Original article: Intermediate Emotional & Narrative Composition Techniques for AI Images Using Prompts

This guide explores how composition can evoke emotions and tell stories. It introduces techniques that build upon basic framing to create atmosphere, tension and narrative. Below is a concise overview of each technique and how to translate it into prompts. Citations refer back to the source for deeper context.

Leading negative space

Leaving large empty areas around a small subject conveys isolation, freedom or introspection. Prompts should describe the subject as tiny within a vast environment—for example, “a lone tree in a vast empty snow field, infinite white stretching in every direction”. Emphasise emptiness with words like expansive, limitless and add negative prompts (“no clutter”) to discourage details.

Tips

  • Position the subject off‑centre (use right third or left corner).
  • Mention the size contrast (“tiny figure vs infinite desert”).
  • Repeat emptiness cues if the model adds unwanted objects.

Rhythm & repetition with variation

Repeating elements establish visual rhythm; introducing a single variation draws attention. Examples include many black umbrellas with one yellow umbrella or rows of identical soldiers with one wearing a different hat. Prompts should specify the repetition and clearly identify the unique element.

Prompt suggestions

  • Use plural nouns and numbers (“hundreds of lanterns … one larger lantern”).
  • Emphasise the anomaly (“one umbrella is bright red while the rest are black”).
  • Accept that the AI may not render exact counts; the concept matters more than precision.

Forced perspective (optical illusion)

Positioning a near object to appear huge compared to a distant one creates an optical trick. Prompts can describe a person “holding” the sun or pinching a distant building. Specify which object is close, which is far and use phrases like “forced perspective” or “perspective trick” so the model understands the illusion.

Tips

  • Use size adjectives (tiny, giant) and relational phrases (in the foreground, on the horizon).
  • Mention alignment (“appears to rest on her hand”).
  • Adjust prompts per model; some models require explicit instruction to achieve the effect.

Atmospheric perspective (depth via haze and gradient)

Layering depth through haze, fog or colour gradients mimics how distant objects fade. Describe near objects as detailed and crisp while distant mountains or buildings are “hazy and pale blue,” creating depth. Including time‑of‑day cues like sunrise or sunset can enhance colour gradients.

Practical tips

  • Use words such as misty, hazy, fading into the distance.
  • Contrast saturated foreground colours with muted, cooler tones in the background.
  • Specify the layering (“sharp rocks in foreground, hazy mountains behind”).

Shadow play & silhouette contrast

Silhouettes and shadows can tell stories. Prompts might describe “a kitten casting the shadow of a lion” or a “lone wolf silhouetted on a ridge at sunset”. Emphasise backlighting and high contrast (“backlit by the setting sun, the figure is dark against a glowing sky”). Sunrise and sunset light lengthen shadows and enhance drama.

Tips

  • Use the word silhouette and describe what casts the shadow and what the shadow depicts.
  • Specify the light direction (behind, low on the horizon) for long shadows.
  • Shadows can be abstract—encourage creative shapes for symbolic storytelling.

Gestalt principles: closure, continuation & figure‑ground

These psychological concepts engage viewers by making them complete the image. Closure involves incomplete shapes that the mind finishes (e.g., a circle missing a segment). Continuation guides the eye along implied lines such as a winding road. Figure‑ground plays with ambiguous foreground and background like the Rubin’s vase illusion. Prompts should explicitly mention “optical illusion,” “figure‑ground,” or “closure” and reference well‑known examples.

Guidance

  • Keep shapes simple and graphic for closure; avoid clutter.
  • Use strong lines or S‑curves for continuation.
  • For figure‑ground, describe two shapes forming a third (faces creating a vase).

Narrative tension through visual opposition

Placing opposing subjects across the frame creates conflict and tension. Examples include a tiny knight facing a giant dragon or a composition split between lush forest and barren desert. Prompts should emphasise the contrast (small vs large, dark vs light) and use positioning words like “on opposite ends,” “facing each other.” The environment can reinforce the tension (storm clouds over one side, calm skies over the other).

Light temperature contrast

Mixing warm and cool lighting affects mood. Neon blue signs contrasting with warm orange streetlamps or icy blue moonlight against a warm fire create emotional complexity. Prompts should name the light sources and colours: “neon blue lights casting a cool glow while warm orange lamps illuminate the cobblestones”.

Tips

  • Identify each light source (neon sign, candle, sunset).
  • Use contrasting temperature adjectives (cool, warm, icy, fiery).
  • Place warm and cool areas strategically to guide the eye.

Frame‑within‑frame repetition

Using natural or architectural openings to create nested frames directs focus. Prompts could say “a doorway framing a room, which itself has a window framing a distant landscape”. Words like “seen through,” “framed by” and “nested frames” help the model place these layers.

Prompt pointers

  • Describe each frame element (archway, window, cave mouth).
  • Sequence the viewer’s eye: first frame, second frame, subject beyond.
  • Combine with depth cues (foreground, mid‑ground, background).

Environmental storytelling

Props and settings can imply stories without characters. Examples include an abandoned teddy bear lying on a swing in an empty playground or a dinner table with wilted flowers and burned‑out candles. Prompts should name the objects, their condition (abandoned, neglected), and lighting to set the mood.

Guidelines

  • Use adjectives that hint at history (wilted, rusted, dust‑covered).
  • Include mood lighting (dim, golden hour, candlelight).
  • Specify “no people” if you want to emphasise absence and mystery.

Conclusion

This article demonstrates how composition can tell stories and evoke emotions through space, repetition, optical tricks, lighting contrasts and contextual clues. Understanding the emotional impact of each technique and iterating prompts accordingly leads to more compelling AI‑generated imagery.