Exploring creative possibilities: A visual guide to Amazon Nova Canvas

Compelling AI-generated images start with well-crafted prompts. In this follow-up to our Amazon Nova Canvas Prompt Engineering Guide, we showcase a curated gallery of visuals generated by Nova Canvas—categorized by real-world use cases—from marketing and product visualization to concept art and design exploration.

Each image is paired with the prompt and parameters that generated it, providing a practical starting point for your own AI-driven creativity. Whether you’re crafting specific types of images, optimizing workflows, or simply seeking inspiration, this guide will help you unlock the full potential of Amazon Nova Canvas.

Solution overview

Getting started with Nova Canvas is straightforward. You can access the model through the Image Playground on the AWS Management Console for Amazon Bedrock, or through APIs. For detailed setup instructions, including account requirements and necessary permissions, visit our documentation on Creative content generation with Amazon Nova. Our previous post on prompt engineering best practices provides comprehensive guidance on crafting effective prompts.

A visual guide to Amazon Nova Canvas

In this gallery, we showcase a diverse range of images and the prompts used to generate them, highlighting how Amazon Nova Canvas adapts to various use cases—from marketing and product design to storytelling and concept art.

All images that follow were generated using Nova Canvas at a 1280x720px resolution with a CFG scale of 6.5, seed of 0, and the Premium setting for image quality. This resolution also matches the image dimensions expected by Nova Reel, allowing you to take these images into Amazon Nova Reel to experiment with video generation.

Landscapes

Overhead perspective of winding river delta, capturing intricate branching waterways and sediment patterns. Soft morning light revealing subtle color gradations between water and land. Revealing landscape’s hidden fluid dynamics from bird’s-eye view.		Sparse arctic tundra landscape at twilight, expansive white terrain with isolated rock formations silhouetted against a deep blue sky. Low-contrast black and white composition capturing the infinite horizon, with subtle purple hues in the shadows. Ultra-wide-angle perspective emphasizing the vastness of negative space and geological simplicity.
Wide-angle aerial shot of patchwork agricultural terrain at golden hour, with long shadows accentuating the texture and topography of the land. Emphasis on the interplay of light and shadow across the geometric field divisions.		Dynamic drone perspective of a dramatic shoreline at golden hour, capturing long shadows cast by towering sea stacks and coastal cliffs. Hyper-detailed imagery showcasing the interplay of warm sunlight on rocky textures and the cool, foamy edges of incoming tides.
Dramatic wide-angle shot of a rugged mountain range at sunset, with a lone tree silhouetted in the foreground, creating a striking focal point.		Wide-angle capture of a hidden beach cove, surrounded by towering cliffs, with a shipwreck partially visible in the shallow waters.

Character portraits

A profile view of a weathered fisherman, silhouetted against a pastel dawn sky. The rim lighting outlines the shape of his beard and the texture of his knit cap. Rendered with high contrast to emphasize the rugged contours of his face and the determined set of his jaw.
A weathered fisherman with a thick gray beard and a knit cap, framed against the backdrop of a misty harbor at dawn. The image captures him in a medium shot, revealing more of his rugged attire. Cool, blue tones dominate the scene, contrasting with the warm highlights on his face.		An intimate portrait of a seasoned fisherman, his face filling the frame. His thick gray beard is flecked with sea spray, and his knit cap is pulled low over his brow. The warm glow of sunset bathes his weathered features in golden light, softening the lines of his face while still preserving the character earned through years at sea. His eyes reflect the calm waters of the harbor behind him.
A seaside cafe at sunrise, with a seasoned barista’s silhouette visible through the window. Their kind smile is illuminated by the warm glow of the rising sun, creating a serene atmosphere. The image has a dreamy, soft-focus quality with pastel hues.
A dynamic profile shot of a barista in motion, captured mid-conversation with a customer. Their smile is genuine and inviting, with laugh lines accentuating their seasoned experience. The cafe’s interior is rendered in soft bokeh, maintaining the cinematic feel with a shallow depth of field.		A front-facing portrait of an experienced barista, their welcoming smile framed by the sleek espresso machine. The background bustles with blurred cafe activity, while the focus remains sharp on the barista’s friendly demeanor. The lighting is contrasty, enhancing the cinematic mood.

