RT
Retro-style Prompts — Easy Guide
Write prompts that produce vintage / retro looks for images & writing. English ↔ हिन्दी toggle below.
What are “Retro-style” prompts?
Retro-style prompts ask the AI to generate visuals or text that look like they belong to a past era — e.g., 1950s, 80s synthwave, 90s grunge, vintage film photography, or old magazine illustrations. They use style keywords (film grain, muted colors, retro fonts) and cultural cues (period clothing, classic cars).
Why use retro prompts?
- Strong mood and nostalgic feel — great for social posts and thumbnails.
- Stand out from modern flat/clean aesthetics.
- Works for images, video concepts, and writing (story scenes, dialogue).
Retro Prompt Formula (simple)
Use: Era + Subject + Style + Camera/Medium + Mood + Constraints
Example structure: “[Era], [who/what], [art style], [camera/lens or medium], [mood], [constraints]”
Image prompt examples (copy & use)
“1970s Bollywood poster: young woman in saree, saturated warm colors, film grain, soft vignette, hand-painted poster style, dramatic pose, 2:3”
“1980s synthwave city at night, neon reflections, low-angle, foggy, VHS scanlines, 16:9 cinematic”
“1950s film portrait of a man, black-and-white, soft focus, Kodak Tri-X grain, rim lighting, medium format look”
Writing / Script prompt examples
“Write a 45-second YouTube hook set in 1990s Mumbai: rainy monsoon, cassette tapes, neon dhaba sign, nostalgic but punchy tone.”
“Describe a cozy 1960s coffee shop scene in 120 words: smoky atmosphere, jazz music, typewriter on table, warm sepia language.”
Practical Tips
- Be specific about era: “1970s”, “late 80s”, “post-war 1940s”. AI responds differently to each.
- Use medium/camera words: “Kodak Portra”, “Tri-X”, “Polaroid”, “35mm”, “VHS scanlines”.
- Include color & texture: “muted pastels”, “warm sepia”, “film grain”, “paper texture”.
- Control composition: “close-up”, “wide shot”, “portrait orientation”, “3:4”.
- Negative prompts: add “no modern logos”, “no text” if needed.
Quick workflow: Start with a clear retro prompt → generate → refine (tone, grain, color) → ask for variations (more/less grain, change era details).
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