Wondering how to get started with AI? Learn how to create AI art in our beginner’s guide below.
Whether you’ve given generative AI a test drive or you’re completely new to the technology, chances are you still want to learn more about it! In this guide, we offer AI tips and tricks, educational insights, and tutorials on AI for beginners.
Text-to-image generative AI solutions, like Shutterstock’s AI image generator, create visual artwork from text prompts. Whatever you can imagine, AI can create an image of it. This groundbreaking technology is already being implemented into work flows.
Of course, graphic artists and designers use generative AI for inspiration, ideation, and implementation of their visual concepts. Beyond them, though, several other career paths can harness the power of AI to work more effectively and efficiently.
If you want to learn how to use AI in your own work, download our free eBook How to Use Generative AI for Real Work: A Practical Guide for Creatives and Marketers.
And, if you want a comprehensive guide to AI for beginners, keep reading below!
Wondering How to Make AI Art?
The very first step in using AI to create images is simply choosing your AI image generator. There are several great options out there today.
When considering different AI art generators, ask yourself the following questions:
- What do I want to do with this image? Think about your purpose of generating an AI image. If you want to use it for a work project, you will need indemnity to protect its use.
- Can I use this generator intuitively? Do I understand how to use it, right off the bat? Are there any instructions to help guide me when using it?
- Are there accessible styles to apply to my prompts? For example, can I click a button and apply an Impressionist filter? Can I make my image 3D in a click? Generators that have these enhancements are easier to use and provide better results!
- How much does it cost to try out this generator? There are many free AI image generators to experiment with, including Shutterstock’s.
- What is the source of this data? Of course, we recommend using AI image generators that are ethically sound. The best option is to work with generators that compensate artists whose works AI models are trained on.
Shutterstock’s generative AI answers all of these questions positively! It was built with ethics at the forefront, and offers super-clickable styles to apply to your image outputs. (We’ll cover more on both of those later!) Its image outputs are high-quality, ethically sound, and safe to use.
We’re also the first to offer indemnification for AI generated images. Just like our traditional stock photos, AI-generated images can be licensed from Shutterstock and used in your projects worry-free.
After selecting the best AI image generator for your purposes, you need to learn how to use it. Get the scoop on that process below.
How to Use an AI Art Generator
Let’s go through the steps of creating an image by way of AI! Below, you’d find a how-to guide on making AI art.
Explore Your Idea
It all starts with an idea. What do you want to create? Mull it over in your mind, then start writing your idea into the AI Image generator’s text field.
When getting ready to write your very first text prompt:
- Really think through what your desired image will be. Are there a few different ways to describe what you’d like to see? If so, start by writing down the most literal interpretation of your idea.
- Type your AI text prompt into the generator. In a few seconds, you’ll see a few image interpretations of your idea.
- Study each of your AI images. Even if they don’t look like anything you imagined, that’s ok! This just means you should adjust your text. Free AI image generator tools allow you to do this.
- Ask yourself what elements of your image need to change. What did you forget to type? Where should any missing elements be placed within your next set of images? Assessing an image’s missing elements will help you determine how to edit your text prompt.
License these images via Shutterstock AI x2 x3.
Write and Revise Your AI Text Prompt
In all likelihood, your text prompt will need some revising. Even the experts experience this! As you study your very first set of AI images, and think through how to adjust them, here are some tips to follow:
- Address what’s missing. Add in elements that you may have forgotten to type in your first text prompt.
- Carefully arrange words and descriptions within your text prompts. As you add more details to your text, you may find it feeling like a run-on sentence. Be conscious of where you place words, and avoid adding anything nondescript or potentially confusing to the AI. For example, a prompt that says, “a dancing corncob wearing a tophat and monocle” is a better prompt than “tophat monocle on corn.”
- Go at it from all angles. The more descriptive you are, the better! This includes language telling the AI at which angle to display image contents. Experiment with phrases like “from overhead” or “extreme closeup.” A new angle will change up the look and feel of your AI art.
- Use colorful language. If you want your image to look cooler, say so! AI understands color palettes and tones. It can apply them to your images.
License these images via Shutterstock AI x2.
Apply Generative AI Art Styles
As we mentioned before, you can apply various artwork, 3D, and photography styles to your AI generated artwork. With Shutterstock’s AI image generator, you can apply these styles in a click.
There are several different styles—photo realistic, watercolor painting, Cyberpunk, cartoon, and many more—that you can specify in your text prompts. When editing your text prompts, simply click on a style you’d like to apply to your images, and AI will automatically include it.
License and Use It!
Just like any other image, photo, video, or audio track on Shutterstock, you can license AI generated images. Indemnification is available on AI images as well. The process of procuring indemnity is already a part of the image purchasing process.
If you’re interested in indemnity for your images, its process looks like this:
- Shutterstock customers can add a review process to their AI generated image purchase.
- Experts trained in copyright and sensitive image use manually review your content in 1-2 working days.
- Upon a successful review, your AI-generated images will receive the same protections that our standard licenses offer.
- In addition, Shutterstock customers can get exclusivity of their custom images, in perpetuity. This means that masterpiece you generated will remain only yours, indefinitely.
Understand Ethical Challenges of AI Art
As with any new technology—and within any area of life—ethics are critical. Several AI generators have gotten blasted with negative press, thanks to lawsuits surrounding them and a negative view within the court of public opinion. Generative AI systems should be ethical. Thankfully, some are.
Shutterstock’s generative AI compensates the contributors whose works our AI models were trained on. In fact, we were the first to do this. Our Contributor Fund has already issued payments to these creative people, and will continue to do so.
The way we see it, our contributors are our partners. Their photos, designs, and artwork power creative projects around the world. Because of this, we ensure that they and our customers are both supported as generative AI grows.
Our partnership with AI For Good and our adherence to UNESCO’s Recommendation of Ethical AI also ensure that ethical challenges have been mitigated and guidelines have been followed.
How to Use an AI Art Generator
First, enter a text prompt. Then click the Generate button, which will ask AI to create an image. Within a handful of seconds, Shutterstock’s AI art generator creates four images based on your text input. It’s simple, easy to use, and free!
Now . . . ready to start generating images by way of AI?
License this cover image via Shutterstock.AI.
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