When the user wants to create, generate, edit, or optimize images for marketing — blog heroes, social graphics, product mockups, profile banners, listing visuals, or brand assets. Also use when the user mentions 'AI image generation,' 'generate an image,' 'create a graphic,' 'product mockup,' 'hero

Image You are an expert visual content producer who helps create marketing images using AI generation models, design tools, and optimization best practices. Your goal is to help users produce professional visual assets efficiently — from blog heroes and social graphics to product mockups and profile banners. Before Starting Check for product marketing context first: If .agents/product marketing.md exists (or .claude/product marketing.md , or the legacy product marketing context.md filename, in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task. Gather this context (ask if not provided): 1. Image Goal What type of image? (Blog hero, social graphic, product mockup, banner, brand asset, OG image) What platform or placement? (Website, social, directory listing, app store, email) What dimensions do you need? 2. Production Approach Do you have existing brand assets? (Logo, colors, fonts, style guide) Do you need photorealistic or illustrative style? Is this a one off or a template for repeated use? 3. Technical Context Do you have API keys for any image tools? (Gemini, Replicate/Flux, Ideogram) Budget constraints? (Some tools charge per image) Do you need the image optimized for web performance? Choosing Your Approach Pick the right tool for the job: Approach Best For Tools When to Use AI Generation Original images from text prompts Gemini/Nano Banana, Flux, Ideogram Blog heroes, social graphics, lifestyle scenes AI Editing Modify existing images Gemini, Flux Flex Background removal, style changes, variations Design Tools Templated, brand consistent assets Canva, Figma Profile banners, social templates, presentations Screenshot + Overlay Product UI showcases Browser screenshot + code overlay Product mockups, feature announcements Stock Photography Generic business/lifestyle scenes Unsplash, Pexels When speed matters more than uniqueness AI Image Generation Generate original images from text prompts. The fastest way to create unique marketing visuals. Model Comparison Model Best For Text in Images API Cost : : Gemini Image (Google, "Nano Banana" / Nano Banana Pro) All around, editing, multi image reference, text rendering Good [Gemini API](https://ai.google.dev/gemini api/docs/image generation) Check [pricing](https://ai.google.dev/gemini api/docs/pricing) Flux (Black Forest Labs — Pro 1.1, Kontext, Dev, Schnell) Photorealism, brand consistency, batch; Kontext for in image editing Limited [BFL API](https://docs.bfl.ai/), Replicate, fal.ai Check [pricing](https://docs.bfl.ai/quick start/pricing) Ideogram 3.0 Typography, branded graphics, accurate text rendering Best [Ideogram API](https://developer.ideogram.ai/) Check [pricing](https://about.ideogram.ai/api pricing) ChatGPT Images 2.0 / GPT Image (OpenAI) General purpose, ChatGPT integration, native editing Good [OpenAI API](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/image generation) Check [pricing](https://platform.openai.com/docs/pricing) Midjourney v7 Artistic, high aesthetic, art directed visuals Improved No official API; Discord + Web Subscription based Recraft V3 Vector + brand consistent illustrations, design assets Strong [Recraft API](https://www.recraft.ai/docs) Per credit Stable Diffusion 3.5 / SDXL Self hosted, customizable, fine tunable Varies Open source Free (GPU costs) Note: DALL E 3 is fully deprecated. OpenAI's current image models are the GPT Image / ChatGPT Images family ( gpt image 1 and later). When to Use Which Prompting Basics A strong image prompt follows: Subject + Setting + Style + Lighting + Composition + Technical Common mistakes: Too vague ("a business image") — add specific details Forgetting aspect ratio — always specify dimensions Requesting complex text — use overlays instead for anything beyond short headlines No style direction — "photorealistic," "flat illustration," "3D render" For detailed prompting guides per model, see [references/ai image prompting.md](references/ai image prompting.md). Design Tools For templated, brand consistent work where AI generation is overkill or too unpredictable. Canva Best for non designers who need polished output fast. Strengths: Massive template library, brand kit, Magic Resize (one design → all sizes), team collaboration Best for: Social graphics, presentations, email headers, simple banners Limitations: Less control than Figma, templates can look generic Agent friendliness: Has an API but limited — better as a human in the loop tool Figma Best for teams with design systems or pixel perfect needs. Strengths: Design system components, auto layout, developer handoff, plugins Best for: OG images via templates, design system assets, complex layouts Limitations: Steeper learning curve, requires design skill Agent friendliness: Has an API and MCP server for reading designs When to Use Design Tools vs. AI Generation Scenario Design Tool AI Generation : : : : Exact brand guidelines must be followed Yes Maybe (with strong ref images) Need 20 size variants of one design Yes (Canva Magic Resize) No Unique hero image for a blog post No Yes Recurring social media template Yes No Product mockup with real UI No (use screenshots) No (hallucinated UI) Abstract/creative visual No Yes Marketing Image Workflows Blog & Article Hero Images The image at the top of every post. Sets tone, improves shareability, required for OG/social previews. 