Key Takeaways
- DALL-E is developed by OpenAI, one of the largest AI companies that developed ChatGPT;
- It is a breakthrough AI system that can create artistic images in different styles;
- By understanding how to use DALL-E, you can generate digital visuals by simply writing out descriptions, also known as prompts.
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.jpg "How to Use DALL-E to Generate AI Art From Your Ideas")
It's a new day in the digital age, where content comes from code and colors are made of pixels. I’m talking about AI art, which is made possible by tools like DALL-E. It's a text-to-image model developed by OpenAI, which spearheaded ChatGPT. If you’ve ever wondered how to design visuals without touching Photoshop, you might want to learn how to use DALL-E.
A disclaimer, though: while DALL-E is still live, OpenAI has shifted its focus to GPT-4o, a multimodal system that can not only reason in texts but also create stylized graphics, including Ghibli-inspired art and more. That said, getting familiar with earlier technologies can help you lay a strong foundation for understanding AI image generation and get the most out of newer tools.
Whether you’re an artist pairing old methods with new technology or someone simply interested in AI innovations, let’s find out what is DALL-E and its power to convert text descriptions into graphic designs. And don't just stop there, try out other AI solutions that can boost your productivity in different areas, like QuillBot for polishing your writing or Murf.ai for creating high-quality voiceovers.
Table of Contents
- 1. Getting Started: How to Use DALL-E
- 1.1. Create an OpenAI Account
- 1.2. Write Detailed Prompts
- 1.3. Polish and Edit
- 2. Advanced Tips
- 3. How to Install DALL-E API for Developers
- 4. Comparison and Considerations
- 5. Top MOOC Providers to Learn DALL-E Fast
- 5.1. DALL-E Mastery: Create Impressive AI Art
- 5.2. DALL-E 3 for Beginners: AI Art for Creators
- 5.3. DALL-E Beginners 101: Learn to Create Stunning DALL-E AI Art
- 6. Conclusions
Getting Started: How to Use DALL-E
The name “DALL-E” might sound familiar to you. Surprisingly, and rather uniquely, it is a blend of the famous artist Salvador Dali and Pixar’s cute robot WALL-E. The technology has been attracting attention and inspiring creativity everywhere, showing that art can evolve as the code behind it and inspiring many to learn how to use DALL-E.
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Just a heads-up, I will focus on DALL-E 3 in this tutorial. If you’re looking for how to use DALL-E 2, ChatGPT no longer supports that and is instead onboarding users to utilize newer releases that come with bigger improvements.
1. Create an OpenAI Account
I tested myself to see if I could use DALL-E's image generator without an account, but as it turned out, I couldn’t. The feature is currently only available to ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Enterprise users via GPT-4o, which requires a monthly subscription fee at the time of writing.
GPT-4o was officially phased out on April 30, 2025. All operations, including image generation, were transitioned to GPT-4o.
Just as an example, I’ll show you how to create AI-powered artwork using the most affordable plan yet, which is ChatGPT Plus at $20 per month. Once you have your paid account activated, follow the steps below:
Now that you’re logged in, diving into how to use DALL-E begins with understanding its interface and overall system.
If you’ve tried out how to use DALL-E 2 before, you probably remember the credit system, when OpenAI used to give out free tokens to get started. DALL-E 3, on the other hand, no longer has that. Instead, free users can generate up to three images per day. But the limit may change depending on system load and resource availability.
For unlimited and priority processing, you’ll need a ChatGPT Plus, Team, or Enterprise account to unlock your access.
Is it worth it? It all goes back to what you’re looking for, but I’d say yes. The latest update brings a whole range of features that you can try out to the fullest. Just look at the current trend of generating photorealistic AI images, which serves as an example of the many creative directions your prompts can take you.
Bear in mind that, since the said model is integrated into GPT-4, there’s a cap of 40 messages per 3 hours. This might sound restrictive, but based on my experience, you can actually produce a wealth of creative outputs within that period.
Even in terms of navigation, the latest release is comparatively more accessible. DALL-E 2 had a separate interface, and many ChatGPT users didn’t know it existed. Now, there’s no barrier, as DALL-E 3 is built directly into ChatGPT and instantly available to its millions of weekly users.
At the time of writing, you can generate images on ChatGPT by going to [Tools] > [Image generation]. Keep in mind that OpenAI tends to update ChatGPT's UI rather frequently, so there might be some slight alterations in the future.
Additionally, older GPTs offered editing tools like eraser and outpainting. The former could be used to subtract areas you’d like to clear out, while the latter allows you to expand the canvas in any direction.
On DALL-E 3, such features are still around, but they’re not directly embedded into the interface. I’ll walk you through the details in a bit.
