Learn Leonardo AI in 5 minutes.
Leonardo AI is a production-oriented image platform: a library of fine-tuned models, stackable style Elements, and controls built for making sets of assets rather than one-off pictures. This lesson drills model choice, Elements, and negative prompts.
Ole is taking you through this one. Your docent for this room. Free, and it runs right here.
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Which model are you prompting?
In Leonardo, the same prompt through different models gives radically different images. Beginners tweak words; regulars pick the model first and prompt second.
Pick before you prompt
Leonardo hosts many fine-tuned models, each biased toward a look: cinematic, anime, graphic design, photoreal. Choosing the right one does more than any adjective in your prompt.
Layered style controls
Elements are style modifiers you stack onto a generation with adjustable weights, like seasoning. They let you blend looks without writing a paragraph of style words.
Negative prompts
A second field for what you do not want: extra fingers, text, watermarks, clutter. A short negative prompt fixes recurring annoyances faster than rewriting the main one.
What you will do in the lesson
You answer and try things. Nobody demonstrates at you for five minutes.
- Run one prompt through two models. You hold the words constant and watch the model choice change everything, which is the core Leonardo lesson.
- Stack an Element and tune its weight. You add a style Element at low and high strength and find the point where it takes over the image.
- Cut the junk with a negative prompt. You identify a recurring flaw in your generations and remove it with three words in the negative field.
- Guide with a reference image. You feed an image as guidance and control how strongly the output follows its composition.
- Think in sets, not singles. You plan a small consistent batch, three icons in one style, instead of generating disconnected one-offs.
Before you start
Is Leonardo only for game assets?
That was its early reputation, and it remains strong for sprites, textures, and concept art. But the model library now spans photography, graphic design, and illustration, and the workflow skills transfer straight across.
Do I need to sign up or install anything first?
No. This lesson runs in the page you are looking at, free. Leonardo itself is browser-based with a daily allowance of free generation credits if you want to continue there.
Do I have to understand every setting?
No. Leonardo exposes more dials than most tools, guidance scale, seeds, Elements, but the lesson gives you a minimal working set: model, prompt, negative prompt. Everything else is refinement you can add later.
How does it compare to Midjourney?
Midjourney gives you one house model with a strong opinion; Leonardo gives you a menu of models plus finer controls like Elements and negative prompts. For consistent, controllable assets in a specific style, Leonardo's approach usually gets there faster.
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