Harnessing Generative AI for Consistent Imagery Across the Design Process
TL;DR: Generative AI can revolutionize your design process by maintaining visual consistency, adjusting fidelity levels, and harmonizing team outputs. Try it yourself at https://app.idai.tools/interface/transformation to transform your design sketches into high-fidelity renders instantly.
In the world of industrial design, maintaining visual consistency throughout the design process is crucial. It helps communicate ideas effectively, ensures all stakeholders are aligned, and presents a polished, professional image to clients. However, with team members often using different tools and techniques, achieving this consistency can be challenging. Generative AI has emerged as a game-changing tool that can help streamline the design workflow and maintain visual coherence from concept to final render.
Generative AI tools have revolutionized the way images are created and manipulated. By leveraging these technologies, designers can now easily transform rough sketches into polished renders, adjust fidelity levels, and even harmonize styles across different team members' work.
Adapting Fidelity to Context
One of the most powerful aspects of gen AI in design is the ability to quickly adjust the fidelity of images to suit different contexts. Whether presenting initial concepts to team members or showcasing final designs to clients, designers can tailor visuals to the appropriate level of detail.
Consider a simple example: a 3D model of a planter exported from CAD software.
With gen AI, designers can effortlessly transform a basic 3D export into various fidelity levels:
1. Low-fidelity: Perfect for rapid prototyping and internal team discussions
2. Medium-fidelity: Ideal for stakeholder presentations and design reviews
3. High-fidelity: Suitable for client presentations and marketing materials
Below are images of the model above transformed into different levels of fidelity using ID AI Tools Image Transformation.
Low fidelity transformation
Medium fidelity transformation
High fidelity transformation
Exploring Materials and Finishes
Generating a high-quality image allows for quick exploration of different materials and finishes without the need for time-consuming re-rendering in 3D software.
The examples below were achieved by adding specific materials to the optional “Image Details” prompt.
Bamboo
Mycelium
This capability enables designers to:
- Rapidly iterate on material choices
- Present multiple options to clients
- Explore unexpected combinations that might inspire new design directions
Harmonizing Team Outputs
In many design projects, multiple team members contribute to the final product. This can result in a mix of visual styles that may not always align. Generative AI can help solve this problem by harmonizing different outputs into a consistent style.
To achieve this:
1. Gather the various design outputs from the team
2. Use gen AI to process these images, specifying a consistent style or fidelity level
3. Review and refine the results to ensure coherence while maintaining each design's unique features
Product images of different styles, left is from https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4591435/files and right is from https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:430957
Transformed images: Consistent material / style exploration
Try It Yourself: A Hands-On Guide
While understanding the concept of generative AI in design is valuable, there's no substitute for hands-on experience. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you explore this technology yourself:
Access the Tool: Visit https://app.idai.tools/interface/transformation
Sign Up: Create an account if you're a first-time user. This step is necessary to access the tool's features.
Upload Your Image: Once logged in, you'll see an option to upload an image. Choose a design sketch or a low-fidelity render you'd like to transform.
Choose Transformation Type: Select the "Low to High Fidelity" option. This will instruct the AI to create a more detailed, polished version of your input image.
Add Optional Details: To help guide the AI and ensure it generates what you're envisioning, you can add optional image details. For example, you might specify "sleek modern planter with a matte finish" or "retro-inspired kitchen appliance with chrome accents."
Generate and Review: Initiate the transformation process and review the results. Remember, AI-generated images are a starting point and may require further refinement.
Iterate and Experiment: Try uploading different images, adjusting your descriptions, or even reversing the process (high to low fidelity) to see how the tool can adapt to various needs in your design process.
By experimenting, you can gain firsthand experience in how generative AI can transform your design workflow. It's an excellent way to visualize concepts quickly, explore different fidelity levels, and maintain consistency across your design projects.