📚 Related: What Is AI Art
2. Write Detailed Prompts
The key to creating amazing AI artwork is the prompt you supply. Here are some tips to get started:
- The more specific your descriptions get, the better the bot understands your idea. Imagine you’re describing a scene an artist can’t see.
- Using descriptive words gives DALL-E a clearer view of your image goal. Want a "sunset"? Perhaps try "a stunning, blazing sunset over a peaceful, sapphire ocean”.
- If you're targeting a particular artistic style or want your image to reflect the vibe of a well-known artist, mention it in your prompt. "In the style of Van Gogh" could infuse your envisioned art with a swirling, star-filled night.
To open DALL-E and type in your prompts, make sure you're on GPT-4 as it is the model that supports DALL-E 3. Afterward, you can take a look at the following examples to see how far you can go with the art of prompting.
- An example of a vague prompt may look like: "A landscape".
- Now, here is a more detailed prompt: "A peaceful landscape with a tumbling waterfall, encircled by fall-hued trees beneath a dusk sky".
The second description offers DALL-E a more in-depth explanation to adhere to, boosting the odds of an image that fits your vision.
Once you’ve applied these steps and mastered how to fine-tune your prompts, you’re ready to bring your ideas to life. Just keep in mind that starting a new chat is like opening a blank canvas.
TIP: If you want to build on a previous image or keep using past prompts, make sure to stick to the same conversation.
3. Polish and Edit
When you use DALL-E, keep in mind that initial results may not always hit the mark, but they give you a strong foundation for further polishing with prompts and they also used to give you one significant editing tool known as [Select].
As of May 2025, the interactive image editing tool (select/brush feature) is no longer available on the ChatGPT interface. You can still make changes by describing your desired edits in text, and ChatGPT will regenerate the image accordingly.
It was pretty self-descriptive: the feature let you “select” or, more precisely, block areas you liked to modify. To access it, you needed to click on the image generated by the AI, then on the brush-and-easel-shaped button in the top right corner.
Plus, there were an abundance of possibilities you could do with it. Here were some of its common uses:
Adjustment
Once you selected an area, you could have adjusted specific properties to your liking without worrying about it affecting the rest of the image. For instance, you could have made a certain color or object brighter, with more contrast, or saturated.
Referencing the picture of the couple on a picnic above. When it was still available, I tried it and I could say that I really liked it. For instance, I entered the prompt to make the woman’s dress twice as bright by blocking the aforementioned area:
Notice any difference? It might not pop out, but this is just an illustration of how you were able to modify certain parts of the image to your liking with this tool.
TIP: Use numbers and percentages when writing a prompt to make changes so that ChatGPT can accurately adjust brightness, contrast, or other image settings to match your precise specifications. For instance: “Increase the contrast by 15%”.
Omission
Sometimes, I see subtraction as a creative addition, and that’s what you were able to do with the [Select] tool.
Once you removed an area, DALL-E’s AI analyzed the surrounding context to generate new content that fit naturally into the existing scene. This could have meant extending a landscape or simply reimagining what that space would become.
For instance, I asked to remove the bottle of wine in the previous “couple on a picnic” picture.
The newly generated content is designed to integrate seamlessly with the untouched parts of the image, maintaining the original style, lighting, and perspective.
Addition
If you ask me, “What is DALL-E’s biggest strength?”, I would say it is the AI’s ability to add a new object into an image. I experimented with a realistic picture of a cat in a tree. Using the [Select] tool, I blocked the cat’s head, and inputted the prompt “Add a top hat”. Here’s what it came up with:
Again, note that this tool is not available anymore, but you do have the option of making the changes simply by writing prompts.
As demonstrated, DALL-E 3 expertly interprets natural language descriptions to seamlessly introduce entirely new aspects into images, showcasing its magical ability to transform and enhance visual content.
I have to admit, though, the "Select" tool was a more convenient method of making changes the way you want, as opposed to the changes you can make with writing prompts alone.
Advanced Tips
At the beginning, I mentioned the importance of writing detailed prompts. The action, however, requires an idea and might be harder than you’d expect. Let me share some tips I gathered while learning how to use DALL-E myself:
Explore Artistic Themes
Think of your choice of theme as a travel destination. It can be a range of ideas—chilling futures, peaceful scenes, or abstract feelings.
Example: "Imagine dreamscape cities, where skyscrapers are crafted from clouds and streets paved with stardust".
As you can see, a well-chosen theme helps provide direction and purpose, guiding the AI to make creations that align with your art pursuit.
Think of Historical and Cultural References
Including elements from different eras, book quotes, or cultural symbols can lend a new depth to AI-created art. Imagine using DALL-E to re-imagine the famous Battle of Thermopylae with a retro-futuristic spin, or illustrating a scene from "The Great Gatsby" in a cubist style.
