> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.ideogram.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.ideogram.ai/prompting/prompt-structure.md). # Prompt Structure The parts of a plain-language prompt, how to put them in order, how long to make it, and when to write literally or loosely. Ideogram has no required format, but prompts that follow a steady order get better results. The model can tell the subject from the background, and you can see which part to change when an image misses. ## The parts of a prompt Each part below shows two running examples: a perfume product photo and a watercolor painting. Use only the parts you need. A logo may have no secondary elements, and a quick idea may need nothing past the summary. ### 1. Image summary One sentence that describes the whole image, as if someone glanced at it for two seconds. Name the kind of image (photo, logo, painting), the main subject and the tone. If you write only one sentence, make it this one. It is also the best input for [Magic Prompt](/create/image-settings.md#magic-prompt) to expand. * `A product photo of a men's perfume bottle named "Nightlife for men" in a sleek studio setup.` * `A whimsical watercolor painting of a little girl playing with her bunny in a flower-filled field.` ### 2. Main subject details What the subject looks like: color, shape, material, texture. Put any text you want in the image here, in quotation marks. [Text in Images](/prompting/text-in-images.md) covers this in full. * `The bottle is tall and rectangular with dark glass, a matte black cap, and silver lettering. The text "Nightlife for men" appears on the label in bold, modern font.` * `The girl has short brown hair, a yellow dress, and rosy cheeks. She holds a fluffy white bunny in her arms, and both are smiling.` ### 3. Pose or action What the subject is doing, or how it sits in the scene. Even a still object has a pose. * `The bottle stands upright with a slight reflection on the surface below.` * `The bunny is leaning into her, with its ears flopping gently.` ### 4. Secondary elements Props and small details near the subject that fill out the scene without taking over. * `A wristwatch and a pair of sunglasses sit nearby.` * `Wildflowers, butterflies, and a toy picnic basket surround them.` ### 5. Setting and background Where the image takes place: indoors or out, time of day, surroundings. For a logo or product shot this may be a flat color. * `The scene is set on a smooth black surface with blurred city lights in the background.` * `They are outdoors in a grassy meadow, under a wide blue sky.` ### 6. Lighting and atmosphere How the light falls and how the image feels. This part sets the mood. * `Lighting is moody and cool, with soft blue highlights and deep shadows.` * `The light is soft and sunny, with warm pastel tones and a dreamy atmosphere.` ### 7. Framing and composition Camera angle, shot type and where the subject sits in the frame. This applies to paintings and logos too: how a figure is balanced, how shapes are spaced. * `The bottle is centered in the frame, captured at eye level.` * `The girl and bunny are slightly off-center, framed from a gentle downward angle.` ### 8. Finish Details that change how the image is rendered, not what it shows: lens effects, brush texture, line quality. * `A shallow depth of field gives the image a polished, professional look.` * `The brush strokes are loose and textured, with light color bleeds.` ## Putting it together Join the parts in this order: ``` [Image summary]. [Main subject details]. [Pose or action]. [Secondary elements]. [Setting and background]. [Lighting and atmosphere]. [Framing and composition]. [Finish]. ``` The two examples above become: > A product photo of a men's perfume bottle named "Nightlife for men" in a sleek studio setup. The bottle is tall and rectangular with dark glass, a matte black cap, and silver lettering. The text "Nightlife for men" appears on the label in bold, modern font. The bottle stands upright with a slight reflection on the surface below. A wristwatch and a pair of sunglasses sit nearby. The scene is set on a smooth black surface with blurred city lights in the background. Lighting is moody and cool, with soft blue highlights and deep shadows. The bottle is centered in the frame, captured at eye level. A shallow depth of field gives the image a polished, professional look. > A whimsical watercolor painting of a little girl playing with her bunny in a flower-filled field. The girl has short brown hair, a yellow dress, and rosy cheeks. She holds a fluffy white bunny in her arms, and both are smiling. The bunny is leaning into her, with its ears flopping gently. Wildflowers, butterflies, and a toy picnic basket surround them. They are outdoors in a grassy meadow, under a wide blue sky. The light is soft and sunny, with warm pastel tones and a dreamy atmosphere. The girl and bunny are slightly off-center, framed from a gentle downward angle. The brush strokes are loose and textured, with light color bleeds. ## How long to make it Length decides how much Ideogram fills in for you. Neither length is better; they serve different goals. **Short prompts** leave room for surprise. Use them to explore, or let Magic Prompt add the detail. > A woman drifting through a quiet dream, shapes and colors shifting gently around her. **Longer prompts** give you control over subject, background, light and style. Use them when you already know what you want. > A red fox standing beneath bright autumn trees, surrounded by golden leaves falling onto a quiet forest floor. When you write a long prompt, follow the order above and keep the main idea near the start. Too many unrelated ideas in one prompt confuse the model. {% hint style="warning" %} On Ideogram 3.0, keep plain-language prompts under about 150 words (roughly 200 tokens). It may weaken or ignore words past that point. Ideogram 4.5 takes up to 10,000 characters, including full JSON prompts, but a focused prompt is still easier to control. {% endhint %} ## Literal, loose or both How you phrase a prompt changes how closely the image follows it. You can write a short or long prompt in any of these styles. ### Visually grounded Describe only what can be seen: subject, setting, light, color, layout. These prompts give the most consistent results and the best control over layout, which matters most when the image includes text. > A stone lighthouse standing on a rocky cliff in heavy fog, its beam shining across calm gray waves at dusk. > A woman sitting in a dark room beside a table, reading a book under the warm glow of a single candle. ### Abstract Use feeling, symbol and figurative language. Results are harder to predict, which suits exploration. Ideogram handles these well when you include a few concrete anchors, like the lighthouse and waves below. > A lighthouse fading into the mist, its light barely reaching the waves as the sea swallows the horizon. > A woman reading by candlelight, her face half-shadowed, as time seems to pause around her. ### Hybrid Fix the subject and style in plain terms, then let one phrase open up the mood or background. This works when you need a set subject but want the model to vary the atmosphere. > A watercolor of a ballerina mid-spin on a quiet stage, like a moment of silence captured in motion. > A portrait of a young woman in a red cloak, standing still. The forest behind her blurs into colors like wet paint on glass. Once a prompt is close, see [Refine and Iterate](/prompting/refine-and-iterate.md) for how to adjust it.