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✨Lesson 2 of 5

Anatomy of a Great Prompt

10 min
basics

Great prompts follow a structure. Not a rigid formula, but a mental checklist that ensures you're giving the AI enough information. Think of it like ordering food: "food" gets you something random, but "grilled salmon with lemon butter sauce, steamed asparagus, on a white plate" gets you exactly what you want.

Key Concepts

  • 1
    Subject: What is the main focus?
  • 2
    Style: What artistic approach?
  • 3
    Composition: How is it framed?
  • 4
    Lighting: What's the light source and mood?
  • 5
    Details: Specific elements that matter

Examples

Prompt
[Subject] a lone astronaut [Style] in the style of Simon Stålenhag [Composition] wide shot, rule of thirds [Lighting] dramatic rim lighting [Details] cracked helmet visor, distant Earth in sky
Result

Cohesive, intentional image with clear direction

Try It Yourself

Try building a prompt using this structure: [Subject] + [Style] + [Composition] + [Lighting] + [Details]

Pro Tips

Start with subject—it anchors everything
Style keywords are force multipliers
Composition terms (wide shot, close-up, bird's eye) dramatically change output
Lighting sets emotional tone more than any other element

Summary

Structure your prompts with Subject → Style → Composition → Lighting → Details. This isn't a formula—it's a checklist.

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How Image AI Thinks
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Style Keywords That Work