Like lots of you, I have been experimenting with varied generative AI apps. I wish to learn to use them in my work and develop into proficient at utilizing varied AI instruments. I am creating a web-based course, so I have been engaged on creating my very own illustrations that work properly.
In my final put up, I shared some ideas primarily based on what I’ve discovered utilizing AI. I am utilizing Midjourney for instance, however there are lots of instruments on the market for preliminary experimentation.
Listed below are some ideas I picked up and tips on how to create these free illustrated characters. Shared on LinkedIn.
Begins with a immediate
The key to getting an excellent picture is predicated on prompts. The problem with AI is that you just by no means know what you are going to get, and even when you get one thing you actually like, you would possibly by no means get it once more.
- Begin easy and do not over-exaggerate or be too descriptive. And work from there.
- Additionally, take note of what pictures persons are sharing within the AI neighborhood, and when you discover one you want, strive their prompts to see what you get.
- Prompts primarily use characters, actions, and types. If wanted, you would possibly add issues like location to offer extra visible context.
character
AI language fashions have many biases constructed into them.For instance, when you kind Businessman, 99% of the time it is going to be a white businessman in a go well with. why is it white? Why a go well with? That is one thing it’s essential contemplate when creating a personality.
No matter your biases, begin with one thing widespread, like a businessman. Once I try this, normally a white man sporting a go well with comes. Nevertheless it’s okay to begin. When you get the look you need, change the descriptor. Tricks to get higher preliminary characters:
- Use your age as a foundation to find out what you get, not only a “businessman.”I discovered 40 years previous Good addition.
- It would not matter what you get. What issues is whether or not you possibly can give you one thing constant.
- There are a number of nice movies on the market now on tips on how to write prompts. The extra you apply and play, the higher you get.
- In some unspecified time in the future I determine it is good and transfer on. My objective is to seek out a simple approach to get sufficient pictures. Whereas it is enjoyable to play with the AI for hours (or days…I am certain), you do not have the posh of doing it for lengthy.
As you possibly can see within the picture under, you get some fairly first rate preliminary pictures to begin with. You possibly can work with these.

motion
When you describe the motion, you will get the pose you need and use it. I hold it easy.
- I prefer to insert “gestures” as a part of the immediate. Permits for extra number of arm positions.
- Add feelings and states corresponding to “confusion” and “anger.”
- Change your poses, corresponding to “crossing your arms” or “placing your arms in your hips.”
- Let’s mess around and see what we get.
You will discover how the photographs change primarily based on a number of easy phrases.




In the event you examine the picture above, you possibly can see that the type has modified fairly a bit. Additionally, you might not have the ability to get the pose you anticipated. For instance, “put your arms in your hips” consists of crossing your arms. “Folding your arms” will not be a full physique pose. It is one thing it’s important to stay with.
As you apply and perceive tips on how to write prompts, you can design a extra constant type.
type
As talked about above, establishing a constant type might be troublesome. A number of it is determined by the way you write the immediate and the sensation you get whereas working towards.
- For illustrated characters, I want to have the same type however with out a background in order that they are often simply cleaned up.
- My default immediate type is “Flat Vector Illustration.” It’s because it’s appropriate for a lot of eLearning course designs.
- It additionally works persistently more often than not. Additionally, even when the characters depicted aren’t the identical, they’re usually shut sufficient for use collectively.
- Enjoying with distinctive type descriptions. For instance, say “within the type of”. [add descriptor]”


In the event you take a look at the picture above, you possibly can see that including a mode description to “Flat Vector Illustration” gives a extra constant and extra particular type.
Bonus type tip: take away the background
AI pictures are simply the start line. In lots of instances, you might must edit issues like arms or faces. One of many foremost duties is to acquire a clear background to be able to place the picture the place you need it.
Add a “white background” immediate to get the cleanest background attainable. It really works 90% of the time. The picture under is similar “Put your arms in your hips” immediate as above, however with a “white background” added.

Overcoming bias with AI
As talked about above, bias is constructed into issues like clothes type, in addition to gender and race. You possibly can alleviate a few of this downside by altering the descriptor. After you have a picture type you want, you can begin including further descriptions to get much more selection in your characters. Very quickly, I had a various set of characters to construct from.

One factor to contemplate is your individual bias. For instance, you would possibly seek for a selected picture, take into consideration how that character “appears” and what it ought to symbolize, and assume it really works.
These are some fundamental tricks to begin creating your individual characters utilizing AI. In a follow-up put up, I am going to share my secret sauce and what I do to hurry up my work and the way I edit my characters.
Remember Download already added characters. We’ll proceed so as to add extra, so please keep watch over it.

