ChatGPT Image Generator: Best Practices, Optimal Image Types, and Example Prompts · AI for LinkedIn

Mar 31 • AI Tips

ChatGPT Image Generator: Best Practices, Optimal Image Types, and Example Prompts

The ChatGPT Image Generator, powered by GPT-4o, represents a significant advancement in AI image generation technology. Released by OpenAI in March 2025, this new "omnimodal" model can generate various types of data including text, images, audio, and video. This guide provides comprehensive information on best practices, optimal image types, and example prompts to help you get the most out of this powerful tool.

Table of Contents

General Best Practices
Optimal Image Types
Example Prompts by Category
Limitations and Workarounds
Differences from Previous Models
Conclusion

General Best Practices

1. Be Specific and Detailed

The more specific your prompt, the better the image quality
Include details like setting, objects, colors, mood, and specific elements
Example: Instead of "a dog," use "a fluffy, small, brown dog sitting on a green lawn under a sunny sky"

2. Describe Mood and Atmosphere

Use descriptive words to convey the desired mood
Words like "serene," "chaotic," "mystical," or "futuristic" help set the right tone
Example: "A serene mountain landscape at sunset with warm golden light casting long shadows"

3. Use Descriptive Adjectives

Adjectives help refine the image and add specificity
Be precise with color descriptions, textures, and qualities
Example: "A rustic wooden table with a weathered surface and visible grain patterns"

4. Consider Perspective and Composition

Specify if you want a close-up, wide shot, bird's-eye view, or specific angle
This helps in framing the scene correctly
Example: "A bird's-eye view of a winding mountain road cutting through a dense forest"

5. Specify Lighting and Time of Day

Lighting dramatically changes the mood of an image
Specify day/night, sunny/cloudy, or specific light sources
Example: "A coastal town at twilight with street lamps just beginning to illuminate the cobblestone streets"

6. Incorporate Action or Movement

Describe actions or movements for dynamic images
Example: "A cat jumping over a fence" is more dynamic than just "a cat"

7. Avoid Overloading the Prompt

While details are good, too many can confuse the AI
Strike a balance between being descriptive and concise
Focus on the most important elements you want to see

8. Use Analogies or Comparisons

Compare what you want with something well-known
Example: "in the style of Van Gogh" or "resembling a scene from a fantasy novel"

9. Specify Desired Styles or Themes

Mention particular artistic styles or themes
Examples: "cyberpunk," "art deco," "minimalist," "photorealistic"

10. Take an Iterative Approach

You may not get the perfect image on the first try
Use the results to refine your prompt and try again
Build upon successful elements from previous generations

11. Specify Number of People/Objects

If you want a specific number of people or objects, explicitly state it
Example: "Two people sitting at a café table" instead of just "people at a café"

12. Mention Image Quality and Resolution

You can suggest the desired quality level
Example: "high-resolution," "detailed," "sharp," "4K quality"

13. Experiment with Different Keywords

Try different combinations of keywords to see how they affect the output
Small changes in wording can significantly alter the result

Optimal Image Types

The GPT-4o image generator excels at creating various types of images. Here are the categories that work particularly well:

1. Photorealistic Images

Animals: Detailed close-ups of animals like chameleons, hummingbirds, and dogs
Human Portraits: Realistic human faces with proper skin textures and facial features
Nature Scenes: Landscapes and natural environments with accurate lighting
Urban Settings: City scenes with proper perspective and architectural details

2. Images with Text

Screenshots: Wikipedia-style pages with proper formatting and text layout
Book Covers: Book covers with readable titles and author names
Advertisements: Product advertisements with clear slogans and text elements
Informational Graphics: Diagrams and informational displays with readable labels

3. Artistic Style Adaptations

Studio Ghibli Style: Anime-inspired imagery in the distinctive style of Studio Ghibli
Vintage Aesthetics: Images with authentic retro or period-specific styling
Famous Artwork Reimagining: Modern interpretations of classic paintings
Cartoon and Illustration Styles: Stylized cartoon versions of products or concepts

4. Complex Compositions

Multi-person Scenes: Groups of people interacting in various settings
Interior Spaces with Details: Rooms with multiple objects, proper lighting, and reflections
Action Scenes: Dynamic images capturing movement and action
Scenes with Reflections: Images incorporating reflective surfaces like glass or water

5. Technical and Specialized Imagery

Product Visualizations: Detailed product images with accurate branding and features
Architectural Visualizations: Building designs with proper perspective and details
Scientific Illustrations: Biological, chemical, or physical concepts illustrated accurately
Technical Diagrams: Machinery or system diagrams with proper labeling

