Nine AI Image Prompt Patterns for Different Creative Tasks
Nine reusable AI image prompt patterns for portraits, product scenes, posters, character sheets, worlds, and style exploration.
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Nine patterns for different creative tasks
A reusable pattern helps you see which decisions belong in a brief. These nine templates cover portraits, products, layouts and other creative tasks. Choose one for your goal, replace its placeholders and remove instructions you do not need.
The templates are illustrative starting points, not a tested set of guaranteed recipes. The curated gallery examples show related ideas; they do not establish that these exact templates produced the pictured results.
Pattern 1: Editorial portrait
For a controlled, magazine-looking portrait: clean background, deliberate wardrobe, skin that still reads as skin.
A [AGE] [SUBJECT] standing in [SIMPLE INTERIOR], [WALL MATERIAL AND COLOUR]
behind them. They wear [GARMENT, FIT, FABRIC, DETAIL SUCH AS AN UNDONE BUTTON].
Pose is [RELAXED OR COMPOSED], [WHAT THE HANDS ARE DOING],
[WHERE THEY ARE LOOKING].
Light: [SOFT OR HARD] [SOURCE] from [DIRECTION], [WHAT THE SHADOWS DO].
Camera: 85mm, f/1.8, eye level, waist-up.
Natural skin texture with visible pores, no airbrushing.
[THREE-WORD MOOD], editorial photography.
Wall material and skin texture are useful details when they matter to the intended style. A specific surface, such as painted brick or raw plaster, makes the requested setting clearer. Check whether those details survive in the result.
A related curated example: a named tile wall, a named garment detail, and a natural collarbone line instead of 'beautiful woman'.
View promptHide prompt
A young woman standing in a simple indoor setting with a cream-colored ceramic tile wall behind her. She wears a tight-fitting chocolate brown long-sleeved ribbed Henley top with the top buttons casually left undone, revealing a natural collarbone line. Her posture is relaxed and upright, arms resting naturally at her sides. Medium shot framed from mid-thigh up, eye-level camera angle. Soft diffused indoor lighting from a ceiling source above, casting a gentle downward shadow on the tiled wall behind her. Her expression is calm and composed with direct eye contact toward the camera, radiating a confident natural beauty. High-fidelity photorealism with accurate skin texture, fabric ribbing detail, and natural hair texture. Casual smartphone portrait aesthetic, as if captured spontaneously in everyday life. Natural warm color palette with chocolate brown, cream, and soft skin tones. Sharp focus, accurate texture rendering, 3:4 portrait aspect ratio.
Pattern 2: Direct-flash snapshot portrait
For a snapshot aesthetic, describe visible qualities such as hard frontal light, a sharp wall shadow, dark shadows and grain. These are style directions, not a claim to reproduce a particular camera.
[SUBJECT DESCRIPTION, HAIR, WARDROBE, ACCESSORY].
Pose: [CASUAL ACTION], [EXPRESSION], gazing directly at the camera.
Setting: [ROOM], [WHAT IS ON THE WALL], [ONE OR TWO FOREGROUND OBJECTS].
Composition: full body, 35mm, slightly low angle, hard flash fall-off,
messy but balanced framing.
Lighting: direct on-camera flash, hard light, sharp drop shadow on the wall
behind the subject, high contrast, no diffusion.
Colour: vintage film aesthetic, [FILM STOCK] simulation, deep blacks,
slightly grainy texture.
Mood: candid, snapshot style, [ERA REFERENCE].
Avoid: soft lighting, studio lighting, bokeh, airbrushed skin, over-processed, HDR.
The exclusion line expresses boundaries for this brief. It is optional: keep only the constraints you need, and check whether the selected model follows them. Model behavior should not be inferred from a supposed universal default portrait style.
Hard flash, drop shadow on the wall, grain left intact. These visible traits describe the intended look; the card does not isolate the effect of an exclusion list.
