Adobe Firefly is an online image-generating platform that leverages AI to create images based on user prompts. It works like other similar tools, such as Midjourney and Dall-E 3, but is also available for free users. You can generate AI images in various styles, apply various effects, and even use references when doing so. Furthermore, using the platform is quite easy, so even if you have no prior experience with image-generating AI tools, you'll be able to use it without any issues.

Generating AI art

  1. Open a web browser and go to firefly.adobe.com.
  2. Click on the 'Sign in' button on the top right and then log in using your email or Google or Apple account. You can also sign up for an account if you don't already have one.
  1. Once you're signed in, you will see the prompt bar in front of you. Type in your prompt and click on the 'Generate' button.
  1. Firefly will show you four variations and several customization settings. You can select the one you like by clicking on it.
  1. Once you select an image, you will see a few options. Click on the 'Upscale' option to improve the quality of the image.
  1. Click on the 'Edit' dropdown option on the top left to access other editing options.
  1. You can use the image to generate similar images, use it as a reference, and even add text and graphics to it from the options. Click on the 'Generative fill' option.
  1. The Generative Fill option lets you change a section of the generated art. Drag on your artwork and select the section you want to change.
  1. Type in a new prompt at the bottom if you want and then click on the 'Generate' button again.
  1. You will again see a few variations of the new image. Click on the one you like and then click on the 'Keep' button.

Adjusting the settings

To be able to make the best use of Adobe Firefly and create high-quality AI art, it is important to understand the various settings that the platform offers. These settings appear on the left after you generate an image.

  1. Under the 'General settings' section, you will first see which model Adobe Firefly is using to generate the image. By default it is 'Firefly Image 3' but you can change it by clicking on the dropdown menu and selecting from other available models.
Note: You will see a 'Fast Mode' toggle below the Model setting and it will be turned on by default. This allows you to generate images quickly but you can turn it off for generating higher-quality pictures.
  1. Then there is the 'Aspect ratio' setting. Click on the dropdown menu and select a new ratio if you want to change it for the generated image.
  1. Now you will see the 'Content type' setting. By default, Firefly generates images as photos, but you can change it by clicking on the 'Art' option here.
  1. Once you change the content type, you will need to regenerate the images as art. So, click on the 'Generate' button on the lower right again.
  1. You can also change the composition of the images using the 'Composition' setting. There are a few presets you can select for reference by clicking on them, or upload your own using the 'Upload' button.
  1. Next, is the 'Styles' section, which will let you generate images in a particular style. Again, you can choose from the available options or upload your own. You can even control how much the image adheres to that style using the 'Visual Intensity' slider. To access more styles, click on the 'Browse gallery' button.
  1. If you want to add some effects to your image, click on the various options like 'Bokeh effect' or 'Layered paper' under the Effects section.
  1. The last three settings are quite simple to understand and use. The 'Color and tone' setting lets you adjust the colors of your image, so you can make it a black and white image, monochromatic, or something else.
  1. You can change the lighting in the image using the 'Lighting' setting by clicking on it and accessing the various options in the dropdown menu.
  1. Finally, there is the 'Camera angle' setting, which allows you to change the angle from which the image appears. Once you've adjusted these settings, you will have to generate the image again to see how they change the image.

Things to know

  • If you are a free user, Adobe Firefly offers a limited number of credits you can use to generate AI art using the platform. However, once the credits expire, you will need to get a subscription plan or wait for them to be renewed next month.
  • Firefly does not automatically save your generated images, so if you haven't downloaded them, you may not be able to access them later. However, you can add them to your 'Favorites', which will save them in your browser cache for quick access.
  • An efficient way to save your generated images is to click on the 'Download all' button at the top of the page, which will save all the images you generate to your device.
  • You can directly provide feedback regarding the images generated by hovering your cursor on an image and clicking on the thumbs-up or thumbs-down button that appears over it. This will help improve the platform and enhance its image-generation capabilities.