Getting Started with AI Studio

Your complete guide to using AI Studio to generate, enhance, and preview tattoo designs.

Overview

AI Studio is Apprentice's powerful AI-powered design tool that helps you create tattoo designs from text descriptions, transform photos into stencils, and preview designs on client bodies. It's your creative partner that helps you explore ideas faster and deliver professional results.

AI Studio offers three main workflows:

• Generate: Create new tattoo designs from text prompts
• Stencil: Convert photos or sketches into tattoo-ready line art
• Preview: Visualize how a design will look on a client's body

All designs you create are automatically saved to your projects and can be shared with clients immediately.

Accessing AI Studio

From the Dashboard

1. Navigate to your artist dashboard
2. Click AI Studio in the main navigation
3. The studio opens in Generate mode by default

From a Project

1. Open any active project
2. Click the Designs tab
3. Click Generate with AI button
4. AI Studio opens with your project context pre-loaded (style, placement, size)

Pro Tip: Launching from a project automatically populates the form with your project details, saving you time!

The Three Modes

AI Studio has three distinct modes, each designed for different creative workflows:

Generate Mode

Purpose: Create new tattoo designs from text descriptions

Best For:

• Brainstorming design ideas with clients
• Exploring different style variations
• Creating custom designs from scratch
• Generating multiple options quickly

What You Need:

• Text description of the design
• Style preference (Traditional, Geometric, etc.)
• Optional reference images for inspiration

Stencil Mode

Purpose: Transform photos or sketches into tattoo-ready line art

Best For:

• Converting client photos into stencil outlines
• Digitizing hand-drawn sketches
• Creating clean line art from reference images
• Preparing stencils for tattoo application

What You Need:

• Source photo or sketch
• Style transfer type (Line Art, Shading, etc.)
• Detail level preference

Preview Mode

Purpose: Show how a design will look on a client's body

Best For:

• Client consultations and approvals
• Placement discussions
• Marketing materials
• Portfolio presentations

What You Need:

• Photo of body area
• Tattoo design to preview
• Placement positioning

Generate Mode: Creating Designs from Text

Step 1: Enter Your Prompt

The prompt is your text description of the design. Be specific and descriptive for best results.

Anatomy of a Great Prompt:

[Subject] + [Style Elements] + [Composition] + [Details]

Good Prompt Examples:

✅ "Japanese dragon coiling around a cherry blossom branch, bold black ink with red accents, flowing composition wrapping around forearm"

✅ "Minimalist mountain range silhouette with geometric triangle details, clean lines, balanced composition for chest placement"

✅ "Realistic portrait of a wolf howling at a full moon, detailed fur texture, dramatic shadows, vertical composition for upper arm"

Weak Prompt Examples:

❌ "Dragon" (too vague)

❌ "Cool sleeve idea" (not descriptive)

❌ "Something tribal" (unclear subject)

Step 2: Select Style

Choose a tattoo style that matches your vision:

Step 3: Specify Placement & Size

Why This Matters: The AI adjusts composition and detail based on placement and size.

Placement Options:

• Small areas (wrist, ankle): Simpler designs work best
• Medium areas (forearm, shoulder): Good for detailed work
• Large areas (back, thigh): Complex compositions shine here

Size Categories:

• Small (2-3 inches): Simple subjects, minimal detail
• Medium (4-6 inches): Balanced detail, standard designs
• Large (7+ inches): Maximum detail, complex compositions

Step 4: Add Reference Images (Optional)

Reference images help guide the AI's creative direction.

Good Reference Images:

• Similar style examples
• Composition inspiration
• Color palette references
• Specific elements you want to incorporate

How to Add References:

1. Click Add Reference Images
2. Upload from computer OR select from project assets
3. You can add up to 6 reference images
4. References work best when they share similar elements

Pro Tip: Reference images don't need to be tattoos! You can use art, photography, or any visual inspiration.

Step 5: Select or Create a Project

Projects help organize your designs and client work.

Options:

• Select an existing project from the dropdown
• Create a new project by typing a name
• Leave blank to save as standalone design

Why Use Projects:

• Designs are automatically associated with clients
• Easy to find and reference later
• Clients can view project designs in real-time
• Keeps your portfolio organized

Step 6: Generate

1. Review your settings
2. Click Generate Design
3. Wait 45-90 seconds for processing
4. Watch the progress indicator

What Happens Behind the Scenes:

• Your prompt is enhanced with tattoo-specific details
• AI creates the design using GPT-Image-1
• Images are optimized for tattoo work
• Results are saved to your project automatically

Step 7: Review Results

Once generation completes:

1. Preview displays in the center panel
2. Export button lets you download PNG files
3. Rate the results to help improve future generations
4. Results are automatically saved to your project

If You're Not Satisfied:

• Adjust your prompt to be more specific
• Try a different style
• Add reference images for guidance
• Change placement or size settings

Stencil Mode: Converting Photos to Line Art

Step 1: Select a Project

Choose the project this stencil belongs to (or create a new one).

