Lesson Content

Reading the brief for visual direction.

A creative brief contains the inputs for generation planning: the intended audience, the brand aesthetic, the emotional tone, the deliverable specifications (quantity, dimensions, intended use). Extract the key visual direction elements: what style fits the brief, what mood is required, what the subject content should be, and what the production specifications require (aspect ratios, quality level).

Pre-generation prompt planning.

Before generating, draft the prompt strategy: what style components will the series use, what subject content varies per image, what parameters are required for the specifications. This is the generation plan – a written document used to guide the production session. Generation without a written plan produces inconsistent results and requires more iteration.

Variation and selection planning.

Plan the number of variations per deliverable and the selection criteria before generating. Example: 4 variations per image, select 2 for client presentation, 1 for final delivery. Knowing this in advance prevents over- or under-generating, and having selection criteria documented avoids subjective inconsistency when reviewing.

Establishing quality standards.

Define what "acceptable" means for the project before generating: subject rendering quality threshold, consistency requirements, style match requirements. Documented quality standards make selection consistent – especially important when multiple team members are reviewing.