AI Media Generation Guide¶
Goal: Generate consistent, high-quality illustrations and conceptual images for pages where real photography isn't available or appropriate. Complements the photo pipeline (
image-pipeline.md) — never replaces real photos for team, cabinet, equipment, or clinical images.
What to Generate vs. What to Photograph¶
| Asset | Generate | Photograph | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team portraits | ❌ Never | ✅ Always | Patients meet these people — must be real |
| Cabinet interiors | ❌ Never | ✅ Always | Patients visit this space — must be real |
| Equipment | ❌ Never | ✅ Always | Must show actual equipment at the practice |
| Before/after | ❌ Never | ✅ Always | Clinical integrity, Ordre compliance |
| Service illustrations | ✅ Yes | — | Abstract concepts (implant in jawbone, aligners on teeth) |
| Blog featured images | ✅ Yes | Optional | Conceptual/editorial images for article cards |
| Procedure diagrams | ✅ Yes | — | Step-by-step visual explanations |
| "Votre Besoin" cards | ✅ Yes | Optional | Patient-perspective conceptual images |
| Hero backgrounds (fallback) | ✅ Temporary | ✅ Replace when available | Real photos always preferred for hero |
Tools¶
| Tool | Best for | Style control | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midjourney | Illustrations, conceptual images, editorial feel | Excellent — consistent style via --sref (style reference) |
~10$/mo (Basic) |
| Adobe Firefly | Integration with Creative Cloud, commercial-safe licensing | Good — style presets, content-safe training data | Included in CC (~24€/mo) |
| DALL-E / ChatGPT | Quick iterations, text-in-image (diagrams) | Moderate | Included in ChatGPT Plus |
| Ideogram | Text rendering, infographic-style images | Good for diagrams | Free tier + paid |
| Recraft | Vector illustrations, icon sets, consistent style | Excellent for flat/vector style | Free tier + paid |
Recommended primary tool: Midjourney — best quality for medical/dental illustrations, strong style consistency via style references.
Recommended for diagrams: Recraft or Ideogram — better at clean lines, labels, and structured layouts.
The Helios Visual Style¶
All AI-generated images must feel like they belong to the same design system. Define the style once, reference it everywhere.
Style attributes¶
| Attribute | Value | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Rendering | Clean illustration, not photorealistic | Avoids uncanny valley. Clearly an illustration, not a fake photo. |
| Palette | Warm teal + soft neutrals + warm whites | Matches the OKLCH design tokens (primary: warm teal, accent: amber) |
| Line quality | Soft, minimal outlines. Not cartoonish, not technical/medical diagram | Professional but approachable |
| Perspective | Slight isometric or flat. No dramatic angles | Clean, calm, informative |
| Background | Clean, minimal. Soft gradient or transparent | Integrates with website section backgrounds |
| People | Stylized, diverse, warm. Not photorealistic faces | If people appear, they should be clearly illustrated (not AI-generated faces pretending to be real) |
| Detail level | Medium — enough to be informative, not so much it's clinical | Patients shouldn't feel squeamish looking at dental illustrations |
| Mood | Calm, reassuring, modern | Matches the brand: professional but not intimidating |
Midjourney style reference¶
Create a reference image set (3-5 images in the target style) and use --sref [URL] for consistency. Alternatively, build a consistent prompt suffix:
Base style suffix (append to every prompt):
--style raw --ar 16:10 --s 200 --no text, words, letters, watermark
clean medical illustration, warm teal and cream color palette,
soft minimal style, light background, professional healthcare aesthetic
Asset Library — What to Generate¶
1. Service Illustrations (18 images)¶
One illustration per L2 service detail page. Used in text_media blocks alongside the treatment description.
| # | Service page | Subject | Composition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Remplacer une dent | Single implant cross-section in jawbone with ceramic crown | Side cutaway view showing implant, abutment, crown |
| 2 | Remplacer plusieurs dents | Bridge on 2-3 implants spanning a gap | Same cutaway style as #1, wider view |
| 3 | All-on-4 | Full arch on 4 implants, tilted posteriors visible | Panoramic jaw view with 4 implant positions |
| 4 | Mise en charge immédiate | Implant with provisional crown, same-day concept | Split view: before (gap) → after (implant + provisional) |
| 5 | Chirurgie pré-implantaire | Bone graft material augmenting jaw ridge | Cross-section showing bone addition |
| 6 | Chirurgie guidée | 3D-planned implant with surgical guide overlay | Digital rendering feel: wireframe jaw + precise guide |
| 7 | Facettes dentaires | Thin ceramic shell being placed on tooth surface | Front view of smile with one facette being applied |
| 8 | Blanchiment dentaire | Teeth with whitening gel and light | Simple smile illustration with shade comparison |
| 9 | Couronnes céramiques | Crown being placed over prepared tooth | Cutaway showing preparation + crown descending |
| 10 | Inlay-Onlay | Ceramic inlay fitting into tooth cavity | Top-down view of molar with inlay piece |
| 11 | Greffe gingivale | Gum tissue covering exposed root | Side view showing recession → graft → coverage |
| 12 | Assainissement parodontal | Instrument cleaning below gumline | Cross-section showing pocket, tartar, curette |
| 13 | Invisalign | Clear aligner on teeth, subtle alignment arrows | 3/4 smile view with transparent aligner visible |
| 14 | Orthodontie enfant | Child's jaw with mixed dentition and expansion device | Friendly, not clinical. Show healthy growth |
| 15 | Endodontie | Root canal cross-section showing nerve, file, filling | Classic endodontic cutaway, simplified |
| 16 | Pédodontie | Child in dental chair (illustrated, not photorealistic) | Warm, friendly scene. Child smiling, not scared |
| 17 | Prophylaxie | Toothbrush, dental tools, clean teeth | Prevention toolkit illustration |
| 18 | Dents de sagesse | Impacted wisdom tooth in jawbone | X-ray style view showing angulation |
Prompt template for service illustrations:
[Subject description], clean medical illustration,
cross-section view / front view / side view,
warm teal and cream palette, soft minimal lines,
light neutral background, professional dental healthcare style,
informative but not clinical, no text or labels
--ar 16:10 --style raw --s 200 --no blood, graphic, scary, text, words
Output specs: Generate at 16:10 aspect ratio, minimum 1600x1000px. Export as PNG for transparency if needed, JPEG otherwise. Aletheia pipeline handles WebP conversion.
2. Blog Featured Images (~15 base images)¶
Reusable conceptual images for blog article categories. Each blog post picks the most relevant one or gets a custom generation.
| # | Blog category | Subject | Reusable for topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urgences | Illustrated person holding jaw, pain indication | #1, #6, #11, #60 |
| 2 | Implantologie (general) | Abstract implant in healthy jawbone | #15-17, #19-21, #84 |
| 3 | Esthétique (smile) | Bright, warm smile illustration | #28-32, #35, #79 |
| 4 | Orthodontie | Aligners or braces illustration, adult | #37-39, #41, #43 |
| 5 | Orthodontie enfant | Child with mixed dentition, friendly | #40, #42, #44, #75 |
| 6 | Parodontologie | Gums and teeth cross-section | #45-50, #7 |
| 7 | Chirurgie | Wisdom tooth illustration | #51-55 |
| 8 | Prévention | Toothbrush, floss, healthy teeth | #61-67 |
| 9 | Famille / enfants | Parent and child dental scene | #68, #71-76 |
| 10 | Technologie | Scanner/digital dental workflow | #90-94 |
| 11 | Comparaison | Side-by-side comparison concept (split view) | #77-83 |
| 12 | Mythes | Question mark / lightbulb dental concept | #84-89 |
| 13 | Alimentation | Foods and teeth illustration | #66, #70 |
| 14 | Grossesse | Pregnant woman dental health concept | #69 |
| 15 | Coût / remboursement | Dental care with euro symbol concept | #82, #83 |
Prompt template for blog images:
[Subject description], editorial illustration style,
warm teal and cream palette, modern healthcare aesthetic,
conceptual and approachable, clean composition,
suitable as magazine article header image
--ar 16:9 --style raw --s 250 --no text, words, graphic, scary
Output specs: 16:9 at minimum 1280x720px.
3. Procedure Step Diagrams (6-8 sets)¶
Multi-step visual guides for common treatments. Used in text blocks alongside numbered procedure descriptions.
| # | Procedure | Steps | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Implant unitaire | 4 steps: gap → implant → healing → crown | Horizontal strip, 4 panels |
| 2 | All-on-4 | 4 steps: scan → plan → surgery → prosthesis | Horizontal strip |
| 3 | Facettes | 4 steps: analysis → prep → fabrication → bonding | Horizontal strip |
| 4 | Blanchiment | 3 steps: exam → application → result | Horizontal strip |
| 5 | Endodontie | 4 steps: diagnosis → access → cleaning → filling | Horizontal strip |
| 6 | Invisalign | 4 steps: scan → simulation → wear → result | Horizontal strip |
| 7 | Extraction dent de sagesse | 3 steps: scan → surgery → healing | Horizontal strip |
| 8 | Greffe gingivale | 3 steps: assessment → graft → healing | Horizontal strip |
Approach: Generate each step as a separate image in the same style, then composite into a horizontal strip. Or generate as a single multi-panel image.
Prompt template:
4-panel horizontal medical illustration showing [procedure] steps:
panel 1: [step 1], panel 2: [step 2], panel 3: [step 3], panel 4: [step 4],
clean minimal line art, warm teal and cream palette,
numbered panels, consistent cross-section style throughout,
professional dental illustration, no text labels
--ar 4:1 --style raw --s 200 --no text, words, blood, graphic
Note: Multi-panel generation is hit-or-miss with current models. May need to generate each panel separately and composite in Figma/Canva. Use --sref to maintain style across panels.
