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Write a clear brief for one original illustration
Describe composition and visual priorities in a brief an illustrator or image tool can use.
Illustrative resourceNot tool-testedAnyone starting a personal creative project
What you’re working towards
Describe composition and visual priorities in a brief an illustrator or image tool can use. The worked result was written for this guide; it is not a recording of an AI run.
Your choice also saves this guide’s current worked-example checkmarks. Only this browser; no account or sync. View saved guides
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Make a start
One step at a time.
3 steps
Start with the synthetic worked example or other non-sensitive inputs. Run one prompt at a time in your chosen AI tool. Replace any bracketed placeholders with the requested material, check each reply, and supply the source or earlier outputs that step needs. Paste them again if the tool lacks that context.
Start with the synthetic example, then adapt each prompt to your task.
01
Open a text assistant and try the example
For a concrete starter route, open https://chatgpt.com and choose New chat. Sign in if that service requires it for your access. You can also use another text assistant you already have. Copy the entire prompt below (the instructions to paste), including the sample input, into its message box and send it. No upload or image generation is needed. Expect a usable illustration brief, compact prompt and future-image checklist. The wording may differ from the example; the constraints should not. If it only explains the task, ask it to produce the finished result using the supplied input.
Your starting prompt
Write a text-only illustration brief and a separate compact image prompt. Specify subject, composition, foreground and background, palette, light, style traits and exclusions. Do not generate or claim to generate an image. Include a checklist for reviewing a future image.
Use this complete made-up practice input:
Purpose: A personal reading-nook print, not a brand or advertisement.
Original subject: A small fox asleep inside a giant teacup in a fictional greenhouse.
Format: Portrait, 3:4 shape.
Composition: Cup and fox in the lower two-thirds; open calm space in the upper third. Fox's face must remain visible. The handle is on the right.
Style traits: Soft-edged opaque-watercolor-like shapes, visible paper texture, simple forms, not a named artist's style.
Colors: Moss green, warm cream, muted rust; small pale-yellow highlights.
Light: Diffuse morning light from the left.
Background: Two broad leaf shapes and faint window bars. No lettering, border, people, extra foxes or complex furniture.
Deliverable: A usable written brief and prompt only.
Return the finished result. Keep it fictional and do not add claims about real people, products or events.
02
Check, correct and save
Read the response beside the original input. Check the brief and compact prompt agree on subject count, handle side, layout and format. Find explicit palette, light and style traits without a named artist imitation. Confirm the deliverable is text and future image review is still required. If a check fails, paste the correction prompt below in the same conversation. Check the revised result yourself, then copy the version you want into your own notes or document.
Your starting prompt
Check your previous result against this original input:
Purpose: A personal reading-nook print, not a brand or advertisement.
Original subject: A small fox asleep inside a giant teacup in a fictional greenhouse.
Format: Portrait, 3:4 shape.
Composition: Cup and fox in the lower two-thirds; open calm space in the upper third. Fox's face must remain visible. The handle is on the right.
Style traits: Soft-edged opaque-watercolor-like shapes, visible paper texture, simple forms, not a named artist's style.
Colors: Moss green, warm cream, muted rust; small pale-yellow highlights.
Light: Diffuse morning light from the left.
Background: Two broad leaf shapes and faint window bars. No lettering, border, people, extra foxes or complex furniture.
Deliverable: A usable written brief and prompt only.
Check these requirements one by one:
- Check the brief and compact prompt agree on subject count, handle side, layout and format.
- Find explicit palette, light and style traits without a named artist imitation.
- Confirm the deliverable is text and future image review is still required.
Quote each problem, explain the smallest repair, and return a complete corrected version. If there is no problem, say which checks you applied. Do not claim that your own review proves quality or audience response.
03
Optional: use your own material
Open a new chat. Copy the prompt below and replace [PASTE YOUR INPUT HERE] with subject, composition, dimensions or ratio, palette, light, visual traits and exclusions. Use material you own or may use and leave out private details. The output limits written in this prompt stay in force; change a limit here too if you want a different one. Send the whole message. Expect the same kind of written result with your new material. Check it against this new input and these limits, not the sample’s names or numbers. If it differs, describe the exact mismatch and ask for a complete correction before saving.
