This post is a comprehensive guide on how to use AI art generators to draw a city skyline. It includes 20 text-to-image prompt examples for users to experiment with and improve their painting skills. The applicable popular AI art generators include NightCafe, DALL-E 2, Midjourney, Dream by WOMBO, craiyon, DeepDreamGenerator, and starry AI. Each example covers the major aspects of painting, such as description of the city skyline, the best fit art genres, the techniques to use, the lighting and color settings, and descriptive terms to describe the image. The post also provides 5 suitable artists for each example, helping users to understand the meaning of the prompts and explore different styles. This guide is a great resource for artists looking to expand their creative abilities with the help of AI technology.

Learn from examples like machine learning

If you click on a sample it will be automatically copied to the clipboard. Paste into your text prompt form. If it is too long, keep only the essential keywords. Simple.

Text prompt examples

1. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline under a specified weather, time, location, and viewer’s mood. Appearance: A stunning cityscape at sunset with an orange hue illuminating the sky and buildings, casting a warm glow over the bustling city below. The skyscrapers are lit up, their reflections shimmering on the calm river that winds its way through the city. The trees that line the river banks are swaying in the gentle breeze, and the sound of car horns and sirens blends into the background noise of the city. Environment: A bustling, modern city on the East coast during a warm summer evening. Weather: Clear and sunny with a gentle breeze. Time: Sunset. Location: New York City. Viewer’s mood: Nostalgic and contemplative. Genres: Surrealism, Hyperrealism. Styles: Realistic, Impressionistic. Techniques: Airbrushing, Glazing, Crosshatching. Lights: Warm and inviting, casting a soft glow over the city. Colors: Shades of orange, yellow, and blue. Descriptive terms: Nostalgic, Calm, Warm, Illuminating, Glowing. By Artists: Jeremy Geddes, Ben Thomas, Alex Ross, Yigal Ozeri, Dan dos Santos; Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
2. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: A bustling cityscape with high-rise buildings, glowing lights and a dark stormy sky; environment: New York City during a thunderstorm, with pouring rain and occasional flashes of lightning; Genres: Surrealism, Hyperrealism, Futurism; Styles: Photorealistic, Impressionistic; Techniques: Airbrushing, Fine-Liner Pen; Lights: Dynamic, Contrasting, Illuminated; Colors: Deep blues, grays, and warm golden lights; Descriptive terms: Electrifying, Majestic, Chaotic, Mysterious, Dramatic; by Artists: Juan Solis, Mark Ryden, Adam Rex, Alex Ross, John Berkey; Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation 8K resolution @NightCafe @DeepDreamGenerator Back to top
3. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: A bright and sunny day with a clear blue sky, with a few fluffy clouds floating by; environment: The city is bustling with activity, with tall skyscrapers towering over the streets, cars and people moving about; Genres: Photo-Realism, Surrealism; Styles: Impressionism, Realism; Techniques: Glazing, Impasto, Wet-on-Wet; Lights: High-Key, Soft-Focus; Colors: Bright and vivid, with a warm golden light; Descriptive terms: Lively, Dynamic, Futuristic, Majestic, Grandiose; by Artists: Michael Craig-Martin, John Walker, David Hockney, Chuck Close, Gerhard Richter; Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @NightCafe @DeepDreamGenerator Back to top
4. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: Night time, misty and cloudy weather, tall skyscrapers, lights from buildings and streets, reflections on the wet roads; environment: located in a bustling city, with a river flowing nearby and a mountain range in the background; Genres: Surrealism, Hyperrealism; Styles: Photorealism, Impressionism; Techniques: Airbrush, Glazing, Wet-on-Wet; Lights: Soft, moody, ambient light; Colors: Deep blues, grays, yellows, oranges; Descriptive terms: Ambient, moody, surreal, serene, atmospheric; by Artists: Ben zank, Archan Nair, Arte Diva, Mikael B, Ismael Gonzales; Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @NightCafe @DeepDreamGenerator Back to top
5. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: Nighttime, cloudy, some buildings with lit windows and some with darkness; environment: Cityscape with tall skyscrapers and busy streetlights, riverside with small boats, a bridge connecting the two sides; Genres: Realism, Surrealism; Styles: Hyperrealism; Techniques: Photo-realism, Use of light and shadows; Lights: Soft, artificial; Colors: Dark blues, grays, warm yellow; Descriptive terms: Majestic, Dreamlike, Futuristic, Haunting, Mysterious; by Artists: George Bridgman, Robert Bateman, Richard Schmid, Hyperrealist painters Chuck Close, Michael Parkes; Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
6. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: a bustling city during the golden hour with a storm brewing in the background, skyscrapers lit up against a darkening sky, the streets lit by streetlamps and headlights of cars, a few leaves from nearby trees swaying in the wind; environment: a big city such as New York or Tokyo; Genres: hyperrealism, cityscape; Styles: photorealistic, impressionistic; Techniques: airbrushing, layering, texturing; Lights: golden hour, moody stormy light, streetlights; Colors: warm yellow, orange, and gold tones, cool blue and grey tones; Descriptive terms: chaotic, intense, busy, beautiful, dramatic; by Artists: Jeremy Geddes, Cj Hendry, Jon Stanfield, James R. Eads, Ivan Alifan. Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
7.  Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline under a specified weather, time, location, and viewer’s mood. Appearance: The skyline is portrayed at dawn, with the sun just peeking over the horizon and casting a warm golden light over the city. The weather is clear and mild, with a gentle breeze blowing through the tall skyscrapers. Environment: The city is located on the coast, with a nearby river and lush greenery visible in the distance. Trees such as Willow and Oak line the river banks, while the bustling city center is dotted with various exotic trees and plants. The painting also captures the beauty of the water and its reflections on the buildings. Genres: Photorealism, Landscape; Styles: Realistic, Hyperrealistic; Techniques: Oil Painting, Digital Painting; Lights: Early morning light, Golden hour light; Colors: Warm, golden hues, calming blues, and greens; Descriptive terms: Serene, tranquil, majestic, seascape, urban; by Artists: Alex Ross, Omar Aqil, Mark Ryden, Johannes Vermeer, Erik Jones; Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
8. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: a bustling city in the evening with a misty rain, high-rise buildings and illuminated windows, reflecting the city lights in the puddles; environment: the weather is misty with a light rain, the sun has set and the moon is visible, the air is damp and the sound of raindrops echoing through the city; Genres: Urban, Realism; Styles: Hyperrealism; Techniques: oil painting, glazing; Lights: artificial and ambient, the city lights contrast with the dark sky; Colors: muted tones with pops of bright lights, the wet streets enhance the reflection of the city lights; Descriptive terms: vivid, atmospheric, ethereal, melancholic, dreamlike; by Artists: Jason de Graaf, Steven Dressler, Richard Estes, Adam William Nevins, Greg Simkins; 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, Unreal engine 5, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
9. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. Appearance: A bustling city under a stormy sky, with tall skyscrapers shrouded in mist and rain, streetlights shining through the haze, and the distant rumble of thunder. Environment: A bustling city with tall skyscrapers, dark clouds, and rain pouring down, rivers and canals flowing through the city, and distant mountains in the background. Genres: Photorealism, Landscape, Cityscape. Styles: Hyperrealism, Contemporary. Techniques: High Dynamic Range Imaging, Z-Brush, and Oil Painting. Lights: Moodily lit, with the city lights shining through the rain and mist, casting long shadows and reflections in the water. Colors: Dark shades of blue and gray, with accents of bright yellow and orange from the streetlights and windows of the buildings. Descriptive terms: moody, stormy, atmospheric, reflective, vibrant. By Artists: Oleg Shuplyak, Ian Spriggs, Alex Rhek, Dan Lydersen, and Dorian Vallejo. Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
10. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline of a bustling city during a beautiful sunset. city surrounded by tall buildings and skyscrapers that reach towards the sky, with bright lights shining from windows and illuminating the streets below. weather is clear and mild, with the sun setting behind the buildings and casting warm orange and red hues across the scene. In the foreground, small park can be seen with trees such as oak, maple, and cherry, along with a few wildflowers such as roses, daisies, and lilies. small river winds its way through the park, and a bridge can be seen in the distance. city is bustling with activity, with cars driving down roads and people walking on the sidewalks. sky is lit up by setting sun, casting a warm glow across the entire scene. Hyperrealism, Landscape, Cityscape Realistic, Nostalgic, Ambient. Airbrush, Glazing, Washes, Dry Brushing. Soft, Warm, Diffused, Backlit. Orange, Red, Yellow, Violet, Blue. Majestic, Lively, Vibrant, Nostalgic, Calm. by Johannes Vermeer, Simon Stålenhag, James Gurney, Alex Ross, J. C. Leyendecker 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, Unreal engine 5, 8K resolution  @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
