It's never been easier to make anything — and never harder to make something real
The criteria I use as an art director — and that work for anyone creating visuals for a business.
AI tools now give us endless possibilities. When you can create literally anything, it gets hard to tell what's good and what isn't. And why.
Over 15 years of working with visual communications, I've landed on three questions I run every visual through — mine and anyone else's. They help a designer evaluate an idea and defend it, and help a business owner put their brief into sharper words. Sharing them 🙃
Over 15 years of working with visual communications, I've landed on three questions I run every visual through — mine and anyone else's. They help a designer evaluate an idea and defend it, and help a business owner put their brief into sharper words. Sharing them 🙃
Question #1:
"Is This Even About Your Brand?"
It's not about colors. Seriously — forget colors for a second.
An event banner, a website visual, a social post — they're all working toward the same image in your client's head. The more consistent that image is, the faster trust builds.
So the first question is always about DNA: who are we, what's our character, what are we putting across besides the product itself? An airline sells tickets — but what it's really selling is freedom, anticipation, and a sense of adventure. And that comes through in every single thing they put out.
A brand book and a strategy are the ideal answer to this question. But if you don't have those yet, start with two simple filters:
1.What does the brand sell besides the product — what meaning, what feeling, what promise?
(For example: VkusVill doesn't sell food — it sells the peace of mind that comes from eating it yourself, and feeding it to your kids.)
2.What visual language are we aiming for — and what associations do we want to trigger?
(For example: Samokat — speed, vibrancy, the pulse of the city — the association is with people who don't wait around.)
Run every visual through these before you publish. Does it match the character? Does it sharpen the right feeling? If yes — go for it. If it doesn't add up, something's off.
An event banner, a website visual, a social post — they're all working toward the same image in your client's head. The more consistent that image is, the faster trust builds.
So the first question is always about DNA: who are we, what's our character, what are we putting across besides the product itself? An airline sells tickets — but what it's really selling is freedom, anticipation, and a sense of adventure. And that comes through in every single thing they put out.
A brand book and a strategy are the ideal answer to this question. But if you don't have those yet, start with two simple filters:
1.What does the brand sell besides the product — what meaning, what feeling, what promise?
(For example: VkusVill doesn't sell food — it sells the peace of mind that comes from eating it yourself, and feeding it to your kids.)
2.What visual language are we aiming for — and what associations do we want to trigger?
(For example: Samokat — speed, vibrancy, the pulse of the city — the association is with people who don't wait around.)
Run every visual through these before you publish. Does it match the character? Does it sharpen the right feeling? If yes — go for it. If it doesn't add up, something's off.
Question #2:
"Is There an Idea — or Just a Pretty Picture?"
Once making a picture got easy, everyone started making pictures. Lots of pictures. Similar pictures.
That's visual noise — when everyone's drawing from the same inspiration, generating off the same templates, and landing on roughly the same result. Pretty, polished, and completely forgettable. In an environment like that, the winner isn't the one with the best texture — it's the one with something to say 💡
That's why order matters: idea first, tool second. Work out the concept — what do I want to say? what feeling should stick? — and only then sit down to execute. AI is a great co-author and amplifier in this scheme, but not the author.
After that, two simple questions for yourself:
— Does this visual actually solve a problem?
— Does the message land without an explanation?
An original, precise idea is worth more now than ever — exactly because it can't be generated without a human behind it.
That's visual noise — when everyone's drawing from the same inspiration, generating off the same templates, and landing on roughly the same result. Pretty, polished, and completely forgettable. In an environment like that, the winner isn't the one with the best texture — it's the one with something to say 💡
That's why order matters: idea first, tool second. Work out the concept — what do I want to say? what feeling should stick? — and only then sit down to execute. AI is a great co-author and amplifier in this scheme, but not the author.
After that, two simple questions for yourself:
— Does this visual actually solve a problem?
— Does the message land without an explanation?
An original, precise idea is worth more now than ever — exactly because it can't be generated without a human behind it.
Question #3:
"Will Your Audience Even Like It?"
"Just pretty" isn't a criterion for business visuals. What you like, or what your grandmother likes, might not land with your actual customers 🙂
The Pareto principle applies here too: only 20% of loyal customers bring in 80% of the revenue. So why pour effort into everyone?
Study your audience: what brands do they love, what trends catch their eye, where do they "live" online? Look at the visual through their eyes — does it fit their world? Would they want to click on it? Build a "profile" of your target audience and run every image through it.
To sum up — three questions worth asking yourself every time:
— Does the visual match the brand's character?
— Is there a strong idea behind it?
— Will it hook my audience?
If it's a yes on all three, you're on the right track 🎉
Next time, I'll talk about how to define the brief upfront — to keep revisions, redos, and mutual frustration to a minimum.
The Pareto principle applies here too: only 20% of loyal customers bring in 80% of the revenue. So why pour effort into everyone?
Study your audience: what brands do they love, what trends catch their eye, where do they "live" online? Look at the visual through their eyes — does it fit their world? Would they want to click on it? Build a "profile" of your target audience and run every image through it.
To sum up — three questions worth asking yourself every time:
— Does the visual match the brand's character?
— Is there a strong idea behind it?
— Will it hook my audience?
If it's a yes on all three, you're on the right track 🎉
Next time, I'll talk about how to define the brief upfront — to keep revisions, redos, and mutual frustration to a minimum.
