Disclosure
This guide contains affiliate links (marked ad) and promotes tools we built (marked (ad — own product)). Kie.ai is a third-party product we promote as an affiliate.
This is Module 5 of the AI Income Blueprint. It covers prompt engineering across all four income streams.
Why This Prompt Engineering Guide Exists
Same tool. Same model. Same price. Two different prompts produce wildly different results. This prompt engineering guide gives you the exact formulas that work for every image type.
The person using “beautiful sunset photo 8K ultra HD” gets generic AI slop. The person using a structured prompt with specific subjects, named colors, directional lighting, and targeted constraints gets sellable work.
Your prompt is the only variable you fully control. Master it and every batch you generate is stronger than the last.
What is prompt engineering for images? Prompt engineering for images is the skill of writing structured text descriptions that produce high-quality output from image generation models. A good prompt specifies subject, composition, lighting, style, and constraints. The difference between a vague prompt and a structured one is the difference between generic output and sellable work.
Table of Contents
- The Universal Rules
- Model Selection Guide
- Optimal Prompt Length by Product
- Stock Photo Prompts
- Poster Prompts
- Wallpaper Prompts
- Vector Prompts
- Advanced Techniques
- The NB2 Prompt Generator
The Universal Rules
These apply to every model, every product type, every generation. Break them and quality drops. Follow them and your output consistently improves.
| # | Rule | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minimum 5 concrete nouns per prompt | Highest correlation with output quality (r=0.62 in testing). “Cast-iron skillet, roasted tomato sauce, crumbled feta, sourdough bread, linen napkin” beats “food on a table.” |
| 2 | No beauty words | ”Beautiful,” “stunning,” “gorgeous,” “flawless,” and “perfect” trigger over-processed, plastic-looking output. Describe what you want, not how it should feel. |
| 3 | No hex color codes | #FF0000 renders as visible text in the image. Use named colors: “warm amber,” “deep crimson,” “sage green.” |
| 4 | No render engine names | ”Octane Render,” “Unreal Engine 5,” “V-Ray” have zero measurable effect on any current model. Dead weight in your prompt. |
| 5 | No resolution keywords | ”8K,” “ultra HD,” “hyperrealistic” have zero measurable effect. Resolution is set via API parameters, not prompt text. |
| 6 | Always include anti-text constraint | Without “no text, no watermark,” roughly 40% of generated images contain random gibberish text. With it, under 5%. |
| 7 | One scene per prompt | ”A kitchen AND a beach sunset” produces incoherent mashups. One prompt, one coherent scene. |
| 8 | Style-first ordering | The earliest tokens in your prompt carry the most weight. Lead with style and mood, then subject, then details. |
Model Selection Guide
Four models cover everything. Each excels at specific output types.
| Model | Provider | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seedream 4.5 | Kie.ai (ad) | ~$0.032 | Stock photos without people: food, products, landscapes, interiors, technology |
| Nano Banana Pro | Kie.ai (ad) | ~$0.09 | Stock photos with people: lifestyle, business, portraits, fitness |
| NB2 Illustrative | Kie.ai (ad) | ~$0.06 | Posters with atmosphere: dark fantasy, cyberpunk, sci-fi, cinematic |
| Recraft V4 | Kie.ai (ad) | ~$0.04-$0.08 | Posters (graphic design), wallpapers (flat styles), vectors/SVGs (all types) |
The Decision Tree
What are you creating?
│
├─ Stock photo?
│ ├─ Has a person → Nano Banana Pro
│ └─ No person → Seedream 4.5
│
├─ Poster?
│ ├─ Colorful/graphic (art deco, pop art, geometric) → Recraft V4
│ └─ Atmospheric/dark (fantasy, cyberpunk, cinematic) → NB2 Illustrative
│
├─ Wallpaper?
│ ├─ Flat graphic (ukiyo-e, retro, art deco) → Recraft V4
│ └─ Photorealistic/anime/atmospheric → Seedream 4.5
│
└─ Vector/SVG?
