From DALL-E to Midjourney to Stable Diffusion—everything you need to know about AI image generation technology and tools.
The AI Image Revolution
AI image generation has transformed creative industries. From marketing to entertainment, these tools are reshaping how visual content is created. This guide covers everything from the technology to practical applications.
Leading Models Compared
Overview
| Model | Provider | Access | Best For |
|---|
| Midjourney v6 | Midjourney | Discord | Artistic, stylized |
| DALL-E 3 | OpenAI | API, ChatGPT | Photorealistic, text |
| Stable Diffusion 3 | Stability AI | Open source | Customization |
| Imagen 3 | Google | Gemini | Quality, safety |
| Ideogram 2 | Ideogram | Web | Text rendering |
| Flux | Black Forest Labs | Open source | Quality, speed |
Quality Comparison
| Aspect | Midjourney | DALL-E 3 | SD 3 | Flux |
|---|
| Photorealism | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Art styles | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Text rendering | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Hands/anatomy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Prompt following | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Midjourney Deep Dive
Getting Started
- Join Discord server
- Subscribe ($10-120/month)
- Use /imagine command
- Refine with variations
Prompt Structure
/imagine [subject] [style] [lighting] [composition]
[quality modifiers] [parameters]
Example:
/imagine a cyberpunk city at night, neon lights reflecting
on wet streets, cinematic lighting, wide angle,
ultra detailed, 8k --ar 16:9 --v 6
Key Parameters
| Parameter | Description | Example |
|---|
| --ar | Aspect ratio | --ar 16:9 |
| --v | Version | --v 6 |
| --style | Style intensity | --style raw |
| --chaos | Variation | --chaos 50 |
| --stylize | Aesthetic | --s 750 |
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Fast Hours |
|---|
| Basic | $10/mo | 3.3 hours |
| Standard | $30/mo | 15 hours |
| Pro | $60/mo | 30 hours |
| Mega | $120/mo | 60 hours |
DALL-E 3 Deep Dive
Access Methods
- ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo): Natural language prompts
- API: $0.04-0.12/image
- Bing Image Creator: Free with Microsoft account
Strengths
- Excellent text in images
- Natural language understanding
- Good at following complex prompts
- Integration with ChatGPT for iterative refinement
API Usage
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI()
response = client.images.generate(
model="dall-e-3",
prompt="A photorealistic image of a mountain lake at sunrise",
size="1024x1024",
quality="hd",
n=1,
)
print(response.data[0].url)
Pricing
| Quality | Size | Price |
|---|
| Standard | 1024x1024 | $0.04 |
| Standard | 1024x1792 | $0.08 |
| HD | 1024x1024 | $0.08 |
| HD | 1024x1792 | $0.12 |
Stable Diffusion 3 Deep Dive
Why Open Source Matters
- Run locally (no API costs)
- Full customization
- Fine-tune for specific needs
- No content restrictions
- Privacy (images never leave your device)
Running Locally
# Hardware requirements
- GPU: 12GB+ VRAM (24GB+ recommended)
- RAM: 32GB+
- Storage: 20GB+ for models
# Installation (ComfyUI)
git clone https://github.com/comfyanonymous/ComfyUI
cd ComfyUI
pip install -r requirements.txt
python main.py
# Download SD3 model from Hugging Face
Community Resources
- Civitai: Model sharing platform
- ComfyUI: Node-based workflow
- Automatic1111: Popular WebUI
- r/StableDiffusion: Community support
Prompt Engineering for Images
Effective Prompt Structure
1. Subject: [Main subject of the image]
2. Style: [Artistic style or medium]
3. Lighting: [Lighting conditions]
4. Composition: [Camera angle, framing]
5. Details: [Specific elements to include]
6. Quality: [Technical parameters]
Example Prompts
Photorealistic Portrait:
Portrait of a young woman with freckles,
natural sunlight from window,
shallow depth of field,
Canon EOS R5, 85mm f/1.4,
studio photography
Fantasy Art:
An ancient dragon perched on a castle tower,
epic fantasy art style,
dramatic storm clouds,
by Greg Rutkowski and Alphonse Mucha,
highly detailed, 4K
Commercial Use Cases
Marketing and Advertising
| Use Case | Best Tool | Why |
|---|
| Social media | Midjourney | Quality + speed |
| Product mockups | DALL-E 3 | Prompt accuracy |
| Brand assets | Custom SD | Brand-specific training |
| Stock photos | Midjourney | Professional quality |
Design Fields
- Web design: UI mockups, hero images
- Fashion: Concept visualization
- Architecture: Rendering concepts
- Gaming: Concept art, assets
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Copyright Status
| Region | Generated Images |
|---|
| US | Generally not copyrightable |
| EU | Varies by member state |
| Others | Unclear in most places |
Best Practices
- Don't use to create deceptive content
- Disclose AI generation when relevant
- Respect training data concerns
- Avoid generating harmful content
- Check platform terms of service
Future Trends
What's Coming
- Video integration: From images to motion
- 3D generation: Image to 3D models
- Real-time generation: Interactive creation
- Higher resolution: 4K+ standard
- Better control: Precise editing tools
"AI image generation is democratizing visual creation. The barrier isn't artistic skill anymore—it's imagination and effective communication with these tools."
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