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{
"image_analysis_prompt": {
"subject": {
"description": "Young woman with fair skin and shoulder-length, dark, messy wavy hair.",
"hair_styling": "Hair is tousled and hangs over the face, partially obscuring the left eye.",
"expression": "Alluring and edgy; mouth slightly open with teeth visible."
},
"facial_details": {
"eyes": "Visible right eye is light-colored (blue/green) with natural eyelashes.",
"nose": "Small nose with a silver horseshoe septum piercing.",
"mouth": "Dark red lipstick, slightly glossy. Lips are parted.",
"markings": "A distinct, bright red lipstick kiss mark (imprint of lips) on the right cheek."
},
"props_and_action": {
"object": "A fresh, deep red rose with green leaves and stem.",
"interaction": "The subject is holding the rose directly against her mouth, with the petals grazing her lips and teeth, suggesting a biting or kissing motion."
},
"attire": {
"clothing": "A loose, light pink button-down shirt or robe.",
"accessories": "A thin black bra strap or tank top strap is visible on the shoulder."
},
"technical_style": {
"lighting": "Direct flash photography style, high contrast with slightly overexposed skin highlights (typical of 90s grunge or indie sleaze aesthetic).",
"color_palette": "Dominant reds (rose, lipstick, kiss mark), dark browns (hair), and soft pinks (clothing/skin).",
"resolution": "4k, HD, hyper-realistic textures.",
"focus": "Sharp focus on the face and rose, with highly detailed skin texture and hair strands."
},
"full_prompt_string": "A highly detailed 4k HD portrait of a young woman with messy dark hair covering one eye, silver septum piercing, and dark red lipstick. A bright red lipstick kiss mark is stamped on her cheek. She is holding a red rose to her mouth, biting the petals. She is wearing a pink shirt with a visible black strap. The aesthetic is 90s grunge flash photography, realistic texture, edgy atmosphere, sharp focus, high quality."
}
}Pattern 3: Candid street realism
For images that should look accidental rather than composed. This pattern works by specifying technical failure: shake, blur, noise, imperfect framing.
Ultra-realistic candid smartphone photograph, [ASPECT RATIO] vertical.
[TIME OF DAY] on [SPECIFIC STREET OR LOCATION], beside [WALL OR SURFACE].
The subject is [ACTION, MID-MOTION], captured in a rushed, accidental moment,
reacting instinctively to being photographed: [SPECIFIC REACTION].
Shot handheld on a modern smartphone, rushed capture.
Strong uncontrolled camera shake, directional motion blur across
[WHICH BODY PARTS], flash-only lighting fired mid-motion,
harsh flash highlights on skin, deep surrounding darkness, extremely noisy.
Imperfect framing, subject partly out of frame.
If “candid” leaves too much interpretation, specify the action, framing or motion you want to see. Add blur or noise only when it serves the picture; it can also hide important detail.
Shake, blur and noise named as instructions. The reaction to the camera is what sells the accident.
View promptHide prompt
Ultra-realistic candid smartphone photograph, 9:16 vertical. Nighttime on a quiet Tokyo city sidewalk beside a building with white ceramic tile walls. The subject is walking past the camera, partially side-on, captured mid-step in a rushed, accidental moment. The subject reacts instinctively to being photographed: turning her head back mid-walk as if surprised, raising one hand close to the lens to partially block the camera, shy, restrained smile forming as she suppresses laughter, body angled in half-profile while continuing to walk forward, motion carries her slightly out of frame, imperfect framing. Shot on a modern smartphone, handheld, rushed capture. Strong uncontrolled camera shake. Heavy directional motion blur across the raised hand, hair, and face. Flash-only lighting fired mid-motion. Harsh flash highlights on skin and hand. Deep surrounding darkness. Extremely noisy. Heavily blurred. Raw smartphone look.
Pattern 4: Product hero shot
Single object, premium advertising register, no background clutter.
A product photo in a premium advertising style.