└─ Always → Recraft V4 (text-to-vector)Optimal Prompt Length by Product
More words is not always better. Each model and product type has a validated sweet spot.
| Product | Model | Optimal Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock (no people) | Seedream | 80-150 words | Natural prose paragraphs |
| Stock (people) | NB Pro | 250-500 words | Structured sections with specific details |
| Posters (graphic) | Recraft | 120-170 words | Flowing prose, no headers |
| Posters (atmospheric) | NB2 | 150-400 words | Structured with bold headers |
| Wallpapers | Recraft | 60-150 words | Single paragraph |
| Wallpapers | Seedream | 50-80 words | Shorter is better (validated) |
| B&W Icons | Recraft | 40-80 words | Precise and minimal |
| Colored Icons | Recraft | 65-85 words | Slightly longer for color specs |
| T-Shirt Designs | Recraft | 110-140 words | Dense detail for complex compositions |
Stock Photo Prompts
Seedream 4.5 Formula (No People)
[Editorial/Professional] photograph of [subject with 5+ concrete nouns].
[Setting with 2-3 surface materials].
[One lighting sentence: source direction + color temperature].
[Dynamic moment: "caught mid-", "steam rising", "just sliced"].
[Camera perspective: bird's-eye, macro, 45-degree overhead, low angle].
No 3D render, no illustration, no CGI, no watermark, no text.Copy-paste templates:
Food template:
Editorial photograph of [DISH] in [VESSEL] on [SURFACE MATERIAL]. [2-3 GARNISHES/SIDES]. [BACKGROUND ELEMENT]. Single [DIRECTION] [WARM/COOL] directional light casting [SHADOW DESCRIPTION], [DYNAMIC MOMENT]. [ANGLE] perspective. No 3D render, no illustration, no CGI, no watermark, no text.
Workspace template:
Professional photograph of [WORKSPACE TYPE] with [3-4 SPECIFIC OBJECTS ON DESK]. [SURFACE MATERIAL]. [BACKGROUND ELEMENT with depth]. [LIGHTING DIRECTION] from [SOURCE] at [COLOR TEMP]. [ANGLE] shot, [DEPTH OF FIELD]. No 3D render, no illustration, no watermark, no text.
Nature template:
Editorial photograph of [SPECIFIC SUBJECT] in [HABITAT]. [2-3 ENVIRONMENTAL DETAILS]. [TIME OF DAY] light [DIRECTION] catching [SPECIFIC DETAIL]. [LENS PERSPECTIVE] at [SUBJECT LEVEL]. No CGI, no illustration, no watermark, no text.
Nano Banana Pro (People)
People shots require structured, detailed prompts. The model needs specifics about appearance, clothing, pose, environment, camera setup, and lighting to produce realistic results.
At a high level, production-quality people prompts include:
- Style and mood with a film stock reference
- Subject description with age, build, and natural skin details
- Wardrobe with specific fabric types and fit
- Pose and hands with a behavioral action (not static “smiling”)
- Environment with 4-6 objects and surface materials
- Camera with a real lens and aperture
- Lighting with direction, source, and color temperature
- Constraints split into anatomy, camera, and style blocks
Writing these prompts from scratch takes practice. The structure matters more than any single detail. A well-structured 300-word prompt outperforms a rambling 500-word paragraph every time.
Simplified people prompt template:
Professional [STYLE] photograph of [AGE/BUILD/ETHNICITY] [GENDER] [ACTION/POSE] in [SETTING]. Wearing [SPECIFIC CLOTHING with fabric detail]. [HAND POSITION with finger count if visible]. [4-5 ENVIRONMENT OBJECTS]. [CAMERA MODEL] with [LENS]mm f/[APERTURE]. [LIGHTING DIRECTION] at [COLOR TEMP]K. No airbrushing, no plastic skin, no extra fingers, no 3D render, no watermark, no text.
