🎨 How to Talk to ChatGPT to Create Stunning AI Images: From Beginner to Master

Grace
Jul 13
2 min read

Updated: Jul 23

AI art has taken the creative world by storm, but here’s the truth: the same tool can generate wildly different results 🧠 It Starts With the Prompt: The Who-Does-What-in-What-Style Strategy

A great prompt is like giving clear instructions to a top-tier artist. Here’s a simple formula to elevate your image prompts:

1. WHO

Who or what is the subject of the image? Be specific.

❌ “a girl”
✅ “a young ballet dancer in a white dress”

2. DOING WHAT

What is the subject doing? This adds motion and storytelling.

❌ “a boy”
✅ “a boy reading under a cherry blossom tree with a cat on his lap”

3. IN WHAT STYLE

Styling defines the visual language—just like choosing oil painting over anime or 3D art over sketch.

🎨 “Art Nouveau style”
🖌️ “digital illustration with watercolor texture”
🕹️ “pixel art in retro video game style”
🖼️ “hyper-realistic photography with soft lighting”

4. MOOD OR FEELING

This gives emotional context and atmosphere.

🌥️ “mysterious and ethereal”
🌞 “bright, cheerful, and full of sunlight”
🔮 “dreamlike with surreal proportions”

🔍 Beginner vs. Advanced Prompt Examples

Level	Prompt	Result
Beginner	“a cat in a garden”	Generic, cartoonish
Intermediate	“a fluffy orange cat lying in a flower garden, digital painting”	Better style, more detail
Advanced	“a majestic orange tabby cat resting among blooming wildflowers under golden hour sunlight, in the style of Studio Ghibli with soft pastel tones, peaceful and magical mood”	🎯 Masterpiece-level generation

🛠️ Pro Tips to Level Up Your Prompts

Add Perspective:“top-down view” or “wide-angle cinematic shot”
Define Lighting:“soft backlighting,” “dramatic shadows,” or “sunset glow”
Use Real Artist References:“in the style of Gustav Klimt” or “inspired by Hayao Miyazaki”
Mention Composition:“symmetrical layout,” “rule of thirds,” “central focus with blurred background”
Include Textures & Materials:“silk dress,” “velvet curtains,” “glass reflection”

📌 Summary: How to Talk to ChatGPT for Better Art

Prompt Element	What to Include
Subject (Who)	A person, animal, object
Action (What)	Doing something meaningful
Style	Artistic or design style reference
Mood	Emotional or atmospheric tone
Detail Enhancers	Lighting, perspective, textures

🚀 Try This Challenge:

Start with this simple idea:

“A girl sitting by a lake.”

Now build it into a high-quality prompt:

“A teenage girl with long black hair sitting by a still mountain lake at dawn, surrounded by mist and pine trees, painted in traditional watercolor style with soft brush textures, evoking serenity and quiet introspection.”

✨ Notice the difference?

📷 Final Tip:

If you’re not sure how to start, describe what you’d want to see on a poster or book cover. Think like a director or art director. The more vividly you see it in your mind, the better ChatGPT or DALL·E can turn it into reality.

Want a downloadable prompt template or cheat sheet? Let me know and I’ll share one next!