[NUMBER] [PRODUCT, MATERIAL, FINISH] [LEVITATE OR REST] in a dynamic,
balanced composition.
Positioned [SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP] to each other, creating a diagonal;
one slightly forward, one slightly behind, creating depth and hierarchy.
[OPTIONAL PROP: RIBBON, FABRIC, SPLASH] flows between them without
obscuring the packaging or the branding.
Shot from a slightly low angle, [TILT], enhancing confidence.
Light: [SOURCE], [HOW IT WRAPS THE SURFACE], [SHADOW BEHAVIOUR].
Background: [SEAMLESS COLOUR OR GRADIENT].
If branding matters, explicitly ask props to leave the packaging visible. This states an acceptance criterion; it does not ensure the label will remain correct or unobstructed. Compare the output with the actual product reference.
Two bottles, a diagonal, and an explicit rule that the ribbon must not cover the label.
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A product photo in a premium advertising style. Two tall matte bottles of Salton Shoe Deodorant levitate in the air in a dynamic, balanced composition. The bottles are positioned at an angle to each other, creating a striking diagonal composition. One bottle is slightly forward, the other is slightly behind, creating depth and hierarchy. Both bottles are elegantly wrapped with a wide black and brown satin ribbon featuring the repeating "Salton" branding. The lettering is executed in a neat, contrasting font, legible without distortion, and is repeated evenly along the entire length of the ribbon. The ribbon flows smoothly between the bottles, uniting them into a single composition, without obscuring key messages on the packaging or clashing with the main branding on the bottles. Shot from a slightly lower angle, the bottles are slightly tilted, enhancing a sense of confidence, strength, and premium quality. The background is a solid studio color, a deep warm shade (chocolate, dark caramel or soft terracotta), clean and minimalist, without distracting details.
Pattern 5: Advertising poster with copy
For an image with text, choose the model using a representative spelling and layout test. Our short-text comparison describes a limited experiment; it cannot guarantee every language, font or amount of copy.
Create a [FORMAT: POSTER / MAGAZINE COVER / AD] for [PRODUCT OR SUBJECT],
[ORIENTATION] composition, [BACKGROUND: COLOUR, TEXTURE, LIGHTING].
The hero element is [PRODUCT OR SUBJECT], [POSITION IN FRAME], [SCALE].
Typography: headline reads "[EXACT COPY IN QUOTES]" in [WEIGHT, CASE, FAMILY],
positioned [WHERE]. Subhead reads "[EXACT COPY]" in [SIZE RELATIVE TO HEADLINE].
[LOGO OR MARK] at [POSITION].
Keep [PERCENTAGE OR REGION] of the canvas clear for text.
Style: [REFERENCE], premium, [COLOUR PALETTE].
Put the desired copy inside quotes to separate it from instructions, and describe a clear area for it. After generation, check the exact letters, extra text, hierarchy and contrast. For publication-critical typography, consider adding the final text in a layout editor.
An oversized product used as the set itself, with the layout leaving a clean region for the copy.
View promptHide prompt
Minimalist commercial ad featuring oversized white perfume bottle, ultra-clean design. A young woman in all-white outfit leans casually against the giant bottle, relaxed confident pose, eyes closed, holding the same perfume bottle in her hand. Soft gradient blue background with large bold white “CHANEL” text behind. Glossy reflective floor, soft studio lighting, modern high-end fashion/product photography. Small top-right text “Designed by Mr Das”. Bottom center tagline in small white font: “Elegance in every drop.”
Pattern 6: Infographic and explainer layout
Decide which number or label should be most prominent before describing the layout. Also verify the underlying information; an attractive diagram can still contain incorrect labels or relationships.
Ultra-clean [TOP-DOWN / THREE-QUARTER] infographic composition.
[SUBJECT] centred on [SURFACE], on a seamless [COLOUR] background,
shown as a [CROSS-SECTION / CUTAWAY / EXPLODED VIEW] revealing
[WHAT SHOULD BE VISIBLE INSIDE].
