Be sure to download all the files available under the Class Resources tab, including several helpful documents that serve as course notes. Also feel free to check out my free design newsletter for the latest in AI developments in the design world (and other news!)

There are two main student projects talked about in this course.

1.) After watching the Nuanced Design Terms video, choose four different nuanced design terms and do a deep dive into each one. You may also choose to do 2 each day for a week if you want a bigger challenge. Use ChatGPT or another AI tool to help define and explore these terms. You can also ask AI to show you visual examples or help you find outstanding examples of each style online.

Once you've completed a deep dive into four (or more for the bigger challenge) nuanced design terms, create and post (in the student project area) AI-generated imagery that reflects each of those styles. If you'd like, you can also share your notes on each term or reflect on how learning this new design vocabulary might help you in your future creative work.

Side Note: My Practical Guide to Design Theory PDF Book is Available now on Skillshare! It is a 200 page design theory book that goes over all things design theory! Also make sure to check out my free design newsletter.

You may use any AI image generator of your choice. My recommendations are the following:
Note: Future classes will go over some of these tools in detail with practical projects.

Adobe Firefly

Known for: Seamless Photoshop/Illustrator integration, commercial-use licensing
Platform: Web-based, integrated into Adobe Creative Cloud
Ideal for: Graphic designers, marketing, editorial use

DALL·E 3 (OpenAI, ChatGpt)

Known for: Precise prompt following, strong text-to-image consistency
Platform: Available via ChatGPT Pro, Microsoft Copilot (Bing, Designer)
Ideal for: Teaching prompt structure, visual storytelling, realism

Leonardo.Ai

Known for: Versatility, training custom models, UI-friendly interface
Platform: Web-based
Ideal for: Beginners to pros, gaming art, custom datasets

Canva AI (Magic Media)

Known for: Accessibility, ease of use, fast social content generation
Platform: Web-based, built into Canva
Ideal for: Social media design, presentations, education

Google's Nano Banana

Known for: Keeping the original photo intact when requesting changes. You can see it go head to head against ChatGPT in my Substack article here
Platform: Built into Google's Gemini AI platform

SECOND STUDENT PROJECT

2) The second project is introduced in the final lesson. You may choose to do just one or both of the student projects. Download the two reference images from the Class Resources section. Your task is to re-create these images using only text prompts and an AI image generator. Apply what you've learned about prompt engineering to match the original photos as closely as possible—focusing on arrangement, lighting, mood, and tone. You’re encouraged to iterate and refine your prompt multiple times to get the best result.

UPDATE: I have had students complete projects and NOT include their entire prompt. If you include your prompt (and even better which AI platform you used to generator your photo) I can better help you in critiquing your project!

Elise Syme

Mauka Creative

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