Welcome to the Stable Diffusion Prompt Handbook! As an AI art enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share my knowledge about crafting effective prompts for Stable Diffusion. This AI model has opened up endless creative possibilities, but getting those jaw-dropping images requires some prompt engineering finesse.
Through trial and error, I’ve discovered what makes a prompt “pop” to produce stunning visuals. My goal here is to condense my learnings into an easy-to-use handbook so you can shortcut the prompt tinkering process. Let’s dive in!
Prompt Anatomy
A prompt has a few key components:
Subject
This defines the main focus of your image. For example:
- A majestic white Bengal tiger
- An astronaut exploring Mars
Pick something specific rather than leaving it overly broad.
Style/Medium
Next, indicate the style and medium like:
- Oil painting by Rembrandt
- A digital illustration
- Photorealistic rendering
Details
This is where you can get creative with vivid descriptors about colors, textures, lighting, backgrounds, etc. For example:
- Dramatic chiaroscuro lighting
- Vintage film grain overlay
- Cinematic atmosphere with a hint of lens flare
Composition
Suggest the pose, framing, angle, depth of field, etc.
- Portrait composition, shot from below
- Wide landscape shot, hyperfocal distance
Crafting Your Prompt
With these elements in mind, I recommend starting with a simple prompt structure:
“[Subject], [style/medium], [details], [composition]”
You can elaborate on any area as needed. But resist the urge to overload your prompt! Being concise and specific does the trick.
Here’s an example:
“A majestic white Bengal tiger, photorealistic oil painting, dramatic lighting, portrait composition”
Prioritize Keywords
Focus on nailing down the critical keywords, then enhance from there. You can indicate priority words by weight adjustments in brackets:
“A majestic [1.2]white[1.2] Bengal tiger, photorealistic oil painting, dramatic lighting, portrait composition”
Advanced Prompting Techniques
Once you’ve mastered the basics, a few advanced tactics can take your images to the next level.
Negative Prompts
Adding negative prompts with a “-” indicates what you DON’T want to see. For example:
-“poorly drawn, -blurry, -bad anatomy”
This reduces unwanted outputs.
Stylistic References
Referencing a specific artist helps Stable Diffusion hone in on their style. For example:
“A majestic white Bengal tiger in the style of Henri Rousseau’s jungle paintings”
Expand On Details
Elaborate on colors, lighting, backgrounds etc for a more tailored result. For example:
“Rich golden light streaming through the lush green jungle foliage, vivid tiger stripes contrasting against white fur”
Guide Composition
Suggest camera angles, depth of field, rule of thirds, leading lines etc to influence layout. For example:
“Shallow depth of field, tiger eyes positioned along top third line”
Prompt Examples
Here are a few prompt examples to ignite your creativity:
“An astronaut floating in space, trending on ArtStation, by Greg Rutkowski, cinematic lighting, highly detailed reflective spacesuit, a nebula and planets in background”
“A still life oil painting by Claude Monet, sunlight streaming from window onto glass vase with pink roses and hyacinths on a wood table”
“An underwater seascape, digital art, schools of tropical fish swimming through vibrant coral reef and sea anemones, caustic lighting, by David Noton Photography”
“A cute baby sloth hanging from a tree, Pixar animation style, soft lighting, detailed fur”
Have fun with it! Don’t be afraid to experiment.
Helpful Resources
To take your prompting skills even further, check out these awesome resources:
- Lexica – Curated prompt database
- PromptHero – User-generated prompt sharing
- Stable Diffusion Discord – Active community discussions
- Nightcafe Creator – Online Stable Diffusion sandbox
Wishing you the best on your AI art journey! Go create something amazing.
Conclusion
You now have a solid foundation for crafting top-notch Stable Diffusion prompts. Remember to start simple, prioritize critical keywords, leverage advanced techniques, and reference resources when you need a nudge.
The possibilities are truly endless thanks to the magic of AI. I can’t wait to see what captivating images you dream up! Never stop exploring.