Simple blog image
Prompt
Make an image for a blog post about switching off after work
- What happened
- A photorealistic image of a woman closing a laptop in a cosy room.
- Takeaway
- Basic prompts yield generic results, often defaulting to photorealism.
IMG
Image Prompting Technique LabEvery technique, prompt and result from the course
ChatGPT ImagesRecorded Sep 2026 · 51 prompts
01 · Foundations
Say what the image is for, not just what is in it
Guide AI image generators by specifying subject, style, composition, and negative constraints to achieve specific visual results.
Lecture: Image Prompting in ChatGPT
This lecture demonstrates how to use ChatGPT to generate custom images for various use cases, such as blog posts, presentations, invitations, and wall art. It shows the difference between a basic prompt and a highly detailed prompt that specifies style, mood, and layout. The instructor also covers how to edit generated images using the inpainting tool and how to use an uploaded reference image to guide the composition and style of a new generation.
Blog illustration
Prompt
Create a wide illustration for a blog post about switching off after work. Show one adult relaxing in an armchair with a book beside a window at sunset, with a closed laptop on a small table nearby. Use a warm, simple illustration style and a calm mood. No words or logos.
- What happened
- A warm, stylised illustration matching the exact description.
- Takeaway
- Adding specific details about style, mood, and negative constraints (no words) gives you much more control over the output.
Team presentation
Prompt
Create a wide illustration for a work presentation about teamwork. Show three colleagues around a table, arranging coloured sticky notes into a shared plan. Use a clean, simple style with blue, coral and cream. Keep the background uncluttered and leave some clear space on the left for a slide heading. No writing or logos.
- What happened
- A clean illustration with the requested colour palette and empty space on the left.
- Takeaway
- You can prompt for specific layouts, like leaving empty space for text in a presentation.
Birthday invitation
Prompt
Create a portrait background for a birthday picnic invitation. Paint a cheerful watercolour scene with a picnic blanket, cake, lemonade and wildflowers along the bottom. Leave the upper half as mostly clear pale-blue sky so I can add the name, date and location myself. No people or writing.
- What happened
- A watercolour scene with the subjects at the bottom and empty sky at the top.
- Takeaway
- You can control the composition to leave room for adding your own text later in tools like Canva.
Printable wall art
Prompt
Create a portrait botanical illustration I can print and frame in my kitchen. Show three rosemary sprigs arranged gracefully on a warm cream background. Use delicate watercolour brushwork, natural green shades and plenty of empty space around the leaves. No words, border or frame.
- What happened
- A delicate botanical illustration of rosemary.
- Takeaway
- Explicitly stating 'no border or frame' prevents the model from drawing a fake frame around the art.
Bedtime story
Prompt
Create a landscape illustration for a bedtime story I am making for my child. Show a small fox in blue pyjamas tucked into a cosy bed inside a hollow tree, with a round window looking out at the moon and stars. Use a gentle painted picture-book style, warm lamplight and a peaceful mood. No writing.
- What happened
- A cosy illustration of a fox in bed.
- Takeaway
- You can generate specific scenes for storytelling by describing the characters, setting, and mood.
Edit the window
Prompt
It's daytime
Inputs Masked area over the window showing the moon and night sky.
- What happened
- The window view changed from night to day.
- Takeaway
- You can use the inpainting (edit) tool to select specific parts of an image and change them with a simple text prompt.
Photo to watercolor planner cover
Prompt
Turn this uploaded workspace photograph into a watercolour cover illustration for my printable weekly planner. Preserve exactly one red mug on the left, one open notebook on the right and one small potted plant at the back, keeping their relative positions. Use loose painted washes, visible paper grain and a warm cream background. Keep the square composition. No writing or extra objects.
Inputs Uploaded photo of a desk with a red mug, notebook, and plant.
- What happened
- A watercolour illustration that perfectly matches the composition of the uploaded photo.
- Takeaway
- Uploading a reference image is a powerful way to dictate the exact layout and objects, while using the prompt to change the style.
Soften the background
Prompt
Soften the background washes so the mug, notebook and plant remain the clear focal points.
- What happened
- The background watercolour texture was softened, making the main objects stand out more.
- Takeaway
- You can converse with the model to refine and tweak the generated image using natural language.
Why it works
- Specifying the exact style (e.g., 'warm, simple illustration' or 'delicate watercolour') prevents the model from defaulting to generic photorealism.
- Defining the layout (e.g., 'leave some clear space on the left') ensures the image is usable for specific formats like presentation slides or invitations.
- Using negative constraints (e.g., 'No words or logos') prevents the model from generating gibberish text, which is a common failure mode.
- Uploading a reference image allows you to dictate the exact composition and relative positions of objects.
Use it when
- Creating custom illustrations for blog posts or articles.
- Generating background images for presentation slides with specific empty spaces for text.
- Designing invitations or greeting cards.
- Creating printable wall art.
- Illustrating children's books or stories.
Watch out for
- Failing to specify a style often results in generic, photorealistic images that may not fit the intended use case.
- Not explicitly forbidding text or logos can lead to unwanted gibberish in the image.
- Uploading copyrighted images as references without owning the rights.