For production-quality people prompts without the learning curve, see The NB2 Prompt Generator section below.
Poster Prompts
Recraft V4 Formula (Graphic Posters, ~70% of Production)
Large-format [type] wall poster combining [approach A] with [approach B].
[Background with named colors].
[Subject filling 50-80% of canvas, 8+ concrete nouns].
[Element interaction].
[3-5 named colors with coverage percentages].
[Surface treatment].
[Aesthetic thesis: "[Style] meets [Style], [wall-readiness]"]Key rules:
- Natural flowing prose (no bold headers, no MUST NOT blocks)
- Named colors only (no hex codes)
- “The scene extends beyond all four edges” (full-bleed)
- No camera gear, no lens specs, no film stock
Copy-paste template (Art Deco):
Large-format art deco wall poster combining geometric precision with [MOOD]. [NAMED COLOR] background with [GEOMETRIC PATTERN]. A [SUBJECT] rendered in angular geometric segments fills the lower two-thirds, [DESCRIPTION OF FORM]. Each segment alternates between [COLOR 1], [COLOR 2], and [COLOR 3] with crisp flat fills. The scene extends beyond all four edges. [PRIMARY COLOR] dominates at [X]%, [ACCENT] at [Y]%. Crisp geometric edges, fully flat graphic treatment, no gradients. Art deco [QUALITY] meets contemporary wall art, [WALL-READINESS STATEMENT].
NB2 Formula (Atmospheric Posters)
Atmospheric posters use bold section headers and hex color codes (unlike Recraft).
**STYLE (LEAD):** [Genre + quality description]
**SUBJECT:** [8+ concrete nouns with tactile details]
**COLOR PALETTE:** [3-5 hex codes with metal optimization note]
**COMPOSITION:** [Focal point, full-bleed statement]
**LIGHTING:** [Source, direction, quality, deep shadows]
MUST NOT -- RENDERING: [no DOF blur, no lens flare, no paper texture]
MUST NOT -- STYLE: [no border, no frame, no flat vector, no watermark, no text]Wallpaper Prompts
Recraft Formula (Flat Styles)
Vertical [style] phone wallpaper with [background].
[Subject] rendered in [technique] fills the lower 40-70% of the tall frame.
[Vertical leading lines] exploit the 9:16 format.
[2-3 named colors with coverage].
Top 15% of canvas is [low-complexity zone] for widget compatibility.
No text, no watermark, no border, no flat vector art, no clipart.Seedream Formula (Atmospheric/Anime)
[Art style description]. [Subject positioned in lower two-thirds of vertical canvas].
[Color and atmosphere details].
[Light source, direction, interaction with scene].
No text, no watermark. [Style constraints].
No flat vector art, no clipart, no icon design.Critical wallpaper rules (all styles):
- Always 9:16 vertical
- Top 15-40% reserved for widgets (low complexity)
- Subject in the lower half
- Mix 3+ styles per batch
Vector Prompts
B&W Icon Formula (6 Elements)
1. "B&W line art icon of [subject + pose/view]"
2. "Simplified to [4-8] geometric shapes: [list each]"
3. "Commercial [clipart/fine/medium] detail level"
4. "Bold recognizable silhouette, legible at 64px"
5. "Black lines on white background, no color fills, no grey tones"
6. "[stroke] uniform strokes, no texture variation, all contours fully closed.
No gradients, no shadows, no texture, no fills, no photographic elements"Colored Vector Formula
Clean flat vector illustration of [subject + view]. Simplified geometric
forms with solid color fills and no gradients. [Size/legibility target].
[Named colors for each element]. Crisp clean edges, professional [icon/design] quality.
Absolutely no gradients, no color transitions, no blending, no shadows,
no texture, no watermark.The anti-gradient line is mandatory for every colored vector prompt. Without it, ~17% of outputs have gradient contamination.
