Start with the basics
Start here. AI image generation turns a sentence into a brand-new picture, and once you understand a handful of ideas - prompts, models, aspect ratio and resolution - everything else clicks into place.
What you will learn
- What AI image generation is and how it builds a picture
- The difference between text-to-image and image-to-image
- How aspect ratio and resolution shape your result
- Where the model shines, and its honest limits
What AI image generation actually is
An AI image model has studied millions of captioned pictures and learned the patterns that link words to visuals. When you type a prompt it does not search for a matching photo - it paints a new one, starting from random noise and refining it step by step until it matches your description. That is also why the same prompt can return several different, equally valid images.
The two ways to create
Text-to-image starts from a blank canvas and a sentence - best when you want something brand new. Image-to-image starts from a picture you upload plus a prompt, with a Change slider deciding how much to keep versus reinvent. Both run on the same model, so your results stay consistent. For the full mental model, read how AI image generators work.
Two settings that shape every result
- Aspect ratio - the shape of the image (1:1 square, 16:9 wide, 9:16 tall). Choose it for where the image will live so you are not cropping off the best part later. See best aspect ratios.
- Resolution - how many pixels it has. Need it larger for print? Upscaling rebuilds detail instead of stretching pixels.
Your realistic first session
Open the generator, write one clear sentence, generate a few options, then refine the wording and try again. Expect the occasional miss on small text, hands or exact counts - that is normal for every model, and a clearer prompt or a quick edit fixes most of it.
Key terms in one place
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Prompt | The text description you write to create an image |
| Aspect ratio | The shape of the image - 1:1 square, 16:9 wide, 9:16 tall |
| Upscaling | Enlarging an image while rebuilding detail |
| Negative prompt | A list of things to keep out of the image |
| Seed | The random starting point - Why two runs differ |
Tools for this topic: AI Image Generator, Prompt Generator.
Where beginners get the biggest wins
Guides in this topic
AI Image Generators Pros and Cons for Beginners
A clear, practical img.now guide to ai image generators pros and cons for beginners.
Read basicsHow AI Image Generators Work
A plain explanation of models, training data, prompts, and the step that turns random noise into a finished image.
Read basicsImage to Image: A Simple Guide
Learn what image to image is, when to use it over text to image, and how a source image plus a prompt guides the result.
Read basicsText to Image: A Simple Guide
A clear walkthrough of turning a written description into an image, from prompt to style to ratio to refining the result.
Read basicsWhat Is AI Image Generation?
AI image generation turns a written description into a brand new picture, and this guide explains how it works.
ReadOther topics
Put it into practice
Open the generator and create an image with what you just learned - Or grab a ready prompt from the prompt guide.
Open the generator