What you will learn
- Describe an image clearly enough to get a usable result
- Choose a style that fits the content it supports
- Revise and vary an image instead of starting over
- Use generated images in posts, slides, and articles
- Check images for errors before publishing them
- Understand the limits and responsibilities of generated media
Describe the image, not just the idea
A vague description produces a generic image. A useful description covers the subject, what the subject is doing, the setting, the style, and the composition. Say whether you want a photograph-like image or an illustration, whether the scene is indoors or outdoors, and what the mood should be. Each detail narrows the result toward the image you actually pictured.
Keep the description focused on one scene. Trying to pack several scenes, many characters, and detailed text into a single image usually produces a muddled result. If you need several visuals, generate them one at a time, and keep the style description consistent across them so the set looks coherent.
A simple illustration of a small home office desk by a window in the morning, with a laptop, a notebook, and a cup of coffee. Warm, calm colours, flat illustration style, no text in the image, wide composition with empty space on the left for a headline.
Pick a style that fits the content
Style is a choice, not an afterthought. A flat illustration suits an explainer article. A photograph-like image suits a realistic scene. A simple diagram suits a concept that needs clarity more than beauty. Choosing the style first, and stating it in the description, makes the image fit its purpose instead of competing with it.
Consistency matters when images appear together, such as in a slide deck or a series of posts. Reuse the same style words in each description, and compare the results side by side. If one image breaks the pattern, regenerate it with the same style description rather than accepting a mismatched set.
Revise instead of starting over
When an image is close but not right, describe the change rather than writing a new description from scratch. Say what to keep and what to change: a different colour, a simpler background, a different angle, or one element removed. Targeted revisions are faster and keep the parts that already worked.
Some revisions are hard for image generation, especially detailed text, hands, and complex scenes with many elements. If repeated revisions do not fix a problem, simplify the image instead of adding more instructions. Removing an element often succeeds where describing it more precisely fails.
Tip: Add "no text in the image" to your description unless you specifically need words in the picture. Generated text is a common source of errors, and a clean image with a caption added afterwards usually looks better.
Check every image before you publish it
Generated images can contain errors that are easy to miss at a glance: extra fingers, garbled text, distorted objects, or details that contradict your content. Look at the image at full size before using it, and check it against the description you gave. An error in a published image undermines the content around it, even if the text is good.
Also check whether the image is appropriate for its context. An image that looks fine on its own may send the wrong message next to a particular headline or in a particular setting. Context is part of the check, not an afterthought.
Use generated media honestly
Be honest about generated images where it matters. In journalism, advertising, and any context where the audience would reasonably assume a photograph is real, a generated image should be labelled as such. In clearly illustrative contexts, such as a blog header or a slide background, the expectation is different, but honesty is still the safer choice when you are unsure.
Do not use generated images to mislead, impersonate a real person, or reproduce someone else's distinctive work. These are not just quality issues; they can create legal and reputational problems. When in doubt, choose an original concept of your own rather than one that imitates a real person or a recognisable existing work.
Frequently asked questions
Can ChatGPT generate images?
Yes, it can generate images from written descriptions. Describe the subject, setting, style, and composition clearly, and revise the description when the result is not quite right.
How do I write a good image prompt?
Cover the subject, what it is doing, the setting, the style, and the composition, and focus on one scene. Add notes such as no text in the image unless you specifically need words.
Why do generated images sometimes look wrong?
Common problems include garbled text, distorted hands or objects, and muddled scenes with too many elements. Simplify the description or remove an element rather than adding more instructions.
Can I use ChatGPT-generated images in my content?
Generally yes for your own illustrative content such as blog headers and slides, but check the current terms in the app, and label generated images where the audience might assume a photograph is real.
Can ChatGPT edit an existing image?
Depending on the app's current features, you may be able to vary or revise an image by describing the change. Check the current options in the app, and describe what to keep and what to change.