Stable Diffusion is a powerful AI system for generating images from text prompts. With the right prompts, Stable Diffusion can produce beautiful, creative images. However, coming up with effective prompts requires some skill and practice, known as “prompt engineering”.
In this article, I will provide examples of good Stable Diffusion prompts and techniques for crafting better prompts yourself. I’ve structured the article into sections covering different aspects of prompt engineering, using level 2 and 3 headings for organization. Towards the end, I list some useful websites for finding more Stable Diffusion prompts.
What Makes a Good Prompt
A good Stable Diffusion prompt clearly describes the desired image in detail. Here are some tips:
- Specify the subject matter, attributes, style, composition, etc.
- Use descriptive adjectives and visual language
- Give context and backstory if helpful
- List both positive and negative traits to narrow down the image
Styles and Mediums
Here are some examples of prompts describing different art styles and mediums:
Photorealism
An intricate pencil drawing of a girl with freckles and curly red hair, photorealistic style, sharp focus, detailed textures, by Greg Rutkowski and Thomas KinkadeOil Painting
An ornate oil painting of a white cat with blue eyes, in the style of Rembrandt, thick textured brush strokes, soft lighting, golden frameWatercolor
A watercolor painting of a fantasy landscape, in the style of John Singer Sargent, soft pastel colors, flowing brush strokes, high level of detailSpecifying Characters
When generating portraits or images with people, include details about facial features, expression, clothing, etc.
Portrait
A digitally painted portrait of an elderly Native American chief, wearing a feathered headdress, braids, wise expression emphasized by wrinkles and weathered skinFantasy Character
A female elf ranger adventurer with long blonde hair, pointy ears, green eyes, wearing leather armor and cloak, holding a carved bow, with a quiver on her back, rendered in digital artDirecting Composition
Guide the composition by specifying camera angle, framing, position of subjects, etc.
Hero Shot
A low angle hero shot of a knight in armor brandishing a sword, framed by tall grass with lens flare, centered in the image facing the cameraAerial Perspective
A fantasy castle on a hill, aerial perspective, overview shot, towers on left and right, main building with flags in center, reflecting in a lake in the foregroundImproving Prompts
If an initial prompt doesn’t produce the desired result, tweak it to provide more direction to Stable Diffusion.
Add Details
An oil painting of a tabby cat with green eyes, brown and black striped fur, pointy ears, sitting, looking at viewer, very detailed fur and whiskers [add details about the background, lighting, etc.]Change Style
A pencil sketch of a robot walking through a futuristic city, detailed metal and wires, background buildings [change to ink and watercolor style instead of pencil sketch]Remove Elements
A still life painting of fruit in a bowl, including apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, and strawberries on a wooden table [remove the oranges and draw fewer grapes]Useful Websites
Here are some great sites to find Stable Diffusion prompts made by other users:
- Lexica – Search engine for AI/ML art prompts
- PromptHero – Public prompts ranked by the community
- Stable Diffusion Search – Search engine for model generations
- OpenArt – Platform to create and share AI art
By studying these prompts and experimenting on your own, you can become an expert at crafting prompts that produce exactly the images you imagine. With practice, you’ll develop intuition for the right words to guide Stable Diffusion.