What Should I Write in Text Prompts for Best 3D Results?

The Basic Formula

Effective 3D prompts have this structure: [Object] + [Key Details] + [Style/Material]

Examples:

"Wooden chair, carved details, dark oak"
"Sci-fi laser pistol, metallic blue, glowing energy cell"
"Ancient stone statue, weathered, moss covered"
"Red sports car, sleek design, chrome accents"

This gives the AI what it needs: the main thing to generate, characteristics that define it, and materials/appearance.

Try writing your own prompts →

Be Specific But Concise

Too vague: "chair" → AI picks any random chair style.
Too detailed: "an ornate victorian dining chair with mahogany wood construction featuring intricate carved floral patterns on the backrest and curved cabriole legs with ball and claw feet upholstered in burgundy velvet with brass tack trim" → AI gets confused by too much information.
Just right: "Victorian dining chair, carved mahogany, velvet seat" → Enough detail for AI to understand, not overwhelming.

Sweet spot is usually 5-15 words. Enough to guide the AI, short enough to stay focused.

Object Clarity

Start with the main object. Be clear and specific about what thing you want.

Good: "medieval sword", "coffee mug", "pine tree", "leather backpack"
Problematic: "weapon" (too broad), "container" (unclear what type)

If the object name is ambiguous, add a clarifying word. "Table" could mean many things. "Dining table" or "coffee table" or "work desk" is clearer.

Material and Texture Keywords

Materials dramatically affect how the model looks. Always include material description.

Common useful materials: wooden, metal, stone, glass, plastic, leather, fabric, ceramic, concrete, marble, steel, brass, copper, gold, silver.

Texture keywords: smooth, rough, polished, rusty, weathered, worn, new, pristine, scratched, dented, carved, engraved.

Examples:

"Smooth ceramic vase" vs "Rough ceramic vase" → Very different results
"Rusty metal barrel" vs "New metal barrel" → Completely different appearance
"Polished marble column" vs "Weathered stone column" → Different materials and conditions

Style Descriptors

Time period/era: medieval, victorian, modern, futuristic, ancient, contemporary, art deco, baroque.

Design style: minimalist, ornate, industrial, elegant, simple, complex, sleek, bulky, streamlined.

Aesthetic: realistic, low-poly, stylized, cartoon, sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk, cyberpunk.

Example: "futuristic soldier helmet" vs "medieval knight helmet" vs "modern military helmet" → Same object type, different eras, completely different results.

Color Matters

Including color helps the AI generate textures correctly.

"Red brick building"
"Blue ceramic vase"
"Black leather boots"
"White marble statue"
"Green glass bottle"

Without color, the AI chooses based on common associations (grass is probably green, brick is probably red). But specifying ensures you get what you want.

What NOT to Include

Don't describe surroundings/context: "Chair in a dining room" → The AI might generate room elements. Just say "dining chair".
Don't include actions: "Sword being wielded by warrior" → You want the sword object, not a scene.
Don't add camera/lighting instructions: "Chair, professional lighting, 4K render" → These don't help 3D generation.
Don't use metaphors: "Chair as comfortable as a cloud" → Be literal. "Cushioned chair" works better.

Focus purely on describing the object itself - its form, materials, style, color.

Real-World Examples

For game props:

"Wooden treasure chest, iron bindings, worn"
"Health potion bottle, red liquid, glass, cork stopper"
"Stone pillar, ancient ruins, cracked, moss"
"Sci-fi keycard, blue holographic display, plastic"

For products/visualization:

"Modern office chair, black mesh back, adjustable"
"Stainless steel water bottle, 32oz, sport cap"
"Leather messenger bag, brown, brass buckles"
"Ceramic coffee mug, white, 12oz, handle"

For environment assets:

"Oak tree, mature, realistic bark texture"
"Street lamp, Victorian style, black metal, glass panes"
"Park bench, wooden slats, metal frame, green paint"
"Fire hydrant, red, cast iron, weathered"

Iteration Strategy

Your first prompt might not give perfect results. That's normal. Iterate:

Start simple: "wooden chair"
Review result: Okay but too plain.
Add details: "Wooden chair, carved backrest, curved legs"
Review result: Better, but wrong style.
Specify style: "Victorian wooden chair, carved backrest, curved legs"
Review result: Much closer! Maybe adjust material...
Refine material: "Victorian dining chair, dark oak, carved details"
Result: Perfect.

Each iteration takes 30-60 seconds. 3-4 iterations is common to dial in exactly what you want.

Technical Terms Help

If you know specific terminology, use it. The AI understands technical terms.

For furniture: "Wingback chair", "Cantilever table", "Chesterfield sofa"
For architecture: "Corinthian column", "Gothic arch", "Mansard roof"
For weapons: "Katana sword", "Flintlock pistol", "Compound bow"
For vehicles: "Sedan car", "Cruiser motorcycle", "Tanker truck"

Technical terms give the AI precise guidance.

Common Mistakes

Being too creative with language: "A magnificent throne worthy of kings" → AI doesn't understand "magnificent" or "worthy". Say "Ornate royal throne, gold trim, red velvet".

Trying to describe multiple objects: "Desk with chair and lamp" → You'll get inconsistent results. Generate each object separately, then combine in your 3D software or game engine.

Including measurements: "Chair, 18 inches high" → AI doesn't generate to specific dimensions. You scale the model afterward to your needs.

Conflicting descriptors: "Modern medieval sword" → Contradictory. Pick one style.

Advanced Techniques

Negative space descriptors: "Simple wooden box, no decorations" → Sometimes saying what you don't want helps.

Comparison prompts: "Sports car, similar to Porsche 911" → Using well-known examples as reference can work (though be careful with trademarked designs).

Compound materials: "Wood and metal table, oak top, steel legs" → Specifying different materials for different parts.

Condition states: "Battle-damaged armor", "Half-eaten apple", "Shattered glass bottle" → Describing states of objects.

Building a Prompt Library

Keep a document of prompts that worked well. When you generate something good, save the prompt. Next time you need something similar, you have a starting point.

Example library:

Trees: "Oak tree, realistic bark, mature" (worked great)
Rocks: "Boulder, granite, moss patches" (good natural look)
Weapons: "Fantasy sword, silver blade, ornate handle" (fantasy style)
Furniture: "Modern desk, white surface, steel legs" (clean contemporary)

Build your personal library of effective prompts for your specific needs.

When Text-to-3D Isn't Ideal

Some things are better with image-to-3D:

Real products: If you need an accurate model of a specific real object, photograph it and use image-to-3D.
Highly specific designs: If you have exact design requirements, create reference images (even simple sketches) and use image-to-3D.
Unique/unusual objects: Very specific or unusual things are hard to describe but easy to photograph.

Text-to-3D excels at common objects, generic items, and when you need variations. Image-to-3D excels at accuracy and specific designs.

Many developers use platforms like 3DAI Studio that offer both text-to-3D and image-to-3D, so you can choose the best input method for each asset you need to create.