Ideogram Core Workflow A -- Text-to-Image Generation
Overview
Primary workflow for Ideogram: generating images from text prompts. Ideogram excels at rendering legible text inside images -- a capability where most image models fail. Use this for social media graphics, marketing banners, product mockups, posters, logos, and any visual that combines illustration with typography.
Prerequisites
- Completed
ideogram-install-auth setup
IDEOGRAM_API_KEY environment variable set- Understanding of style types and aspect ratios
Instructions
Step 1: Choose Parameters for Your Use Case
| Use Case | Style Type | Aspect Ratio | Model | Notes |
|---|
| Social media post | DESIGN | ASPECT_1_1 | V_2 | Best text rendering |
| Blog hero image | REALISTIC | ASPECT_16_9 | V_2 | Photorealistic |
| Story / Reel | GENERAL | ASPECT_9_16 | V_2_TURBO | Fast, vertical |
| Logo / Icon | DESIGN | ASPECT_1_1 | V_2 | Clean typography |
| Product mockup | REALISTIC | ASPECT_4_3 | V_2 | Studio quality |
| Anime illustration | ANIME | ASPECT_3_4 | V_2 | Japanese art style |
| 3D render | RENDER_3D | ASPECT_16_9 | V_2 | 3D scene |
| Wide banner | DESIGN | ASPECT_3_1 | V_2 | Website header |
Step 2: Generate Image (Legacy Endpoint)
import { writeFileSync, mkdirSync } from "fs";
async function generateImage(prompt: string, options: {
model?: string;
style_type?: string;
aspect_ratio?: string;
negative_prompt?: string;
seed?: number;
} = {}) {
const response = await fetch("https://api.ideogram.ai/generate", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
"Api-Key": process.env.IDEOGRAM_API_KEY!,
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
body: JSON.stringify({
image_request: {
prompt,
model: options.model ?? "V_2",
style_type: options.style_type ?? "DESIGN",
aspect_ratio: options.aspect_ratio ?? "ASPECT_1_1",
magic_prompt_option: "AUTO",
negative_prompt: options.negative_prompt,
seed: options.seed,
num_images: 1,
},
}),
});
if (!response.) {
err = response.();
();
}
result = response.();
image = result.[];
imgResp = (image.);
buffer = .( imgResp.());
(, { : });
filename = ;
(, buffer);
{ ...image, : };
}
Step 3: Generate with V3 Endpoint (Multipart)
async function generateV3(prompt: string, options: {
aspect_ratio?: string;
style_type?: string;
rendering_speed?: string;
negative_prompt?: string;
magic_prompt?: string;
style_preset?: string;
} = {}) {
const form = new FormData();
form.append("prompt", prompt);
form.append("aspect_ratio", options.aspect_ratio ?? "1x1");
form.append("style_type", options.style_type ?? "DESIGN");
form.append("rendering_speed", options.rendering_speed ?? "DEFAULT");
form.append("magic_prompt", options.magic_prompt ?? "AUTO");
if (options.negative_prompt) form.append("negative_prompt", options.negative_prompt);
if (options.style_preset) form.append("style_preset", options.style_preset);
const response = await fetch("https://api.ideogram.ai/v1/ideogram-v3/generate", {
: ,
: { : process..! },
: form,
});
(!response.) ();
response.();
}
Step 4: Text-in-Image Best Practices
const textPrompts = [
'A coffee shop chalkboard menu with text "DAILY SPECIALS" and "Latte $4.50"',
'A retro neon sign glowing with the words "OPEN 24 HOURS"',
'Professional business card design with "Jane Smith" and "CEO" text',
'Birthday card with elegant gold script "Happy Birthday!"',
];
for (const prompt of textPrompts) {
const result = await generateImage(prompt, {
style_type: "DESIGN",
negative_prompt: "blurry text, misspelled, distorted letters",
});
console.log(`Generated: ${result.localPath} (seed: ${result.seed})`);
}
Step 5: Batch Generation with Seed Consistency
async function generateVariations(basePrompt: string, seed: number) {
const variations = [
{ suffix: ", minimalist style", style: "DESIGN" },
{ suffix: ", photorealistic", style: "REALISTIC" },
{ suffix: ", anime style", style: "ANIME" },
];
const results = [];
for (const v of variations) {
const result = await generateImage(`${basePrompt}${v.suffix}`, {
style_type: v.style,
seed,
});
results.push(result);
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 3000));
}
return results;
}
V3 Style Presets (50+)
80S_ILLUSTRATION, 90S_NOSTALGIA, ART_DECO, ART_POSTER, BAUHAUS, BLUEPRINT, BRIGHT_ART, CHILDRENS_BOOK, COLLAGE, CUBISM, DOUBLE_EXPOSURE, DRAMATIC_CINEMA, EDITORIAL, FLAT_ART, FLAT_VECTOR, GOLDEN_HOUR, GRAFFITI_I, HALFTONE_PRINT, JAPANDI_FUSION, LONG_EXPOSURE, MAGAZINE_EDITORIAL, MIXED_MEDIA, MONOCHROME, OIL_PAINTING, POP_ART, RETRO_ETCHING, SURREAL_COLLAGE, TRAVEL_POSTER, VINTAGE_POSTER, WATERCOLOR, and more.
V3 Rendering Speeds
| Speed | Quality | Cost | Use Case |
|---|
FLASH | Lowest | Cheapest | Quick previews |
TURBO | Good | Low | Drafts, iteration |
DEFAULT | High | Standard | Production assets |
QUALITY | Highest | Premium | Final deliverables |
Error Handling
| Error | HTTP Status | Cause | Solution |
|---|
| Content filtered | 422 | Prompt failed safety check | Remove brand names, trademarks, or flagged terms |
| Bad aspect ratio | 400 | Invalid enum value | Use exact enum values (e.g., ASPECT_16_9 not 16:9) |
| Rate limited | 429 | 10+ in-flight requests | Queue with 3s delays between calls |
| Expired URL | -- | Downloaded too late | Fetch image within minutes of generation |
Output
- Generated image files downloaded to
./output/
- Metadata: URL, seed, resolution, style type, safety status
- Seed values logged for reproducibility
Resources
Next Steps
For editing and remixing, see ideogram-core-workflow-b.