Example: "Imagine the Renaissance in a world of computers, with Leonardo da Vinci's office filled with robotic creations".
Adding references not only pushes the AI’s artistic abilities but also adds layers of meaning that spark interpretation.
Describe Emotions and Sensations
Art should speak to both the heart and the senses. When writing prompts, weaving in descriptions that trigger emotions or sensory experiences can result in expressive artworks.
Example: "Show a single lighthouse on a stormy night. Its light is a beacon of hope against the loud waves and strong wind".
Encouraging DALL-E to show the sadness of a rain-soaked city or the calm of a sun-kissed field lets the AI interpret these emotions visually, resulting in art that truly resonates.
Mix Ideas and Styles
DALL-E 3 excels at merging separate concepts and styles. Pair "a cyberpunk city" with "impressionism", and you ask the bot to blend these different thoughts.
Example: "Picture a cyberpunk city through an impressionist view, where bright lights soften into gentle strokes against the skyline".
The result will be a surprisingly fresh art piece. This method challenges AI’s creative abilities while expanding your imaginative playground.
Use Metaphors and Symbols
Metaphors and symbols speak to the subconscious. They serve as a rewarding source of inspiration for AI art. When you fill your prompts with symbolic visuals or whimsical phrases, it pushes DALL-E to address abstract ideas, transforming concepts into art that calls for interpretation and pondering.
Example: "Create a visual where time is a flowing river, passing through an old forest untouched by man, under a sky colored with twilight".
Crafting AI art is a two-way street—a conversation between the artist and the AI. Each output lets you edit your prompts, reviewing the AI's interpretations to sharpen your creative route. This iterative procedure is vital for forming a deeper sense of how DALL-E reacts to assorted prompts, empowering you to design more powerful and inventive descriptions.
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How to Install DALL-E API for Developers
As mentioned, DALL-E is now replaced by GPT-4o for image generation. But if you have a soft spot for that particular model, don’t worry, you can still integrate it into your application, service, or custom GPT to deliver image generation that resonates with your creative vision and your audience.
Check out the tutorial below on how to install the DALL-E API:
Don't leap into coding yet. Take some time to finish reading the documentation. It has all the resources you need about request formats, rate limits, and smart ways to work with the technology.
Keep in mind that the old DALL-E web UI with a brush or selection tool (for clicking or erasing directly in a GUI) is not available through the API. Additionally, the DALL-E 3 API does not currently support inpainting. Only DALL-E 2 does.
Adopt these advanced suggestions and techniques to open up new aspects of creativity. If you’re familiar with how to use DALL-E 2, leveling up to DALL-E 3 will be a breeze. Just position yourself as an artist trying out new ways of self-expression, even if you’re a developer or anyone in any line of work.
📚 Read More: How to Use ChatGPT API
Comparison and Considerations
DALL-E is just one of the many growing AI art solutions. Each option in the market has unique virtues, abilities, and limits. Other tools like Midjourney present alternative AI-creativity strategies with varying image quality and customization levels.
However, there are a couple of challenges. Being able to create art from massive data sets raises concerns over copyright issues, ownership of AI-made works, and use of content without a proper license in training data. Courts are currently considering how copyright laws should be applied to AI products.
Mark Coeckelbergh, a Belgian technology professor and philosopher, claims that AI images made using deep learning models make us question our typical ideas about art and who made it.[1]
...is this art, and if so, who created the art: the human or the AI? These are not just theoretical questions; they have practical ethical and legal implications, for example when raising authorship and copyright issues.
He further suggests seeing these creations as a cooperative performance between the artist and the machine, possibly leading to new types of artistic identity and expression.
On legal and moral matters, a system has been suggested for AI digital products. Researchers are championing a process for developing innovations that center on humans,[2] emphasize risk management, and call for constant system management to move through the unclear world of AI ethics and legal matters.
After all, commercially using art made by DALL-E falls under OpenAI's usage policies. Although you hold all rights to the generated images, staying up to date on your region's AI and intellectual property laws is essential, especially with them constantly evolving.
Top MOOC Providers to Learn DALL-E Fast
AI is making strides in creativity, providing tools for eager minds. To keep up, online course providers like Udemy and Skillshare offer quick, in-depth lessons. Each material dives into DALL-E, equipping you with tools and know-how for stunning visuals.
DALL-E Mastery: Create Impressive AI Art
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Price: $79.99
- Certificate: Yes
- Level: Suitable for all
- Where to apply? Enroll Here
This course, skillfully designed by the professional artist and designer Samson Vowles, is suitable for everyone, whether you are an experienced artist or a beginner.
