Controlling the visual style of AI-generated images is one of the most powerful skills you can develop. This lesson covers the key style levers available to you.

Art Medium Keywords

These dramatically change the feel of your output:

• Photography: "DSLR photo," "35mm film," "Polaroid," "drone aerial shot," "macro photography"
• Painting: "oil painting," "watercolor," "acrylic on canvas," "impressionist," "gouache"
• Digital: "digital art," "3D render," "CGI," "vector illustration," "pixel art"
• Traditional: "pencil sketch," "charcoal drawing," "ink wash," "woodcut print," "linocut"

Lighting Keywords

Lighting transforms mood and atmosphere:

• Golden hour — Warm, soft, directional light
• Blue hour — Cool, moody twilight tones
• Rembrandt lighting — Dramatic portrait lighting with triangle highlight
• Volumetric lighting — God rays, atmospheric light shafts
• Neon lighting — Cyberpunk, urban night vibes
• Studio lighting — Clean, professional, even illumination
• Chiaroscuro — High contrast between light and dark

Color Palette Control

• Specify palettes: "muted earth tones," "vibrant neon colors," "monochromatic blue"
• Reference eras: "1970s Kodachrome colors," "pastel vaporwave palette"
• Use mood-based descriptions: "warm and inviting," "cold and clinical," "dreamy and ethereal"

Composition Keywords

• Rule of thirds — Balanced, pleasing arrangement
• Symmetrical composition — Centered, formal feel
• Dutch angle — Tilted, dynamic, unsettling
• Bird's eye view — Looking down from above
• Worm's eye view — Looking up, makes subjects feel powerful
• Close-up / extreme close-up — Intimate detail
• Wide establishing shot — Context and scale

Era & Movement References

• "Art Nouveau," "Art Deco," "Bauhaus," "Pop Art," "Surrealism"
• "Victorian era," "1980s retro," "Y2K aesthetic," "cottagecore"
• "Japanese ukiyo-e," "Persian miniature," "African textile patterns"

Combining Styles

The magic happens when you blend unexpected styles:

"A samurai warrior in Art Deco style, geometric gold patterns, clean lines, muted jewel tones, poster composition"

"A cozy coffee shop interior, Studio Ghibli aesthetic, warm watercolor, soft morning light filtering through windows"

Quality Boosters

Add these for higher quality outputs:

• "Highly detailed," "8K resolution," "masterpiece," "award-winning"
• "Sharp focus," "intricate details," "professional quality"
• Note: overusing quality terms can sometimes reduce variety