Fashion photography

A model with sharp cheekbones and platinum pixie cut in a distressed leather bomber jacket stands amid red smoke in an abandoned subway tunnel. Wide-angle lens, emphasizing tunnel’s converging lines, strobed lighting creating a sense of motion.
A model with sharp cheekbones and platinum pixie cut wears a distressed leather bomber jacket, posed against a stark white cyclorama. Low-key lighting creates deep shadows, emphasizing the contours of her face. Shot from a slightly lower angle with a medium format camera, highlighting the jacket’s texture.		Close-up portrait of a model with defined cheekbones and a platinum pixie cut, emerging from an infinity pool while wearing a wet distressed leather bomber jacket. Shot from a low angle with a tilt-shift lens, blurring the background for a dreamy fashion magazine aesthetic.
A model with sharp cheekbones and platinum pixie cut is wearing a distressed leather bomber jacket, caught mid-laugh at a backstage fashion show. Black and white photojournalistic style, natural lighting.		Side profile of a model with defined cheekbones and a platinum pixie cut, standing still amidst the chaos of Chinatown at midnight. The distressed leather bomber jacket contrasts with the blurred neon lights in the background, creating a sense of urban solitude.

Product photography

A flat lay featuring a premium matte metal water bottle with bamboo accents, placed on a textured linen cloth. Eco-friendly items like a cork notebook, a sprig of eucalyptus, and a reusable straw are arranged around it. Soft, natural lighting casts gentle shadows, emphasizing the bottle’s matte finish and bamboo details. The background is an earthy tone like beige or light gray, creating a harmonious and sustainable composition.		Angled perspective of the premium water bottle with bamboo elements, positioned on a natural jute rug. Surrounding it are earth-friendly items: a canvas tote bag, a stack of recycled paper notebooks, and a terracotta planter with air-purifying plants. Warm, golden hour lighting casts long shadows, emphasizing textures and creating a cozy, sustainable atmosphere. The scene evokes a sense of eco-conscious home or office living.
An overhead view of the water bottle’s bamboo cap, partially unscrewed to reveal the threaded metal neck. Soft, even lighting illuminates the entire scene, showcasing the natural variations in the bamboo’s color and grain. The bottle’s matte metal body extends out of frame, creating a minimalist composition that draws attention to the sustainable materials and precision engineering.		An angled view of a premium matte metal water bottle with bamboo accents, showcasing its sleek profile. The background features a soft blur of a serene mountain lake. Golden hour sunlight casts a warm glow on the bottle’s surface, highlighting its texture. Captured with a shallow depth of field for product emphasis.
A pair of premium over-ear headphones with a matte black finish and gold accents, arranged in a flat lay on a clean white background. Organic leaves for accents. small notepad, pencils, and a carrying case are neatly placed beside the headphones, creating a symmetrical and balanced composition. Bright, diffused lighting eliminates shadows, emphasizing the sleek design without distractions. A shadowless, crisp aesthetic.
An overhead shot of premium over-ear headphones resting on a reflective surface, showcasing the symmetry of the design. Dramatic side lighting accentuates the curves and edges, casting subtle shadows that highlight the product’s premium build quality.		An extreme macro shot focusing on the junction where the leather ear cushion meets the metallic housing of premium over-ear headphones. Sharp details reveal the precise stitching and material textures, while selective focus isolates this area against a softly blurred, dark background, showcasing the product’s premium construction.
An overhead shot of premium over-ear headphones resting on a reflective surface, showcasing the symmetry of the design. Dramatic side lighting casts long shadows, accentuating the curves of the headband and the depth of the ear cups against a minimalist white background.		A dynamic composition of premium over-ear headphones floating in space, with the headband and ear cups slightly separated to showcase individual components. Rim lighting outlines each piece, while a gradient background adds depth and sophistication.
A smiling student holding up her smartphone, displaying a green matte screen for easy image replacement, in a classroom setting.		Overhead view of a young man typing on a laptop with a green matte screen, surrounded by work materials on a wooden table.

Food photography

Monochromatic macarons arranged in precise geometric pattern. Strong shadow play. Architectural lighting. Minimal composition.
A pyramid of macarons in ombre pastels, arranged on a matte black slate surface. Dramatic side lighting from left. Close-up view highlighting texture of macaron shells. Garnished with edible gold leaf accents. Shot at f/2 aperture for shallow depth of field.		Disassembled macaron parts in zero-g chamber. Textured cookie halves, viscous filling streams, and scattered almond slivers drifting. High-contrast lighting with subtle shadows on off-white. Wide-angle shot showcasing full dispersal pattern.

