Stable Diffusion is an open-source AI system for creating images from text descriptions. It uses a technique called “diffusion models” to generate highly realistic and creative images based on text prompts. Stable Diffusion has become extremely popular for generating AI art, with a passionate community of users constantly innovating and creating new prompts.
Key features of Stable Diffusion:
- Generate photorealistic images from text prompts
- Flexible and customizable – supports different art styles
- Built on open-source technology
- Active community creating prompts
When creating prompts for Stable Diffusion, it’s important to provide enough detail and context to guide the AI, while still leaving room for creativity. Below are some best practices and examples for writing great prompts.
Best Practices for Stable Diffusion Prompts
Be Specific
Clearly describe the subject matter, style, composition, etc. Ambiguous prompts produce ambiguous results.
GOOD: A scenic photograph of a green meadow with purple and yellow wildflowers leading to snowy mountains and blue skies
BAD: Nice nature scene
Use Adjectives and Descriptive Phrases
Adjectives help set the mood, tone and style. Descriptive phrases establish details.
EXAMPLE: A majestic snow leopard with fierce eyes, thick fur, and a long fluffy tail sits on a cliff overlooking a vast mountain range at sunset
Set the Composition
Establish relationships between elements and set the framing.
EXAMPLE: A centered portrait photo of an elderly woman wearing a red scarf and round glasses, smiling softly while knitting a purple hat
Provide Context
Add backstory and purpose to give the AI more to work with.
EXAMPLE: A movie poster titled “The Astronaut’s Dream” depicting an astronaut floating in a vivid nebula with a reflection of Earth in their helmet visor
Use Multiple Sentences
Elaborate on details in separate sentences for clarity.
EXAMPLE: A phone wallpaper titled “Neon Jungle.” A neon green panther with glowing purple eyes prowls through a jungle at night. The jungle is dense with teal and pink neon leaves. The panther leaves traces of neon light in its footsteps.
Prompt Examples
Here are some examples of great prompts to use with Stable Diffusion:
Fantasy Character Portrait
A beautiful female warrior with long silver hair in intricate armor stands proudly with a glowing sword, digital art by Artgerm and Greg Rutkowski
Space Scene
A wide cinematic shot of an enormous nebula with bright purples, blues and greens, filled with shiny stars and swirling gases, trending on ArtStation
Still Life Painting
An oil painting by Claude Monet of a vase with vibrant orange lilies and purple irises sitting on an ornate table next to a window overlooking a green garden
Fashion Magazine Cover
A Vogue magazine cover featuring Emma Watson wearing a Dior gown, photographed by Annie Leibovitz in black and white
Epic Movie Poster
A colorful, epic movie poster for “Atlantis” showing the lost underwater city with grand architecture, flying vehicles, and citizens riding giant seahorses, in the style of a Marvel movie
Additional Resources
Here are some useful websites with more Stable Diffusion prompts and techniques:
- Lexica – Searchable gallery of Stable Diffusion images
- PromptMania – Prompt sharing and inspiration
- Stable Diffusion Subreddit – Tips, tricks and prompt ideas
- Nightcafe Creator – Free online Stable Diffusion tool
The key is experimenting with different prompts and fine-tuning based on results. With practice, you can learn to guide Stable Diffusion to create incredible AI art tailored to your creative vision.