PRIMARY FOCAL POINT: [THE ONE NUMBER OR LABEL THAT MATTERS], in a floating
bubble occupying [FRACTION] of the upper canvas, significantly larger than any
other element, readable at thumbnail size.
Secondary callouts: [LIST], arranged [LAYOUT], connected by [THIN LINES / ARROWS].
Design language: premium editorial infographic, extremely clean and structured.
Palette: [BASE], with one accent colour reserved exclusively for
[THE HERO ELEMENT].
Output: [DIMENSIONS], ultra-crisp, social-feed optimised.
Reserving an accent colour for one element is a design suggestion for a clearer hierarchy. Judge the rendered layout at its intended display size rather than assuming a line in the prompt will enforce it.
Flat lay, cutaway subject, one oversized hero number, one accent colour. The hierarchy is written into the prompt.
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Ultra-clean top-down (90° flat lay) infographic composition. A perfectly centered white ceramic plate sits on a seamless light background. On the plate: [FOOD], shown in a precise cross-section or layered cutaway, revealing internal ingredients, textures, and structure with extreme clarity. PRIMARY FOCAL POINT (HERO ELEMENT): Above the plate, occupying a large portion of the upper canvas, place an oversized floating infographic bubble displaying: TOTAL CALORIES [XXXX kcal] The calorie bubble is significantly larger than any other element, instantly readable at thumbnail size. Design language: premium editorial infographic, Apple UI × National Geographic food science, extremely clean, structured, and modern. Color palette: natural food colors, monochrome infographic UI, one accent color reserved exclusively for the calorie bubble. Output: 1080×1080, ultra-crisp, social-feed optimized, no watermark.
Pattern 7: Multi-panel consistency grid
Use this pattern to request several views of a subject in one image. State the panel count and which features should remain consistent, then inspect every panel.
A [ROWS]x[COLUMNS] [CONTACT SHEET / STORYBOARD / PHOTOBOOTH] grid of
[NUMBER] distinct panels.
CHARACTER CONSISTENCY (HIGHEST PRIORITY): the same [SUBJECT] appears in every
panel — identical facial structure, identical [HAIR], identical [WARDROBE].
Setting: [LOCATION], [TIME OF DAY], [WEATHER OR ATMOSPHERE].
The panels vary only in [ANGLE / DISTANCE / POSE / EXPRESSION]:
[LIST EACH PANEL IN ONE PHRASE].
Consistent lighting and colour grade across all panels: [DESCRIPTION].
Uniform panel borders, [BORDER COLOUR AND THICKNESS].
A priority statement makes the brief easier to understand, but uppercase text does not guarantee identity consistency. Check face, outfit, panel count and any details that should remain fixed. See the multi-panel guide for further considerations.
Nine panels, one character, one grade. Only angle and pose change between frames.
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A 3x3 cinematic storyboard contact sheet consisting of 9 distinct panels arranged in a grid. The sequence features a young woman with platinum blonde hair in a frozen alpine winter setting. The panels display various angles and shots: Close-ups: Focusing on her rosy cheeks, blue-grey eyes, and snowflakes on her eyelashes. Medium shots: Showing her wrapped in a black wool coat and blue knit scarf, holding a bouquet of dried white flowers. Wide shots: Capturing her standing alone on the frozen lake with towering snowy mountains in the background. The lighting is consistent moody blue-hour twilight across all frames. High-quality film photography aesthetic, photorealistic, 8k resolution, coherent character and color grading.
Pattern 8: Character reference sheet
For illustration, list the views needed to explain the design. Keep outfit, proportions and identifying features explicit; a curated example is not evidence that one model handles every character sheet better.
A [STYLE] character reference sheet, [LAYOUT: GRID / ROW / TURNAROUND],
[BACKGROUND COLOUR] with [BORDER TREATMENT].
