Start with the image’s job
Decide who the image is for, where it will appear, and what it should communicate. Name what it must never imply: a customer who doesn’t exist, an event that never happened, or a product result you cannot substantiate. Those boundaries belong in the brief before anyone writes a prompt.
Separate stable brand rules from tool-specific instructions. A prompt can suggest a scene, but every output still needs review. Set permitted inputs and approved tools, keep confidential material out of unapproved services, and assign someone who can reject an image before it reaches a public channel.
Make the visual language specific
Replace words such as “authentic” with visible choices: subject, setting, lighting, palette, texture, composition, and degree of realism. Pair approved and rejected examples with reasons. Define crop families and space for headlines. If people appear, check anatomy and representation carefully; a plausible image can still contain errors or reinforce stereotypes.
Protect the parts that must stay fixed
Keep approved logos, typography, important copy, and critical product details under design control. Generate a suitable background or placement surface, then add the real assets in layout software. Define clear space, minimum size, color, and contrast; our guide to keeping logos accurate in AI images explains the placement workflow.
A useful rule tells the next person what to approve.
Give reviewers a clear decision
Review the final crop and publishing context, not just the attractive master image. Use the same brand references for each candidate and record the observed issue, reviewer, and next action. Approve when the requirements hold, correct and retest a specific fix, or reject an image whose meaning or defining assets are wrong.
| Area | Vague direction | Rule a reviewer can apply |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Make it feel real. | Reject scenes that imply an undocumented customer, event, or result. |
| Visual style | Keep it on brand. | Compare the subject, palette, light, and texture with approved references. |
| Fixed assets | Include the logo. | Place the approved source file and check proportions, clear space, and contrast. |
| Publishing | Make it ready to post. | Check the final crop, resolution, overlay legibility, alt text, and disclosure decision. |
| Approval | Get the team’s feedback. | Name the approver, record reasons, and resolve required specialist reviews before release. |
The Foxhole identity project shows the kind of visual reference reviewers need. Add publishing rules alongside it: useful alt text, legible overlays, and a named owner for checking disclosure and channel requirements. Seek appropriate specialist review for sensitive uses; never present generated scenes as documentary proof.
Keep the system usable as it grows
Archive the source output, tool and date, relevant settings, edits, permissions, final export, and approval record. Revisit the rules when reviewers disagree or channels change; NIST’s AI Risk Management Framework provides a broader governance reference. The Ape-X Garage brand system below illustrates identity across applications, without implying an AI workflow.
When to bring us in
Bring us in when different creators keep interpreting your identity differently. Left Hand Design can help define the visual direction, approved assets, and usage rules through our logo design and brand identity services.
