I’m trying to learn how to use AI image generators, but I got stuck figuring out which tools to use and what prompts actually work. I need help creating better AI images for a project, and I’m hoping to get simple advice on getting started, choosing the right platform, and improving results.
Start with one tool and learn it well.
For beginners:
Midjourney, great style, easy results.
DALL·E, simple prompt flow, solid for general use.
Stable Diffusion, more control, more setup.
If you want easy, pick Midjourney or DALL·E first.
Prompt formula:
subject, style, lighting, camera/view, background, colors, quality details
Example:
“small red cabin in snowy forest, cinematic style, soft morning light, wide shot, pine trees, muted colors, detailed texture”
If your image looks bad, the prompt is usualy too vague. Add specifics.
Bad:
“make a cool sci-fi city”
Better:
“futuristic sci-fi city at night, neon signs, rainy streets, dense skyline, cyberpunk style, cinematic lighting, street-level view, high detail”
Use negative prompts if the tool supports them:
“blurry, extra fingers, distorted face, low detail, text, watermark”
Best tip. Generate 4 to 10 images. Pick the closest one. Then revise the prompt. AI image stuff is a lot of trial and error tbh.
Also save prompts tht work. Build your own prompt list. That speeds things up fast.
I’d add one thing to what @himmelsjager said: prompts matter, but reference images matter almost more. A lot of beginners keep stuffing more adjectives into the prompt and wonder why the output gets weird. Sometimes shorter + image reference beats a giant word salad.
What helped me:
-
Start with a clear target
Not “make it awesome.” More like: poster, product mockup, character concept, thumbnail, etc. -
Use prompt blocks
Subject
Mood
Art medium
Composition
Important details -
Lock one thing at a time
If the pose is right, don’t rewrite the whole prompt. Just fix lighting or background. Otherwise you chase your tail lol. -
Learn aspect ratios
A lot of “bad” images are just the wrong shape for the project. -
Inpaint/edit instead of regenerating forever
Way faster if the hands are wrong or one object looks off.
Also, not every model is good at every task. Some are great at painterly stuff and kinda trash at clean text or logos, so don’t fight the tool too hard. If you need exact branding, AI can get janky real fast tbh.
Big thing nobody tells beginners: judge the tool by the editing controls, not just the first pretty image.
@himmelsjager made a good point about references and not overstuffing prompts. I’d only partly disagree on short prompts always being better. For some models, short prompts are clean. For others, they’re too vague and you get generic mush. The trick is not “short vs long,” it’s “specific without rambling.”
What I’d do:
-
Pick one generator and stick with it for a week
Constantly switching tools makes it impossible to learn what caused the result. -
Save your good prompts and bad prompts
Build a tiny swipe file. You’ll notice patterns fast. -
Use camera language only if you understand it
“35mm, shallow depth of field, rim light” helps for photo styles. It can hurt if you’re making flat graphics or icons. -
Separate ideation from final output
AI is great for exploring options. It is often mediocre for the exact finished asset unless you clean it up afterward.
Simple prompt format I like:
“[subject], [style], [lighting], [background], [color palette], [what to avoid]”
Example:
“Skincare bottle on stone pedestal, clean studio product photo, soft diffused lighting, beige background, neutral luxury palette, no extra objects, no warped label”
Pros for ‘’: fast concepting, lots of variations, useful for moodboards.
Cons for ‘’: inconsistent text, anatomy issues, style drift, can waste time if you keep regenerating instead of editing.
If your project needs exact text, logos, or brand packaging, honestly use AI for drafts and finish in normal design software. That saves a lot of pain.