Character: [NAME OR ARCHETYPE], [AGE], [HAIR COLOUR, LENGTH, STYLING],
[EYE COLOUR], [DISTINGUISHING FEATURE].
Outfit: [GARMENT BY GARMENT, INCLUDING FOOTWEAR AND ACCESSORIES].
Panels: [FRONT VIEW / THREE-QUARTER / BACK / EXPRESSION CLOSE-UPS /
PROP DETAILS] — list each one.
Rendering: [CEL SHADING / SOFT SHADING], [LINE WEIGHT], [PALETTE].
Keep proportions and outfit details identical across every panel.
Include [LABELS / CALLOUTS] beside the detail panels.
A design sheet with ornamental border, labelled detail panels, and a fixed outfit across every view.
View promptHide prompt
{
"type": "anime character reference sheet",
"style": "clean polished light novel / visual novel design sheet, white background with pale lavender ornamental border, high-detail cel shading, elegant school-themed layout, soft cool lighting, crisp line art",
"character": {
"name": "霧島 澪奈",
"role": "serious female class committee president with black cat traits",
"age": "high school student, second year",
"species traits": [
"2 black cat ears on top of head with soft inner fur",
"1 long black cat tail"
],
"appearance": {
"gender presentation": "female",
"build": "slender, refined, modestly curvy",
"height note": "tall for a schoolgirl",
"hair": {
"color": "deep blue-black",
"style": "very long straight hair with slight waves at the ends, center-parted bangs, long sidelocks, half-up back section tied with a ribbon bow"
},
"eyes": {
"color": "golden amber",
"shape": "sharp but elegant"
},
"expression base": "cool, intelligent, reserved"
},
"outfit": {
"count": 9,
"pieces": [
"navy school blazer with white piping",
"white dress shirt",
"large striped ribbon tie in navy and burgundy",
"school crest on blazer chest",
"red armband with white Japanese text indicating committee leader",
"blue plaid pleated skirt",
"black semi-sheer tights",
"black loafers",
"thin gold-framed glasses"
]
},
"props": {
"count": 1,
"items": [
"dark school folder or notebook with crest"
]
}
},
"layout": {
"format": "landscape character design board",
"sections": [
{
"title": "プロフィール",
"position": "left column",
"count": 1,
"labels": [
"bio text block"
]
},
{
"title": "SIDE / BACK",
"position": "upper center",
"count": 3,
"labels": [
"front full body",
"side full body",
"back full body"
]
},
{
"title": "表情バリエーション",
"position": "upper right",
"count": 8,
"labels": [
"通常（真面目）",
"微笑み",
"注意・叱責",
"驚き",
"照れ（目をそらす）",
"困り顔",
"優しい笑顔",
"猫っぽく甘える"
]
},
{
"title": "ディテール・アクセサリー",
"position": "middle right left panel",
"count": 5,
"labels": [
"委員長の腕章",
"校章",
"猫モチーフのヘアピン",
"リボンタイ",
"細フレーム眼鏡"
]
},
{
"title": "制服ディテール",
"position": "middle right right panel",
"count": 3,
"labels": [
"chest and tie close-up",
"waist and blazer trim close-up",
"sleeve cuff and buttons close-up"
]
},
{
"title": "カラーパレット",
"position": "lower left",
"count": 5,
"labels": [
"髪",
"瞳",
"制服",
"アクセント",
"肌"
]
},
{
"title": "特徴的なポーズ・仕草",
"position": "lower center",
"count": 4,
"labels": [
"指示を出す（委員長モード）",
"資料を確認する",
"考え事をする",
"休み時間の素顔（少し気が抜けた瞬間）"
]
},
{
"title": "その他設定・ポイント",
"position": "lower right",
"count": 2,
"labels": [
"classroom vignette",
"moonlit night vignette"
]
}
]
},
"text blocks": {
"headline": "霧島 澪奈",
"subheadline": "学級委員長",
"quote": "みんなのために、きちんとしなきゃ。それが、私の役目だから。",
"body text": "dense Japanese profile text with school year, birthday, height, blood type, club or committee, personality notes, likes and dislikes"
},
"composition notes": [
"main full-body figure at left, holding glasses near face and carrying a folder",
"side and back character turnaround in the center",
"all portraits and close-ups neatly framed in pale lavender boxes with decorative corner motifs",
"facial close-ups cropped at shoulders",
"bottom-right vignette images show the character in a classroom and outdoors at night under a crescent moon",
"overall palette is navy, black, lavender, white, burgundy, muted gold, and soft skin tones"
]
}Pattern 9: Wallpaper with usable negative space
A wallpaper needs room for interface elements as well as a subject. Describe the clear areas required by the target device, then preview the image with its clock and icons.
