How to Create
Great Paintings
Everything you need to know to get the most from Create. These are our best practices — but we encourage you to experiment and find what works for you.
Writing Your Prompt
The style of your painting is already handled — every image that comes out of Create looks like a Stoic English oil painting. You don't need to describe brushwork, canvas texture, or artistic style. Focus entirely on describing what you want to see.
The golden rule: describe a moment, not a topic.
"The Battle of Waterloo" gives the engine a subject but no direction. "The French cavalry charging the British squares at Waterloo, smoke everywhere, the squares holding" gives it a scene to paint.
Three levels of prompt
"The Battle of Hastings"
"A Viking longship"
"The Tower of London"
"The Norman cavalry charging uphill at the Saxon shield wall, Battle of Hastings, 1066"
"A Viking longship arriving on a stormy English coast at dawn"
"The Tower of London at night in the rain, seen from the Thames"
"The moment the Saxon shield wall breaks on Senlac Hill, 14 October 1066. Norman knights on horseback pouring through the gap. Harold's huscarls fighting back to back around the dragon standard. Late afternoon light, exhaustion, the battle already lost but the guard still fighting."
What to include if you can
- The specific moment or action — not just the battle, the turning point
- Time of day
- Weather or season
- Who is in the foreground
- What they're doing
- What's in the background
What you don't need to include
- Art style or painting medium
- Technical art terms
- Image size or orientation
- Instructions like "oil painting" or "dramatic"
We handle all of this.
A note on accuracy
Our engine draws on broad historical knowledge to add period-appropriate details. However, we cannot guarantee perfect historical accuracy in every image. Uniforms, weapons, architecture, and geography may not always be exactly correct. We are always improving, and results get better over time. If accuracy matters to you, include the specific details you want to see — the more you specify, the more control you have.
Ownership
You own every painting you create with Create. Use them however you like — print them, frame them, share them, use them commercially. All paintings are generated using AI image generation technology in The Stoic English's signature oil painting style. By using Create, you grant The Stoic English permission to showcase generated paintings for promotional purposes.
Classic vs Precision
Create offers two painting styles. Both produce oil paintings — but they have different characters.
Classic
Warm paletteAtmosphere over accuracy
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Warmer colours. Richer atmosphere. More dramatic skies. A looser, more painterly feel — like a painting you'd find in a country house or regimental museum. Works beautifully at Standard quality.
Best for: Battles, naval scenes, dramatic moments, anything where atmosphere and mood matter more than fine detail.
Precision
Cooler paletteDetail over drama
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Sharper detail. More accurate architecture, rigging, and uniforms. Cleaner composition. A slightly cooler palette but more historically precise. Shines at High quality.
Best for: Specific ships, architectural scenes, detailed uniforms, anything where you want to see the fine details clearly.
Which should I choose?
Try both on the same prompt and see which you prefer. Many of our testers find they prefer Classic for land battles and Precision for naval scenes — but there are no rules. Experiment.
Enhance with AI
Coming soon — more guide content on its way.
Tips & Tricks
Coming soon — more guide content on its way.