Step 2: Upload Source Image

Two Options:

Option A: Upload New Photo

• Click Upload Image
• Select JPEG, PNG, or WebP file (max 10MB)
• Preview appears immediately

Option B: Use Project Asset

• Click Select from Project
• Choose from existing project images
• Only one image can be selected

Best Source Images:

• Clear, well-lit photos
• High resolution (minimum 512x512px)
• Single subject in focus
• Minimal background clutter

Step 3: Choose Style Transfer Type

Step 4: Select Detail Level

Step 5: Create Stencil

1. Click Create Stencil
2. Watch the progress bar (shows percentage and time)
3. Processing continues even if you close the tab
4. You'll receive a notification when complete

Step 6: Review and Export

Before/After Comparison: Side-by-side view of original and stencil

Export Options:

• PNG format with transparent background
• High resolution for professional printing
• Direct download to your computer

Using Your Stencil:

• Print on stencil paper
• Use thermal transfer machine
• Bring to your tattoo session
• Share with client for approval

Preview Mode: Visualizing Designs on Bodies

Step 1: Upload Body Photo

Best Body Photos:

• Well-lit, natural lighting
• Clear view of placement area
• Neutral background
• Skin clearly visible
• Minimal shadows

Two Upload Options:

• Upload new photo
• Select from project assets

Step 2: Select Tattoo Design

Multiple Design Support:

• Upload multiple tattoo designs
• Click to select which design to preview
• "Active" badge shows current selection
• Combine uploaded designs with project assets

Design Sources:

• Upload from computer
• Select from project assets
• Use previously generated AI designs

Step 3: Position the Design

MaskEditor Tools:

Aspect Ratio Selection (top of canvas):

• Square 1:1: Perfect square selection
• Landscape 3:2: Horizontal rectangle
• Portrait 2:3: Vertical rectangle

Placement Method:

• Click anywhere on body to auto-select region
• Selected area shown with dashed border
• Adjust as needed for perfect placement

Tattoo Adjustments Card (all controls in one place):

• Scale slider: 10% - 200% of original size
• Rotation slider: 0° - 360° for angle adjustment
• Opacity slider: 10% - 100% visibility

Edge Blend Control (three modes):

• Preserve: Only tattoo pixels edited (strictest, best for exact placement)
• Balanced: Small edge buffer for natural blending (default)
• Blend More: Larger buffer for softest edges

Note: Balanced and Blend More modes may slightly alter the image near tattoo edges for smoother blending. Use Preserve mode for maximum fidelity.

Step 4: Generate Preview

1. Click Generate Preview
2. Wait 30-60 seconds
3. Processing time depends on quality setting

Quality Settings (for paid subscribers):

• Low: Fast processing, all users (30 seconds)
• Medium: Balanced quality, paid only (45 seconds)
• High: Best quality, paid only (60 seconds)

Step 5: Review and Export

Generated Preview Features:

• Realistic ink rendering on skin
• Natural shadows and highlights
• Skin texture preservation
• Body contours respected

Export Options:

• Download as PNG
• Share with client
• Add to portfolio
• Use for consultation

Working with Projects

Pre-Populating from Projects

When you launch AI Studio from a project's Designs tab:

Automatically Applied:

• Project is pre-selected
• Style preferences loaded
• Placement information applied
• Size category set
• You can still modify any field

Benefits:

• Faster workflow
• Consistent design direction
• Better organization
• Client expectations alignment

Creating New Projects

From AI Studio:

1. Click the project dropdown
2. Type a new project name
3. Press Enter to create
4. Project is created and selected automatically

Project Benefits:

• Designs auto-organize by client
• Easy collaboration sharing
• Timeline tracking
• Appointment linking

Understanding AI Processing

Processing Times

Background Processing

Key Feature: Processing continues even if you:

• Close the browser tab
• Navigate to another page
• Shut down your computer (work is queued)

Notifications:

• In-app notification when complete
• Email notification option
• Click notification to view results

Rate Limiting

AI Generation Limits:

• 6 generations per minute per user
• Prevents system overload
• Fair usage across all artists

If You Hit the Limit:

• Wait 60 seconds
• Continue with other work
• Plan multiple generations in batches

Tips for Better AI Results

Prompt Writing Mastery

Be Specific:

❌ "Flower tattoo"

✅ "Delicate rose with thorns and dewdrops, fine line style, positioned diagonally across shoulder blade"

Use Descriptive Language:

• Subject: What is the main element?
• Style: How should it look?
• Composition: How is it arranged?
• Details: What makes it unique?