Output specs: Full strip at ~2400x600px or individual panels at 600x600px.
4. "Votre Besoin" Card Images (5 images)¶
Conceptual patient-perspective images for the 5 patient-need cards on the homepage and Votre Besoin pages.
| # | Besoin | Subject | Mood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Embellir mon sourire | Warm illustration of a confident smile | Aspirational, positive |
| 2 | Remplacer des dents | Person touching jaw area, gap implied | Concern → hope |
| 3 | Aligner mes dents | Slight smile with alignment concept | Subtle, not exaggerated |
| 4 | Soigner mes gencives | Gentle illustration of gums and care | Reassuring, not clinical |
| 5 | Urgence dentaire | Person with urgent dental concern | Empathetic, not scary |
Style: More emotional/human than the service illustrations. Stylized people (not faces that look real). Warm and empathetic.
Output specs: 16:10 at 800x500px minimum (card format).
5. Hero Background Fallbacks (3 generic)¶
For practices that don't yet have real hero photography. Temporary — replace with real photos before DNS cutover when possible.
| # | Subject | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modern dental interior, warm lighting, empty chair | Homepage hero fallback |
| 2 | Abstract dental care concept (clean, aspirational) | Service hub hero fallback |
| 3 | Warm clinical environment, soft focus | Generic page hero fallback |
Important: These should be clearly high-quality illustrations or abstract compositions. Never try to pass AI-generated environments as real practice photos.
Output specs: 16:9 at 1920x1080px.
Generation Workflow¶
First-time setup (once)¶
- Generate 3-5 reference images in the target Helios style
- Save as Midjourney style reference (
--sref) - Create prompt templates (above) with consistent suffix
- Generate a test batch (5 images) and review with team
- Adjust style parameters until the look is right
- Document the final prompt templates and style reference
Per-practice generation¶
- Review which service pages the practice needs (from content plan)
- Pull relevant prompts from the library above
- Generate in batch (Midjourney: use
/imaginewith consistent--sref) - Curate: pick best result, regenerate if needed
- Post-process in Lightroom: apply "Helios Illustration" preset (match website palette precisely)
- Export at required dimensions
- Upload to Aletheia with alt text
Batch efficiency¶
| What | Time estimate | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Full service illustration set (18 images) | 2-3 hours | Once (reusable across practices) |
| Blog image set (15 base images) | 1-2 hours | Once (reusable across practices) |
| Procedure diagrams (8 sets) | 3-4 hours | Once (reusable) |
| Votre Besoin cards (5 images) | 30 min | Once (reusable) |
| Hero fallbacks (3 images) | 30 min | Once |
| Practice-specific custom images | 30 min per image | As needed |
Total initial generation: ~8-10 hours for the complete shared library. One-time effort that serves all 9 practices.
Naming Convention¶
ai_{category}_{subject}_{variant}.jpg
Examples:
ai_service_implant-unitaire_cutaway.jpg
ai_service_facettes_application.jpg
ai_blog_urgence-dentaire_hero.jpg
ai_blog_prevention_toothbrush.jpg
ai_diagram_implant-steps_4panel.jpg
ai_besoin_embellir-sourire_card.jpg
ai_hero_dental-interior_fallback.jpg
Prefix ai_ makes it immediately clear which images are generated vs. photographed. Useful for QA and future replacement tracking.
Quality Review Checklist¶
Before using any AI-generated image:
- [ ] No anatomical errors — Tooth count correct, jaw structure plausible, instruments recognizable
- [ ] No AI artifacts — Check for extra fingers, merged teeth, impossible perspectives, floating objects
- [ ] No text or symbols — AI often generates fake text. Must be clean.
- [ ] Style matches — Warm teal palette, consistent with other generated images
- [ ] Not too clinical — Should inform, not disturb. No blood, no graphic surgical detail.
- [ ] Resolution sufficient — Meets minimum specs for usage (hero: 1920x1080, card: 800x500, etc.)
- [ ] Alt text prepared — Descriptive of what the illustration shows
- [ ] Compliance — No guaranteed results implied, no misleading representation
Licensing & Legal¶
| Tool | Commercial use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Midjourney (paid plan) | ✅ Yes | Full commercial rights on paid plans |
| Adobe Firefly | ✅ Yes | Trained on licensed content, IP indemnity on Enterprise plan |
| DALL-E (ChatGPT Plus) | ✅ Yes | OpenAI grants commercial rights |
| Recraft | ✅ Yes (paid plan) | Check plan terms |
| Ideogram | ✅ Yes (paid plan) | Check plan terms |
All images should be generated on paid plans to ensure commercial licensing. Keep generation prompts and tool records for provenance if ever questioned.