Introduction

When building an online course page, high-quality content alone is not enough.

In an online learning environment where learners are exposed to many courses at the same time, visual first impressions play a critical role.

Illustrative images directly affect the first 3–5 seconds of attention:

• Will visitors stop scrolling?
• Will they continue reading the course description?
• Will they feel the course is professional and trustworthy enough to click “Enroll”?

However, in reality, not every instructor has:

• Professional photos for each course
• Budget to hire a designer or edit images
• Extra time to invest in visuals on top of lesson preparation

This is especially true for instructors who are building online courses from scratch or transitioning from offline teaching to online platforms. Creating a course page that looks polished, clear, and visually engaging can be a real challenge.

That is why AI Image Generation has become a practical solution—helping instructors quickly create illustrations that match their course content, teaching style, and target learners, without requiring advanced design skills.

1. What Is AI Image Generation?

AI Image Generation is a technology that allows you to create images simply by describing them in text (prompts), instead of designing visuals manually or searching through stock photo libraries.

The generated images can be used directly on course pages, lessons, or landing pages on Ourdemy, often with minimal or no additional editing.

AI Image Generation vs. Traditional Stock Images

2. Where Can AI-Generated Images Be Used on Ourdemy?

On the Ourdemy platform, AI-generated images can be effectively used for:

• Course hero images to create strong first impressions
• Illustrations for content sections, such as:
  • Course introduction
  • What you will learn
  • Learning style and approach
• Soft background visuals for landing pages or explanatory blocks
• New courses that do not yet have real images from instructors or learners

However, AI images should not be overused in the following cases:

• Instructor portraits, where trust and authenticity are essential
• Highly technical illustrations, where accuracy and detail are critical

When used appropriately, AI-generated images should support the learning experience, not distract from or undermine content credibility.

3. Popular AI Image Generation Tools

There are many AI image generation tools available today. For creating illustrations for online course pages on Ourdemy, the following three options are among the most popular and practical.

3.1. Midjourney

Midjourney is well known for producing highly artistic images with strong atmosphere and emotional depth.

Advantages

• Rich, expressive visuals with depth
• Excellent at creating mood and vibe
• Suitable for courses related to:
  • Lifestyle
  • Art and creativity
  • Feminine, elegant, or aesthetic themes

Limitations

• Operates via Discord, which may be less beginner-friendly
• English prompts usually yield better results
• Fine detail control is limited; regeneration is often required

👉 Best for:

Courses on Ourdemy that aim for a magazine-like or premium brand feel, where emotional impact matters more than technical precision.

3.2. DALL·E 3

DALL·E 3 is beginner-friendly and ideal for quickly generating clear, usable illustrations for course pages.

Advantages

• Easy to use, no technical knowledge required
• Strong understanding of natural language prompts
• Clean, bright images suitable for websites and landing pages

Limitations

• Visual style may feel less distinctive
• Maintaining strict style consistency across many images can be challenging

👉 Best for:

Basic courses, trial courses, or onboarding pages on Ourdemy where speed and clarity are priorities.

3.3. Stable Diffusion (and Web Interfaces)

Stable Diffusion is suitable for creators or teams who want deeper control and long-term visual consistency.

Advantages

• Highly customizable
• Allows detailed adjustments and variations
• Ideal for building a unique visual style for a course brand

Limitations

• Requires more technical knowledge
• Local setup may need high-performance hardware

👉 Best for:

Teams or creators with design support who want to build a consistent visual system across multiple courses on Ourdemy over time.

4. How to Write Effective Prompts

An effective prompt for course illustrations typically includes four core elements:

1. Course topic → What is the course about? (nutrition, language learning, skills, wellness, etc.)
2. Visual style → Minimal, modern, feminine, professional, artistic, friendly, etc.
3. Emotional tone → Calm, positive, trustworthy, inspiring, approachable
4. Target learners → Beginners, women, office workers, young learners, etc.

When these elements are clearly combined, AI can generate images that match both the course content and the desired learning atmosphere on Ourdemy.

Example Prompt

“Illustration for an online nutrition course for women, Japanese minimalist style, soft lighting, calm and positive mood.”

This type of prompt works well for hero images, section illustrations, and maintaining consistency across the entire course page.

5. Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Effective AI Illustrations

Step 1: Define the Purpose of the Image

Before generating an image, clearly identify its role on the course page. This helps prevent creating beautiful images that are not practical.

Ask yourself:

• Where will this image be used?
• What feeling should it convey?
• Can learners immediately understand what the course is about?

Examples:

• Hero image → create first impression and motivation
• Thumbnail → easy recognition in course listings
• Content illustration → help learners visualize the lesson

Step 2: Describe the Concept Clearly (Prompt)

Once the purpose is clear, describe the concept as specifically as possible.

Sample Prompt – Course Hero Image

Create a clean and professional illustration for an online course about [course topic].
Target learners: [target audience].
Style: modern, friendly, educational.
Colors: soft, minimal, suitable for an online learning platform.
No text in the image.

Note:

Avoid placing text directly inside the image. Titles, descriptions, and CTAs should be handled using text blocks on Ourdemy for better readability and layout consistency.

Step 3: Generate Multiple Versions and Choose Carefully

AI typically produces multiple variations. Instead of choosing quickly:

• Compare how clearly each image represents the course topic
• Avoid images that are overly complex or abstract
• Prioritize images that display well on mobile screens

Simple, purpose-driven images are often more effective than overly decorative ones.

Step 4: Light Adjustments for Brand Consistency

After selecting an image, you may further refine it to align with your course or personal brand.

You can ask AI to:

• Adjust color tones to match branding
• Increase or reduce brightness
• Simplify the background for better text placement

Step 5: Upload the Image to Your Ourdemy Course Page

Once finalized, you can:

• Upload the image using Image Blocks in the Page Editor
• Use it as a background for content sections
• Assign it as the course thumbnail

This ensures visuals and content flow naturally, matching learner reading behavior on Ourdemy.

Reference guides:

• https://ourdemy.com/how-can-i-set-a-course-cover-image/
• https://ourdemy.com/how-do-i-insert-an-image-adjust-its-alignment-and-add-alt-text-for-accessibility/

6. Important Notes When Using AI Images for Courses

To ensure AI-generated images truly support learning, keep these points in mind:

• Avoid overly complex visuals that reduce readability and focus
• Prioritize images that convey mood and learning atmosphere, rather than excessive detail
• Always review the usage terms of each AI tool for commercial purposes
• Use AI images as supporting visuals, and combine them with real images when trust and authenticity are essential (e.g., instructor photos, real classroom scenes)

Used correctly, AI images can make course pages on Ourdemy feel more professional and welcoming—while maintaining learner trust.

Conclusion

AI Image Generation offers a new and powerful approach for online course creators: faster, more flexible, and more cost-effective visual creation.

With AI, you can:

• Create course visuals in a short time
• Maintain a consistent and professional visual style
• Reduce design costs without sacrificing presentation quality

AI Image Generation is not just about making courses look better—it helps build a professional and sustainable learning content ecosystem that supports both instructors and learners in the long term.