How Leonardo reads a prompt
Leonardo.Ai is popular with game artists and concept designers because it combines several image models with tools for consistent styles, characters and assets. Your prompt sets the content, while the model and preset you choose strongly shape the rendering style. Newer Leonardo models understand full sentences well, so describe the subject, pose, costume, setting and light plainly before adding art-direction phrases.
Beyond the prompt box, Leonardo offers a negative prompt on supported models, Elements that apply trained styles, image guidance for style, content or character references, and a prompt enhancement option. These controls do much of the heavy lifting for consistency across an asset set. The interface evolves quickly and some options depend on the model or plan, so check Leonardo's help center for what is available today.
The prompt formula
[asset type] + [subject details] + [pose/action] + [art style] + [lighting] + [composition/background] | negative: [flaws]
Example
game character concept of a desert nomad mage, layered sand-colored robes and brass jewelry, holding a glowing staff, full-body front view, stylized painterly concept art, warm rim light, plain light gray background | negative: cropped, extra fingers, blurry
Leonardo parameters and controls
| Control | Syntax | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Model / preset | Model picker | Chooses the image model and preset style. This is the biggest single influence on the look.e.g. A photoreal model for products, an illustration model for characters |
| Negative prompt | Negative prompt field | Lists things to exclude. Offered on models that support it.e.g. blurry, extra limbs, watermark, text |
| Elements | Elements selector + strength | Applies trained style add-ons to steer the aesthetic. Lower the strength if the style overwhelms the subject.e.g. One style Element at moderate strength |
| Image guidance | Style / content / character reference upload | Uses an uploaded image to guide style, structure or a character's appearance. Available types vary by model.e.g. Character reference for a recurring hero |
| Prompt enhance | Prompt enhance toggle | Lets Leonardo expand a short prompt with more detail. Turn off for precise control.e.g. Off when matching an existing asset set |
| Seed | Fixed seed option | Keeps randomness stable across generations for controlled comparisons.e.g. Seed 31337 |
| Aspect ratio / size | Dimensions picker | Sets output size. Square suits icons and items; portrait suits full-body characters.e.g. 2:3 for character sheets |
Do this
- Name the asset type up front ("game icon", "character concept", "environment matte painting") so composition fits the use.
- Use a plain or solid background when generating assets you will cut out later.
- Reuse the same model, Element and seed across an asset set for visual consistency.
- Use a character reference image instead of re-describing the same face every time.
- Keep Element strength moderate; stacking several at full strength muddies the result.
- Write a short negative prompt targeted at problems you actually see.
Avoid this
- Switching models midway through a project and wondering why the style no longer matches.
- Leaving prompt enhance on when you need exact costume or color details.
- Using busy backgrounds for assets that need clean transparent cut-outs.
- Copying Midjourney flags into the prompt instead of using Leonardo's settings panel.
Leonardo prompt examples
Game item icon
fantasy RPG item icon of a crystal healing potion in a round glass flask with a cork, glowing teal liquid, hand-painted stylized game art, soft top light, centered on a dark plain background
Environment concept
environment concept art of an abandoned greenhouse overtaken by giant ferns, broken glass panels letting in shafts of morning light, wide establishing shot, painterly style, muted greens and warm gold highlights
Character sheet
character turnaround sheet of a cheerful robot mechanic with a round head and orange overalls, front, side and back views, clean line art with flat colors, plain white background, consistent proportions
Creature design
creature design of a moss-covered stone turtle with a small shrine on its shell, three-quarter view, detailed digital painting, soft overcast light, earthy green and gray palette
Leonardo prompt FAQ
Which Leonardo model should I choose?
Pick based on output type. Photorealistic models suit product and lifestyle images, while illustration and stylized models suit game art and characters. Leonardo regularly adds models, including partner models, so run the same short prompt through a few with a fixed seed and compare. Note that features like negative prompts or image guidance can differ by model.
Does Leonardo AI support negative prompts?
Yes, on models that support it, through a negative prompt field in the generation settings. Use it for specific recurring problems such as extra fingers, blur, cropping or stray text. Some newer models respond weakly to negatives or hide the field, so describing the desired result clearly in the main prompt is still the most dependable approach.
How do I keep game assets consistent in Leonardo?
Lock the same model, preset, Elements and aspect ratio, keep a fixed seed while testing, and use image guidance with a style or character reference from an approved asset. Write prompts from a shared template so lighting and background stay identical, and change only the item or pose. Training a custom model on approved art is another option.
What are Leonardo Elements?
Elements are style add-ons trained on particular looks that you can attach to a generation and weight with a strength slider. They are a quick way to push results toward a specific aesthetic without long style descriptions. Use one or two at moderate strength, since several strong Elements together tend to conflict and reduce detail.