How to Describe a Design to AI Art Generators

When it comes to creating art, few tools make it easier and more fun than an AI art generator. The ability to use artificial intelligence to generate instant artwork from a verbal or written prompt has become useful in many creative fields, including advertising, architecture, graphic art, and interior design. Knowing how these tools work and how to describe a design to AI art generators allows you to achieve the most effective and creative outcomes.

Understanding AI art generators

AI art generators contain computer models patterned after the human brain called neural networks. These networks find patterns in data based on information provided by human users. For instance, if you want an image of a woman, the generator uses its massive database of female images to create one, and the more specific your description, the more detailed the image becomes. As an example, you might request an image of a sad young woman sitting alone on a park bench in the rain with a pop art theme and a dark color palette. 

Various art generators you might use to create your image include:

• DALL-E 3 from OpenAI: A subscription-based art generator featuring ease of use and a variety of editing tools. 

• Designer from Microsoft: An art generator with free and subscription options available through the website and across many Microsoft applications; easy-to-use tools and fast performance.

• Generative Fill from Adobe: A subscription-based art generator known for perceptive, quick operation and sharp detail. 

• Magic Media from Canva: An art generator with free and subscription options offering a variety of artistic styles and details.

• Midjourney: A subscription-style art generator often accessed through the instant-messaging app, Discord; large user community offers tips and advice.

How to describe a design to AI art generators

AI can help you create art for many types of personal and professional projects, but the process involves a partnership between AI and you—the human art generator user. The quality of the art AI creates depends on the prompt you provide. Simply put, prompts refer to the instructions you give to the AI art generator. To get the results you desire, learn how to describe a design to an AI art generator using these key strategies:

Outline your unique vision.

Before you deliver your prompt, keep your unique vision in mind and use specific instructions. The clearer and more descriptive your prompt, the more accurate your results. 

Identify your subject.

A clearly defined subject (or the “what” in your design) helps ensure a successful creation. Common subjects in art include:

• People or animals

• Objects

• Landscapes

• Abstract concepts

Set the mood with color.

AI art generators offer a variety of options for setting mood with color. If you have a color or a combination of colors in mind, you should include them in your prompt. Then, you can perform a quick color comparison to ensure you’ve chosen the option that works best for your design. Consider these examples of colors and some of the moods they can evoke.

• White: Pure, innocent, minimalist, modern

• Blue: Calming, peaceful, stable

• Green: Fresh, healthy, natural

• Yellow: Cheerful, friendly, happy

• Red: Bold, dangerous, lively

• Purple: Luxurious, royal, feminine  

• Black: Powerful, masculine, mysterious

Describe your desired layout and composition.

To make your prompt more precise, describe the layout and composition of your design. Layout refers to the arrangement, order, and spacing of design elements like text and images. A good layout can offer the following benefits:

• Pleases the viewer

• Boosts viewer engagement

• Allows for easier navigation of artwork

Composition explains how all parts of a design (images, text, their arrangement, and white space) work together to form a whole. 

To achieve your desired layout and composition, consider the following fundamental design concepts:

• Balance: Designs can have symmetrical or asymmetrical elements, but balance ensures no area feels too visually heavy in comparison to others.

• Contrast: Designs with contrasting colors, textures, shapes, and lines can peak more visual interest and higher emotional response than designs with less contrast.

• Focus: A focal point in a design captures the viewer’s eye and allows it to rest there. 

• Movement: Elements of AI-generated art can evoke movement like different types of lines, the use of shapes and patterns, and specific scenes—think flowing water or running animals.

• Repetition: Repetition or pattern in a work of art can draw the viewer’s eye, help them navigate the piece, and evoke a sense of contrast, harmony, movement, or rhythm.

• Proportion: This principle of art refers to the relationship between design elements in terms of size and scale. Art is thought to have unity when elements seem to fit together naturally. 

Specify art form and style.

The form and style of art you choose can change the feeling of your design completely. Different forms or disciplines of art you might experiment with include:

• Animation

• Drawing

• Painting

• Photography

• 3D art

• Mixed-media art

Styles of art to work with can include these examples and more:

• Abstract

• Bauhaus

• Cubist

• Fantasy

• Impressionist

• Pop art

• Steampunk

To achieve the style you want, you can also request AI-created art in the style of a particular artist. Some examples of famous painters with a signature style include:

• Frida Kahlo

• Henry Matisse

• Edvard Munch

• Georgia O'Keeffe

• Pablo Picasso

• Vincent Van Gogh

Experiment and revise.

The advantages of AI art generation include the ability to experiment and revise. To get the result you want, you can change any aspect of your design in minutes, including font, images, arrangement, color, art form, and style. 

Learn more about crafting effective AI prompts on Coursera

Understanding how to describe a design to an AI art generator can help you in a variety of creative roles, whether personal or professional. And the time you save creating AI art can be spent on other important tasks.

To know more about crafting effective AI prompts, consider learning about prompt engineering from a top college or university. Available on Coursera, the Prompt Engineering Specialization from Vanderbilt University helps ensure the effective use of AI through proper prompt techniques and practices. This beginner-level, three-course series takes roughly one month to complete at 10 hours per week.