Create with AI | Beginner’s Guide to Visual Creation Tools

 

 

Create with AI: Beginner’s Guide to Visual Creation Tools

AI can help you generate artwork, covers, thumbnails, and brand visuals faster — but the real skill is learning a repeatable workflow: goal → prompt → iterate → edit → publish.

Getting started (the simple way)

Before you generate anything, decide what you’re making. This single step prevents wasted time.

  • Purpose: cover art, thumbnail, blog header, product image, character art, background, etc.
  • Format: square (1:1), wide (16:9), vertical (9:16), transparent background, etc.
  • Style: photo-real, illustration, comic, cinematic, minimalist, vintage, etc.
  • Brand cues: colors, motifs, mood words, “what it should feel like.”

If you want a deeper comparison first: The 7 Best AI Image Generators in 2025

Pick your tool (what each one is best at)

Leonardo AI

  • Good for consistent styles and fast iteration
  • Often strong for game art, characters, and assets
  • Useful when you want “close variations” quickly

DALL·E

  • Good for concepts, clean designs, and quick generation
  • Often easier for beginners to start producing usable drafts
  • Good for “make me X in this style” experiments

Midjourney

  • Strong for cinematic and stylized visuals
  • Great when you want a “high art” look and are willing to iterate
  • Best results come from prompt discipline + rerolls

Compare tools

Prompt starter kit (works across tools)

This is the fastest way to go from “random images” to consistent results.

Prompt formula

[Subject] in [scene/context], [style], [mood], [lighting], [camera/composition],
[color palette], [details], [what to avoid]

Example (cover art)

Album cover: a lone figure walking toward a glowing doorway in a dark hallway,
cinematic illustration, hopeful and mysterious, soft rim light, centered composition,
black and gold palette, subtle grain, minimal background, avoid text, avoid extra faces

3 fast upgrades that improve results

  • Add constraints: “minimal background,” “single subject,” “no text.”
  • Use mood words: “reverent,” “bold,” “peaceful,” “electric,” “grim.”
  • Specify composition: “centered,” “rule of thirds,” “close-up,” “wide shot.”

Learn prompt depth here: Creating Effective Prompts for AI Art

Beginner “prompt pack” you can copy

1) Product image
A clean product-style image of [item], studio lighting, high contrast, minimal background, sharp focus, no text

2) Blog header (16:9)
Wide banner image of [topic], [style], [mood], simple composition, space on the right for headline, no text

3) Character art
A full-body character concept of [character], [clothing], [era/style], [mood], neutral background, consistent proportions, no extra characters

4) Brand motif
A repeating visual motif of [symbol], minimal vector style, black and gold palette, clean lines, no text

Step-by-step workflow (generate → refine → edit)

1) Generate (don’t overthink)

  1. Write one prompt using the formula above
  2. Generate 6–12 options
  3. Pick the best 1–2 and iterate

The goal is selection + iteration, not perfection on attempt one.

2) Refine (one variable at a time)

  • Change composition first (wide vs close)
  • Then change style (photo vs illustration)
  • Then change mood (warm vs cold)
  • Then add details (props, texture, symbols)

3) Edit (make it yours)

  1. Crop to platform size (1:1, 16:9, 9:16)
  2. Adjust contrast + readability
  3. Add your brand text in your editor (not in the generator)

Editing guide: Editing AI Art: Tools and Techniques

Monetization workflow (optional)

  • Save prompt + seed/version notes (repeatability)
  • Create 3 variants (cover, header, square)
  • Package as a mini-collection or product visuals set

Start here: Monetizing AI Images

Integrate visuals into real projects

  • Content creators: blog headers, YouTube thumbnails, carousel posts, product images (Integrating AI Art into Your Brand)
  • Artists & designers: generate base layers, then apply your design principles
  • Pro move: mix one human element (typography, layout, hand edits) to make it feel owned

Resources & tutorials

Your next steps

  • Explore the tools: try Leonardo AI, Midjourney, or DALL·E and pick one for 7 days
  • Refine your prompts: use the prompt formula until you can repeat results
  • Showcase your work: build a small visual portfolio and attach it to your products/content

Compare tools anytime: Midjourney vs. DALL·E 3 • Level up prompting: Effective Prompt Creation • Monetize visuals: Monetizing AI Images

Begin your journey in AI-powered design. Explore, create, and refine your visual voice using today’s leading tools.