How I Make AI-Created Visuals (Midjourney, Ideogram, Canva AI)

natlysovatech
Oct 4
8 min read

Updated: Oct 11

Last update October 2025

You don’t need art skills to make eye‑catching visuals anymore. With the right prompts, these AI tools do the heavy lifting, and you get scroll‑stopping images in minutes. That means more time for your message and less time wrestling with design.

In this post, I’ll show my simple, step‑by‑step flow with three tools I tried.

Midjourney for artistic, stylized images that look like concept art. Ideogram for quick, browser‑based creations that handle text in images well and feel fast to iterate.

Canva AI for polished designs with layouts, brand colors, and easy exports.

If you create for social media, blogs, presentations, or client work, this saves hours and sparks ideas you didn’t expect.

I’ll cover prompts that work, settings to try, and when to switch tools.

You’ll see where each one shines and where it’s not worth the extra clicks.

We’ll start with Midjourney, including prompts that boost detail and style without noise. Then we’ll hop into Ideogram for clean poster‑style graphics and simple variations right in your browser. Last, I’ll wrap with Canva AI to pull everything into a finished design, complete with text, color, and layout tweaks.

By the end, you’ll have a repeatable workflow that turns a rough idea into polished piece in under an hour. Keep reading for prompt templates, quick fixes when images miss the mark, and smart ways to get consistent results across posts and platforms. Let’s make your next set of visuals fast, fun, and on brand.

Master Midjourney: Turn Text into Stunning Art in Minutes

Photo by Google DeepMind

Midjourney runs inside Discord, which sounds odd at first, but it makes image creation fast. I treat it like a studio chat, where I type in ideas and receive four options back in seconds. It is subscription-based, and for unique, stylized visuals, it pays off. If you want a quick primer with official steps, the Midjourney team’s guide is solid for reference: Getting Started Guide.

Join Discord and Craft Your First Prompt

Here is the quick start I share with friends:

Join the Midjourney Discord and start your subscription.
Pick a #newbies channel or invite the Midjourney bot to your own server.
Type /imagine and paste your prompt.

Beginner prompt example:

a cozy cabin in snowy woods at dusk, warm window light, soft snowfall, cinematic, --ar 16:9 --v 7 --stylize 150

What happens next:

You will see a 2x2 grid of four images.
Under the grid, buttons appear: U1 U2 U3 U4 to upscale a chosen image, V1 V2 V3 V4 to make variations, and a circular R to reroll a fresh grid from the same prompt.
Upscaling gives you a larger, sharper image with more detail. Variations keep the idea, but shift the composition or style.

Tip for stronger prompts in 2025 guides: include subject, style, mood, and color. Short, clear lines work better than long, vague ones. This quick-start article is helpful for prompt structure and parameter refreshers: MidJourney Beginner’s Quick Start Guide.

Refine and Upscale Your AI Images

I use the buttons first, then tweak parameters to steer results without starting over.

V makes more options from a specific square. Great for exploring angles or lighting.
U upscales your pick for final output, then you can use “Zoom Out” or “Vary” for extra runs.
R rerolls the grid if the whole set misses.

Smart parameters to know:

--ar 1:1 or --ar 16:9 controls aspect ratio. Set it early.
--v 7 uses the latest model for crisp detail.
--stylize 0–1000 adds artistic flair. I often sit at --stylize 150–300.
--chaos 0–100 adds variety. Use --chaos 25 when grids feel too samey.
--q 2 boosts quality at higher cost, handy for hero images.

Simple workflow I use:

Write a clear base prompt with --ar 16:9 --v 7.
Pick the strongest square, hit U, then try a V on it.
If I want wilder ideas, run the same prompt with --chaos 30.
For the final, upscale again and export.

Create Fast Images with Ideogram AI

When I need visuals fast, I open Ideogram in my browser and start typing. No heavy setup, no apps. It is perfect for quick drafts, social posts, and simple posters. It is not as artsy as Midjourney, but it is quicker for everyday use, and 2025 updates made text inside images much cleaner.

Access Ideogram and Start Generating

I keep it simple:

Open the Ideogram site in your browser and sign up with the basics.
Type a clear prompt in the text box.
Hit generate and review the grid of options that appears in seconds.

Example prompt I use for quick drafts:

vibrant city skyline at night, neon reflections, high resolution, poster style

For logos or flat illustrations, I spell out the shape and color:

minimalist fox logo, flat vector, orange and white, clean lines, centered, high contrast

If you want a walkthrough from the source, the Ideogram team’s Quick Start explains the flow from signup to download: Ideogram Quick Start Guide.

Tips to Make Your Ideogram Prompts Pop

Small details level up outputs. I add style cues, quality hints, and layout notes so the model knows what to aim for.

Be specific about the subject: product, mascot, skyline, portrait.
Add style words: in watercolor style, flat vector, comic ink, soft pastel.
Guide quality and format: high resolution, poster style, centered composition, white background.
Control text: include the exact words you want in quotes, then add clean typography or bold sans-serif.
Use Remix or Variations to iterate. Keep the winning parts, change color, angle, or type.
Try negatives to avoid clutter: no watermark, no busy background, no shadows.