Your starting prompt
Make a text-only illustration brief and a separate compact image prompt from my new facts below. State subject, composition, foreground/background, palette, light, visual traits and exclusions. Ask about incompatible constraints. Add a future-image checklist. Do not generate or claim an image exists.
If an essential detail is missing or two requirements conflict, ask me before filling the gap.
MY INPUT
[PASTE YOUR INPUT HERE]
Optional: improve the result
Prioritize when details compete
Make the brief robust if a future image tool overlooks less important details. Keep the first version so you can compare the change. This extension uses the worked example. Return to that example chat, or paste its input and your checked example answer into a new chat first. Do not apply its sample values unchanged to your own input.
Advanced prompt
Rank the brief’s requirements into must-have, preferred and optional. Treat one fox, visible face, right-side handle and calm upper third as must-have. Rewrite the compact prompt with must-haves first, without changing the concept.
Use the original input and result in this conversation. If either is missing, ask me to paste it before continuing.
Show, then try
See the shape of the result.
This input is synthetic. The output is a written illustration of the intended result, not a verified AI-tool run.
01 / The starting point
Synthetic input
Made-up example for practice. All people, places and events are invented.
Purpose: A personal reading-nook print, not a brand or advertisement.
Original subject: A small fox asleep inside a giant teacup in a fictional greenhouse.
Format: Portrait, 3:4 shape.
Composition: Cup and fox in the lower two-thirds; open calm space in the upper third. Fox's face must remain visible. The handle is on the right.
Style traits: Soft-edged opaque-watercolor-like shapes, visible paper texture, simple forms, not a named artist's style.
Colors: Moss green, warm cream, muted rust; small pale-yellow highlights.
Light: Diffuse morning light from the left.
Background: Two broad leaf shapes and faint window bars. No lettering, border, people, extra foxes or complex furniture.
Deliverable: A usable written brief and prompt only.
Copies text only. For image or file tasks, use the source files named in the steps too.
Worked example written for this guide; it is not a recording of an AI run.
Illustration brief:
Make a portrait 3:4 illustration for a personal reading-nook print. Place one sleeping rust-colored fox curled inside an oversized warm-cream teacup. Keep the fox's face visible above the rim. The cup's handle is on the right. The cup and fox occupy the lower two-thirds; leave the upper third visually quiet.
Use soft-edged, opaque-watercolor-like shapes, simple forms and a visible paper texture. Work mainly in moss green, warm cream and muted rust, with small pale-yellow highlights. Diffuse morning light enters from the left. Behind the subject, show only two broad leaves and faint greenhouse window bars. No text, border, people, additional foxes or detailed furniture.
Compact image prompt:
Portrait 3:4 illustration: one sleeping rust fox curled in a giant cream teacup, face visible above the rim, handle on the right. Subject in lower two-thirds; quiet open upper third. Soft-edged opaque-watercolor-like shapes, simple forms, paper texture. Moss green, warm cream, muted rust, tiny pale-yellow highlights. Diffuse morning light from left. Two broad leaves and faint greenhouse window bars behind. No lettering, border, people, extra foxes or complex furniture.
Future image review:
- Exactly one fox, with its face visible.
- Right-side cup handle and quiet upper third.
- Portrait 3:4 framing and left-side soft light.
- Restrained palette and simple background.
- No excluded elements. If a generated image fails, revise that specific instruction and inspect the next image; this text brief is not evidence of a generated result.
These checks use the worked example and its particular facts. With your own material, check your actual names, numbers, sources and rules; do not reuse the sample’s values as the answer.
Unsaved checks stay in this tab and reset when you reload. If you choose Save guide, its current example checkmarks are kept in this browser when storage is available.
!
A few things to watch for.
Vague adjectives such as “stunning” do not specify composition. Name the focal point, placement and exclusions.
An image prompt does not guarantee accurate text, object counts or orientation. Inspect any future output visually.