14/08/2025
Welcome back!
So far, we’ve explored using AI Chatbots to write, plan and edit your charity’s communications. But what if you want to go beyond words?
You are a charity with a mission, so you want to spend more time on clients and less on admin. So, this week, we’re exploring how to use AI designers to help create:
Note the E-Portal Essex Chatbot doesn’t yet support images or video. But you can use Microsoft Designer, ChatGPT (with the ‘Sora’ video plugin if you have a paid account) or other free tools like Canva or Pexels.
Let’s bring your communications to life – even if you don’t have a design team!
🖼️ It All Starts With a Good Description
Just like with text, the clearer your prompt, the better the result.
🟢 Try something like:
“Create a photo-quality image of a warm, welcoming community space with carers and coffee, suitable for an A5 flyer.”
“Draw a Christmas Fair in a busy hall, with stalls and Santa Claus. For a seasonal blog post.”
“Make a cartoon of a youth football team having a kickabout in a muddy park.”
“Design a colourful abstract shape using pastel colours for my web page.”
You can also guide the tone and purpose – formal, fun, artistic, plain, modern, …
💡 Tip: If you like a certain style, just describe it. Or upload an example, then ask: “Please describe this style. Then recreate something new with the same feel.”
🛠️ What Can AI Help You Create?
✅ Flyers and Posters: “Suggest a simple layout for an A4 printed poster with a headline, two images and body text.” Then type in all your ideas and ask it to mock it up for you.
✅ Logos and Layouts: “Show me 3 logo ideas using teal and maroon. Include the words ‘Bright Futures Together’ and suggest a symbol to match.” Then provide feedback and it will try again.
✅ Step-by-Step Images or Diagrams: “Create a series of four line drawings showing how to plant vegetables in an allotment.”
✅ Staff communications: Posters, quick guides, graphics for emails.
✅ Community outreach: Flyers, welcome videos, newsletter images.
✅ Funding bids: Diagrams, infographics, pitch decks.
✅ Quick Videos or Animated Posts: “Make a 10-second video loop showing people arriving at an inner-city community centre.” “We’re making a welcome video for our volunteers. Suggest 3 script outlines: one formal, one relaxed, one humorous. Our volunteers are typically in their 20s and 30s.”
✅ Web code for embedding your new image: “Write some HTML code to add this picture and caption to a web page.”
✅ Planning/design thinking: Explore rough ideas with your Chatbot (on your own or in a brainstorm with your team) before briefing a professional designer. It will save them some time and you some money!
🧪 Try, Refine, Repeat
Didn’t get quite what you wanted first time? As with a human graphic designer, that’s normal!
⚖️ A Note on Style and Ethics
AI image tools can imitate certain artistic styles, but it’s important to stay ethical and respectful. Generally, you own the copyright for anything new you produce. If you’re unsure you could ask: “Is it OK to copy this style for our charity’s leaflet?” “What are the pros and cons of using AI-generated art?”
They are great conversation starters with your team, too!
🧠 Try It Today
Think of something visual you need right now – maybe for a flyer, poster or blog post. Describe it clearly. What should it show? How should it feel? Then test it in an image or video tool. Tweak, review, improve.
🎯 The more you practise describing your ideas clearly, the better your results will get.
Future blogs:
Got a creative task you need help with? Let us know – we could explore it in a future post.
Would you like a downloadable AI design cheat sheet for charities? Ask your favourite Chatbot – it can find one or create one for you!
