10 Reasons Text-to-Image Generations Look Crappy

1. Vague prompting – Using general descriptions like “beautiful landscape” instead of specific details about lighting, style, composition, and elements you want included.
2. Unrealistic expectations – Requesting complex scenes with multiple interacting elements that exceed the AI’s capability to arrange coherently.
3. Ignoring composition basics – Not specifying camera angle, distance, lighting, or focal point, leaving the AI to make these critical decisions.
4. Poor text handling – AI models struggle with accurate text rendering within images, often producing garbled or misspelled text.
5. Anatomical issues – Human figures frequently have distorted proportions, extra fingers, or unnatural poses, especially with complex positioning.
6. Conflicting styles – Mixing incompatible artistic styles or aesthetic elements that create visual dissonance.
7. Overloading with keywords – Including too many descriptive terms that confuse the AI about which elements should be prioritized.
8. Ignoring model strengths – Different models excel at different styles (photorealism, illustration, etc.) – using the wrong model for your intended output.
9. Not iterating – Expecting perfect results on the first try instead of using initial generations to refine your prompt.
10. Lacking reference terminology – Not using industry-standard photography and art terms that help AI understand your vision (golden hour, rule of thirds, bokeh, etc.).

Would you like me to explain how to fix any of these specific issues with better prompting techniques?

Effective Text-to-Image Prompting Tips

Here are some specific techniques to improve your image generation results:

Structure Your Prompts

• Start with the main subject, then add modifiers and details
• Use a consistent format: subject + setting + style + lighting + camera details
• Separate distinct elements with commas or periods

Be Specific and Descriptive

• Mention exact colors instead of “colorful” (e.g., “vibrant teal and burnt orange”)
• Name specific art styles (watercolor, cyberpunk, art deco, etc.)
• Reference specific artists for style inspiration (“in the style of Norman Rockwell”)
• Describe lighting conditions precisely (“warm sunset backlighting”)

Use Technical Photography Terms

• Camera specifications: “shot with 85mm lens, f/2.8 aperture”
• Composition: “following rule of thirds, foreground interest”
• Quality indicators: “4K, highly detailed, professional, award-winning”
• Shot types: “medium shot, close-up, aerial view, Dutch angle”

Include What to Exclude

• Use negative prompting to avoid common problems
• Examples: “no text, no distorted hands, no extra limbs, anatomically correct”

Learn Model-Specific Keywords

• Different AI models respond to different trigger words
• Research “trigger words” or “style keywords” for your specific model
• Example: “trending on artstation, octane render, unreal engine” works well for some models

Start Simple, Then Build

• Begin with a basic, clear concept
• Generate an initial image, then iterate with more specific instructions
• Use image-to-image features to refine rather than starting over

Balance Detail and Freedom

• Too much direction can be as problematic as too little
• Allow some creative interpretation where appropriate
• Focus your detailed instructions on the most important elements

Consider Aspect Ratio

• Specify dimensions based on your needs (16:9 for slides, 1:1 for social posts)
• Plan composition to work with your chosen ratio
• Example prompt addition: “16:9 aspect ratio, horizontal composition”

Would you like me to create some example prompts that demonstrate these principles for your course materials specifically?