It’s been a while since DALL-E 3 was released and we’ve seen just how creative it can be in the right hands. People have been making amazing artwork left and right, and — as someone who’s slightly tired of the Midjourney look — I wanted to jump on the bandwagon. 

I’ve created pixel art for DALL-E 3 before but I wanted to make something more complicated this time, something high context and requires some prompt engineering. So, a thought popped into my mind, how can I combine elements of two images into a single, coherent artwork?

Here’s everything that you need to keep in mind in making filled silhouettes in DALL-E 3, along with some examples of my own.

How To Get Filled Silhouettes in DALL-E 3?

Whenever you’re looking to make filled silhouettes, there’s only two keywords you need to keep in mind: “double exposure” and “superimposed.”

In a nutshell, superimposition means overlaying two or more images on top of each other. There are many ways of doing this, but the most popular in photography is through double exposure. This is usually done by exposing a film to two different images when it’s being developed.

So, for DALL-E 3, it’s better to use the “double exposure” keyword if you’re trying to fuse two realistic images together, but it’s better to be vague by using the “superimposed” keyword if one or both images borrow from fantastical or similar elements.

The Best Filled Silhouette Prompts in DALL-E 3

I used two tools to make these artworks: ChatGPT and Bing Create. Don’t worry; both of these tools use DALL-E 3 as their main generator. The only difference is that, in the latter, you can’t tweak the aspect ratio and it doesn’t have GPT-4 to transform simple prompts into high context, more creative prompts.

The Star Ballerina

Prompt: A silhouette of a ballerina superimposed with a starry night sky.

The Star Ballerina artworks feature a graceful ballerina dancing in front of a stunning starry night sky, which blends elegance with the cosmos. These pieces evoke a sense of celestial beauty and demonstrate the art of movement.

Guardian of the Peaks

Prompt: Double exposure bear silhouette with mountain scene on cream background.

I used this prompt to capture the majestic aura of nature by blending a bear with a stunning mountain scene. The results are an amazing visual metaphor for conservation and environmental awareness, and it’s also a damn pleasing artwork if I do say so myself.

A Calming Presence

Prompt: A calm ocean scene superimposed into the silhouette of a meditating person.

Using this prompt, I also wanted to see how well DALL-E 3 creates filled silhouettes with simple elements. The result is an amazing set of artwork that beautifully merges the ocean into the silhouette of a meditating figure.

The Duel

Prompt: Double exposure chess match of two players silhouette with a chess board.

These artworks, which I titled The Duel, were created to capture the intensity of a chess match through double exposure. A striking addition to game rooms or offices, this artwork can stimulate strategic thinking, making it an awesome piece for chess enthusiasts.

Sunday Morning in the Garden

Prompt: A silhouette of a woman in a sundress superimposed with a garden.

This prompt is best for generating “home decor” type artwork that heavily features nature and its connection to womanhood. As you can see, the images above merge the simplicity of a sundress with the beauty of a vibrant garden.

The True Aviator

Prompt: Silhouette of a bird in flight with a double exposure of clouds and sky.

If you’re looking for a prompt that can create artwork that symbolizes freedom and exploration, look no further than this one. The images it creates connect the freedom of flight with the vastness of the sky, making them perfect for aviation-themed spaces.

Technosphere

Prompt: A circuit board pattern superimposed into the silhouette of a human head.

This one is a lot simpler, which makes it a good stock photo for technology themed presentations. “The Technosphere” promotes forward-thinking and creativity in this new age of AI.

Forged in Valor

Prompt: Silhouette of a knight with a fantasy landscape double exposure.

Looking for something that can bring fantasy books to life? This prompt can superimpose beautiful and vast fantastical landscapes into fictional characters like knights, dragons, and even castles.

The Northern Light Within

Prompt: The Northern Lights superimposed into the silhouette of a deer.

What about the mystical wonders of the world, like the Northern Lights? This prompt superimposes the enchanting glow of an aurora borealis with the silhouette of a deer, blending both magic and reality.

Watchers of the Urban Jungle

Prompt: Silhouette of a cat with a double exposure of an urban rooftop view.

We all know that cats run the city. This prompt is made to imagine what the city feels like for our feline friends and visualize it through double exposure.

So, What Now?

You can definitely play around with these prompts to create other filled silhouettes. Just remember to use “double exposure” or “superimposed” and you’re good to go.

Try something weird like using symbols or letters instead of people, and also try using different landscapes for your silhouette’s background. You can also try using different textures for your image such as grainy or blurry. Honestly, the sky’s the limit for DALL-E 3.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of tweaking parameters like color, scale, and orientation in your prompts. Adjusting these variables can significantly alter the tone of the output. The more you fine-tune your prompts, the more you’ll discover the creativity of DALL-E 3.

Oh, and while you’re here, you can also check out our prompts for holiday postcards in DALL-E 3. Good luck experimenting!