---
title: 'Generate Your First AI Image'
description: 'Learn how to create your first stunning AI-generated image with Picture in under 5 minutes.'
slug: 'getting-started-first-image'
icon: '🎨'
coverImage: '/images/tutorials/first-image-cover.jpg'
category: 'getting-started'
difficulty: 'beginner'
featured: true
popular: true
language: 'en'
steps:
  - title: 'Sign up and access the dashboard'
    duration: '1 minute'
  - title: 'Choose your AI model'
    duration: '1 minute'
  - title: 'Write your first prompt'
    duration: '2 minutes'
  - title: 'Generate and refine'
    duration: '1 minute'
prerequisites: []
requiredFeatures: []
requiredModels: ['flux-schnell', 'flux-dev']
videoUrl: ''
hasVideo: false
estimatedTime: '5 minutes'
whatYouWillLearn:
  - 'How to access the Picture image generator'
  - 'The basics of writing effective prompts'
  - 'How to choose the right AI model'
  - 'How to refine and iterate on your images'
finalResult: 'Your first AI-generated image ready to download and share'
examplePrompts:
  - 'A serene mountain landscape at sunset, digital art'
  - 'Portrait of a futuristic astronaut, cinematic lighting'
  - 'Cozy coffee shop interior, warm colors, isometric view'
tips:
  - 'Start simple - clear, descriptive prompts work best'
  - 'Use FLUX Schnell for quick experiments, FLUX Dev for higher quality'
  - "Add style keywords like 'cinematic', 'watercolor', or 'minimalist'"
  - 'Experiment with different aspect ratios for different use cases'
commonMistakes:
  - 'Writing overly complex prompts with too many details'
  - 'Not specifying a style or mood'
  - 'Expecting perfection on the first try'
troubleshooting:
  - problem: "Image doesn't match my expectations"
    solution: 'Try being more specific about style, colors, and composition. Add descriptive adjectives.'
  - problem: 'Generation takes too long'
    solution: 'Use FLUX Schnell for faster results, especially when experimenting.'
  - problem: 'Results are inconsistent'
    solution: 'Lock your seed value once you find a result you like, then iterate on the prompt.'
relatedTutorials: []
relatedFeatures: ['flux-models', 'prompt-builder']
relatedUseCases: ['social-media-content']
seoKeywords:
  - 'how to generate AI images'
  - 'AI image generator tutorial'
  - 'first AI image'
  - 'picture tutorial'
targetAudience: 'Complete beginners new to AI image generation'
publishDate: 2025-01-15T00:00:00Z
lastUpdated: 2025-01-15T00:00:00Z
downloadableResources: []
---

## Welcome to Picture!

Ready to create your first AI-generated image? This tutorial will guide you through the entire process, from signing up to downloading your first masterpiece. No prior experience needed!

## Step 1: Sign Up and Access the Dashboard

First things first - let's get you set up.

1. Go to [picture.com](https://picture.com) and click **"Get Started"**
2. Sign up with your email or use Google/GitHub authentication
3. Verify your email (check your inbox!)
4. You'll land on the main dashboard - this is your creative hub

**What you'll see:** The dashboard shows your recent images, quick generate bar, and navigation to features like the gallery, archive, and settings.

## Step 2: Choose Your AI Model

Picture gives you access to multiple state-of-the-art AI models. For your first image, we recommend:

### FLUX Schnell (Fast)

- ⚡ **Best for:** Quick experiments and iterations
- ⏱️ **Speed:** ~5 seconds
- 💡 **Use when:** You're exploring ideas

### FLUX Dev (High Quality)

- 🎨 **Best for:** Final, high-quality images
- ⏱️ **Speed:** ~15 seconds
- 💡 **Use when:** You know what you want

**For this tutorial, let's start with FLUX Schnell** to get instant feedback.

## Step 3: Write Your First Prompt

This is where the magic happens! A good prompt tells the AI exactly what you want to see.

### Anatomy of a Great Prompt

```
[Subject] + [Style] + [Details] + [Mood/Lighting]
```

### Example Prompts to Try

**Simple and Effective:**

```
A serene mountain landscape at sunset, digital art, vibrant colors, peaceful atmosphere
```

**More Specific:**

```
Portrait of a futuristic astronaut, cinematic lighting, detailed spacesuit, galaxy reflection in helmet visor, sci-fi art
```

**Creative and Stylized:**

```
Cozy coffee shop interior, warm colors, isometric view, soft lighting, plants and books, minimalist illustration
```

### Try It Now!

1. Click the **prompt input** at the top of the dashboard
2. Type or paste one of the example prompts above
3. Select **FLUX Schnell** from the model dropdown
4. Choose your **aspect ratio** (1:1 for square, 16:9 for landscape, 9:16 for vertical)
5. Click **"Generate"**

## Step 4: Generate and Refine

Hit that generate button and watch the magic unfold!

### What Happens Next

- Generation starts immediately (you'll see a progress indicator)
- Your image appears in 5-10 seconds with FLUX Schnell
- The image is automatically saved to your gallery

### Refining Your Image

Not quite what you expected? No problem! Here's how to improve:

#### Option 1: Adjust the Prompt

- **Too vague?** Add more descriptive details
- **Wrong style?** Add style keywords like "photorealistic", "oil painting", "anime"
- **Wrong mood?** Specify lighting like "golden hour", "dramatic lighting", "soft natural light"

#### Option 2: Change Parameters

- Try a different **aspect ratio**
- Switch to **FLUX Dev** for higher quality
- Adjust **guidance scale** (how closely AI follows your prompt)

#### Option 3: Iterate with Seeds

- Found a result you like? Click the **"seed"** icon to lock the composition
- Now modify the prompt slightly to refine that specific image

### Example Iteration Flow

1. **First try:** "A cat"
   - Result: Generic cat image

2. **Second try:** "A fluffy orange cat sitting on a windowsill, golden hour lighting, cozy atmosphere"
   - Result: Much better! But maybe too realistic

3. **Third try:** "A fluffy orange cat sitting on a windowsill, golden hour lighting, cozy atmosphere, watercolor illustration"
   - Result: Perfect!

## What You've Learned

Congratulations! You've just:

- ✅ Created your Picture account
- ✅ Generated your first AI image
- ✅ Learned the basics of prompt writing
- ✅ Understood how to choose the right model
- ✅ Discovered how to iterate and refine

## Next Steps

Now that you've got the basics down, here's what to explore next:

1. **Experiment with styles** - Try "cyberpunk", "vintage", "minimalist"
2. **Try advanced features** - Explore negative prompts, custom aspect ratios
3. **Organize your work** - Use the gallery and archive features
4. **Share your creations** - Export and share to social media

## Pro Tips from the Community

> "I always generate 3-4 variations before picking one. Don't settle for the first result!"
> — Sarah, Content Creator

> "Adding 'highly detailed' or '8k' to prompts significantly improves quality with FLUX Dev"
> — Marcus, Digital Artist

> "Use the archive feature for experiments, keep your gallery clean for final work"
> — Lisa, Designer

## Need Help?

- 💬 Join our [Discord community](https://discord.gg/picture)
- 📖 Check out the [full documentation](https://docs.picture.com)
- 📧 Email support: hello@picture.com

Happy creating! 🎨
