18 Text Effects in DALL-E 3 That’ll Blow Your Mind (with Handy Prompts)

Not only does adding text to an image send a message, but it also captivates the viewer. DALL-E 3 masterfully embeds text into images, achieving a seamless blend that even seasoned designers find elusive.

Whenever I use DALL-E 3, its results often exceed my expectations. Knowing what text to add from the prompt, I’ve always wondered: can I tailor the text effect? After numerous attempts, I’ve curated these 18 effects, hoping they spark ideas for you.

If DALL-E 3 in ChatGPT is new to you, dive into this article:

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Alright, let’s begin.

Overlay

Prompt: [image prompt], with text ‘[text]’ overlaid, prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Pastel Drawing: A soft pastel rendering of a field of flowers, their delicate petals swaying in a gentle breeze, with the text ‘Serenity’ overlaid, prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Watercolor painting: A bustling cityscape at night, illuminated by a stunning fireworks display, with the text ‘Vibrance’ overlaid, prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Caption Below/Above

Prompt: [image prompt]. Image at the top with text ‘[text]’ below/above, prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Watercolor: A majestic snow-capped mountain reflecting in a crystal clear lake. Image at the top with text ‘Serenity’ below, prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Oil Painting: A grand medieval castle against a twilight sky, a majestic fortress steeped in history. Image at the top with text ‘Majestic’ below, prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Cartoon: A girl in a flowing dress runs joyfully through a meadow of wildflowers, arms outstretched to the blue sky. Image at the top with text ‘Freedom’ above, prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Chinese Ink Painting: An ancient temple hidden deep within a lush jungle, surrounded by mist. Image at the top with text ‘Mysterious’ above, prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Transparent Box

Prompt: [image prompt]. The text ‘[text]’ inside a semi-transparent box is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Photo of a cyberpunk street scene with futuristic neon advertisements and flying cars. The text ‘Future’ inside a semi-transparent box is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Photo: A thrilling rollercoaster ride at an amusement park at night, with colorful lights and a full moon. The text ‘park’ inside a semi-transparent box is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Circular Embed

Prompt: [image prompt]. The text ‘[text]’ inside a circle is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Watercolor: An enchanting garden with cute hummingbirds hovering around vibrant, nectar-filled flowers. The text ‘garden’ inside a circle is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Illustrate a cute and joyful group of children flying colorful kites on a breezy, sunny beach. The text ‘happy’ inside a circle is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Shadow

Prompt: [image prompt]. The text ‘[text]’ casting a shadow is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: An ancient castle’s courtyard, where torches light up the stone walls, creating a historical ambiance. The text ‘castle’ casting a shadow is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: A rustic barn with a vintage lantern hanging from a wooden beam, giving the interior a warm, rustic charm. The text ‘barn’ casting a shadow is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Text Ribbon

Prompt: [image prompt]. The text ‘[text]’ winding through like a ribbon is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Craft a fine watercolor painting of a serene countryside scene, with delicate wildflowers swaying in a gentle breeze. The text ‘peace’ winding through like a ribbon is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: A joyful birthday party scene with colorful balloons, a towering cake, and a young child eagerly unwrapping a gift surrounded by friends and family. The text ‘happy birthday’ winding through like a ribbon is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Sticker Style

Prompt: [image prompt]. The text ‘[text]’ inside a sticker shape is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Craft a heartwarming cartoon depiction of a loving family of bears having a picnic in a lush forest, with the children bear cubs enjoying honey sandwiches and the parents looking on with smiles. The text ‘picnic’ inside a sticker shape is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Illustrate a charming cartoon of children dressed as astronauts exploring an alien world, with fantastical creatures and a spacecraft resembling a colorful rocket ship. The text “let’s go” inside a sticker shape is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Bubble

Prompt: [image prompt]. The text ‘[text]’ inside a (speech/thought) bubble is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Craft a fantasy world filled with floating islands, each inhabited by a different mythical creature. The text “fantasy” inside a bubble is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: A wizard cat conjuring spaghetti tornadoes in a kitchen. The text “OMG” inside a speech bubble is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: A pensive scientist in a cluttered laboratory, contemplating equations on a chalkboard covered in complex formulas. The text “WTF!” inside a thought bubble is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Banner

