How to create images with artificial intelligence (for your brand)

There are four main tools for creating images with AI. This table helps you choose the one that best fits your needs:

Tool	Best for	Free plan	Learning curve
Canva	Social media content, presentations, marketing	Yes (50/month)	Very low
Adobe Firefly	Commercial use images, Photoshop integration	Yes (25/month)	Low
Midjourney	High artistic quality, illustrations	No	Medium
DALL-E (ChatGPT)	Those who already use ChatGPT and want integrated images	No (requires Plus)	Low

If it is your first time: start with Canva. It is the easiest option, has a free plan, and lets you use the images directly in social media templates without leaving the tool.

If you need clear commercial rights: consider Adobe Firefly, which is trained on licensed images and is the safest option for brands that sell products.

With Canva (recommended for beginners):

1. Go to https://www.canva.com and click Sign up for free
2. You can use your Google account or email
3. Once inside, click Create a design and choose the format you need (for example: “Instagram Post”)
4. In the left sidebar, look for Apps and select Text to Image (or “Generate image with AI”)
5. A text field will appear where you write your description

With Adobe Firefly:

1. Go to https://firefly.adobe.com and create a free Adobe account
2. On the main screen you will see the Text to image option: click on it
3. Write your description in the field and click Generate

With Midjourney:

1. Go to https://www.midjourney.com and create an account (requires a paid plan from $10/mo)
2. Access from the web or from Discord (both options work)
3. Use the /imagine command followed by your description to generate images

The quality of images AI generates depends directly on how well you describe what you want. This is called a prompt and it is the instruction you give to the tool.

What to include in a good brand image prompt:

• What the image is: a product, a person, a space, an illustration
• Visual style: photography, illustration, watercolor, minimalist, retro, editorial
• Palette or colors: “earthy tones”, “clean white background”, “soft pastel colors”
• Format or composition: “flat background for social media”, “overhead view”, “negative space on the right”
• Mood: elegant, warm, dynamic, calm

Examples of effective prompts for brands:

“Product photo of a cream jar on white marble, natural side lighting, neutral background, minimalist editorial style”

“Flat vector illustration of a person working from home, blue and yellow colors, modern and clean style”

“Abstract background pattern with geometric shapes in earthy tones, no text, for use as Instagram header”

To build more powerful prompts, the tutorial How to write effective prompts for artificial intelligence has more techniques that apply perfectly here.

The first generation is rarely perfect. Most tools generate several options at once (usually between 2 and 4). Follow these steps to refine:

1. Choose the closest option to what you are looking for
2. Generate variations of that image: all tools have a “variations” or “similar” button that generates slightly different versions while maintaining the style
3. Adjust the prompt if the result is not what you expected: add more specific details or remove elements you do not want
4. Iterate: you do not need to get it right on the first try

Tips for adjusting the prompt:

• If the image is too dark: add “well lit”, “natural light”, “light background”
• If the style is not right: specify more (“professional stock photography”, “clean line illustration”)
• If there are elements you do not want: add “no people”, “no text”, “simple background”

In Canva you can also edit the generated image directly: crop it, change the background, add text or integrate it into a template.

Once you are happy with the result:

In Canva:

1. Click Share (top right corner) and then Download
2. Choose the format: PNG (best quality, transparent background if needed), JPG (smaller size for web) or SVG (for logos and illustrations)
3. Click Download and the file saves to your device

In Adobe Firefly or Midjourney:

1. Select the image you want to save
2. Find the Download button or the download icon
3. The image downloads as JPG or PNG depending on the tool

About commercial rights:

• Canva Free: allows commercial use in most cases, but with some restrictions on library elements. Read the terms at https://www.canva.com/policies/free-media/
• Adobe Firefly (any plan): includes full commercial rights, designed for professional use
• Midjourney (paid plan): includes commercial rights. The free plan (if available again) has restrictions

Always confirm the current terms on each tool’s official page before publishing for commercial purposes.

To see how to use other AI creation tools, the tutorial How to create music with artificial intelligence shows a similar process for audio.

If you already have a Canva account and want to create your first brand image right now:

1. Go to https://www.canva.com and sign in

2. Click Create a design and choose “Instagram Post” (or the format you need)

3. In the left sidebar, go to Apps and open Text to Image

4. Write a description like:

   “Minimalist product photography on white background, soft light, clean editorial style”

5. Click Generate and choose the image you like most from the options

6. Integrate it into your design, add your brand text and download

In under 5 minutes you have an image ready to publish.

Problem	What to do
The image does not look like what I described	Be more specific in the prompt: add style, colors, composition and mood
The colors do not match my brand	Describe the exact colors or add “color palette [name]” to the prompt, then adjust in Canva
I ran out of free plan credits	Credits renew next month; if you need more, consider the paid plan
The image has illegible or distorted text	AI is not good at generating text inside images; add the text afterward with an editor like Canva
I cannot download in the format I need	Check that your plan includes that download format (SVG requires Canva Pro in some cases)