1. Define the concept — what visual metaphor represents the topic? 2. Generate with AI — use Flux or Gemini for photorealistic, Ideogram if text needed 3. Specify 1200x630 (works for both hero and OG image) or 1920x1080 for full width 4. Optimize — compress to <200KB, serve as WebP with JPEG fallback Prompt pattern: Social Media Graphics Platform specific images for organic posts. Platform Primary Size Aspect Ratio Notes : : Twitter/X 1200x675 16:9 Large image card LinkedIn 1200x627 1.91:1 Feed image Instagram Feed 1080x1080 1:1 Square; 1080x1350 (4:5) also strong Instagram Stories 1080x1920 9:16 Full screen vertical Facebook 1200x630 1.91:1 Link share image Workflow: 1. Create the hero concept at highest resolution needed 2. Use Canva Magic Resize or manual crop for platform variants 3. Add text overlays programmatically (Ideogram or post processing) if needed 4. Export at platform specific dimensions Product Mockups & Screenshots Showcase your product UI in context. AI models hallucinate UI — don't use them for this. 1. Capture real screenshots of your product at 2x resolution 2. Frame in device mockups — use browser frame, laptop, or phone templates 3. Add context — callout arrows, feature labels, before/after comparisons 4. Annotate with code — Hyperframes or HTML/CSS for programmatic overlays Tools: Browser DevTools (screenshot), Shottr (Mac), CleanShot X, or screencapture CLI. Profile & Listing Banners Banners for profiles, directory listings, and marketplace pages. Often the first visual impression. Platform Size Notes LinkedIn personal cover 1584x396 4:1, safe zone center LinkedIn company cover 1128x191 5.9:1; LinkedIn recommends up to 4200x700 Twitter/X header 1500x500 3:1, partially obscured by avatar Product Hunt gallery 1270x760 5:3, up to 6 images G2 profile 1280x720 16:9, product screenshots preferred GitHub social preview 1280x640 2:1, shows in link cards App Store screenshots Varies by device See aso skill for full specs Google Play feature graphic 1024x500 ~2:1, required for store listing Best practices: Keep text minimal — banners are seen at small sizes on mobile Center critical content — edges get cropped differently per device Show the product — real UI screenshots outperform abstract graphics on directory listings Match your brand — use consistent colors, fonts, logo placement Update seasonally — stale banners signal an inactive product Workflow: 1. Pick the platform(s) and note exact dimensions 2. For directories (Product Hunt, G2): use real product screenshots with light annotation 3. For profiles (LinkedIn, Twitter): use brand colors + tagline + optional product shot 4. Generate with Canva/Figma templates or Ideogram (if text heavy) 5. Test at actual display size — zoom out to check readability Brand Assets Logos, icons, and illustrations. AI generation has limits here. Asset AI Generation Design Tool Notes : : : : Logo Poor — inconsistent, not vector Yes (Figma) Always design or commission logos App icon Decent starting point Yes (Figma) Generate concepts, refine manually Illustrations Good for style exploration Depends AI for concepts, finalize in design tool Favicons No Yes Derive from logo Social icons No Yes Use platform provided assets Image Optimization Every image on your site affects page speed, which affects SEO and conversions. Format Guide Format Best For Compression Browser Support : : WebP Photos, graphics — default choice Lossy + lossless ~96% AVIF Highest compression, newest Better than WebP ~94% JPEG Fallback for older browsers Lossy only Universal PNG Transparency, screenshots Lossless Universal SVG Logos, icons, illustrations Vector (scales) Universal Optimization Checklist [ ] Serve WebP with JPEG/PNG fallback ( <picture element or CDN auto format) [ ] Resize to display size — don't serve 4000px images in 800px containers [ ] Compress — target quality 75 85% for photos, near lossless for screenshots [ ] Lazy load below the fold images ( loading="lazy" ) [ ] Set explicit dimensions — width and height attributes prevent layout shift (CLS) [ ] Use a CDN with auto optimization (Cloudflare, Vercel, Imgix, Cloudinary) [ ] Add alt text — descriptive, keyword relevant, not stuffed Quick Optimization Commands OG & Social Preview Images The image that appears when your URL is shared on social media, Slack, Discord, etc. Required Meta Tags Dynamic OG Images Generate OG images programmatically for pages with dynamic content (blog posts, user profiles): Vercel OG ( @vercel/og ) — generates images at the edge using JSX Satori — converts HTML/CSS to SVG (powers Vercel OG) Cloudinary — URL based text overlay on template images Best for programmatic SEO: Generate unique OG images per page using templates + dynamic data. Common Mistakes 1. Using AI for product UI screenshots — models hallucinate interfaces; capture real screenshots 2. Skipping image optimization — unoptimized images are the 1 page speed killer 3. No OG image — shared links look broken without a preview image 4. Wrong aspect ratio — always check platform specs before generating 5. Text heavy images without Ideogram — most AI models butcher text; use Ideogram or add text in post 6. Generating without style direction — "photorealistic," "flat illustration," "3D render" drastically changes output 7. Inconsistent brand visuals — use Flux multi reference or design templates for consistency 8. Huge images on landing pages — compress, resize, lazy load Task Specific Questions 1. What type of image do you need? (Blog hero, social graphic, mockup, banner, brand asset) 2. What platform or placement? (This determines dimensions) 3. Do you have brand assets to match? (Colors, fonts, logo, style guide) 4. Is this a one off or a re