The lesson will arm you with the necessary knowledge to develop distinctive and eye-catching AI art. With 2.5 hours of readily available video, 3 downloadable resources, coupled with lifelong access, you're all set to progress from beginner to pro, all at your comfort and speed.
What Will You Learn?
Learn how to use DALL-E’s tools to craft art that could not only impress your friends but also make money. Additionally, navigate the tricky waters of copyright and learn the ropes of selling your creations online.
Finally, get hands-on with projects like realistic portrait photography and avatar illustrations to apply what you've learned.
📚 Read More: How to Make Money With AI
DALL-E 3 for Beginners: AI Art for Creators
- Platform: Skillshare
- Duration: 30 mins
- Price: $3.99/month
- Certificate: No
- Level: Suitable for all
- Where to apply? Enroll Here
This concise yet detailed class will illuminate your journey using AI. Arnold Trinh, an expert in marketing, branding, and design, shares his ten years of expertise, offering an in-depth tour on how does DALL-E work.
This course is great for anyone, whether you're an aspiring artist or an entrepreneur ready to incorporate AI into your creative arsenal.
Within just half an hour, you'll know how to capably create prompts, get the gist of DALL-E’s complexity, and traverse the endless possibilities of generative imaging. All this knowledge will eventually help streamline your creative process.
What Will You Learn?
Get the knack of prompt generation that guides DALL-E 3 to match your ideas perfectly. Moreover, learn how to use different styles and themes to elevate your artwork. Along the way, discover the limitless options the AI provides for crafting eye-catching, professional-grade pieces.
If you’re aiming to get consistent, top-quality outcomes, the instructor will also guide you on how to make your creative workflow smoother. Once you finish this class, you'll not only have a beautiful piece of AI-generated art, but also in-depth knowledge of how to use DALL-E.
- Free to use
- Add-ons for Microsoft Word and Chrome
- Wide selection of tools
- Extensions for Chrome and Edge browsers
- Some tools are free
- Easy to use
- Supports over 120 voices in 20 languages
- Live customer support
- Voice cloning feature
- Voice cloning
- Emphasis and pauses
- Background music
- Easy to use
- AI-powered tools
- Cross-platform integration
- Multitrack editing
- AI-powered editing
- Accurate transcription
DALL-E Beginners 101: Learn to Create Stunning DALL-E AI Art
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Price: $64.99
- Certificate: Yes
- Level: Beginner
- Where to apply? Enroll here
If you’ve ever pictured yourself creating mind-blowing visuals, this course is what I’d recommend to get you there. Here, your creativity pairs up with AI, guided by a seasoned expert with over two decades in the field. Completing this will equip you with the basics of how to use DALL-E 2 and transcend to DALL-E 3.
The skill you’ve gained here can also prepare you for broader fields. Whether you’re looking to enhance your social media, improve your website, or give your presentations a boost, this class will provide you with the essential foundation.
What Will You Learn?
The materials include necessary topics from generating images via text to adjusting or modifying visuals to align with your creative vision. You’ll also figure out how does DALL-E work in reinventing art, design, and advertising, helping you become a field expert.
Furthermore, go beyond the basics to explore in-depth techniques, including brush stroke skills, and crafting a variety of original impacts. If you’ve ever wondered about DALL-E's potential impact on job automation and future work, you can stay informed and get ahead of the curve from the learnings in this class.
Most importantly, understand the ins and outs of content policy and copyright rules, so you’ll know how to use AI art ethically.
Did you know?
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Conclusions
How to use DALL-E really depends on the operator who is supplying the prompt. The AI can turn simple text into stunning visuals that catch the attention of many, but to truly inspire, you’ll need to be specific with your vision.
Looking ahead, though, since DALL-E has been replaced by the more recent release of GPT-4o image generation exploring how it works might sound unnecessary. However, there’s no harm in learning how to use DALL-E 2 or 3, as it helps lay the foundation in mastering the broader world of AI art.
Best of all, the technology’s abilities are an invitation for all. No matter if you’re an established artist looking for a fresh spark in your work or a newbie starting your creative journey, courses are available if you’d like to learn the ropes.
Some top-notch options are those from Udemy and Skillshare, providing materials and lessons that let you unleash your imagination.
The content published on this website is not aimed to give any kind of financial, investment, trading, or any other form of advice. BitDegree.org does not endorse or suggest you to buy or use any kind of AI tool. Before making financial investment decisions, do consult your financial advisor.
Scientific References
1. Coeckelbergh M.: 'The Work of Art in the Age of AI Image Generation: Aesthetics and Human-Technology Relations as Process and Performance';
2. Ortega E., Tran M., Bandeen G.: 'AI Digital Tool Product Lifecycle Governance Framework through Ethics and Compliance by Design'.
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