Architectural design

A white cubic house with floor-to-ceiling windows, interior view from living room. Double-height space, floating steel staircase, polished concrete floors. Late afternoon sunbeams streaming across minimal furnishings. Ultra-wide architectural lens.		A white cubic house with floor-to-ceiling windows, kitchen and dining space. Monolithic marble island, integrated appliances, dramatic shadows from skylight above. Shot from a low angle with a wide-angle lens, emphasizing the height and openness of the space, late afternoon golden hour light streaming in.
An angular white modernist house featuring expansive glass walls, photographed for Architectural Digest’s cover. Misty morning atmosphere, elongated infinity pool creating a mirror image, three-quarter aerial view, lush coastal vegetation framing the scene.
A white cubic house with floor-to-ceiling windows presented as detailed architectural blueprints. Site plan view showing landscaping and property boundaries, technical annotations, blue background with white lines, precise measurements and zoning specifications visible.		A white cubic house with floor-to-ceiling windows in precise isometric projection. X-ray style rendering revealing internal framework, electrical wiring, and plumbing systems. Technical cross-hatching on load-bearing elements and foundation.

Concept art

A stylized digital painting of a bustling plaza in a futuristic eco-city, with soft impressionistic brushstrokes. Crystalline towers frame the scene, while suspended gardens create a canopy overhead. Holographic displays and eco-friendly vehicles add life to the foreground. Dreamlike and atmospheric, with glowing highlights in sapphire and rose gold.		A stylized digital painting of an elevated park in a futuristic eco-city, viewed from a high angle, with soft impressionistic brushstrokes. Crystalline towers peek through a canopy of trees, while winding elevated walkways connect floating garden platforms. People relax in harmony with nature. Dreamlike and atmospheric, with glowing highlights in jade and amber.
Concept art of a floating garden platform in a futuristic city, viewed from below. Translucent roots and hanging vines intertwine with advanced technology, creating a mesmerizing canopy. Soft bioluminescent lights pulse through the vegetation, casting ethereal patterns on the ocean’s surface. A gradient of deep purples and blues dominates the twilight sky.
An enchanted castle atop a misty cliff at sunrise, warm golden light bathing the ivy-covered spires. A wide-angle view capturing a flock of birds soaring past the tallest tower, set against a dramatic sky with streaks of orange and pink. Mystical ambiance and dynamic composition.		A magical castle rising from morning fog on a rugged cliff face, bathed in cool blue twilight. A low-angle shot showcasing the castle’s imposing silhouette against a star-filled sky, with a crescent moon peeking through wispy clouds. Mysterious mood and vertical composition emphasizing height.
An enchanted fortress clinging to a mist-shrouded cliff, caught in the moment between night and day. A panoramic view from below, revealing the castle’s reflection in a tranquil lake at the base of the cliff. Ethereal pink and purple hues in the sky, with a V-formation of birds flying towards the castle. Serene atmosphere and balanced symmetry.

Illustration

Japanese ink wash painting of a cute baby dragon with pearlescent mint-green scales and tiny wings curled up in a nest made of cherry blossom petals. Delicate brushstrokes, emphasis on negative space.		Art nouveau-inspired composition centered on an endearing dragon hatchling with gleaming mint-green scales. Sinuous morning glory stems and blossoms intertwine around the subject, creating a harmonious balance. Soft, dreamy pastels and characteristic decorative elements frame the scene.
Watercolor scene of a cute baby dragon with pearlescent mint-green scales crouched at the edge of a garden puddle, tiny wings raised. Soft pastel flowers and foliage frame the composition. Loose, wet-on-wet technique for a dreamy atmosphere, with sunlight glinting off ripples in the puddle.
A playful, hand-sculpted claymation-style baby dragon with pearlescent mint scales and tiny wings, sitting on a puffy marshmallow cloud. Its soft, rounded features and expressive googly eyes give it a lively, mischievous personality as it giggles and flaps its stubby wings, trying to take flight in a candy-colored sky.		A whimsical, animated-style render of a baby dragon with pearlescent mint scales nestled in a bed of oversized, bioluminescent flowers. The floating island garden is bathed in the warm glow of sunset, with fireflies twinkling like stars. Dynamic lighting accentuates the dragon’s playful expression.