6. Images with Specific Aspect Ratios

Widescreen (16:9): Landscape-oriented images optimized for widescreen viewing
Portrait Mode: Vertically-oriented images that maintain proper composition
Square Format: Well-composed images in 1:1 ratio
Panoramic Views: Extended horizontal scenes with consistent quality throughout

7. Images with Memory and Context

Character Consistency: The same character appearing in different scenes with consistent features
Sequential Images: Related images that maintain consistent elements from previous generations
Before/After Scenarios: Transformations that maintain logical consistency
Variations on a Theme: Multiple versions of an image that preserve key elements while varying others

Example Prompts by Category < ENJOY THESE!

1. YouTube Thumbnails

Prompt: "Create a vibrant and eye-catching YouTube thumbnail titled 'Who Benches More?' Feature two people on opposite sides of a gym bench: one wearing white glasses with a sad expression (struggling to lift a small weight), and the other wearing black glasses with a confident, happy smile (lifting a massive weight). Add bold, playful text like 'Gym Showdown!' or 'White Glasses vs Black Glasses. Use bright colors, dynamic poses, and include gym equipment in the background for context. Ensure the design is bold and contrasts well to grab attention."

Why it works: This prompt excels at creating attention-grabbing thumbnails by specifying clear subject positioning, emotional expressions, text overlay requirements, color scheme guidance, and contextual elements.

2. Single Page Comic

Prompt: "Create a single page comic or graphic novel covering an entire story of a boy who finds a lost key and goes on an adventure, relentlessly, to find a treasure at the end. The entire story, along with dialogues, must fit within one page of 6-8 panels. You can create the characters and graphics based on any theme of your choice."

Why it works: This prompt effectively generates a complete visual narrative by providing a clear storyline with beginning, middle, and end, specifying format constraints, including dialogue requirements, and balancing structure with flexibility.

3. Professional Brand Advertisements

Prompt: "Create a clean, elegant, and professional thumbnail design for a skincare brand. The image features a model applying cream to their face, exuding relaxation and self-care. Use soft, natural lighting to highlight the product and the model's glowing skin. Include subtle branding elements and a minimalist aesthetic with a calming color palette of soft blues and whites. The overall mood should convey luxury, purity, and effectiveness."

Why it works: This prompt creates professional-looking advertisements by defining the industry and product type, specifying the action being shown, detailing lighting requirements, providing color palette guidance, and establishing the desired emotional response.

4. Chibi Pixel Art and Studio Ghibli Style Game Assets

Prompt: "Create a set of 4 character sprites in chibi pixel art style, inspired by Studio Ghibli aesthetics. Include a young wizard with a staff, a forest spirit with leaf-like features, a mechanical companion robot, and a friendly monster with horns. Use a vibrant but limited color palette reminiscent of 16-bit era games. The characters should have exaggerated proportions with large heads and small bodies, and include both front-facing and side-view poses."

Why it works: This prompt generates stylized game assets by specifying the exact art style, detailing character types and features, providing color guidance, including proportion requirements, and requesting multiple viewing angles.

5. Customized Invitation Cards

Prompt: "Design an elegant wedding invitation card with a watercolor floral theme. The card should feature delicate pink and lavender roses with eucalyptus leaves as a border. Include the text 'Join us to celebrate the marriage of Emma & James' in a sophisticated gold calligraphy font. Add the details: 'Saturday, June 12, 2025 at 4:00 PM, The Grand Garden, 123 Blossom Avenue'. The overall style should be romantic and sophisticated with a soft color palette and subtle texture in the background."

Why it works: This prompt creates personalized invitation designs by specifying the occasion and theme, detailing exact text content and font style, providing specific color choices, including all necessary event information, and establishing the overall mood and style.

6. Meme Generation

Prompt: "Create a modern internet meme about the struggles of programming. Use the classic 'distracted boyfriend' meme format, but label the boyfriend as 'Me', the girlfriend as 'Debugging my code', and the passing woman as 'Starting a new project instead'. Make it visually appealing with clear, bold text labels and a slightly exaggerated comic style. The image should be instantly recognizable as a meme while being relevant to software developers."

Why it works: This prompt generates humorous, shareable memes by referencing a well-known meme format, providing specific labels for each element, targeting a specific audience, specifying text style, and balancing humor with relatability.