Make a beautiful [ASPECT RATIO] wallpaper.
Leave natural negative space near the top and bottom for the clock and
app icons — nothing important in those bands.
Give the wallpaper a subtle top-to-bottom gradient.
No blur effects, no cropping. Keep the scene simple, one clear subject.
Subject and style: [SUBJECT], [STYLE], [PALETTE], [LIGHT].
Naming what will occupy the empty space makes the layout requirement concrete. The order here is an organizational choice, not a claim about model token priority. The final device preview determines whether the composition is usable.
Layout rules first, subject last. The reserved bands at top and bottom are what make it usable as a lock screen.
View promptHide prompt
Make a beautiful 9:16 wallpaper. Leave natural negative space near the top and bottom. Give the wallpaper a subtle top to bottom gradient. No blur effects or cropping. Keep the scene simple. Put your subject and style at the end of the prompt.
How to adapt any pattern without breaking it
Treat every clause as editable. Replace the bracketed fields, then remove irrelevant constraints and resolve contradictions. A template is a checklist, not a script that becomes invalid when a line changes.
Cool product photo of a perfume bottle, premium, 8k, professional
Product photo in a premium advertising style. One frosted glass perfume bottle rests on a seamless warm grey background. Shot from a slightly low angle, slightly tilted. Light: single large softbox from camera right, wrapping the glass edge, one soft shadow falling left. Nothing obscures the label.
Both briefs describe a product image, but the second specifies background, angle, light and label visibility. This is a text comparison, not a measured improvement in generation quality. The briefing guide explains how to review such decisions.
Three habits that carry across all nine patterns:
- Describe the visible effect. “Eyes sharp, distant background softly blurred” is easier to inspect than a lens name alone. Camera numbers are optional visual cues, not guaranteed optical settings.
- Keep necessary constraints. State what must stay visible or unchanged, then verify it in the output.
- Change one relevant instruction at a time. Choose a light direction or framing because it fits the task, not because a term is rare.
Pick a pattern, fill its slots, and try it in the generator. For related examples, browse the product and infographic categories.
FAQ
What is the best AI art prompt?
There is no universal best prompt. Choose a pattern that matches the task and specify the decisions that matter to that output. These nine templates are starting points, not an exhaustive catalogue.
How do I write a prompt for a product photo?
Specify the object, materials, framing, lighting and background. If identity matters, use a suitable product reference and inspect proportions, packaging and labels. Asking props not to obscure a label is a requirement, not a guarantee.
Which AI model is best for images with text in them?
Test the copy and layout you actually need. Inspect spelling, unwanted text and readability at the final size; for results from a defined short-English-text task set, see the typography experiment.
How do I keep the same character across multiple panels?
Specify the features that should stay fixed and the changes allowed between panels. Where supported, provide an appropriate reference. Inspect each face, outfit and panel; neither a priority label nor uppercase wording guarantees consistency.
Where do these patterns come from?
These are editorial templates organized around creative tasks, accompanied by curated examples from the LocalBanana gallery. A gallery label is not a verified generation receipt. The prompt-reading guide explains how to adapt a brief without assuming its original conditions are reproduced.