Prompt: [image prompt]. The text ‘[text]’ on a draped banner is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Create a wide image of a homecoming reunion at an airport, capturing the sheer joy of friends and family reuniting after a long absence. The text ‘welcome back’ on a draped banner is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Capture an image of a graduation ceremony with excited graduates throwing their caps in the air against a backdrop of a university campus. The text ‘future’ on a draped banner is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Glowing Text

Prompt: [image prompt]. The glowing text ‘[text]’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Craft a lovely wide image of a bustling Asian night market, with street vendors selling exotic street food, colorful lanterns, and a sense of adventure in the air. The glowing text ‘hello’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Design a joyful, colorful scene of a Mexican fiesta with mariachi bands, traditional dances, and colorful papel picado banners. The glowing text ‘fiesta’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Embossed Effect

Prompt: [image prompt]. The embossed ‘[text]’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Create a heartwarming tall greeting card featuring a fluffy teddy bear hugging a bouquet of colorful balloons in a garden filled with vibrant flowers. The embossed text ‘thank you’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Design a tall brochures for a luxury yacht charter. The embossed text ‘travel’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Steel/Metal Text

Prompt: [image prompt]. The steel/metal text ‘[text]’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Design a tall poster for an action movie set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, showcasing a lone hero armed with a flaming sword, standing against a horde of mutant creatures. The steel text ‘hero’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Design a tall book cover about a space battle. The metal text ‘epic’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Cloud

Prompt: [image prompt]. The text ‘[text]’ formed by clouds is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: A serene beach at sunrise. The text ‘sunny’ formed by clouds is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: The vast prairie. The text ‘wow’ formed by clouds is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Fire Text

Prompt: [image prompt]. The fire text ‘[text]’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Photo of a high-speed motorcycle race on a winding mountain road with sparks flying from the tires. The fire text ‘speed’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Photo of a professional boxer delivering a lightning-fast knockout punch. The fire text ‘power’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

3D Text

Prompt: [image prompt]. The 3D text ‘[text]’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Design a tall advertisement poster for a high-end jewelry store. The 3D text ‘welcome’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Depict an adorable cartoon kitten with oversized glasses, sitting at a tiny desk, engrossed in reading a book surrounded by towering piles of books. The 3D text ‘phd’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Rainbow Text

Prompt: [image prompt]. The rainbow text ‘[text]’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Create a dynamic cartoon of a superhero squirrel soaring through the city skyline. The rainbow text ‘hero’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Watercolor painting of a colorful hot air balloon festival at dawn, with balloons of all shapes and sizes taking off into the sky. The rainbow text ‘balloon’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Smoke

Prompt: [image prompt]. The text ‘[text]’ formed by smoke is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Photo of a bustling coffee shop with baristas working behind a gleaming espresso machine and customers sipping artisanal coffees. The text ‘coffee’ formed by smoke is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Photo of an old, creaky mansion hallway lined with portraits. The text ‘time’ formed by smoke is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Holographic Text

Prompt: [image prompt]. The holographic text ‘[text]’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Photo of an ultramodern kitchen with sleek stainless steel appliances, a marble countertop, and panoramic windows overlooking a city skyline. The holographic text ‘[kitchen]’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Example: Photo of a dynamic tech startup office with employees working at standing desks and brainstorming in cozy breakout areas. The holographic text ‘x’ is prominent and aligns with the image’s style.

Conclusion

While the prompts in this guide are handy, they aren’t one-size-fits-all. DALL-E 3 tailors text additions based on the image’s essence. If your desired effect clashes with the image’s vibe or look, the text might be invisible. So, envisage an effect that’s both logical and visually appealing before diving in.

Remember, DALL-E 3 can trip up with lengthy text—brevity is key.

The horizon of possibilities with DALL-E 3 is vast. Don’t box in your creativity—let it soar!

Want a deeper dive?

👉 Discovering DALL-E 3: 45 Creative Uses You Can’t Miss!

👉 Beyond Text-to-Image: DALL-E 3’s Magic in Bringing Ideas to Life