7. Character Makeovers

Prompt: "Transform a classic fairy tale character into a modern-day professional. Take Snow White and reimagine her as a successful tech CEO in 2025. She should be wearing a stylish but professional outfit (perhaps a well-tailored blazer in her signature blue and red colors), have a confident pose, and be in a modern office setting with subtle nods to her story (perhaps a minimalist apple logo on her laptop or a small bird perched on a window sill). Her expression should convey leadership and determination while maintaining her kind essence."

Why it works: This prompt creates character transformations by starting with a well-known character, specifying the new context, including elements that connect to the original character, detailing the setting, and balancing transformation with recognizable traits.

8. Product Label Design

Prompt: "Design a premium honey product label for a jar. The label should feature a vintage-inspired illustration of bees and honeycomb in gold and amber tones. Include the product name 'Wildflower Gold' in an elegant serif font at the top, with 'Pure Raw Honey' as a subtitle. Add 'Harvested in the Alpine Meadows' at the bottom in smaller text. The overall design should convey artisanal quality, natural ingredients, and traditional craftsmanship while remaining clean and readable. The label should wrap around a cylindrical jar."

Why it works: This prompt creates effective product packaging by specifying the product type and container, detailing the illustration style and elements, providing exact text content and hierarchy, specifying color scheme, and establishing the brand values to convey.

9. Landing Page Design

Prompt: "Create a modern, clean landing page design for a meditation app called 'MindfulMoment'. The page should feature a calming gradient background in soft blues and purples. Include a hero section with a minimalist illustration of a person meditating, the app logo, and a tagline 'Find your center in seconds'. Below that, add three feature sections with simple icons for 'Guided Sessions', 'Sleep Stories', and 'Breathing Exercises'. Include a clean call-to-action button saying 'Download Now' in a contrasting color. The overall aesthetic should be peaceful, modern, and user-friendly."

Why it works: This prompt generates effective web designs by naming the product and its purpose, specifying layout elements, providing color guidance, including exact copy for headings and buttons, and establishing the desired aesthetic and user experience.

10. Infographic Creation

Prompt: "Create an educational infographic about the water cycle for middle school students. Design it with a blue and green color scheme and include 5 key stages: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, collection, and transpiration. For each stage, include a small illustrative icon and 1-2 sentences of simple explanation. Add a title 'The Water Cycle: Earth's Great Recycling System' at the top. Use a clean, organized layout with arrows showing the cyclical nature of the process. The style should be engaging for 11-13 year olds while remaining scientifically accurate."

Why it works: This prompt creates informative visual content by specifying the topic and target audience, detailing the exact information to include, providing structure guidance, establishing a color scheme, and balancing educational value with visual engagement.

Limitations and Workarounds

While GPT-4o represents a significant improvement, some limitations remain:

1. Image Dimensions

Limitation: The current version generates square format images
Workaround: For different aspect ratios, you'll need to crop or resize after generation
Tip: You can hint at composition to make post-processing easier

2. Text in Images

Limitation: The model has improved at generating text in images but may still produce errors
Workaround: For important text, consider adding it in post-processing
Tip: Keep text short and clear in your prompts

3. Complex Scenes

Limitation: Very complex scenes with many elements may not render perfectly
Workaround: Break down complex ideas into simpler components
Tip: Focus on the most important elements and be specific about their relationships

4. Specific Faces

Limitation: The model has safeguards around generating specific real people
Workaround: Focus on describing general characteristics rather than specific identities
Tip: For public figures, the model now allows generation with certain safeguards

Differences from Previous Models

The new ChatGPT Image Generator (based on GPT-4o) solves several limitations that users experienced with DALL-E 3:

Better handling of specific angles and perspectives
Improved color accuracy
Fewer artifacts and unwanted elements
More realistic people with fewer anatomical errors
Better at following complex prompts with multiple requirements
Improved handling of lighting effects
Better at generating images that match the exact prompt intent

Conclusion

The ChatGPT Image Generator powered by GPT-4o represents a significant advancement in AI image generation technology. By following the best practices outlined in this guide and using the example prompts as inspiration, you can create high-quality, detailed images for a wide range of applications.

The most effective prompts share common elements:

Specificity: Clear details about what elements should be included
Visual guidance: Color schemes, lighting, and style references
Content requirements: Exact text, characters, or information to include
Emotional direction: The mood or feeling the image should evoke
Context awareness: Understanding of the purpose and audience for the image

As you experiment with this powerful tool, remember that an iterative approach often yields the best results. Don't be afraid to refine your prompts based on the outputs you receive, and continue to explore the full range of possibilities that GPT-4o image generation offers.

What IMAGES have you created lately?

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