AI Image 2 Quick Start Guide
First commercial banner in AI Chat in 10 minutes.
This tutorial is for marketers, operations staff, and designers who have never used AI image generation. No coding required—just a AI Chat account (free tier can try basic image gen; Thinking mode needs Plus / Pro / Business per official policy).
Before you start: confirm Images 2.0
- Open AI Chat or your usual AIImage generation entry.
- In the chat, select a model that supports image generation (the UI may show AI Image 2, Images 2.0, etc.).
- If you still get garbled-text “old” images, try refreshing or switching to the latest image model.
Three controls you should know
| Element | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Instant | Fast output; good for drafts, illustrations, text-free mood shots |
| Thinking | Plans first then draws; best for posters, multi-line copy, storyboards (paid tiers) |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 landscape, 9:16 portrait, 1:1 square—pick by channel |
Tip: For your first commercial banner, turn on Thinking to avoid rework.
First prompt: copy and run
Paste in the input box (edit bracketed copy as needed):
Generate a 16:9 landscape e-commerce promo banner.
Headline "Spring Collection" (large bold sans-serif), subheadline "Spend $299 save $50".
Leave white space on the right for a beige knit cardigan product shot, copy on the left,
background light beige #F5F0EB, soft studio light, modern minimal, readable text, commercial ad style.After sending, wait 30–60 seconds (normal for Thinking). If text has typos, don’t re-roll the whole image—go to the next section on local edits.
Four-element checklist (self-check every prompt)
When writing a brief, remember S.T.T.R.:
- Subject: What are you selling? Who? What scene?
- Type: Banner / poster / product shot / UI screenshot style?
- Text: Put must-appear copy in quotes; specify language.
- Ratio: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1—wrong ratio means painful cropping later.
Round 2: change only one thing
Good iteration = one dimension per change. Example follow-ups:
- “Keep layout; change headline color to red #E63946”
- “Swap product to white sneakers; everything else unchanged”
- “Change to 9:16 portrait, copy still on top”
Avoid: “make it nicer, more premium”—the model cannot quantify that.
Region editing (save credits)
- Click the generated image to enter edit view (UI may vary).
- Select the area to change (e.g. headline bar, product).
- Enter: “Change only the selected area background to pure white; keep text unchanged.”
More stable than “regenerate whole image,” especially for Thinking multi-image series.
Export and delivery
- Download the PNG highest-res version for design teammates to polish.
- Save your final working prompt in Notion / docs for next week’s campaign reuse.
- Before publish, manually verify: price, dates, brand names, banned words.
Common beginner issues
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Garbled text | Enable Thinking; shorten copy; quote exact wording |
| Product distortion | Simplify scene; product-only image first, then composite |
| Too slow | Draft with Instant; finalize with Thinking |
| Style drift each run | Pin a “brand style” paragraph at the top of every prompt |
What to learn next
Recommended order:
- Prompt Engineering — write stable, controllable briefs
- Thinking Mode in Practice — series images, comics, infographics
- Social Media Posters — multi-size from one prompt
Finish your first image in 10 minutes, then work through these three tutorials in a week—you’ll be ahead of most “card-pull only” users.