The client wanted a poster by tomorrow. My first move was opening a blank canvas.
Last Friday at 4 p.m., Sister Lin messaged me: “We’re posting to the community group tomorrow morning—could I see a layout tonight?” I stared at a blank canvas for two hours, unable to decide whether the headline should go on the left or right. I’ve gotten stuck here too: no matter how many tools are available, if every project starts with describing the brief from scratch, I still end up losing time just “opening the software.”
What Images 2.6 Is—and Who’s Already Using It
Images 2.6 is OpenAI’s new image-generation model. It can generate or edit images from text prompts, including posters, product shots, and visuals with text. It feels more like a design assistant that shows you a concept first than traditional drawing software. Chen Chen, a freelance photographer in Shenzhen, uses it to draft Xiaohongshu covers. At 9 p.m., he drops the brand colors, event theme, and dimensions into the chat, asks for two layout options, then handles the selection and minor adjustments himself. The same workflow works for small teams without an in-house designer: it turns “What exactly do I want?” into a sketch everyone can discuss.
Replicating It Today: Low Budget, Clear Vision First
Money: Under OpenAI’s current image-generation usage pricing, text prompts are generally free, while generating images requires purchased credits. There is no separate subscription requirement. I generated eight images this time and spent about $4.
Time: My first exploration took about 30 minutes. Once I was familiar with composition and text edits, it took roughly 15 minutes.
Technical barrier: Typing and describing the goal are enough. If I’m unsure of the reference image dimensions, preparation takes longer.
First step: Open ChatGPT’s image-generation entry point, start a new chat, and describe the subject, background, aspect ratio, and text. Don’t just say, “Make me a nice poster.” For example: “Vertical poster for a new coffee drink, off-white background, cup centered, space for a headline at the top, with the feel of a lifestyle magazine.”
How I’d Use It at Each Stage
If I’m just starting out, I’d test it with a real order instead of buying an elaborate course. It’s also fine not to try it yet; writing the client brief clearly matters more. With one or two clients, I’d send the draft as a discussion material, clearly label it “Directional sketch,” and attach my edited version so they don’t mistake it for the final artwork. If I’m scaling up, I’d have operations teammates test event posters, product images, and social media covers separately, track the generation cost and number of revisions for each run, then decide whether to increase usage. I’ve learned it isn’t for everyone: if I don’t handle visual requests, already have a reliable designer, or the work requires pixel-perfect finishing, it makes more sense not to invest yet.