Advanced AI Art Prompting 🎨

Use this guide to help you with the exercises. These are common parameters used in tools like Midjourney.

Technical Parameters

Artistic & Cinematic Modifiers

Exercise 1: Mastering Aspect Ratio & Composition

1. You want a full-body image of a character. Which aspect ratio is best suited for this: --ar 16:9, --ar 1:1, or --ar 2:3?
Hint: Think vertical vs. horizontal. A full body fits best in a portrait (taller than it is wide) orientation.
2. Write a prompt for a "vast, cinematic desert scene with a lone wanderer." You must include parameters for a landscape aspect ratio and an off-center composition.
Hint: Use --ar 16:9 for landscape. Add the phrase "off-center composition" to your text prompt.

Exercise 2: Controlling Quality & Finish

1. You are creating a concept sketch and don't need a fully finished image. Which parameter would you use to get an "unfinished" look?
Hint: Look for the parameter that halts the image generation process before it's 100% complete.
2. Take the base prompt "A detailed portrait of a queen on her throne." Modify it to have the maximum level of polish and sharpness.
Hint: The guide mentions a specific parameter and value for maximum refinement. Add it to the end of the prompt.

Exercise 3: Defining Art Style

1. You want the AI to follow your prompt very literally, without adding too much of its own creative flair. Should you use a high or low --s (Stylize) value?
Hint: The reference guide states that low stylize values stay closer to the text prompt.
2. Create a prompt for the subject "A dragon sleeping on a pile of gold." The final image should have a soft, storybook quality.
Hint: Choose the art style from the guide that is described as "soft" and often used in storybooks.

Exercise 4: Embracing Chaos & Mood

1. You're feeling experimental and want the AI to generate four very different and unpredictable images from a single prompt. Which parameter and value range would be most effective?
Hint: Find the parameter that controls unpredictability and choose a high value.
2. Write a prompt for "An abandoned cathedral." It must include modifiers for both a "dark fantasy" mood and "dramatic" lighting.
Hint: Simply add the phrases `dark fantasy setting` and `dramatic lighting` to your base prompt.

Exercise 5: Directing the Camera

1. You want to create an image that makes a single goblin look powerful and intimidating. Which camera angle would be best to achieve this effect?
Hint: Shooting from below makes subjects appear larger and more imposing.
2. Create a prompt for "A spy looking at a city from a rooftop." The image should be framed from behind the spy, looking out at the view with them.
Hint: There's a specific camera angle in the guide for this narrative perspective.

Exercise 6: Photographic Styles

1. You want to capture the intricate, tiny details on a steampunk pocket watch. Which photography style should you specify in your prompt?
Hint: Look for the photography term that means "extreme close detail."
2. Write a prompt for "A classic detective in a rainy alley." The image should have a timeless, classic film look.
Hint: Use the photography style that removes color to create a dramatic, classic feel.

Exercise 7: Using Weights & Effects

1. In the prompt "A giant mech fighting a small kaiju," how would you use prompt weights to make the mech the clear focus and much larger than the kaiju?
Hint: Use the :: syntax. Give the 'mech' a higher number (e.g., 2) and the 'kaiju' a lower number (e.g., 0.5).
2. Create a prompt for "A powerful wizard casting a spell." The image must include a mystical effect of glowing symbols around their hands.
Hint: The "Effects" category has the perfect modifier for this magical look.

Exercise 8: Combining Mood & Lighting

1. Which lighting style would best complement a prompt with a "hopeful mood"?
Hint: Think about what kind of light feels warm and optimistic. Golden hour or soft natural light often work well.
2. Write a complete prompt for "A group of friends around a campfire at night." Combine a "whimsical mood" with a lighting style that fits the scene.
Hint: The campfire itself is a light source. You could describe it as a 'soft glow' or 'warm light'.

Exercise 9: Combining Style & Composition

1. You want to create an icon of a "perfectly balanced yin-yang symbol made of fire and water." Which composition term is essential for this prompt?
Hint: The keyword is "balanced." Look for the composition term that matches.
2. Create a prompt for "An ancient temple entrance." It should be an "oil painting" and use a "symmetrical composition."
Hint: Combine the subject with the style and composition phrases. For an extra touch, you could specify an aspect ratio like --ar 1:1 for a balanced, square frame.

Exercise 10: The Full Prompt

1. Analyze this prompt: "Hero standing on mountain peak, epic atmosphere, golden hour light, oil painting, wide shot --ar 16:9". Identify the Mood, Lighting, and Camera Angle used.
Hint: Break the prompt down phrase by phrase and match each part to a category in the reference guide.
2. Construct a single, detailed prompt for a "cat adventurer." You must include a Camera Angle, an Art Style, a Mood, and a specific Aspect Ratio. Be creative!
Hint: Example structure: "[Art Style] of a [Subject], [Camera Angle], [Mood] --ar [ratio]". Try combining something fun like 'Claymation style' with a 'low angle shot' to make the cat look heroic.