Mastering DALL-E 3 via ChatGPT

DALL-E 3 is OpenAI's image generator, deeply integrated into ChatGPT. Unlike Midjourney, DALL-E excels at following precise instructions and rendering text within images. In this lesson, you'll learn how to get the most out of DALL-E 3.

How DALL-E 3 Differs from Midjourney

Feature	DALL-E 3	Midjourney
Access	Via ChatGPT (Plus/Team/Enterprise)	Via Discord
Text rendering	Excellent — can write readable text	Poor — text is usually garbled
Instruction following	Very precise, follows details closely	More artistic, may interpret loosely
Default style	Clean, illustrative	Artistic, painterly
Iteration	Conversational refinement	Grid-based selection
Parameters	Natural language	--ar, --s, --c, etc.

The Conversational Workflow

DALL-E 3's biggest advantage is that you talk to it like a person through ChatGPT:

1. Describe what you want in natural language
2. Review the result — ChatGPT shows you the image
3. Ask for changes — "Make the sky more dramatic" or "Move the subject to the left"
4. Iterate conversationally — Each request builds on the previous context

Then follow up with: "Make the cup more geometric and add a subtle steam swirl."

DALL-E 3 Prompt Techniques

Be Specific About Composition

DALL-E 3 follows spatial instructions well:

Use Text in Images

DALL-E 3 can render readable text — a major advantage:

Tips for text rendering:

• Keep text short (1-5 words works best)
• Put the exact text in quotes
• Specify the text style (neon, handwritten, engraved, etc.)
• Specify where the text appears in the scene

Specify Exact Styles

DALL-E 3 responds well to detailed style descriptions:

Control the Output Format

You can specify image dimensions directly:

Request	Result
"Generate a square image..."	1024x1024
"Generate a wide landscape image..."	1792x1024
"Generate a tall portrait image..."	1024x1792

Advanced DALL-E 3 Techniques

Iterative Refinement

The conversational approach lets you refine step by step:

1. Start broad: "A futuristic cityscape at sunset"
2. Add details: "Add flying cars and holographic billboards"
3. Adjust mood: "Make the lighting more dramatic with orange and purple tones"
4. Fix issues: "Remove the building on the far left and add more sky"

Reference Real Styles (Not Artists)

DALL-E 3 has safety guidelines around artist names, but you can describe styles:

Seed Consistency

Ask ChatGPT to use the same seed for variations:

"Generate another image with the same style and composition, but change the season to winter."

ChatGPT will attempt to keep the gen_id consistent for similar results.

DALL-E 3 Strengths to Leverage

1. Infographics and diagrams — DALL-E 3 handles structured layouts well
2. Text-heavy designs — Logos, posters, signs, and book covers
3. Precise compositions — Exact positioning of elements
4. Photorealistic scenes — Realistic lighting and materials
5. Conversational iteration — Natural back-and-forth refinement

Key Takeaway

DALL-E 3's strength is precision and conversation. Use natural language to describe exactly what you want, leverage its text-rendering ability for designs with words, and iterate conversationally instead of rewriting entire prompts. Where Midjourney excels at artistic interpretation, DALL-E 3 excels at following your instructions to the letter.