Dragonborn

AI either produces a full dragon head on a human body or a human face with a few scales. Neither is right. Dragonborn have snouts, not noses. Scales, not skin. Frills, not hair. The head is where portraits succeed or fail.

Scale Color

Metallic (Gold, Silver, Bronze)

Harder for AI — metallic sheen often comes out flat. Include "metallic" and describe light interaction: "polished bronze scales with golden undertone reflecting light." Don't just say "gold scales" — you'll get yellow.

Chromatic (Red, Blue, Green, Black, White)

Use gemstone references for better results:

• Red: "deep crimson scales"
• Blue: "sapphire scales"
• Green: "emerald scales"
• Black: "obsidian scales with iridescent sheen"
• White: "frost-white scales with blue tinge"

The Snout

Be explicit about anatomy: "humanoid draconic head with pronounced snout, reptilian eyes with vertical pupils, nostrils at end of snout."

Works: "draconic head with snout", "reptilian eyes with vertical pupils", "scaled brow ridge", "jaw frills"

Avoid: "dragon face" (triggers full dragon), "scales on face" (human with scales), "dragon-like" (meaningless)

Head Frills and Crests

No hair means the silhouette comes entirely from frills:

• Fanned crest: "fan-shaped crest from crown" — noble
• Swept-back frills: "frills swept back from jaw" — predatory
• Horned: "curved horns from temples" — aggressive
• Ridged: "bony ridges from brow to crown" — subtle

Prompt Structure

[Draconic head] + [Scale color + texture] + [Frills/crest] + [Build] + [Armor] + [Expression] + [Setting]

Example: "dragonborn warrior with draconic head, pronounced snout and swept-back jaw frills, deep crimson scales, reptilian amber eyes with vertical pupils, powerful build in blackened plate armor, fierce proud expression, volcanic mountain pass, dramatic storm lighting, detailed fantasy portrait"

Troubleshooting