October 30th, 2024
In this post I will explore what I have called the "Textured Dream" prompt. This prompt was inspired loosely by the abstract expressionists and is meant to convey movement and texture. Although the basic prompt can be used with any subject, the initial subjects I used were based in nature and meant to convey a sense of awe.
Basic Prompt Elements
Artist Modifiers - there are no artist modifiers in this prompt.
Style Modifiers - the main style modifiers include deeply textured, heavily layered painting, in an abstract, expressive style, multiple perspectives, mysterious atmosphere, vibrant primary colors, bold brush strokes, paint splatters, gouges in the canvas, ink drips, textured details, depth,
Subject Modifiers - in the initial series of images I created using this prompt, the subject modifiers all included a brilliant night sky with radiant stars and the Milky Way to help inspire the sense of awe.
Starting Prompt
The prompt used for the image above was:
A deeply textured, heavily layered speed painting, featuring an abstract expressive brilliant night sky with radiant stars and the Milky Way. Far below, as seen from multiple perspectives, a weary traveler sits by a small, flickering orange fire in a winter forest at night. Tall birch and pine trees sway in the wind and snow. The scene includes vibrant primary colors, bold brushstrokes, paint splatter and gouges in the canvas. Negative space around the traveler creates a mysterious atmosphere, while ink drips and textured details add depth to the painting, capturing a solitary moment amidst the vast expanse of nature.
Output prompt
Many AI models, such as Dall-e3, take the prompts your enter and revise them. This was the prompt that Dall-e3 created using the starting prompt above.
A deeply textured, heavily layered painting in an abstract, expressive style, depicting a brilliant night sky with radiant stars and the Milky Way. Far below, seen from multiple perspectives, a weary traveler sits by a small, flickering orange fire in a snowy winter forest. Tall birch and pine trees sway in the wind, with snow and shadows creating a mysterious atmosphere. The scene is rendered in vibrant primary colors with bold brushstrokes, paint splatters, and gouges in the canvas. Negative space surrounds the traveler, and ink drips with textured details add depth to the solitary moment amidst the vast, cold night.
Notes and Tips for Prompting
This prompt works best, in my opinion, using Dall-e3. I have tested it with other models and so far the results have not produced the textured, expressive results that Dall-e3 gives. I will tinker around with the prompt in other models and report back here if I find anything I like.
As an aside, the "multiple perspectives" portion of the prompt can probably be dropped. I had included that in the hopes of getting a slight cubism influence, but it doesn't seem to have panned out so far. I am going to keep exploring. I generally avoid "cubism" in my prompts with Dall-e3 as I have not liked how Dall-e3 generally interprets this modifier.
Prompt Variation - Looking to the Stars
A variation of the "Textured Dream" prompt involves replacing the subject modifiers with "angler fish staring up from near the bottom of the seas and looking up through the surface of the sea at a brilliant night sky with radiant stars and a clear view of the Milky Way". The full input prompt for the image above was:
A deeply textured, heavily layered painting, featuring an abstract expressive angler fish staring up from near the bottom of the seas and looking up through the surface of the sea at a brilliant night sky with radiant stars and a clear view of the Milky Way. The scene includes multiple perspectives and vibrant primary colors, bold brushstrokes, paint splatter and gouges in the canvas. Negative space around the fish creates a serene atmosphere, while paint splatter and textured details add depth to the painting, capturing a moment of beauty amidst the vastness of nature.
Prompt Variation - All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go
Another variation of the "Textured Dream" prompt involves replacing the subject modifiers with "tiny mouse dressed in a suit and resting against a white fluffy cat as they look longingly out a frosted window into a brilliant night sky with the Milky Way". The full input prompt for the image above was:
A deeply textured, heavily layered widescreen painting, featuring an abstract expressive tiny mouse dressed in a suit and resting against a white fluffy cat as they look longingly out a frosted window into a brilliant night sky with the Milky Way. The mouse and cate are painted from multiple perspectives. The scene includes vibrant primary colors, bold brushstrokes, paint splatter and gouges in the canvas. Negative space around the mouse and cat creates a mysterious atmosphere, while paint splatter and textured details add depth to the painting, capturing a moment of companionship amidst the vastness of nature.
Prompt Variation - All Hallows' Eve
In honor of the approaching holiday (as I write this), a final variation features Halloween and involves replacing the subject modifiers with "goblin holding a glowing jack o' lantern as he walks along an autumnal forest path under a brilliant night sky with the Milky Way. Eerie shadows of monsters can be seen within the trees". The full input prompt (including typo) for the image above was:
A deeply textured, heavily layered spainting, featuring an abstract expressive goblin holding a glowing jack o' lantern as he walks along an autumnal forest path under a brilliant night sky with the Milky Way. Eerie shadows of monsters can be seen within the trees. The scene includes vibrant primary colors, bold brushstrokes, paint splatter and gouges in the canvas. Negative space around the goblin creates an eerie atmosphere, while paint splatter and textured details add depth to the painting, capturing a moment of horror amidst the vastness of nature.
Prompt Variation - Autumn Leaves and Autumn Rain
I modified the prompt slightly, removing the night sky, negative space, and multiple perspective parts of the prompt. I added autumn imagery and colors, and the impasto technique. The prompt below is for "Autumn Leaves". The image "Autumn Rain" is nearly identical, except the wading egret was replaced with an owl on a boulder.
A deeply textured, heavily layered widescreen painting in an abstract, expressive style, featuring a close-up portrait of an egret wading in a forest stream surrounded by autumn colors and gentle rain. The palette includes warm oranges, yellows, golds, rust, greens, and browns. The scene features impasto techniques, bold brushstrokes, paint splatters, and imperfections, adding depth to the composition. Textured details capture a moment of introspection and beauty amidst the nascent melodies of nature.
Prompt Variation - Saraswati's Garden
This variation got its origins from a prompt featuring a Geisha in a Japanese garden. The revised prompt is:
A deeply textured, heavily layered painting in an abstract, expressive style, depicting a serene scene of the Indian goddess Saraswati in an elegant white sari, seated gracefully in a floating garden in outer space with stars and nebulae illuminating the night sky. She plays a beautiful veena, surrounded by lush greenery, soft mosses, painted rocks, and blooming cherry blossom trees. Cherry blossom petals drift through the air, creating a magical, surreal atmosphere. A small pond reflects the soft pink and white hues of the flowers, with its waters cascading into the void of space. The painting features vibrant colors, bold brushstrokes, splashes, drips, and sprays of paint, adding dynamic movement. The mood is melancholy with warm, vivid colors, emphasizing nature's hidden ferocity and the grace of the Goddess Saraswati, in a widescreen format.
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