How to Generate Stunning Images with AI: A Beginner’s Guide

In the past, creating eye-catching visuals meant hiring an illustrator, a photographer, or spending hours in Photoshop. But, with the rise of AI image generation tools, anyone can craft breathtaking visuals using just a few words. Whether you’re a content creator, marketer, or just a curious tinkerer, here’s everything you need to know to get started.

What Is AI Image Generation?

AI image generation is the process of turning a text description into an image using machine learning models. These models have been trained on billions of image-text pairs and can now visualize anything from “a cat in space wearing a tuxedo” to “a minimalist flatlay of a desk setup under morning light.”

Popular tools include:

• DALL·E 3 (by OpenAI): Easy to use and integrated into ChatGPT and Bing.

• Midjourney: Known for its artistic, cinematic style (runs via Discord).

• Canva AI: Ideal for marketers who want integrated editing and layout.

How to Write a Prompt That Works

Your prompt is the magic spell. The better you describe your image, the more accurately the AI can render it.

Prompt Formula:

[Subject] + [Context/Scene] + [Style] + [Mood/Lighting] +  [Size]

Example: “A cozy Scandinavian cabin surrounded by snowy pine trees, warm golden hour lighting, photorealistic style, 16:9”

Tips:

• Be specific: "a sleek modern office" is better than "an office"

• Mention style: Use terms like digital painting, 3D render, watercolor, or cinematic

• Consider aspect ratio: Some tools allow 16:9 for hero images or banner designs

Iteration Is Key

AI is powerful but far from perfect. You need to:

• Regenerate with varied wording

• Add exclusions like “--no text” or “no watermark”

• Combine prompts: Blend elements from two prompts for originality

The best creators treat this like photography: shoot, review, tweak, and repeat.

KontentPlus: Your Bespoke Image AI System

Using AI for images? How you build it depends on what you need it to do – moderation, generation, tagging, search or analytics all require different approaches.

At KontentPlus, we’re expanding our platform with brand filters, style matchers, and a new UI for review and curation.

Curious how it works? Fill in the form here to learn more.