Advanced Techniques
1. Behavioral Anchors Over Static Verbs
“Caught mid-laugh” produces a natural expression. “Smiling” produces a mannequin. “Just set down the coffee cup, hand still hovering” beats “sitting at a table.” Temporal actions create life.
2. Concrete Nouns Over Adjectives
“Cast-iron skillet on weathered oak cutting board with linen napkin and crumbled feta” contains five concrete nouns. “Beautiful rustic kitchen scene” contains zero. The nouns carry the quality.
3. Named Colors Over Generic
“Warm amber,” “sage green,” “dusty rose,” “slate charcoal” give the model specific targets. “Nice colors” gives it nothing to work with.
4. Constraints Split by Category
For complex prompts (people, atmospheric posters), split your constraints into groups:
- Anatomy: no extra fingers, no deformed hands
- Camera: no wide-angle distortion, no inconsistent lighting
- Style: no airbrushing, no plastic skin, no 3D render, no watermark
This is more targeted than a single flat list of negatives.
5. Iteration
Your first prompt is never your best. Generate, evaluate, adjust one variable, generate again. After 3 rounds of refinement, most prompts improve significantly.
Variables to adjust:
- Swap the camera angle
- Change the lighting direction
- Add or remove environmental objects
- Try a different demographic
- Adjust the dynamic moment
The NB2 Prompt Generator
Writing production-quality prompts for people shots is the hardest skill in AI image generation. The structured format, texture language, camera specifications, and lighting descriptions take weeks to learn.
The NB2 Prompt Generator (ad — own product) handles this complexity for you. Describe what you want in plain language, and it generates a full production-ready Nano Banana Pro prompt with all the structure, technical details, and constraints built in.
Try it free: autokeyworder.com/nb2-prompt-generator (ad — own product)
For Seedream, Recraft, and vector prompts, the templates in this guide and the individual stream modules (Stock Photography, Posters, Wallpapers, Etsy) give you everything you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should an image prompt be? It depends on the product type. Stock photos without people work best at 80-150 words. People shots need 250-500 words. Wallpapers perform best at 50-80 words. Vector icons need only 40-80 words.
Do beauty words like “stunning” improve image quality? No. Words like “beautiful,” “stunning,” and “gorgeous” trigger over-processed, plastic-looking output. Describe what you want with concrete nouns instead of adjective praise.
What is the anti-text constraint and why is it needed? Adding “no text, no watermark” to every prompt prevents random gibberish text from appearing in your images. Without this constraint, roughly 40% of generated images contain unwanted text artifacts.
Should I include camera settings in my prompts? For people shots with Nano Banana Pro, yes. Camera body, lens, and aperture specifications force the model into photographic rendering. For Seedream (objects) and Recraft (vectors), camera settings have no effect.
Quick Reference: All Formulas
| Product | Model | Formula Summary | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock (no people) | Seedream | Editorial photo + 5 nouns + lighting + moment + angle + constraints | 80-150 |
| Stock (people) | NB Pro | Style + subject + wardrobe + pose + environment + camera + lighting + constraints | 250-500 |
| Poster (graphic) | Recraft | Large-format + background + subject 50-80% + colors + full-bleed + thesis | 120-170 |
| Poster (atmospheric) | NB2 | Bold headers + hex colors + composition + lighting + MUST NOT blocks | 150-400 |
| Wallpaper (flat) | Recraft | Vertical + subject lower 40-70% + widget zone + named colors | 60-150 |
| Wallpaper (atmospheric) | Seedream | Art style + lower two-thirds + light + constraints | 50-80 |
| B&W Icons | Recraft | 6-element formula: subject + shapes + detail + silhouette + B&W + strokes | 40-80 |
| Colored Vectors | Recraft | Flat illustration + named colors + anti-gradient mandatory | 65-140 |
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Part of the AI Income Blueprint series. See all modules and the full tools page.