prompt-images

name	prompt-images
description	Prompting techniques for AI image generation and editing models on Replicate. Use when writing prompts for image models or building image generation features.

Prompting image models on Replicate

Distilled from Replicate's blog posts on prompting image models (2024-2026). Techniques are model-agnostic and focus on transferable principles.

Choose a model with the API, not from memory

This skill describes general prompting techniques. To choose a model, use the find-models skill and query the Replicate API. The image model landscape changes weekly. Don't assume specific models exist or are still state-of-the-art based on names you've seen before. Always search the API for current options, then read the schema before running anything.

For pricing and feature comparison, see the compare-models skill.

Writing prompts

Use natural language, not keyword lists

Write full sentences describing what you want. Modern image models understand grammar and context far better than keyword-stuffed prompts.

Good: "A woman standing in a Tokyo alleyway at dusk, neon signs reflecting off wet pavement" Bad: "woman, Tokyo, alleyway, dusk, neon, wet pavement"

Be specific and unambiguous

Name exact colors, materials, lighting setups, camera equipment, and spatial relationships. Vague terms like "make it better" or "artistic" give unpredictable results.

Good: "A brutalist concrete building reflected in a perfectly still puddle after rain. A single figure with a red umbrella walks along the edge, the only color in an otherwise monochrome scene. Overcast sky, flat diffused light, tilt-shift lens effect on the edges." Bad: "Cool building with a person near it, rainy day"

Name subjects directly

Use descriptive phrases like "the woman with short black hair" or "the red car." Avoid pronouns, which are often too ambiguous for image models.

Use long, detailed prompts

Most modern models accept thousands of tokens. Long descriptive prompts with clear structure outperform short ones. A prompt with 12+ specific requirements (text on objects, labeled diagrams, color-coded elements, specific materials) can work if each requirement is stated clearly. But be aware: the longer and more complex the prompt, the more likely something will be missed.