Pony Diffusion Prompting Guide

Pony Diffusion is an SDXL-family model built for stylized character work, anime/cartoon looks, furry or creature art, strong character references, and tag-heavy prompts.

Unlike general SDXL, Pony depends heavily on score, source, rating, and character tags. Put those tags at the start before the scene details.

Need general photo, product, design, or cinematic image prompts? Use the SDXL Prompting Guide.

Prompt Formula

Use this structure:

[score tags], [source tag], [rating tag], [subject count], [character/style tags], [scene/action/details]

Reliable safe starter:

score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, score_6_up, source_anime, rating_safe,

Full quality string:

score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, score_6_up, score_5_up, score_4_up,

Pony can understand plain language, but the score and source tags are a big part of how the model was trained.

Score Tags

  • score_9
  • score_8_up
  • score_7_up
  • score_6_up
  • score_5_up
  • score_4_up

Use at least the top three or four. score_9 by itself is usually weaker than the combined string.

Source Tags

  • source_anime for anime styling
  • source_cartoon for western/cartoon styling
  • source_furry for furry or anthro styling
  • source_pony for pony-style outputs

Put the source tag right after the score tags. Start with one source tag, then add or change it only if the style is drifting.

Rating Tags

  • rating_safe for SFW images
  • rating_questionable for in-between content
  • rating_explicit for explicit content

For general DopamineGirl docs, keep rating_safe in the positive prompt and put unwanted rating tags in the negative prompt.

Common Character Tags

  • 1girl, 1boy, 2girls, solo
  • looking at viewer
  • standing, sitting, running
  • detailed eyes, detailed background
  • long hair, short hair, black hair, blue eyes

Use tags for stable identity details, then add a short natural language phrase for the scene or mood.

Negative Prompts

Start simple:

ugly, deformed, blurry, low quality, bad hands, extra fingers, text, watermark, signature, rating_explicit

To push away from a source family, add that source tag to the negative prompt. For example, add source_furry if you want a human anime character and the model keeps drifting toward anthro traits.

Use source negatives carefully. They can remove useful anatomy and style knowledge if you overdo them.

Starter Recipes

Anime character portrait

score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, score_6_up, source_anime, rating_safe, 1girl, solo, long silver hair, blue eyes, school uniform, soft smile, looking at viewer, cherry blossom trees, warm sunset light, detailed eyes, clean line art

Cartoon action scene

score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, score_6_up, source_cartoon, rating_safe, 1boy, dynamic pose, red jacket, jumping across rooftops, city skyline, exaggerated motion, dramatic clouds, bold colors, detailed background

Stylized creature portrait

score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, score_6_up, source_furry, rating_safe, solo, friendly fox adventurer, green cloak, leather satchel, forest path, soft morning light, expressive eyes, painterly cartoon style

Known character style prompt

score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, score_6_up, source_anime, rating_safe, 1girl, [character name], detailed outfit, confident pose, dramatic backlight, cinematic composition, detailed background

Replace [character name] with the actual character. If the model mixes details, describe the hair, eyes, outfit, accessories, and pose instead of relying only on the name.

Troubleshooting

The output looks low quality

  • Use the score tag string at the beginning.
  • Add a source tag like source_anime or source_cartoon.
  • Add clearer subject, pose, and style tags.

The image drifts into the wrong style

  • Add the correct source tag earlier.
  • Put unwanted source tags in the negative prompt.
  • Add a concrete style phrase like anime screenshot, cartoon style, or painterly cartoon style.

The model changes the character

  • Put the character name earlier.
  • Describe hair, eyes, outfit, accessories, and pose.
  • For multiple characters, describe each character separately.

Hands or anatomy fail

  • Add pose clarity: hands visible, holding a cup with both hands, standing straight.
  • Avoid asking for too many limbs, props, and interactions at once.
  • Generate multiple seeds and keep the best composition.

Final Checklist

  • Start with score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, score_6_up.
  • Add one source tag such as source_anime, source_cartoon, or source_furry.
  • Add rating_safe when you want safe outputs.
  • Put subject count tags like 1girl, 1boy, or solo before scene details.
  • Use a short negative prompt, then add only the fixes you need.
  • Describe important character traits instead of relying only on names.

References