Include Tattoo Terminology:

• "Bold lines" vs "fine lines"
• "Black and grey" vs "full color"
• "Solid black" vs "dotwork"
• "Geometric patterns" vs "organic flow"

Avoid These Common Mistakes:

• Too many subjects (stick to 1-3 main elements)
• Conflicting styles ("realistic minimalist" doesn't work)
• Vague descriptions ("cool," "nice," "unique")
• Missing placement context

Style Selection Strategy

Match Style to Subject:

• Portraits → Realistic or Neo-Traditional
• Nature → Watercolor or Realistic
• Symbols → Geometric or Minimalist
• Cultural motifs → Japanese or Traditional

Consider Placement:

• Small areas → Minimalist or Geometric
• Large areas → Realistic or Watercolor
• Curved areas → Japanese or Traditional (flows well)
• Flat areas → Geometric or Blackwork

Reference Image Best Practices

Quality Over Quantity:

• 2-3 strong references better than 6 random ones
• High resolution images work best
• Clear, well-lit photography

What to Include:

• Composition examples
• Color palette inspiration
• Specific element references
• Style examples

What to Avoid:

• Copyrighted artwork (unless it's yours)
• Low quality or blurry images
• Conflicting visual directions
• Unrelated content

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue: Generation Failed

Possible Causes:

• AI provider temporarily unavailable
• Image quality too low
• Complex request timeout

Solutions:

1. Wait 30 seconds and retry
2. Simplify your prompt
3. Use higher quality reference images
4. Try without reference images first
5. Contact support if problem persists

Issue: Results Don't Match Prompt

Why This Happens:

• Prompt too vague
• Conflicting style/subject combination
• Missing context

Solutions:

1. Add more specific details to prompt
2. Include reference images
3. Try a different style that better matches subject
4. Break complex designs into simpler parts

Issue: Stencil Quality Poor

Common Causes:

• Source image low resolution
• Poor lighting in source photo
• Image too complex for selected detail level

Solutions:

1. Use higher resolution source images (min 512x512px)
2. Choose "High" detail level for complex images
3. Try different style transfer type
4. Use simpler, clearer source photos

Issue: Preview Looks Unrealistic

Possible Reasons:

• Poor body photo quality
• Tattoo design too large/small
• Bad placement selection
• Edge blend setting incorrect

Solutions:

1. Use well-lit, clear body photos
2. Adjust scale and position carefully
3. Try different edge blend mode
4. Use "Preserve" mode for exact fidelity
5. Ensure selection area covers tattoo completely

Issue: Can't Find My Results

Where to Look:

1. Check the project you selected
2. Go to Projects → [Project Name] → Designs tab
3. Check notification center for completion message
4. Results auto-save to selected project

If Still Missing:

• Check if generation actually completed (look for error notification)
• Verify you were logged in during generation
• Contact support with your job ID

Usage Tracking & Limits

Generation Quota

What Counts:

• Each Generate request = 1 generation
• Each Stencil request = 1 generation
• Each Preview request = 1 generation

Tracking Your Usage:

• View in dashboard analytics
• Monthly plan billing includes costs
• Detailed breakdowns available

Storage

What's Stored:

• All generated designs
• Uploaded reference images
• Stencil results
• Preview renders

Storage Limits:

• Based on subscription plan
• Automatic cleanup after 90 days (optional)
• Soft-delete available for recovery

Costs

Per Generation:

• Standard rate: $0.042 per generation
• Included in monthly plan billing
• Lower detail levels may reduce costs

Cost Optimization:

• Use lower detail for quick iterations
• Process multiple variations in one session
• Plan your generations strategically

Best Practices

Workflow Optimization

Start with Generate Mode:

1. Explore multiple style options
2. Get client feedback quickly
3. Refine based on preferences

Move to Stencil Mode:

1. Convert approved design to stencil
2. Prepare for tattoo session
3. Ensure clean line art

Use Preview Mode:

1. Show client placement options
2. Finalize size and position
3. Get approval before session

Client Collaboration

During Consultations:

• Generate multiple options live
• Show different style variations
• Preview on their body in real-time

Between Sessions:

• Generate designs based on discussion
• Share via project access
• Collect feedback asynchronously

Before Appointments:

• Create final stencil
• Generate body preview for confirmation
• Have backup options ready

Organization Tips

Use Projects for Everything:

• One project per client/tattoo
• Keep all related designs together
• Easy to reference during sessions

Naming Conventions:

• Include client name
• Add placement or style
• Example: "Sarah - Floral Forearm"

Reference Library:

• Upload your best references to projects
• Reuse across similar designs
• Build your style reference collection

Getting Help

In-App Resources

• Hover tooltips: Hover over any field for quick help
• Example prompts: Click "Examples" for inspiration
• Progress messages: Watch status updates during processing

Support Channels

• Help Center: Browse all articles
• Email Support: support@apprentice.app
• In-App Chat: Click chat icon for live help

Community

• Artist Community: Share tips and techniques
• Style Guides: Learn from expert examples
• Updates: Stay informed about new features

Updated on: 16/01/2026