the output requirements?
- Resolution/quality level: _______________
- Aspect ratio (16:9, 1:1, 9:16, etc.): _______________
- Rendering style (3D, 2D, mixed media): _______________
- Post-processing (film grain, bloom, chromatic aberration): _______________
12. Camera/Lens Simulation (if applicable)
What photographic qualities should be emulated?
- Lens type (wide-angle, telephoto, macro, fisheye): _______________
- Aperture effect (bokeh, sharp throughout): _______________
- Focal length feel: _______________
- Camera angle: _______________
CONCEPTUAL DEPTH
13. Symbolism & Meaning
What deeper meanings should be embedded?
- Symbolic elements: _______________
- Metaphorical content: _______________
- Emotional message: _______________
- Conceptual theme: _______________
14. Contrast & Juxtaposition
What opposing forces create tension?
- Visual contrasts (light/dark, large/small): _______________
- Conceptual contrasts (old/new, natural/synthetic): _______________
- Emotional contrasts: _______________
15. Scale & Proportion
How do elements relate in size?
- Realistic scale or distorted?: _______________
- Exaggerated elements: _______________
- Miniaturization effects: _______________
CREATIVE DIRECTIVES
16. What to REFINE/EMPHASIZE
What elements should be most pronounced?
17. What to RELEASE/AVOID
What should be minimized or excluded?
18. What to MEAN/EVOKE
What should the viewer feel or understand?
GENERATED PROMPT FORMULA
Once you’ve completed the sections above, combine them using this structure:
[SUBJECT] [ACTION/STATE], [ENVIRONMENT] setting, [STYLE/MEDIUM],
[ART MOVEMENT] influence, [ERA], [LIGHTING DESCRIPTION],
[COLOR PALETTE], [COMPOSITION], [TEXTURE/DETAIL LEVEL],
[PERSPECTIVE], [DEPTH TREATMENT], [SYMBOLIC ELEMENTS],
[TECHNICAL SPECS], [CAMERA/LENS DETAILS if applicable],
emphasis on [WHAT TO REFINE], avoiding [WHAT TO RELEASE],
evoking [WHAT TO MEAN]
EXAMPLE PROMPTS
Example 1: Surreal Portrait
A solitary astronaut removing their helmet, revealing a garden of bioluminescent flowers growing inside, abandoned space station interior, digital painting, Surrealism meets Baroque, distant future era, soft ethereal rim lighting from a dying star, iridescent blues and purples with gold accents, rule of thirds composition, hyperdetailed organic textures, low angle perspective, shallow depth of field with bokeh, symbolizing humanity’s transformation, 8K resolution, 2:3 aspect ratio, 50mm lens feel, emphasis on the flower garden details and light interaction, avoiding hard sci-fi elements, evoking wonder and metamorphosis
Example 2: Abstract Landscape
Crystalline mountain ranges fragmenting into geometric data streams, void-like environment with floating debris, abstract 3D render, Minimalism with Glitch Art influence, post-digital era, stark directional lighting creating hard shadows, monochromatic with electric cyan accent, centered symmetrical composition, sharp faceted surfaces with wireframe elements, isometric perspective, infinite depth with atmospheric fog, representing the dissolution of physical reality, 4K resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, emphasis on clean edges and data flow, avoiding organic curves, evoking digital transcendence
Example 3: Character Design
An elderly librarian made entirely of living books and paper, pages fluttering as they move, infinite library setting with impossible architecture, mixed media combining gouache and digital, Art Nouveau with Magical Realism, timeless era, warm candlelight with dancing shadows, sepia tones with deep burgundy and forest green, dynamic diagonal composition, intricate paper textures and typography, slight low angle perspective, layered depth with soft focus background, symbolizing the preservation of knowledge, high detail, 4:5 aspect ratio, emphasis on the flowing paper forms and typography details, avoiding digital/modern elements, evoking nostalgia and wisdom
ADVANCED TIPS
Combining Contradictions
Create unique results by intentionally combining opposing elements:
- “Brutalist architecture rendered in soft watercolor”
- “Cyberpunk aesthetics with Renaissance painting techniques”
- “Horror subject matter in pastel kawaii style”
Specificity is Power
Instead of “forest,” try “moss-covered birch forest in autumn fog” Instead of “portrait,” try “three-quarter profile of a glass-skinned figure”
Weighted Emphasis
Use parentheses with multipliers for AI tools that support it:
- (crystalline structures:1.5)
- (photorealistic:0.8)
Negative Prompting
Explicitly state what to avoid:
- “no human figures, no text, no symmetry”
Iteration Strategy
- Start with core elements (Subject, Environment, Style)
- Generate initial output
- Add refinement layers (Lighting, Color, Texture)
- Fine-tune with technical and conceptual elements
QUICK-START TEMPLATE
For rapid prompt generation, fill in this minimal template:
“[SUBJECT] [DOING WHAT], [WHERE], [ARTISTIC STYLE], [MOOD/LIGHTING], [KEY VISUAL QUALITY]”
Example: “Mechanical whale breaching, ocean of liquid mercury, Art Deco style, dramatic golden hour lighting, hyperdetailed metallics”
NOTES
- Not every section needs to be used—select what serves your vision
- The most unique prompts come from unexpected combinations
- Trust your artistic instincts over formulas
- Iterate and experiment—prompting is an art form itself
- Different AI tools interpret prompts differently—adjust accordingly
Download the FREE: Master Prompt Generator For Generative Art
Designed to be used with the AI GENERATIVE ART PROMPT REFERENCE SHEET.
