5 Smart Ways to Use ChatGPT's New Image Generator (GPT-4o)

OpenAI’s latest update to GPT-4o didn’t just improve text responses—it gave ChatGPT a powerful new skill: image generation. And not just any image generation—users can now ask it to create visuals in a wide range of styles, from anime to oil painting, voxel art to realistic landscapes. It’s already taking over timelines with its Studio Ghibli-inspired creations.

But how can you actually use it effectively? Here are five practical (and creative) ways to get the best results from ChatGPT’s image generator.
1. Get Specific with Your Prompts Think of ChatGPT like a digital artist—one that works best when you give clear directions. If you ask for “a cat,” you’ll get just that. But if you say “a grey tabby cat curled up on a bookshelf, in watercolor style,” you're far more likely to get exactly what you pictured.

The key is clarity. The more details you add—like subject, style, background, lighting, and mood—the better the results. This works whether you're designing a wallpaper, storybook illustration, or concept art.
Example Prompt:
“Create a realistic image of a forest trail at sunrise with fog, in soft pastel tones.”

2. Explore Different Art Styles While the Ghibli-style images have become a trend, that’s just one option. GPT-4o supports a variety of art styles—ideal if you're working on a visual brand, poster design, or social media content.
Some styles you can request:

• Lo-fi
  
  
• Oil painting
  
  
• Voxel art
  
  
• Rubber hose animation
  
  
• Cyberpunk
  
  
• Watercolor
  
  

Changing the style completely transforms the look and feel—even if the subject remains the same.

four versions of the same subject

Example Prompt:
“Generate an image of a dog in voxel art style, standing on a pixelated lawn with a blue sky background.”

3. Edit Images with Follow-Up Commands Sometimes you won’t get the exact image you had in mind on the first try—and that’s okay. One of the most useful features in ChatGPT’s image generator is on-the-go editing. You can give follow-up instructions like:

• “Make the sky darker.”
  
  
• “Change the girl's dress to blue.”
  
  
• “Add a bridge in the background.”
  
  

These tweaks help refine the image without starting from scratch. You can keep editing until it matches your vision.

4. Customize the Aspect Ratio Most generated images are square by default (1:1), but not everything is meant for Instagram. Whether you’re designing a YouTube thumbnail, a mobile wallpaper, or a LinkedIn banner—you can specify the right aspect ratio directly in your prompt.

Popular ratios to try:

• 9:16 for phone wallpapers
  
  
• 16:9 for desktop backgrounds or videos
  
  
• 4:5 for portrait-style posts
  
  
• 3:2 for posters or prints
  

Example Prompt:
“Create a 16:9 image of a cityscape at night in neon cyberpunk style.”

5. Add Short Text to Your Visuals While ChatGPT may not be a typography expert, it can still handle simple text requests. If you want to add a motivational phrase, greeting, or short message to your image, ChatGPT can do that. This is especially useful for basic designs like invitations, greeting cards, or social media posts.

It’s important to note that complex or stylized typography might not render as smoothly as you’d like. If the text needs more customization, you can export the image and refine the text in a design tool afterward.

Example Prompt:

• “Generate an image of a chocolate cake with the words ‘Stay Wild’ written in elegant cursive above it.”
  
  

This is a perfect way to personalize your images without needing a separate design tool.


Quick Tips

• This image generator is available for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team users, and via API.
  
  
• It currently doesn't add watermarks.
  
  
• You can use similar prompts on other AI platforms like Copilot, Gemini, or Grok.

The new image generation feature in GPT-4o is more than just a fun tool—it’s practical for designers, educators, marketers, and everyday users. With the right prompt, you can turn ideas into visuals in seconds.

So the next time you’re building a mood board, creating social content, or just exploring creative ideas, try feeding GPT-4o a thoughtful prompt. You might be surprised by what comes to life.