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CHEAT SHEET
Stable Diffusion
The open-source powerhouse. Free, local, infinitely customizable.
Getting Started
- •Run locally with Automatic1111 WebUI, ComfyUI, or Forge
- •Minimum requirements: 8GB VRAM GPU (NVIDIA recommended)
- •Base models: SD 1.5 (lightweight), SDXL (high quality), SD 3.5 (latest)
- •Download models from CivitAI or Hugging Face
- •Use ComfyUI for advanced workflows, Automatic1111 for simplicity
Essential Settings
- •CFG Scale (7-12): how strictly to follow the prompt. Lower = creative, higher = literal
- •Steps (20-50): more steps = more detail but slower. 30 is the sweet spot
- •Sampler: DPM++ 2M Karras is the most popular all-rounder
- •Resolution: 512x512 for SD 1.5, 1024x1024 for SDXL
- •Negative prompt: always include 'blurry, low quality, deformed, watermark'
- •Seed: set a specific seed to reproduce results
Power Features
- •ControlNet -- use pose references, depth maps, and edge detection to guide generation
- •LoRAs -- small add-on models that teach new styles or characters
- •Inpainting -- regenerate just one part of an image
- •Img2Img -- transform an existing image using a prompt
- •Upscaling -- increase resolution with AI upscalers
- •Batch generation -- generate hundreds of variations automatically
Best Prompts (Copy & Use)
Photorealistic
RAW photo of [subject], 8k uhd, dslr, high quality, film grain, Fujifilm XT3 Negative: cartoon, painting, illustration, drawing, blurry, low quality
Anime/Illustration
[Scene description], anime style, detailed illustration, vibrant colors, studio lighting Negative: realistic, photo, 3d render, blurry, low quality
Concept Art
[Scene], concept art, digital painting, matte painting, cinematic, detailed, artstation Negative: photo, realistic, blurry, low quality, watermark
With ControlNet Pose
Full body portrait of [description], standing pose, studio lighting, professional photo + ControlNet: OpenPose with reference image
Pro Tips
Use Quality LoRAs
CivitAI has thousands of free LoRAs for specific styles, characters, and concepts. Adding one LoRA can transform your results.
Master Negative Prompts
Good negative prompts matter as much as positive ones. Always exclude: 'blurry, bad quality, deformed hands, extra fingers, watermark, text'.
ControlNet is a Game Changer
Use ControlNet with an OpenPose reference to control exact poses. This single feature gives you more control than any closed AI image tool.
Start Simple, Add Detail
Begin with a short, clear prompt. Generate. Then add details and style keywords gradually.
Best For
- + Unlimited free generation
- + Maximum creative control
- + Custom model training
- + Privacy (runs locally)
- + Advanced workflows
Not Ideal For
- - Non-technical users (requires setup)
- - Quick one-off images (use Midjourney)
- - People without a capable GPU
Pricing
Completely free. Open source. Run locally on your own hardware. Cloud options available (RunPod, etc.) for ~$0.50/hour.