Prompting Tutorial
Learn how to structure prompts, preserve geometry, use references, and diagnose common image-generation failures.
A prompt is the text instruction you give to a model. It can describe what to generate from scratch or explain how an existing image should be changed.
Build a clear prompt
Structure the prompt around three parts:
Subject: the building, space, object, or environment.
Design language: style, materials, lighting, and atmosphere.
Technical setup: perspective, camera angle, lens, or output medium.
Example components
Subject: Modular concrete tower with stacked volumes
Design language: Brutalist concrete, vertical wooden louvers, integrated greenery
Technical setup: Warm interior lighting, street-level perspective at dusk, high-resolution render
Combined prompt
Modular concrete tower with stacked volumes, brutalist concrete, vertical wooden louvers, integrated greenery, warm interior lighting, street-level perspective at dusk, high-resolution render.
Describe the camera and presentation
Camera and presentation terms help define how the subject should be framed.
Cinematic shot
Drone shot
50 mm lens
Long exposure
Artistic photo
DSLR
Wide angle
Preserve existing geometry
Image models can reinterpret geometry. State what must remain unchanged, then compare the output with the source. Prompt instructions alone do not guarantee exact geometry.
Use this block to describe the intended constraints:
Preserve the original architectural geometry exactly. Do not change walls, openings, ceiling heights, proportions, camera position, or spatial layout. No redesign, no deformation, and no added or removed architectural elements. Only refine materials, lighting, atmosphere, and realism.
Add more specific constraints when needed:
Lock the camera: “Keep the exact camera lens and perspective.”
Lock furniture: “Do not move furniture or objects.”
Lock the facade rhythm: “Do not move any element on the facade.”
Name visible features: “Keep all 6 floors, the L-shaped footprint, and the cantilevered east volume.”
The more clearly you identify the existing features that must remain, the less room the model has to reinterpret them.
Change one thing at a time
For controlled edits, name the single element to change and state that everything else should remain unchanged.
Use multiple reference images
When the selected model and workflow support multiple references, upload the images and explain the role of each one. Label every image by number so the model can distinguish the base design, materials, style, lighting, and site context.
Two-image example: building and material
“Use Image 1 as the base building. Keep its geometry, proportions, and camera angle exactly the same. Apply the facade material from Image 2 to the upper floors. Keep the ground floor as board-formed concrete.”
Four-image example: full composite
“Image 1 is the building. Keep exact geometry. Use Image 2 for the facade material. Match the mood and lighting from Image 3. Place the building onto the site shown in Image 4, matching perspective and shadow direction.”
Add a design to a site context
Use a site image, such as a Google Earth screenshot, together with a massing model or design reference.
Site-insert example
“Image 1 is the site photo. Image 2 is the planting reference. Add the native planting palette from Image 2 to the landscape areas visible in Image 1. Keep all existing buildings and hardscape unchanged. Match the season and light.”
Massing-study example
“Image 1 is the site context. Generate a 6-story mixed-use building on the empty corner lot, matching the brick and limestone materiality of neighboring buildings. Street-level view, 35 mm, overcast daylight.”
Re-render or swap materials
Transform materials, lighting, or atmosphere in separate passes so each change is easier to evaluate.
Material change
“Keep all geometry identical. Change the facade from painted stucco to weathered zinc standing-seam cladding with visible joints. Keep window positions and floor lines.”
Lighting change
“Keep everything from the previous edit. Change the time of day to late afternoon golden hour, sun from the southwest. Add long shadows across the plaza.”
Combine style and material references
Use a reference image to transfer material, lighting, or visual treatment while identifying which elements of the base image must remain.
Material transfer
“Apply the facade material from Image 2 to the upper floors of the building in Image 1.”
Mood and lighting transfer
“Match the lighting, atmosphere, and color grading from Image 2.”
Full style transfer
“Keep my building's geometry, but render it in the architectural style and materiality shown in Image 2.”
Prevent common unwanted changes
Append constraints that describe what the model should not alter:
No redesign.
No warped geometry.
No change to the camera perspective.
No painterly style.
No exaggerated cinematic effects.
No heavy fog or smoke.
No grain or noise.
When an exterior looks too cinematic
Add:
“architectural photography”
“controlled perspective”
“neutral lens”
“physically accurate sunlight”
Remove:
“cinematic”
“dramatic”
“epic”
“film still”
“moody”
Geometry drift
Check: Review whether the prompt clearly identifies the camera, layout, and key features. Try: Add the geometry-preservation block and name the floor count, plan shape, and defining features. Compare the result with the source; geometry can still change.
Over-cinematic results
Check: Look for dramatic or cinematic terms in the prompt. Try: Use architectural-photography language and define a controlled perspective and neutral lens.
Nano Banana Pro - Tips
Use these prompting practices to organize edits and review the result after each pass.
Break complex edits into stages
For complex changes, try separate passes for material, lighting, context, and final adjustments. Review each result before continuing.
Start with high-resolution source images
Use a clear source image with the details you want to preserve. Check the selected model's input limits before uploading.
Describe the intended lighting
When lighting should remain consistent, state it in the prompt. Example: “match warm late-afternoon light; maintain soft directional shadows.” Review the result for unintended changes.
Check the model and workflow
Use the Nano Banana Pro model card to review the documented inputs and example uses. Check the available settings and estimate in xFigura before generating.
One variable per pass
When iterating, change one instruction at a time and compare the result. This makes it easier to review the effect of each edit.
Write a clear creative brief
Write prompts like a creative brief: “weathered cedar slats with visible grain catching late-afternoon raking light” instead of “4k masterpiece trending realistic ultra HD.”
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