OpenAI DALL·E: Generative AI that turns a text prompt into an image

Have you ever wished for a powerful tool to create image ideas from head into real pictures in seconds? Well, you can now use the DALL·E image generator for this.

My first attempt at using DALL·E was to design a logo for my brand. I had a concept and needed a quick way to design a logo. As someone who isn't artistic, image generation with DALL·E presents a rare opportunity to give life to the picture ideas, regardless of how crazy they seem. 

In this article, you will learn more about DALL·E and how to use it.

What is DALL·E: AI-powered image creation explained

DALL·E is an AI image generator developed by OpenAI that can create digital images from textual descriptions known as prompts. It has been trained on billions of text-image pairs, and that’s why DALL·E can understand various concepts like emotions, objects, animals, abstract ideas, etc.

DALL·E has come a long way. The first version allowed users to create basic images from text. With DALL·E 2, the image quality improved, but you will still notice a lack of attention to detail. The latest version, DALL·E 3, released in 2023, excels at understanding complex ideas and creating highly detailed images.

Here is a brief comparison of DALL·E 2 and DALL·E 3:

Feature	DALL·E 2	DALL·E 3
Image quality	High-resolution images with detailed textures and colors	Improved resolution and more refined details
Prompt understanding	Basic attributes and styles	Detailed descriptions, multiple attributes
Image manipulation	Limited editing	Advanced editing features

 

DALL·E image generator: tested and reviewed

A great way to use DALL·E is to jump in and explore. I’ve tested it myself, and here’s how it works.

How to use DALL·E 3 to match generated images with prompts

DALL·E and ChatGPT were both developed by OpenAI, so if you're a ChatGPT user, you can use the integrated capability of DALL·E 3. Note that you must upgrade to the paid plan (ChatGPT Plus, Team, or Enterprise) to get access to the AI image generator.

Here’s how it works: 

1. Go to ChatGPT
2. Choose the GPT-4 model.
3. Type your prompt.

ChatGPT will process your request and generate four AI-generated images based on your description.

And here’s what I created with ChatGPT using this prompt: “A photorealistic image of a chipmunk, wearing tiny glasses, diligently typing on a large computer monitor. Show the big screen and the chipmunk together.”

How to create DALLE·E prompts that produce dynamic images

Anyone can create prompts on DALL·E, but getting a text description that generates great images requires skill. Here are three tips to help you create better prompts:

Use detailed prompts

Similar to other AI tools, DALL·E images are only as good as the prompt they receive. That's why you must ensure that you provide detailed and specific information in your input. Describing the style, setting, mood, and other distinct features of the subject is the sure way to get better results.

For example, instead of entering a simple prompt like "a cat," won’t give you much special. Instead, you can write a prompt like "A painting of a cat in the style of Van Gogh" and see the results. Here’s what DALL·E created by using these two prompts:

As you can see, the difference is quite significant.

Experiment with different writing styles

Sometimes, using simple sentences might generate your desired results. In other cases, it won't, which is why you must experiment with different styles. Try adding adjectives to describe the character, and mix prompts with direct phrases and longer sentences. With time, you will identify the best methods for generating images for different purposes using DALL·E. 

Use Photographic Elements to give context

Include information about the camera angle, lighting, and other elements in your prompt. This approach will give you realistic images with better details. 

Some phrases include “wide exposure, macro shot, backlit silhouette, natural light, and dim lighting.” Incorporating these phrases will help DALL·E understand the look and feel you want to see in the images.

Best alternative tools to create images 

Using DALL·E 3 on ChatGPT Plus allows me to create images easily, but I wanted a platform with more flexibility, such as the ability to choose image settings.

After a long search, I came across many tools that seamlessly integrate DALL·E 3. However, only two tick all the boxes - BoltAI and TypingMind. 

How to create DALL·E images with BoltAI

BoltAI is a tool that lets you generate images using different AI models. Unlike ChatGPT, BoltAI gives you greater control when creating images from texts. With this app, you can select image sizes, change the quality, and use other API providers besides the default ChatGPT. Using BoltAI is simple and requires no technical background. 

Follow these steps to create DALL·E images from text:

1. Install and open BoltAI.
2. Choose DALL·E 3 on the left bar. 
3. Adjust settings like quality, style, or size.
4. Write your prompt and wait for the result.

Here’s the image designed with BoltAI using the same prompt as ChatGPT:

The result came out pretty cool, and it took me a few seconds to get it. 

Using DALL·E on TypingMind

Another option for a more customizable image generation experience is TypingMind. What I like about the app is that it offers flexibility and access to 10+ plugins, such as optimizing images for social media platforms. Plus, you can create customized plugins tailored to your specific needs. 

What is more, you have an opportunity to create your library of prompts and categorize them with tags or go to the community library to search for other prompt ideas.

I tried to use the same input I used in other tools, and here’s what I got:

DALL·E generated image results

The images generated with  DALL·E 3 via ChatGPT plus, BoltAI, and TypingMind had the same prompt, and now you can compare the results.

Even though the results are quite similar, BoltAI and TypingMind offer more advanced features, flexibility, and control, enhancing your creative process more than ChatGPT.

What is the best platform to create realistic images from natural language text prompts using DALL·E 3? Resolved

DALL·E 3 has raised the bar for image generation. While ChatGPT offers a convenient starting point, it offers little flexibility.

In contrast, BoltAI excels as a versatile alternative. You have more control as you can switch between different AI models and adjust size and image quality to suit your needs. 

TypingMind is ideal if you prefer a plugin-based approach offering a library of prompts to ease your writing process for image generation.

Ready to create realistic images from natural language text prompts? Try BoltAI and TypingMind for a seven-day free trial on Setapp, a platform with dozens of useful apps and tools.