Prompt Skill Building

Building a prompt vocabulary

Building prompt fluency through visual analysis and practice

How to build a prompt library

Effective prompters don't just guess their way through the process. They develop a working language over time. This "prompt vocabulary" is a collection of keywords, descriptors, and references that consistently produce strong results. Like any design skill, good prompting takes practice, experimentation, and reflection.

Here are some key categories to build out as you develop your own prompting system:

Material Descriptors

These define how your object looks and feels on the surface.

Examples: brushed aluminum, distressed leather, frosted glass, matte ceramic, polished stone

TIP: Try pairing material descriptors with specific forms to see how they influence the output. For example, folding knife with carbon fiber handle will generate very different results than folding knife with wood inlay.

Style References

These describe the aesthetic or historical context of your design.

Examples: Scandinavian minimalism, Memphis-inspired, mid-century modern, industrial aesthetic, Art Deco

Use these references to guide the AI toward a visual language.

TIP: If you’re unsure what style terms to use, look into design movements, furniture catalogues, or curated design platforms to discover relevant language.

Rendering Approaches

These control how the final image is visualized.

Examples: product photography, technical illustration, hand-drawn sketch, conceptual rendering, photorealistic rendering

Experimenting with these terms can shift the tone of the output significantly, from presentation-ready visuals to early-stage conceptual ideas.

Environmental Settings

These establish the context in which your design appears.

Examples: studio lighting, natural outdoor lighting, exhibition space, retail display, on-body fashion photo

Lighting and background heavily influence the tone and readability of your render. Try rendering the same object in different environments to see how perception changes.

Practical Tips for Learning How to Prompt Better

1. Keep a Prompt Journal

Use a sketchbook or digital notebook to document your design process.
Pair each sketch with the prompt you used and the resulting image.
Write down what worked, what didn’t, and which terms gave you unexpected or useful results.

Over time, this will become a valuable reference tool.

2. Test Variations Intentionally

Choose one object, such as a bag, chair, or light fixture, and sketch it once.
Write three different prompts using varied materials, styles, or environments.
Compare the outputs and make note of what changed.

This helps you understand how different terms influence the results.

3. Gather Inspiration from Design Platforms

Explore sites like Pinterest, Behance, or design-focused blogs to see how professionals describe their work. Pay attention to material names, aesthetic terms, and lighting language. Then incorporate those references into your own prompt experiments.

Here are some websites you might reference for design inspiration:

Website	Focus / Use Case
Behance	Multi-disciplinary portfolios (product, fashion, UX, illustration, architecture)
Pinterest	Moodboards, aesthetic inspiration, material and style references
Dribbble	UI, product mockups, stylized graphics, clean presentation techniques
Designboom	Experimental design, architecture, product innovations
Dezeen	Architecture, product design, materials, and contemporary aesthetics
Core77	Industrial design news, tools, and student/professional case studies
The Dieline	Packaging design, sustainability, color palettes, and branding
LeManoosh	Industrial and transportation design, sketching, materials, and forms
ArchDaily	Architectural reference, environmental context, material combinations
Mindsparkle Mag	High-aesthetic graphic, branding, product, and motion design
Trendland	Trend forecasting in fashion, art, interiors, and design culture
Siteinspire	Web and interactive design, layout inspiration, and typographic styles
Design Inspiration	Curated visual content from across art and design disciplines
Yanko Design	Conceptual product design, speculative tech, and futuristic everyday objects
Cargo Collective	Portfolios for creative professionals, often experimental or self-initiated projects
It's Nice That	Contemporary design, culture, and creative storytelling across media
Minimalissimo	Minimalist design in fashion, architecture, and product; great for style keywords
Design Taxi	Design news, marketing, pop culture, and visual commentary

4. Build a Word Bank of Proven Terms

Keep a running list of terms and phrases that consistently give you good results. Organize these by category, such as materials, styles, lighting, or environments, so you can quickly reference them when building prompts in the future.

5. Study Reference Imagery Critically

When you encounter a compelling render or photo (whether AI-generated or not), try writing the prompt that could have created it. Ask yourself: what materials, lighting, and camera angles are present? This sharpens your ability to describe visuals with precision.

6. Collaborate and Compare

Work with classmates or friends by sketching the same object and writing different prompts for it. Share your results and discuss how language changed the outcomes. Comparing interpretations is a great way to learn new vocabulary and see diverse prompting strategies.

Learning by Doing

Prompting is not just a technical step. It is a form of creative communication that connects your ideas to visual form. The more you integrate it into your design workflow, sketch, prompt, review, refine, the more confident and expressive you will become. With consistent practice, you will develop a personal prompting style that reflects your design sensibility and creative direction.