How to Generate Images with AI (Beginners)

You may have seen others sharing AI-generated images online and you’re wondering how they do it. It’s all with the help of generative AI, something that has opened up endless possibilities for artists, designers, and marketers when it comes to coming up with new visuals.

The truth is that creating images using AI isn’t anything complicated. You don’t need any special skills to do it because the role of artificial intelligence is to make life easier.

In this article, I’ll break down what you thought were complex concepts of AI image generation into beginner-friendly explanations. By the end of it, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and resources to start generating your own images.

How to Create AI-Generated Images

Below are the steps to create images with the help of AI.

1. Choose the Right AI Image Generator

Your choice of an AI image generator can greatly impact the quality of the generated images for your specific needs. Depending on the AI model that a tool uses, you’ll find that some offer images of better quality than others.

Below, I’ll share some factors to consider when selecting an AI image generator:

• The text-to-image model in use: While a number of these models exist, the most popular ones are  DALL-E 2 by OpenAI, Stable Diffusion by StabilityAI, and Midjourney. In my experience, DALL-E 2 excels when it comes to creating realistic images. Some AI image generators use more than one model.
• Speed: You want a tool that can create an image you need as quickly as possible, preferably in seconds. Some can even produce multiple image options in one go for you to choose from and not have to regenerate.
• Ethical considerations: The majority of publicly available generators have limitations on generating certain types of content, such as explicit or offensive imagery. Ensure that the generator aligns with your ethical guidelines and requirements.
• Cost: You can find free or paid image generators online or those that offer both options. But paying for such a service is a worthy investment that comes with the best quality and unlimited image generation.

Now, let’s move on to some of the top AI image generators that you can use.

Jasper Art

This is a personal favorite that I’ve reviewed before (here’s my Jasper art review). Jasper Art is an image generator by Jasper AI, a popular AI tool for content creators.

With Jasper Art, you can create photorealistic images that closely look like living or non-living things in real life. It captures the small details and colors to provide an image that is hard to distinguish from photography.

Besides photorealistic images, you can also use Jasper to create ink or oil paint art, among others. All you need to do is select the “medium” in the customization settings before generating.

Another thing about Jasper Art is that you can pick the mood. For example, you can set “gloomy” to get an image along those lines.

Jasper Art even offers the option to choose an inspiration for your images, such as Picasso. The generated image will (at a distance) resemble the work of Picasso.

As if that’s not enough, you can use this tool to create an image out of another one. What you do is upload a photo that Jasper will refer to when generating output for you.

The result is an image that looks like the original. But some details will be different depending on the settings you’ve selected.

NightCafe Creator

NightCafe Creator is another art generator app for creating amazing artwork. It’s more of a tool for enthusiasts given that there’s a community in it.

Still, business-focused creators can benefit from it. I say this because the tool uses a variety of image generation models, including Stable Diffusion, to give you the best quality possible.

With NightCafe Creator, you can choose a variety of styles to go with your description of the image you need. It doesn’t matter whether you need a picture of a cute princess or a granny taking selfies with skeletons.

Midjourney

Midjourney is another art creator tool that you can use on Discord. If you’re a Discord user, you simply need to enter particular prompts by messaging the bot, beginning with the /imagine command.

The Discord bot will come back with a set of images that you can select. You can pick one to upscale or enhance its resolution and even add additional details.

2. Use Proper Prompts

Using proper prompts is essential when working with AI to generate the best images. The prompt is the input or instruction given to the AI model that guides it to produce the desired output.

First of all, you have to be clear and specific with your instructions. Providing a clear and specific prompt helps the AI model understand what you want it to generate.

Vague or ambiguous prompts may lead to unpredictable or undesired results. For example, instead of saying “Draw a mountain,” you can be more specific and say “Generate a realistic image of a snow-capped mountain at sunset.”

Adding specific details and descriptions to your prompt can help the AI model generate more accurate and realistic images. Include information about colors, shapes, textures, and any other relevant visual elements. The more information you provide, the better the AI model can understand your intentions.

On top of that, including reference images to tools like Jasper Art alongside your prompt can be highly beneficial. Reference images serve as visual examples or inspiration for the AI model to understand the desired style, composition, or subject matter.

Read also: AI Art Prompt Ideas

3. Customize the Output

There’s always the option to not select any setting and get images with different styles and other aspects. But if you utilize the setting an AI art tool provides, you’ll get more good images that suit your needs with just one prompt.

As an example, Jasper Art comes with settings such as mood, medium, and inspiration. Depending on the tool you’re using, you’ll likely be able to change the style of the image, e.g. a photorealistic picture, anime, or painting.

4. Regenerate

You don’t have to settle for the first one or couple of images you get. You have to know that AI can make mistakes when creating images.

Generating the perfect image may require multiple attempts. For example, you may find issues like missing parts or distorted details when generating.

Start with a basic prompt and examine the results. You then analyze what aspects you like and dislike, and then refine your prompt accordingly. 

Conclusion

As you can see, generating images using AI isn’t a complicated process. You just need the right tool to begin with.

From there, make sure you enter detailed prompts and customize the output. You’re always free to keep generating the images until you find the one that looks like what you’re searching for.

With AI for images, you get to save money and time. You won’t have to spend hundreds on premium stock images or use hours finding the right picture for your marketing material or projects.

Read also: How to Generate LinkedIn Headshots with AI