Example structure that works:

subject + style + mood + quality + layout
“vintage coffee cart illustration, warm palette, watercolor style, high resolution, centered”

When you are happy, export the upscaled image as PNG for clean edges, or JPG for smaller file size. If it includes text you plan to reuse, I save a PNG to keep sharp letters. For deeper prompt structure, the official Prompting Guide is a handy reference.

Design Pro Visuals Easily with Canva AI

Photo by Viridiana Rivera

Canva AI is my pick when I need clean, editable graphics fast. The drag-and-drop editor makes it friendly for beginners, and Magic Studio handles the heavy lifting from a simple prompt. The best part is everything you generate sits inside real layouts, so you can add text, logos, and brand colors without extra apps. If you want a quick tour of the AI features, the overview here helps: Meet Magic Studio | Canva’s AI Tools.

Get Started in Canva's AI Magic Studio

I start from the Canva home page, log in, and open a design size. Instagram Post, Presentation, A4, or Custom Size all work. The editor loads with templates on the left, which is handy if I want a head start.

Here is my quick flow:

Create a new design with the size I need.
Open Magic Studio tools from the sidebar, then choose Text to Image.
Type a clear prompt like modern infographic on coffee benefits, minimal icons, warm palette.
Generate, pick a favorite, and drop it onto the canvas.

Because I am already in a design, the AI image fits right into a layout. I can place it in a grid, frame it, or keep it full bleed. When I need a primer on the basics, this guide is helpful: How to Use Canva: A Beginner’s Guide.

Smart note for 2025 work: exports are crisp. I save PNG for social, JPG for speed, and PDF for print. For posters, I toggle high resolution and bleed before downloading.

Edit and Polish Your Canva AI Creations

Once the image is in place, I finish the design in minutes. No advanced skills needed.

Add text with a clean, bold font. Keep hierarchy simple with two sizes.
Resize by dragging corners, or snap it into a template grid.
Blend with stock elements. Search icons, shapes, or photos, then match color.
Use brand kit colors so every post looks consistent.
Tidy edges or swap parts with Generative Fill when needed: AI Generative Fill.

My simple workflow:

Generate, edit, download.
Start with a prompt, drop into a template, add text, export.

Compared to Midjourney or Ideogram, Canva AI sits inside full design tools. That means I go from idea to finished slide, poster, or carousel in one place, with export presets ready for social or print.

Combine Tools and Pro Tips for Epic AI Visuals

Photo by Google DeepMind

Here is how I stack the tools for speed and quality. I use Midjourney to explore a concept, Ideogram to spin quick variations or add clean text, then Canva to lay everything out for final export. This flow fits social posts, blog headers, thumbnails, and simple ads. If you want a deeper refresher on structure, this guide on writing better AI image prompts is helpful: How to Write Better AI Image Prompts 2025.

Best Practices for Prompts Across All Tools

Good prompts do three things: describe the subject, set the style, and state the intent. Short, vivid lines beat long, vague ones.

Use strong adjectives: moody, glossy, gritty, minimal, warm, high contrast.
Specify style and medium: flat vector, studio photo, watercolor, isometric, cinematic.
Set layout and format: 16:9, centered, portrait, poster style, white background.
Iterate often. Generate, pick the best, then vary color, lighting, or angle.
Add guardrails. Use short negatives like no watermark, no text, no busy background.

Quick examples by tool:

Midjourney concept: “retro sci‑fi explorer on a cliff, golden hour light, cinematic, detailed texture, warm palette, --ar 16:9 --stylize 200.” I run variations for angles, then upscale the winner.
Ideogram speed pass: “bold poster of a runner, flat vector, red and black, high contrast, centered composition, clean typography, ‘RUN FAST’ in quotes.” Ideogram handles the text cleanly for social.
Canva final: “minimal product mockup on soft beige, natural shadows, top‑down, premium feel.” I drop this into a template, add brand colors, and export.

Where this shines:

Social carousels and story covers.
Blog headers that match your brand kit.
Promo graphics, event flyers, quick thumbnails.

Pro tip for 2025: compare strengths and plan your handoff points. This breakdown helps when choosing between ideation and speed work: Ideogram vs Midjourney: The 2025 Showdown.

Keep practicing. Save great prompts, remix them, and share results to get feedback. Consistency comes from repetition, not luck.

Conclusion

Here is the simple takeaway that ties it all together. Midjourney gives me artful, stylized images that feel unique. Ideogram keeps things quick in the browser, with clean text when I need it. Canva AI turns those visuals into finished designs, with layouts and exports ready to go.

Start small, start now. Pick one tool, make a single image, then build from there. Try a prompt from this post, save the best version, and post it. The more you repeat the flow, the faster and more consistent your results become.

You do not need design chops to make visuals that stand out. Clear prompts, a few smart settings, and a simple handoff get you from idea to asset in under an hour. That confidence grows with each run.

I would love to see what you make. Drop your first creation in the comments, or tell me which tool clicked. If you want more prompt packs and quick workflows, subscribe for the next guide. Let’s keep it fun, fast, and on bran