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How To Write Effective Prompts for Stable Diffusion
Date Published
March 3, 2024

The best Stable Diffusion prompts include clear guidance on content and style—covering elements like color, composition, and contrast—to create stunning visuals without the high cost of traditional image creation.

Images pack a punch when it comes to branding and marketing. Studies show that visuals help consumers remember content better. While professional photo shoots and graphic design yield unique assets, they can be expensive and time-consuming. For startups and small businesses, creating original imagery for social media, email campaigns, web pages, and ads might not be feasible on a tight budget. This is where Stable Diffusion comes in—an AI tool that can generate eye-catching images at a fraction of the cost.

What is Stable Diffusion?

Stable Diffusion is a generative AI tool that turns text prompts into digital art. It works using a deep learning diffusion model, trained on a vast array of text and image pairs. Unlike other text-to-image tools like Midjourney or DALL-E, Stable Diffusion is open-source, meaning anyone can use, modify, or enhance it. The tool offers three licensing options: free non-commercial and community licenses, and custom pricing for enterprise use.

Elements of Stable Diffusion Prompts

Effective prompts for Stable Diffusion give clear instructions on both the content and stylistic aspects of the desired image. Consider including these key elements:

Subject: Describe the main focus—what or who should be in the image?
Setting: Detail the background or environment. Is it a bustling city street, a serene landscape, or something entirely imaginative?
Lighting and Tone: Specify the atmosphere. For example, “a bright and sunny summer afternoon” or “a warm, cozy interior bathed in candlelight.”
Color Palette: Indicate which colors should dominate. For business branding, you might even use your specific hex codes.
Artistic Style: Suggest an art style such as hyperrealism, oil painting, or a ’90s cartoon look.
Reference: Mention a cultural movement or artist (e.g., “in the style of Claude Monet”) to guide the creative vibe.

How to Write a Stable Diffusion Prompt

Crafting a great prompt is often an iterative process. Follow these steps to get closer to the image in your mind:

  1. Set the Scene:
    Begin with a simple prompt that outlines your desired image. Cover the basics like subject, setting, and color palette. Generate several images and review what works.
  2. Add More Keywords:
    If the first outputs aren’t exactly right, refine your prompt. Add or tweak keywords—if the image seems too abstract, consider adding “hyper realism” to clarify your vision.
  3. Use a Negative Prompt:
    Negative prompts tell the AI what to leave out. For instance, if your initial prompt produces an image with unwanted text, add “no text in the image” to your instructions to eliminate that element.
  4. Check for Common Mistakes:
    Watch for disorganized keywords or conflicting instructions. The order of keywords matters, as Stable Diffusion prioritizes elements based on their placement. Make sure your prompt doesn’t include contradictory ideas (for example, “standing in a crowd” and “dancing” might confuse the model and result in extra limbs or other oddities).

Stable Diffusion Prompt Examples for Business Owners

Generative AI can be a game-changer for creating digital assets that support your marketing and branding efforts. Here are some examples to spark your creativity:

Social Media Content:
• A smiling young man with black hair and brown eyes sits on a red and white picnic blanket with grapes and a cheese plate. Bright summer day, warm glowing light. Sharp focus. High-res image.
• A crayon drawing of a smiling stick figure in the style of children’s artwork. Poorly drawn face, poorly drawn hands.
• A futuristic city with flying cars weaving between towering skyscrapers and vibrant neon signs. Dark blue night sky with a full moon. Neon lights reflected on the pavement. Dark, moody lighting.
• Scattered, assorted doughnuts fill the screen. Colorful frosting and sprinkles. Overhead photograph. Blue photo background.

Ad Campaigns:
• An ombre gradient of abstract shapes using the colors 3be8b0, 1aafd0, 6a67ce. Digital painting.
• Concept art for a sci-fi-inspired fashion line. Strong effect.
• A neoclassical building facade made of white marble with volumetric lighting. Black and white image.
• A background of abstract shapes with clean lines using the colors b3dcff, 5ecc62, 00ad45. Vector image.

Web Imagery:
• A vintage photograph of a field with soft light, film grain, and sepia tones. No humans.
• An animated cartoon giraffe peering over a fence, featuring a long neck and bright primary colors in the style of a ’90s cartoon. (Use the Unreal Engine implementation.)
• A close-up of a woman wearing bright pink and white metallic ombre eyeshadow, with a soft smile, studio lighting, high resolution, and a white background.
• A realistic photograph of a birthday cake with colorful candles on a cake stand, pink and white frosting, sprinkles, and studio lighting with a professional photo backdrop.

Prompts for Stable Diffusion FAQ

Q: What are a few good Stable Diffusion prompts?
A: The best prompts are detailed and clear. They describe the subject thoroughly and include instructions on tone, lighting, mood, and color.

Q: How long are Stable Diffusion prompts?
A: The tool uses tokenization, with a maximum prompt length of about 75 tokens (roughly 350 characters). More detailed prompts often yield better results.

Q: How can Stable Diffusion prompts be used in business?
A: Brands can use Stable Diffusion to create graphic assets for marketing, ad campaigns, and social media. It’s a faster, less expensive alternative to traditional photo shoots or custom graphic design.

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