Graphic design

A set of minimalist icons for a health tracking app. Dual-line design with 1.5px stroke weight on solid backgrounds. Each icon uses teal for the primary line and a lighter shade for the secondary line, with ample negative space. Icons maintain consistent 64x64px dimensions with centered compositions. Clean, professional aesthetic suitable for both light and dark modes.		Stylized art deco icons for fitness tracking. Geometric abstractions of health symbols with gold accents. Balanced designs incorporating circles, triangles, and zigzag motifs. Clean and sophisticated.
Set of charming wellness icons for digital health tracker. Organic, hand-drawn aesthetic with soft, curvy lines. Uplifting color combination of lemon yellow and fuchsia pink. Subtle size variations among icons for a dynamic, handcrafted feel.
Lush greenery tapestry in 16:9 panoramic view. Detailed monstera leaves overlap in foreground, giving way to intricate ferns and tendrils. Emerald and sage watercolor washes create atmospheric depth. Foliage density decreases towards center, suggesting an enchanted forest clearing.		Modern botanical line drawing in 16:9 widescreen. Forest green single-weight outlines of stylized foliage. Negative space concentrated in the center for optimal text placement. Geometric simplification of natural elements with a focus on curves and arcs.
3D sculptural typography spelling out “BRAVE” with each letter made from a different material, arranged in a dynamic composition.		Experimental typographic interpretation of “BRAVE” using abstract, interconnected geometric shapes that flow and blend organically. Hyper-detailed textures reminiscent of fractals and natural patterns create a mesmerizing, otherworldly appearance with sharp contrast.
A dreamy photograph overlaid with delicate pen-and-ink drawings, blending reality and fantasy to reveal hidden magic in ordinary moments.		Surreal digital collage blending organic and technological elements in a futuristic style.
Abstract figures emerging from digital screens, gradient color transitions, mixed textures, dynamic composition, conceptual narrative style.		Abstract humanoid forms materializing from multiple digital displays, vibrant color gradients flowing between screens, contrasting smooth and pixelated textures, asymmetrical layout with visual tension, surreal storytelling aesthetic.
Abstract figures emerging from digital screens, glitch art aesthetic with RGB color shifts, fragmented pixel clusters, high contrast scanlines, deep shadows cast by volumetric lighting.

Conclusion

The examples showcased here are just the beginning of what’s possible with Amazon Nova Canvas. For even greater control, you can guide generations with reference images, use custom color palettes, or make precise edits—such as swapping backgrounds or refining details— with simple inputs. Plus, with built-in safeguards such as watermarking and content moderation, Nova Canvas offers a responsible and secure creative experience. Whether you’re a professional creator, a marketing team, or an innovator with a vision, Nova Canvas provides the tools to bring your ideas to life.

We invite you to explore these possibilities yourself and discover how Nova Canvas can transform your creative process. Stay tuned for our next installment, where we’ll dive into the exciting world of video generation with Amazon Nova Reel.

Ready to start creating? Visit the Amazon Bedrock console today and bring your ideas to life with Nova Canvas. For more information about features, specifications, and additional examples, explore our documentation on creative content generation with Amazon Nova.

• Creative content generation with Amazon Nova
• Prompting best practices for Amazon Nova content creation models
• Image and video prompt engineering for Amazon Nova Canvas and Amazon Nova Reel

About the authors

Yanyan Zhang is a Senior Generative AI Data Scientist at Amazon Web Services, where she has been working on cutting-edge AI/ML technologies as a Generative AI Specialist, helping customers use generative AI to achieve their desired outcomes. Yanyan graduated from Texas A&M University with a PhD in Electrical Engineering. Outside of work, she loves traveling, working out, and exploring new things.

Kris Schultz has spent over 25 years bringing engaging user experiences to life by combining emerging technologies with world class design. As Sr. Solutions Architect within Amazon AGI, he influences the development of Amazon’s first-party generative AI models. Kris is passionate about empowering users and creators of all types with generative AI tools and knowledge.

Sanju Sunny is a Generative AI Design Technologist with AWS Prototyping & Cloud Engineering (PACE), specializing in strategy, engineering, and customer experience. He collaborates with customers across diverse industries, leveraging Amazon’s customer-obsessed innovation mechanisms to rapidly conceptualize, validate, and prototype innovative products, services, and experiences.

Nitin Eusebius is a Sr. Enterprise Solutions Architect at AWS, experienced in Software Engineering, Enterprise Architecture, and AI/ML. He is deeply passionate about exploring the possibilities of generative AI. He collaborates with customers to help them build well-architected applications on the AWS platform, and is dedicated to solving technology challenges and assisting with their cloud journey.