IllumeAI Prompt Guide

You can absolutely start with a plain, simple prompt — it works. Here's the same bakery banner at three levels of detail. Every one produces a real result; more detail just gives you more control.

This is optional — a simple prompt is always fine. But when you want a specific outcome, this recipe covers everything IllumeAI needs.

A fully specified prompt names the type, the content, the style, the colors and mood, and the platform — giving the AI clear creative direction while leaving room for interpretation.

Creates social media graphics, banners, ads, flyers, posters, logos, presentations, business cards, and YouTube thumbnails from a text description.

Social media

“Instagram story announcing a weekend flash sale for a streetwear brand — bold white text '48HR DROP' over a dark urban background, neon pink and electric blue accents, countdown timer graphic, 9:16”

Logo

“Logo for 'BrightPath Consulting' — abstract path/arrow symbol pointing upward, navy blue and gold, professional and trustworthy, clean modern lines, 1:1”

YouTube thumbnail

“YouTube thumbnail for a cooking channel video — close-up of a golden pasta dish with steam, bold yellow text '5-MIN PASTA' in the top left, red play button overlay, warm and appetizing, 16:9”

• Name the graphic type — "Instagram story for...", "Facebook ad banner for...", "YouTube thumbnail for..." — this sets format expectations

• Describe headline text and layout — include the actual text you want on the graphic and where it should go

• Pick a blueprint or describe a style — use one of the 10 built-in blueprints (Bold Editorial, Clean Minimalist, Dark Luxury, etc.) or describe your own

• Specify the platform and aspect ratio — 9:16 for Instagram stories, 16:9 for YouTube thumbnails, 1:1 for feed posts

Turns phone photos into studio-quality product shots and lifestyle scenes. Upload your product image, then describe the scene you want.

Studio hero shot

“Clean white studio background with soft directional lighting from the left, subtle shadow underneath, product centered and sharp, professional e-commerce look, 1:1 for Amazon listing”

Lifestyle scene

“My skincare bottle on a marble bathroom shelf next to a folded white towel and a sprig of eucalyptus, soft diffused light from a frosted window, spa-like atmosphere, shallow depth of field, clean and premium feel”

Flat lay

“Top-down flat lay of my product surrounded by dried flowers, a linen napkin, and a ceramic plate on a warm oak table, even overhead lighting, earthy natural tones, Instagram-ready styling”

• Describe the scene, not just the product — "on a marble bathroom shelf next to eucalyptus" beats "nice background"

• Specify lighting and mood — "warm morning light through a window", "dramatic dark studio lighting", "golden hour outdoors"

• Include 2-3 complementary props — props ground the scene — a coffee mug needs a coaster, a spoon, maybe a newspaper

• Use a blueprint for consistency — Studio Hero, Lifestyle In Use, Flat Lay, Golden Hour, Dark & Dramatic, and 5 more

Edit existing images with text instructions — background removal, scene changes, color swaps, object removal, and style transfer.

Background swap

“Remove the background and place the product in a sunny kitchen scene on a wooden countertop, warm natural light from a window on the right, a potted herb in the background”

Color change

“Change the product label color from red to navy blue, keep all other details exactly the same including text, shape, and surrounding elements”

Object removal

“Remove the coffee cup and notebook from the left side of the image, fill the space naturally with the existing desk surface and background”

• Be specific about what to change — "remove the background" or "change the label color from red to navy blue"

• Describe the desired result — "replace background with a sunny kitchen scene" instead of "change the background"

• Use reference images — upload a style reference image or context images to guide the edit

Don't feel like writing much at all? One-click blueprints do the heavy lifting for you — just apply one and tweak the details.

• Start simple, then iterate — a short prompt gets you a fast first result — refine from there instead of trying to nail everything at once

• Generate in batches — create up to 4 variations per generation — compare and pick the best one

• Use style references for brand consistency — upload an existing brand image as a style reference — IllumeAI will match its visual feel across all generations

• Add context images for integration — upload up to 3 context images (props, environments, brand elements) to inform or integrate into the result

• Mention depth of field — "shallow depth of field" keeps focus on the product, "deep focus" shows the full environment

Every basic prompt below already works. When you want a more precise result, here's how to take it up a notch.