# Picking a style on your first prompt

> On a new project, a short first prompt can bring up a style form with a few design directions for your subject — pick one and the build follows it.

Source: https://support.estage.com/capabilities-first-prompt-style
Part of the ESTAGE Support help center (https://support.estage.com). Full knowledge base: https://support.estage.com/llms-full.txt

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When you start a new project with a prompt that says **what** the site is about but not **how
it should look** — *"a site for my coffee shop"* — Genesis may ask first. Instead of building
straight away, it shows a short **style form** with a few design directions made for your
subject, so the first version starts from a look you chose.

## When it appears

Only on a project's **first prompt**, and only when a choice would change the result. It's
skipped when:

- the prompt already sets a look — a named style, colors, a brand to match;
- the prompt contains a link — that goes to [cloning](https://support.estage.com/capabilities-clone-webpage) or
  [designing from a reference](https://support.estage.com/capabilities-design-from-reference) instead;
- you attached an image;
- you already filled in the colors or fonts of the project's style guide;
- the prompt is a quick test or a single section.

## What the form asks

- **Direction** — 3 or 4 distinct directions for your subject, each with a name, a short
  description and its main color. **Let AI decide** leaves it to the AI, and you can type a
  direction of your own.
- **Up to 2 more questions**, only when they matter for your subject — photos or illustrations,
  one page or several, the tone.

The form is written in the language of your prompt.

## What happens

1. Answer the form and send it.
2. The AI builds the site from your original prompt and the direction you picked.
3. The direction's colors and fonts become the project's style guide, so later pages keep the
   same look. You can change it in [Settings → Brand & AI](https://support.estage.com/project-settings-genesis-ai).

## Things worth knowing

- **Typing a new message instead of answering skips the form.** The AI builds from your words
  and doesn't ask again.
- **Preparing the form costs a few credits**, charged only when the form appears. It's listed
  as *First-prompt planning* in your credit usage; the build itself is billed as a normal turn.
- **It never blocks the build.** If the directions can't be prepared, Genesis builds straight
  from your prompt.