11.  Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: The painting shows the city skyline on a stormy night, with dark clouds covering the city and lightning striking in the background. The buildings are tall and sleek, reflecting the city lights on the wet streets. The view is from a high point, giving a panoramic view of the city. environment: The weather is stormy, with heavy rain and strong winds. The time is at night, with the city lights illuminating the streets. The location is a high point in the city, looking down on the skyline. The viewer’s mood is dramatic and intense, capturing the feeling of the stormy night. Genres: Landscape, Realism, Hyperrealism Styles: Modern, Futuristic, Industrial Techniques: Advanced digital painting techniques, High-resolution 8K 3D rendering, and Photorealism Lights: Dark, Moody, Dramatic Colors: Black, White, Grey, Yellow, Blue Descriptive terms: Intense, Majestic, Futuristic, Stormy, Illuminating by Artists: Vitaly Bulgarov, Andy Hanne, Gordan Ugarkovic, Simon Stålenhag, Alex Ruiz; Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation 8K resolution  @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
12. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: a bustling cityscape at sunset on a rainy day, with tall skyscrapers and bright lights reflecting off the wet streets; environment: the weather is cloudy and damp, with a light rain falling, adding a sense of mystery and moodiness to the city; Genres: Realism, Impressionism; Styles: Hyperrealism; Techniques: Wet-on-wet, Glazing, Scumbling; Lights: warm and cool tones, interplay of light and shadow, dramatic reflections; Colors: deep blues, rich golds, warm oranges; Descriptive terms: moody, atmospheric, reflective, dramatic, mysterious; by Artists: Thomas Kinkade, Richard Schmid, Adam Scott Rote, David Leffel, Richard Schmid; Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
13. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: A bustling cityscape during a bright and sunny day with towering skyscrapers and a clear blue sky. A river runs through the city and trees line the riverbanks; Environment: The weather is sunny and warm with a light breeze, the time is around midday, and the location is a major metropolitan city; Genres: Urban, Realism, Landscape; Styles: Hyperrealism, Classical Realism; Techniques: Photo-realism, Tenebrism, glazing; Lights: Bright and warm sunlight, reflections on the river and buildings; Colors: Bold and vivid, blues and greens to represent the sky and water, warm earth tones for the buildings and trees; Descriptive terms: Radiant, Majestic, Dynamic, Grandiose, Lively; by Artists: Richard Estes, Chuck Close, Johannes Vermeer, Jacopo Tintoretto, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio; 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, Unreal engine 5, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
14. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: Overcast weather, early morning, foggy misty atmosphere, city lights still lit, reflecting on the water; environment: high-rise buildings, river flowing beneath the bridge, few palm trees swaying in the breeze, distant mountains visible; Genres: Surrealism, Magical Realism, Impressionism; Styles: photo-realistic, atmospheric; Techniques: Glazing, Layer Painting, Impressionistic brush strokes; Lights: Soft diffused light from the overcast sky, warm yellow-orange streetlights, cool blue-grey reflections on the water; Colors: Muted grey-blue, soft yellow-orange, warm browns, hazy green; Descriptive terms: moody, dreamy, ethereal, surreal, serene; by Artists: Eyvind Earle, Michael Cheval, Odd Nerdrum, Rene Magritte, David Hockney; Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
15. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: Dusk, overcast weather, and misty clouds; environment: A high-rise city surrounded by trees, with a river running through and a bridge spanning over it; Genres: Realism, Landscape, Cityscape; Styles: Photorealism, Hyperrealism; Techniques: Airbrushing, Impressionism, Glazing; Lights: Ambient light from street lights and building lights, warm glow from the misty clouds, reflections in the river; Colors: Deep blues, grays, and purples; Descriptive terms: Ethereal, atmospheric, misty, moody, romantic; by Artists: Richard Estes, Johannes Vermeer, Andrew Wyeth, Johannes Iwaszkiewicz, Gustave Baumann; Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
16. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. Appearance: The painting depicts a city skyline during a warm summer evening with a light shower, casting a soft light over the city. The city lights reflect off the puddles on the streets and the mist adds a sense of depth to the painting. The trees around the buildings are lush and green, with the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind. Environment: The location is in New York City with the iconic skyscrapers of Manhattan in the background. The sun is setting, casting a golden glow over the city, with clouds obscuring the sky in the distance. Genres: Surrealism, Photorealism. Styles: Hyperrealism, Impressionism. Techniques: Airbrush, Dry brushing, Blending. Lights: Soft light, warm golden light, diffused light. Colors: Yellow, orange, blue, green, black. Descriptive terms: Soft, golden, serene, moody, surreal. By Artists: Ryan Reynolds, Robert J. Anderson, Dario Campanile, Tommaso Cassinis, Dmitry Maximov. 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, Unreal engine 5, 8K resolution. @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
17. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline under the moody sunset, in a city with towering skyscrapers and surrounded by bustling crowds. Appearance: The skyline is dotted with massive skyscrapers, reflecting the golden-orange hues of the setting sun. The buildings are adorned with intricate details, such as chrome fixtures and sweeping curves, which catch the light and shimmer. The sky is ablaze with fiery colors, transitioning from brilliant oranges and yellows to deep purples and blues. The city is teeming with life, with people and vehicles hurrying along the busy streets. Environment: The bustling city is surrounded by a lush green landscape, dotted with tall trees such as Oak and Maple. A shimmering river winds its way through the city, reflecting the glittering lights of the buildings. The air is filled with the sweet scents of wildflowers such as Daisies and Petunias. Genres: Hyperrealism, Surrealism, Fantastic Realism. Styles: Hyperrealistic, Dreamlike. Techniques: 3D modeling, Texturing, Digital Painting. Lights: Soft ambient light, muted colors, highlighting. Colors: Orange, Yellow, Purple, Blue, Green. Descriptive terms: Majestic, Grand, Radiant, Glowing, Surreal. By Artists: Zhang Xiaogang, Michael Gough, Eric Johansson, Dorian Vallejo, Michael Konrad. Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
18. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. Appearance: Sunset over a bustling city with towering skyscrapers, visible through a haze of mist and fog; Environment: Cloudy, damp weather with a gentle breeze, the sun is setting casting a warm golden light over the city; Genres: Surrealism, Hyperrealism, Futuristic; Styles: Impressionistic, Textured, Minimalistic; Techniques: Dry-brushing, Glazing, Wet-on-wet; Lights: Warm, soft and muted with long shadows stretching over the city; Colors: Hues of golden yellow, orange, and red with cool blues and greens in the shadows and fog; Descriptive terms: Serene, peaceful, dreamy, contemplative, enigmatic; By Artists: Jeremy Geddes, Simon Birch, Raphaël Vicenzi, Yigal Ozeri, Jenny Saville; 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, Unreal engine 5, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
19. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. appearance: A beautifully lit nighttime cityscape in the rain, with towering skyscrapers, illuminated windows and reflections on the wet pavement. The weather is overcast and rainy, with soft mist hanging over the city. The sky is deep blue, with hints of yellow and red from the city lights. Environment: A bustling city street with an urban feel, with streetlights, cars, and people walking on the sidewalks. Genres: Urban Realism, Surrealism; Styles: Hyperrealism, Photorealism; Techniques: Digital painting, Airbrushing, Glazing; Lights: Warm streetlights, reflections on wet pavement, illuminated windows; Colors: Dark blues, yellows, reds, grays; Descriptive terms: Majestic, Glowing, Grandiose, Haunting, Imposing; by Artists: Alex Ross, Ralf Loeber, Dave Rapoza, Tom Lovell, Michael Kutsche; 8K 3D, CGSociety, trending on Artstation, Unreal engine 5, 8K resolution @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top
20. Insanely detailed hyperrealistic painting of the skyline. Appearance: The painting showcases the bustling cityscape at dusk on a cloudy day, with the tall skyscrapers and lit up windows giving a feeling of energy and excitement. Environment: The setting is in New York City, with the iconic Empire State Building and the Chrysler building standing tall in the center. The Hudson River is visible in the background, with the George Washington Bridge and boats passing by. Genres: Cityscape, Surrealism, Realism. Styles: Hyperrealism, Fine Art. Techniques: High contrast, Soft brushwork, Blending of colors. Lights: Natural light from street lights and buildings, warm glow from sunset. Colors: Deep blues, grays, warm oranges and yellows. Descriptive terms: Majestic, Futuristic, Vibrant, Haunting, Busy. By Artists: Ryan Callahan, Roger Tooth, Matt Smith, Mark Edward Smith, Adam Parker Smith. Unreal engine 5, 8K 3D, CGSociety, Trending on Artstation, 8K resolution. @DeepDreamGenerator @NightCafe Back to top