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Prompt cheat
sheet.
24 copy-paste prompt templates for 6 design workflows. Works with Midjourney, DALL-E, ChatGPT, Claude, Runway, and more.
Last updated: April 2026
The formula
Every good design prompt follows this structure. Not every prompt needs all six parts — but the more specific you are, the better your results.
Subject
What you want
Landing page, logo, product shot
Context
Who and what for
for a fintech startup targeting Gen Z
Style
Visual direction
minimal, brutalist, editorial, Swiss
Specifics
Details that matter
dark mode, glass morphism, 3 columns
Constraints
What to avoid
--no text, no people, simple shapes
Format
Output specs
--ar 16:9, --tile, --v 6.1
UI & interface design
Generate screens, components, and layouts
Landing page concept
Design a landing page for [product type] targeting [audience]. Style: [aesthetic — e.g. minimal, brutalist, editorial]. Hero section with [key element]. Color palette: [colors]. Show on a MacBook mockup. --ar 16:9
Tip Adding "on a MacBook mockup" gives Midjourney context for realistic UI proportions.
Mobile app screen
Mobile app UI for [app type], [specific screen — e.g. onboarding, dashboard, profile]. Clean, modern design with [visual style]. iOS style. White background, subtle shadows. --ar 9:16
Tip Specify the exact screen type (onboarding, settings, feed) to get more focused results.
Component exploration
UI component sheet showing 6 variations of a [component — e.g. pricing card, nav bar, search input]. Modern SaaS style. Light theme. Organized grid layout. --ar 3:2
Tip Ask for "6 variations" or "component sheet" to get a comparison grid rather than a single design.
Design system tokens
Create a [component] component for a [industry] app. Use [design language]. Include hover, active, disabled states. Show spacing annotations.
Tip Works best with v0 or Claude — specify states and annotations for production-ready output.
Brand & identity
Logos, visual systems, and brand exploration
Logo exploration
Minimal logo mark for [brand name], a [business type]. Concept: [metaphor — e.g. connection, growth, precision]. Black and white. Simple geometric forms. Vector style. --no text --ar 1:1
Tip Use --no text to prevent Midjourney from adding random letters. Ideogram is better when you need actual text in the logo.
Brand moodboard
Brand moodboard for [brand personality — e.g. "luxury sustainable fashion brand"]. Include: color swatches, typography samples, texture references, photography style. Elegant collage layout. --ar 4:3
Tip Start with a moodboard before generating specific assets — it aligns the AI to your vision.
Typography poster
Typographic poster that says "[exact text]". Style: [e.g. Swiss modernist, Art Deco, grunge]. Large bold type. [color] on [background color]. Print-quality composition.
Tip Ideogram handles text rendering far better than Midjourney. Always use Ideogram for type-heavy designs.
Business card
Minimal business card design for [name], [title] at [company]. Include: logo placeholder, contact details. [Aesthetic — e.g. matte black, white with foil, kraft paper]. Front and back. --ar 16:9
Tip Specify "front and back" to get both sides. Add material keywords like "letterpress" or "foil stamp" for texture.
Image & photography
Product shots, backgrounds, and editorial imagery
Product photography
[Product] on a [surface — e.g. marble table, wooden shelf, gradient backdrop]. [Lighting — e.g. soft studio, natural window, dramatic side]. Shot on Phase One. Shallow depth of field. Commercial photography style. --ar 4:5
Tip Camera references like "Shot on Phase One" or "Hasselblad" trigger photorealistic rendering.
Editorial illustration
Editorial illustration for an article about [topic]. Style: [e.g. risograph, flat vector, paper cutout, ink wash]. Limited color palette: [2-3 colors]. New Yorker magazine quality. --ar 3:4
Tip Name a specific publication style ("New Yorker", "Monocle", "Bloomberg") to anchor the aesthetic.
Texture & pattern
Seamless tileable pattern of [motif — e.g. organic shapes, geometric, floral]. [Color palette]. Suitable for [use — e.g. packaging, textile, web background]. High detail. --tile --ar 1:1
Tip Use --tile in Midjourney to generate seamless patterns that actually tile.
