Leonardo AI: Complete Feature Guide & Best Practices

Leonardo AI has carved out a niche as the go-to tool for game developers and digital artists. Here's your complete guide to mastering it.

What Makes Leonardo AI Special?

Unique Strengths

• Game-ready assets: Optimized for game development
• Character consistency: Maintain looks across generations
• Built-in tools: Canvas, texture generation, upscaling
• Generous free tier: 150 tokens daily
• Custom models: Train on your own data

Best Use Cases

• Game character design
• Environment concept art
• Texture and material generation
• UI/UX elements
• Consistent character sheets

Getting Started

Account Setup

1. Sign up at Leonardo.ai
2. Choose free or paid tier
3. Verify email
4. Access the dashboard

Token System

• Free: 150 tokens/day
• Paid: More tokens based on plan
• Tokens refresh daily
• Different features cost different amounts

Core Features

1. Image Generation

Basic Generation

• Enter prompt
• Choose model
• Set dimensions
• Adjust settings
• Generate

Key Settings

• Number of images: 1-8 per generation
• Guidance scale: How closely to follow prompt
• Step count: Quality vs speed tradeoff
• Dimensions: Various presets available

2. AI Canvas

The built-in editor for:

• Outpainting (expand images)
• Inpainting (edit specific areas)
• Sketch to image
• Image composition

3. Texture Generation

Create seamless textures:

• PBR-ready outputs
• Multiple map types (diffuse, normal, roughness)
• Tileable by design
• Perfect for game development

4. Character Consistency

Maintain character appearance:

• Train custom models on character
• Use image-to-image with references
• Leverage ControlNet for poses
• Create character sheets

Available Models

Leonardo Diffusion XL

• Latest flagship model
• Best overall quality
• Versatile style handling

Leonardo Vision XL

• Photorealistic focus
• Great for portraits
• Product visualization

DreamShaper

• Artistic and stylized
• Fantasy and sci-fi
• Painterly results

3D Animation Style

• Pixar/Disney aesthetic
• Character-focused
• Clean, polished look

RPG Models

• Game asset focused
• Character portraits
• Fantasy items

Prompt Writing for Leonardo

Effective Structure

1. Subject description
2. Style keywords
3. Quality modifiers
4. Technical details

Quality Keywords That Work

• highly detailed
• sharp focus
• professional quality
• 4k, 8k
• octane render
• unreal engine
• concept art

Style Keywords

• fantasy art
• digital painting
• 3d render
• anime style
• photorealistic
• stylized

Best Practices by Use Case

Game Characters

Prompt Template:

[character type], [physical description], [outfit/armor], [pose], [background], game character concept art, highly detailed, professional quality

Example:

fierce female warrior, long red braided hair, ornate golden armor, battle stance, holding flaming sword, dark castle background, game character concept art, highly detailed, dramatic lighting

Environment Concept Art

Prompt Template:

[environment type], [time of day/weather], [key elements], [atmosphere], concept art, matte painting, cinematic

Example:

ancient elven city in a giant tree, golden sunset, waterfalls, floating platforms, mystical atmosphere, concept art, matte painting, cinematic, highly detailed

Game Items/Props

Prompt Template:

[item type], [material/style], [special features], game asset, isometric view, transparent background

Example:

legendary magic staff, crystalline with golden accents, glowing blue runes, game asset, isometric view, transparent background, highly detailed

Textures

Prompt Template:

[material type] texture, seamless, tileable, PBR, [additional details]

Example:

ancient stone brick texture, seamless, tileable, PBR, weathered with moss, game asset

Advanced Features

Image to Image

Use reference images for:

• Style transfer
• Pose matching
• Color palette extraction
• Concept iteration

ControlNet

Available controls:

• Pose detection
• Edge detection
• Depth mapping
• Character consistency

Custom Models

Train on your own images:

1. Upload 10-20 images
2. Configure training settings
3. Wait for training
4. Use custom model in generations

Pricing Breakdown

Free Tier

• 150 tokens/day
• Basic features
• Community models
• Good for trying out

Apprentice ($12/month)

• 8,500 tokens/month
• Priority processing
• More features

Artisan ($24/month)

• 25,000 tokens/month
• All features
• Custom model training
• API access

Maestro ($48/month)

• 60,000 tokens/month
• Maximum capabilities
• Professional use

Tips for Maximizing Value

Token Efficiency

1. Start with smaller images, upscale good ones
2. Use fewer generation steps for drafts
3. Generate fewer variations initially
4. Refine prompts before mass generation

Quality Optimization

1. Use appropriate model for your task
2. Adjust guidance scale (7-9 usually best)
3. Higher steps for final outputs
4. Upscale best results

Workflow Tips

1. Draft → Refine → Finalize approach
2. Use Canvas for complex compositions
3. Save successful prompts
4. Build a personal prompt library

Common Issues and Solutions

Blurry Results

• Increase step count
• Use upscaler
• Check resolution settings
• Try different model

Wrong Style

• Switch to appropriate model
• Strengthen style keywords
• Use negative prompts
• Add reference images

Inconsistent Characters

• Use image-to-image
• Train custom model
• Use ControlNet pose
• Reference previous generations

Leonardo AI vs Alternatives

Conclusion

Leonardo AI excels for game development and digital art production. Its combination of quality, built-in tools, and generous free tier makes it accessible to both hobbyists and professionals.

Pro tip: Use our Image to Prompt tool to analyze successful Leonardo AI generations and improve your prompts!