AI Image Generators: A Beginner’s Guide
You’ve seen the AI-generated images flooding social media. Now you want to make your own.
Here’s how to get started.
The Big Three
DALL-E 2 (OpenAI)
Access: Direct from OpenAI (labs.openai.com) Price: Credit-based ($15 for 115 credits) Best for: Quick generation, ease of use
DALL-E is the most accessible. Sign up, type what you want, get images. No learning curve.
Midjourney
Access: Discord only Price: $10-30/month subscription Best for: Artistic, stylized images
Midjourney produces the most aesthetically pleasing results. The Discord requirement is awkward but worth it.
Stable Diffusion
Access: Free, can run locally Price: Free (or paid services) Best for: Technical users, customization
Stable Diffusion is open source. Run it on your own computer or use hosted versions like DreamStudio.
Which Should You Start With?
Choose DALL-E if:
- You want the easiest experience
- You’re just experimenting
- You don’t need artistic styles
Choose Midjourney if:
- Image quality matters
- You want artistic results
- You don’t mind Discord
Choose Stable Diffusion if:
- You’re technical
- You want free unlimited generations
- You need customization
Your First Prompt
A good prompt includes:
- Subject — What you want to see
- Style — How it should look
- Details — Specific elements
Example:
“A cozy coffee shop interior, warm lighting, wooden furniture, plants, watercolor style”
Common Mistakes
Too vague:
“A dog” → Generic, boring image
Better:
“A golden retriever puppy sleeping on a red velvet couch, soft afternoon light, photorealistic”
Prompt Tips
- Add “high quality” or “detailed” for better results
- Specify art styles: “oil painting,” “digital art,” “photograph”
- Mention lighting: “soft light,” “dramatic lighting,” “golden hour”
- Include composition: “close-up,” “wide shot,” “aerial view”
What AI Images Are Good For
- Blog post illustrations
- Social media content
- Concept visualization
- Presentation graphics
- Personal projects
What They’re Not Good For
- Consistent characters (faces change)
- Precise text in images
- Specific real people
- Exact reproductions
Getting Started Today
- Try DALL-E first (easiest)
- If you like it, explore Midjourney
- Learn basic prompting
- Experiment with styles
The technology is new and improving fast. Jump in now.
We’ll be covering more AI image tools as they emerge. Stay tuned.