Background/hero image
Abstract [aesthetic] background for a [context — e.g. tech website, event poster]. [Colors]. Soft gradients with [texture — e.g. grain, noise, mesh]. No objects, no text. --ar 16:9
Tip Add "no objects, no text" to get clean abstract backgrounds suitable for overlaying content.
UX copy & microcopy
Interface text, error messages, and content
Microcopy set
Write microcopy for a [app type] app. I need: - 5 empty state messages for [screen] - 3 error messages for [scenario] - Success confirmation for [action] - Loading state text for [process] Tone: [e.g. friendly, professional, playful]. Max 12 words each. No exclamation marks.
Tip Always set a word limit and ban exclamation marks — AI defaults to overly enthusiastic copy.
Onboarding flow
Write an onboarding flow for [product]. 4 screens: - Screen 1: Welcome / value prop - Screen 2: Key feature 1 - Screen 3: Key feature 2 - Screen 4: CTA to get started Each screen: headline (max 6 words), body (max 20 words), button text. Tone: [voice].
Tip Structuring by screen number with constraints gets much better results than asking for "onboarding copy".
Button & label audit
Here are my current button labels: [list them]. Rewrite each to be: - Action-oriented (start with a verb) - Specific (not generic "Submit" or "Continue") - Consistent in tone - Max 3 words Keep: [any labels you like]. Current product voice: [description].
Tip Providing your current copy for revision gets better results than generating from scratch.
Notification copy
Write push notification copy for these events in a [app type] app: - [Event 1] - [Event 2] - [Event 3] Format: Title (max 5 words) + Body (max 15 words). Must create urgency without being clickbait. No emoji.
Tip Specify "no emoji" unless your brand uses them — AI loves adding unnecessary emoji.
Presentation & pitch
Deck visuals, diagrams, and data viz
Pitch deck visuals
Presentation slide visual for [topic/concept]. Abstract representation of [metaphor]. [Style — e.g. 3D render, isometric, flat]. [Brand colors]. Clean, professional. No text. White background. --ar 16:9
Tip Generate visuals separately from your deck — drop them in as hero images per slide.
Diagram generation
Create a [diagram type — e.g. user flow, system architecture, journey map] for [process]. Include: - [Step 1] - [Step 2] - [Step 3] Format as Mermaid/ASCII/SVG code. Clean, minimal style.
Tip Claude can generate Mermaid diagrams you can paste directly into Notion, GitHub, or Whimsical.
Icon set
Set of 8 icons for [domain — e.g. fintech, health, education]. Concepts: [list concepts]. Style: [line weight]px stroke, rounded corners, [size]px grid. Consistent style. Monochrome. --ar 2:1
Tip For consistent icons, generate them all in one prompt as a set — not individually.
Data visualization
Create a [chart type] showing [data description]. Style: minimal, editorial, [publication] inspired. Colors: [palette]. Include proper labels and a clear legend. Output as SVG code.
Tip Claude excels at generating SVG charts with proper data representation — paste the code directly.
Video & motion
Animations, transitions, and video content
Product reveal
Slow camera orbit around [product] on [surface]. [Lighting style]. Smooth motion. 4 seconds. Cinematic. Shallow depth of field.
Tip Keep Runway prompts short and specific — one camera movement, one subject, one mood.
UI animation
Screen recording style: [app type] mobile app interface. User scrolls through [content]. Smooth 60fps. [Time of day] ambient lighting on phone screen.
Tip For UI animations, starting from a screenshot (image-to-video) gives far better results than text-only.
Background loop
Seamless looping background: [description — e.g. abstract particles, flowing gradient, gentle waves]. [Colors]. Slow, meditative movement. Perfect loop. 4 seconds.
Tip Add "perfect loop" and "seamless" — though you may still need to manually trim for a clean loop.
Transition effect
Smooth transition from [scene A] to [scene B]. [Transition style — e.g. morph, dissolve, zoom through]. Cinematic. Match lighting between scenes.
Tip Upload your start and end frame as reference images for the most controlled transitions.
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