How to design your own Christmas cards with artificial intelligence

Modern AI applications promise increased productivity in complex tasks. But language models like Chat-GPT and image generators like Dall-E can also help make everyday life easier on a personal level. Depending on the season, the systems can be used, for example, to design individual Christmas cards – even if your artistic creativity is not very good.

Already with them Free versions of Chat-GPT And some other tools can achieve amazing creative results. If you don’t know where to start, it’s better to ask Chat-GPT: “Can you help me create texts for a Christmas card and walk you through the process step by step?” The program will then request more information and generate the corresponding texts.

Working with AI services is fundamentally different from working with previous computer programs. Instead of arriving at a goal systematically using pre-programmed functions, AI services rely primarily on text input that is worded as precisely as possible, called prompts.

To get good results, you need to customize the prompt. For example, if your Christmas card recipients don’t drink alcohol, you can instruct Chat-GPT to refrain from allusions to mulled wine and the like. If the card is for someone with a more pessimistic or humorous view of the holidays, this can be taken into account in the prompt, as can traditional preferences regarding religion and Christmas.

The more “humanly” the inputs are formulated, the better the results. If you write to the system: “Okay, I’m not quite satisfied with that yet,” it will change the output. Or you can simply ask: “Do you have any other ideas?”

Image: Microsoft Free Software

If you want to create an AI image for free, use «Bing image creation program» From Microsoft. The same is true here: general instructions like “Make me a Christmas card” produce results, but they are rarely satisfactory. Specific prompts like “Create a Christmas card with a winter landscape, snowflakes in the foreground, and a cheerful Christmas greeting in elegant font” are better.

Bing currently has no limits on the number of images that can be created, although the process does take longer after you use up 15 free credits. There are practically no limits to creativity when it comes to queries. If you want to play with this genre, you could submit this request, for example: “Draw a Christmas comic strip with a mischievous snowman as the main character. Show humorous scenes from his winter adventure and add a heartwarming holiday message.

Descriptive adjectives help define the style, color palette, and ambiance of an ornament, such as “a warm, cozy Christmas card in rich reds and golds.” If you don’t have an idea for a suitable image, you can ask Chat-GPT for inspiration.

Merge text and image

The combination of text and image created in this way should now be assembled into a final card. This is a tool for this Online design tool Canva. Even the free version offers countless templates for all kinds of items, including typical Christmas card designs.

Designs can be edited directly in the browser and easily complemented with images and text you create yourself. Canva also offers comprehensive support that makes the tool usable even for design beginners. But you can also ask Chat-GPT: “How do I use Canva?”

More options with Chat-GPT Plus

This process is more convenient for GPT Plus paid chat subscribers. In addition to the more powerful GPT-4 language model, image generation via Dall-E 3 is also integrated here. You can create a Christmas card idea right in the same chat using a request like “Draw me a picture that goes with this text.”

You can also use the paperclip icon to upload your own photos and incorporate them into decorations. It’s also possible to adjust photos on the spot, for example as a stylized, comedic version of a family photo.

The capabilities offered by the recently released GPT network go even further. This is how the specialist drives “Christmas card maker” Step by step through creation. Shown here is a ready card that can be sent immediately.