The Fastest and Simplest Way for Beginners to Master AI Image and Video Prompting (Zero to Pro in One Read)

You don’t need to be an artist, photographer, or filmmaker to create jaw-dropping AI images and videos. You just need to learn how to talk to the AI properly.

This guide will take you from complete beginner to consistently getting professional-grade results in under 30 minutes — using simple, reusable templates that actually work in 2025 models.
Best part? You can test every single example in this guide instantly at → https://republiclabs.ai
Let’s begin.1. The Golden Rule of Prompting (Never Forget This)Good prompt = What you want + How it should look + Technical quality boosters
Structure every prompt like this:Subject + Detailed Description + Style/Art Direction + Lighting & Mood + Camera/Technical Specs + Quality Boosters2. The 7-Part Foolproof Template (Copy-Paste This)

[Subject], [detailed description, adjectives, clothing, pose, expression], [art style or artist reference], [lighting type and mood], [camera angle and lens], [film type or rendering style], [quality enhancers], --ar [ratio] --v 6 --stylize 750 --quality 2

Image Example Using the Template:

A young cyberpunk girl with neon pink hair in a messy bun, wearing reflective chrome jacket and glowing visor, cyberpunk aesthetic in the style of Liam Wong and Beeple, dramatic neon lighting with heavy god rays and rain, low angle shot, 35mm lens, shot on IMAX 70mm, ultra-detailed, cinematic lighting, sharp focus, 8k, --ar 16:9 --v 6 --stylize 600

→ Try it now: https://republiclabs.ai3. Magic Word Cheat Sheet (Just Add These)Instant Quality Boosters (add to end of any prompt)

• masterpiece, best quality, ultra-detailed, absurdres 
• intricate details, highly detailed, sharp focus 
• professional color grading, cinematic, film grain 
• octane render, unreal engine 5, ray tracing 
• award-winning, trending on ArtStation

Negative Prompt (what you DON’T want — always use this)

blurry, low quality, deformed, ugly, bad anatomy, extra limbs, poorly drawn face, bad hands, missing fingers, artifacts, watermark, text, cartoon, 3d render if you want realistic

4. Best Working Templates You Can Steal Right Now1. Hyper-Realistic Portrait

Beautiful woman, [ethnicity] features, flawless skin, subtle makeup, [hair details], wearing [clothing], soft studio lighting, shallow depth of field, shot on Canon EOS R5, 85mm lens f/1.2, ultra realistic, photorealistic, 8k --ar 2:3

2. Cinematic Scene

Epic fantasy landscape, towering ancient castle on floating island, dramatic storm clouds, golden hour lighting, in the style of Studio Ghibli and James Gurney, cinematic composition, volumetric fog, god rays, ultra-detailed, 8k --ar 21:9

3. Product/Commercial Shot

[sleek modern smartphone] floating in mid-air, perfect reflections, clean white background, studio lighting with soft shadows, commercial product photography, shot on Hasselblad, ultra sharp, 8k --ar 1:1

4. Anime Style

Cute anime girl with long purple twin tails, big sparkling eyes, school uniform, cherry blossoms falling, in the style of Makoto Shinkai and Kyoto Animation, soft pastel colors, detailed background, --ar 3:4 --stylize 1000

5. AI Video Prompting – The Simple Method (2025)Most video AIs now accept the same image prompts — just add motion instructions!Video Template:Take any image prompt above and add one of these at the end:

• slow smooth camera pan from left to right 
• gentle zoom in on face, cinematic dolly zoom 
• particles floating upward, subtle wind in hair 
• camera orbiting 360 degrees slowly 
• time-lapse of clouds moving, golden hour transition to sunset

Example Video Prompt:

Cyberpunk city at night, heavy rain, neon signs reflecting on wet streets, flying cars in background, in the style of Blade Runner 2049, cinematic lighting, slow camera pan from left to right with subtle parallax, 4k, highly detailed --ar 16:9 --motion 3

→ Generate videos instantly at Republic Labs: https://republiclabs.ai6. Pro Tips That 99% of Beginners Miss

1. Start simple → add details gradually 
2. Use commas > full sentences (AI reads lists better) 
3. Put most important words first 
4. Use artist names: “in the style of Greg Rutkowski, Alphonse Mucha, Ross Tran” 
5. Weight important parts: ((masterpiece)), (((glowing eyes))) 
6. Aspect ratios matter: 
   • Portraits: --ar 2:3 or 3:4 
   • Landscapes: --ar 16:9 or 21:9 
   • Square: --ar 1:1 
   • Phone wallpaper: --ar 9:16

7. Your 5 Most Useful Artist References (2025)

• Photorealistic: Greg Rutkowski, Lois van Baarle, Artgerm 
• Fantasy: Alphonse Mucha, James Jean, Ross Tran 
• Cyberpunk: Liam Wong, Beeple, Josan Gonzalez 
• Anime: Makoto Shinkai, Ilya Kuvshinov, WLOP 
• Dark/Gothic: Zdzisław Beksiński, Brom, H.R. Giger

Final Step: Stop Reading, Start CreatingYou now have everything you need to create stunning AI art and videos today.
Go to https://republiclabs.ai right now — it’s free to try, no login required for basic use, supports the latest models (Flux, SD3, Kling, Luma).
Bookmark this guide. Come back and try one new template every day.
In one week, you’ll be better than 95% of people who’ve been doing this for years.
See you inside → https://republiclabs.ai