PROMPT GUIDE
How to Write Pony Diffusion Prompts (score_9 and source_anime)
Pony-based models (a family derived from Stable Diffusion SDXL) work best when the prompt starts with their own quality tags, such as "score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up". This guide explains the score, source and rating tags and how to order them, assuming you are making all-ages pictures.
Last updated: approx. 4 min read
The short answer
A Pony prompt usually begins with score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up. Follow it with source_anime (anime style) and rating_safe (all ages), then list ordinary Danbooru tags for the look. On Pony models the score tags work better than masterpiece-style quality tags.
How do you write a Pony prompt? (Short answer)
Put score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up first, add source_anime and rating_safe, then list normal Danbooru tags.
Pony Diffusion V6 XL and its derivatives were trained with quality ratings written as tags, from score_9 (the best) down to score_4. Placing tags such as score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up at the very start of the prompt, meaning "lean toward pictures rated at least this high", makes the quality more stable. Tags like masterpiece or best quality are said to have little effect on Pony models.
An easy order to follow is: score tags, source tag, rating tag, number of people, character appearance, outfit, pose and expression, then background and lighting. Ordinary Danbooru tags work as they are, so from the second part on you can think the same way as with Illustrious and similar models.
score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, source_anime, rating_safe, 1girl, solo, long hair, smile, school uniform, cherry blossoms, outdoors, upper body
What do score_9 and score_8_up mean? (Score tags)
score_9 pulls toward the highest-rated pictures, and score_8_up toward pictures rated 8 or higher.
score_9 means "the highest-rated pictures" and score_8_up means "pictures rated 8 or above". How many you chain together changes how strongly the result leans. The long chain is the style the model author recommended, but many models also work with a shorter one, so match the description page of the model you use.
Rinka's tips
- Always put the score tags at the very front. Placed later, they work more weakly
- Some derivative models do not need score tags, or use different quality tags. Trust the model description page first
- Adding masterpiece on top of the score tags usually changes very little
What is source_anime? (Choosing the look with source tags)
source_anime pulls the picture toward anime and illustration styles. Add it when you want anime coloring.
Pony models have source tags that show what kind of pictures the model learned from. For an anime look, source_anime helps the coloring and line art come together like anime.
How do you keep Pony pictures all-ages? (rating_safe)
Add rating_safe and write the outfit tags clearly.
Pony models have rating tags that describe the content of a picture. When you want all-ages pictures, adding rating_safe makes revealing results less likely. They can still appear, so write the outfit tags clearly and do not use words that loosen the clothing, even in the negative prompt.
Rinka's tips
- For all-ages pictures, include rating_safe and always describe the outfit (school uniform, hoodie and so on)
- Before posting on social media or art sites, check with your own eyes that the picture follows the rules of that site
How do you make one picture with Pony? (Steps)
Check the recommended settings of the model, write score, source and rating tags followed by the appearance, then generate a few images.
- Open the description page of the model and check its recommended score tags, CLIP skip and image size (CLIP skip 2 is often recommended for Pony models)
- Start with score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, followed by source_anime and rating_safe
- After 1girl, solo, add hair, eyes, outfit, expression, pose and background as Danbooru tags
- Use a recommended SDXL size (such as 832x1216) and generate a few images first
- Fix what bothers you with the negative prompt or weights, and once you get a good seed, lock it and refine the details
What goes in a Pony negative prompt?
Low score tags (score_4, score_5, score_6) plus an ordinary negative prompt against artifacts and text.
With Pony models, a common approach is to put low score tags (score_4, score_5, score_6) in the negative prompt to steer away from low-rated pictures. Then add an ordinary negative prompt for broken anatomy, text and watermarks.
score_4, score_5, score_6, lowres, bad anatomy, bad hands, extra fingers, missing fingers, text, watermark, signature, blurry, jpeg artifactsWhat if it does not work? (Common mistakes and fixes)
Here are common problems with their causes and fixes. Change only one thing at a time and compare with the same seed, which makes the cause easier to find.
Copy-and-paste templates
Replace the parts in brackets. The first is a basic upper-body picture; the second is a full-body picture with a background.
score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, source_anime, rating_safe, 1girl, solo, [hair color], [hairstyle], [eye color], [outfit], smile, looking at viewer, upper body, simple backgroundscore_9, score_8_up, score_7_up, source_anime, rating_safe, 1girl, solo, [hairstyle], [outfit], standing, full body, [place], sunlight, depth of fieldTo compare with the tag order for Illustrious and NoobAI: Illustrious and NoobAI Prompt Order →
For masterpiece and other ordinary SDXL quality tags: How to Use Quality Tags (masterpiece / best quality) →
For a negative prompt template: Recommended Negative Prompts and a Copy-Paste Template →
For recommended SDXL sizes, which Pony models also use: SDXL Resolutions (Recommended Sizes) and How to Pick a Ratio →
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What does score_9 mean?
It is a picture-rating tag used when Pony Diffusion was trained, and score_9 stands for the highest-rated pictures. Putting it at the start of the prompt pulls the result toward higher quality.
Can I use masterpiece with Pony?
It does no real harm, but score tags are said to work better on Pony models. Start by putting score_9, score_8_up, score_7_up at the front.
Should I always include source_anime?
It is recommended when you want an anime look. Without it, the result can drift toward Western cartoon or 3D-like coloring.
What is a good negative prompt for Pony?
A common choice is low score tags (score_4, score_5, score_6) plus an ordinary negative prompt such as lowres, bad hands, text and watermark.
Do Pony derivative models use the same prompt style?
Most do, but some do not need score tags or recommend a different style. Check the description page of the model first.
RINKA WORLD
Play in Rinka World
MORE
