AI-assisted visual atmospheres

How can you use AI to turn a brief into a coherent, well-reasoned and usable moodboard?

1250 € per session, excl. VAT

In short

In a half-day session of 3 hours participants translate a brief into visual intentions, generate proposals and then compose an annotated moodboard. They learn to select rather than accumulate, document rights and assess the coherence of the result using a simple assessment grid.

Why this training?

A collection of appealing images does not necessarily constitute an artistic direction. The moodboard must clearly convey a palette, materials, lighting and composition choices linked to the brief, without multiplying contradictory signals. AI makes exploration easier but can produce implausible objects, references that are too close to existing works or interchangeable atmospheres. Critical selection and traceability of references remain essential when presenting a credible intention. Running case study: The fictitious organisation « Avelune Céramique » is preparing to present a collection of handcrafted tableware. It wants a warm, contemporary atmosphere, without rustic visual codes. Participants propose a visual direction for its future catalogue, without presenting the generated images as photographs of the actual products. Transfer to the workplace: Over the following two weeks, reuse the template with an authorised, anonymised brief, compare two directions using the same grid and have the board approved before any external use.

Objectives of this training

  • Translate a brief into five observable visual attributes
  • Write prompts describing palette, materials, lighting and framing
  • Compare two directions and justify the selected images
  • Assemble a board with a clear hierarchy and useful annotations
  • Assess visual coherence and document precautions for distribution

Who is it for and what are the prerequisites?

Roles and tasks concerned

  • Communications officers preparing visual briefs
  • Content creators and freelancers presenting graphic intentions
  • Marketing assistants liaising with creative service providers

Prior skills

  • Have prior experience of formulating and refining a request to a generative AI.
  • Be able to import, arrange and export images in a presentation medium.

What you will work on

  1. Moving from the brief to visual attributes

    Objective: Define an intention precise enough to guide image generation. The role of a moodboard; distinction from a mock-up and a final visual; target audience, tone, palette, materials and exclusions.

  2. Exploring two controlled directions

    Objective: Obtain comparable proposals without aesthetic drift. Prompt structure; description of lighting, texture and composition; varying one parameter; limitations of object rendering.

  3. Selecting images and composing the board

    Objective: Build a clear visual narrative rather than an accumulation of images. Dominant image, rhythm, spacing, palette and annotations; complementary references; removing duplicates and misleading details.

  4. Checking, scoring and presenting

    Objective: Measure quality and set boundaries for the use of the deliverable. Scoring from 0 to 2 per criterion; rights relating to references, individuals' consent, generation disclosures; risks of deepfakes and misrepresentation.

What you take away

  • Annotated visual brief and vocabulary for describing atmosphere
  • Prompt log with variations and selection decisions
  • Annotated moodboard with six to eight visuals and a palette
  • Completed quality assessment grid and register of sources, rights and disclosures

Method and assessment

  • Short teaching inputs followed by immediate practice on the running case study.
  • Individual work followed by work in pairs, with peer review of the outputs.
  • Guided group discussion: what works, what needs correcting and what remains a human decision.
  • Preparation: Check access to a tool authorised by your organisation and its terms of use for images. Prepare a fictitious or anonymised brief and a few references authorised for use; no confidential content is imported.

Observable criteria: The five attributes in the brief are identifiable in the board. ; The palette, materials and lighting form a coherent direction. ; Each selected visual contributes distinct and justified information. ; Sources, generated status and known restrictions are recorded. ; The grid compares the two directions and provides a rationale for at least one correction..

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to be able to draw?

No. The exercise is based on describing intentions, selecting images and arranging them in a layout.

Can you import portraits?

Only with the necessary permissions and consent; the proposed case study does not require any portraits of real people.

Are generated images automatically royalty-free?

No. Check the applicable terms, references used and restrictions before distribution; disclose their generated origin as appropriate to the context.

Does the moodboard replace catalogue photographs?

No. It expresses an artistic direction, not a contractually binding representation of the products or a production file.

Last updated: