Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is at the verge of major transformation. As the AI technology, including image and video generators, advances, CGI no longer requires complex skills and softwares. All you need is an idea and access to an image generation tool like ImagineArt and you can bring your wildest ideas to life.

In this blog, we will look at what CGI is, how it is traditionally done, and how AI has changed the scope.

What is CGI?

Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) is the art of creating images, animations, or visual effects using computers. It’s what turns a simple idea into visual brilliance on the screen for a blockbuster movie or a cutting-edge architectural design.

A high-quality CGI content includes:

3D Modeling using specialized software, forming the foundation for all CGI work. Texturing to enhance realism or achieve a desired aesthetic. Rendering which generates a 2D image or animation from a 3D scene, incorporating all elements like models, textures, and lighting. Compositing to combine rendered images to create final output

It might seem complicated but the effort needed to create a single scene before CGI was much higher. With techniques like Cel drawing, studios needed dozens of people and days to complete a scene. GGI animation helped in making the process easier.

How does CGI work?

Traditionally, the CGI process involves several steps to create the desired output.

The process begins with architects creating a CAD model to define the basic location or product followed by a 3D designer setting up the camera angle, determining image perspective. Textures and layers are added to establish the lighting and material composition.

Additional details and finer elements are incorporated next. Afterward, the rendering process gives shape to the final image, followed by the application of finishing touches in Photoshop or another tool to complete the output.

However, CGI production is a labor-intensive endeavor requiring a team of skilled professionals, including 3D modelers, texture artists, animators, and compositors. Each minute of high-quality CGI animation can take weeks to produce, with high costs depending on complexity and detail. The process demands substantial computational resources and advanced software, further escalating expenses and putting it out of people’s reach.

But not anymore.

How to make CGI with ImagineArt?

With the introduction of AI models everyday, there are countless tools that make each step in the CGI process simpler and quicker. Instead of relying on multiple, highly complicated softwares, your vision only requires a detailed and optimized prompt.

ImagineArt is one such product which unifies every high-quality AI model and tool in one dashboard allowing you to perform all your tasks at one place. Whether you have an idea in your mind or sketched on a paper, ImagineArt can bring that to fruition in just a few easy steps.

Text-to-Image Generation

ImagineArt's AI Image Generator enables users to transform textual descriptions into detailed visuals. By inputting descriptive prompts, users can generate images in various styles, including photorealistic, anime, and abstract art.

Action Scene Generated with Seedream v4 on ImagineArt

The platform offers customizable options such as aspect ratios, lighting effects, and camera angles to tailor the generated images to specific needs. You can choose from a list of AI models that follow prompts accurately and create the perfect piece for your project.

Additionally, the Imagine Bot assists in refining prompts for better results. This tool is ideal for creating concept art, storyboards, and visual references without the need for extensive artistic skills.

Image-to-Image Transformation

The Reimagine AI on ImagineArt allows users to upload existing images and transform them into new styles or variations. This tool utilizes AI to reinterpret the uploaded image, applying different artistic styles, lighting effects, or thematic changes.

Cinematic Shot Created With Nano Banana on ImagineArt

Users can customize the transformation by adjusting parameters such as style strength and composition. This feature is particularly useful for iterating on designs, exploring alternative aesthetics, or generating variations of a concept without starting from scratch.

Fun does not stop here. With the power of AI models like Nano Banana, imagineArt allows users to add multiple images as reference which can then be merged, edited, or used as the base to create completely new settings and avatars based on the likeness of provided images.

Sketch-to-Image Conversion

Maybe you do not want to start with a prompt. Maybe you have a sketch in mind of what your final product must look like but you don’t want to go through the effort of rendering it.

Ideate AI on ImagineArt enables users to transform rough sketches into polished, high-quality images. By uploading a hand-drawn sketch, users can refine and enhance their designs using AI-powered tools. The platform provides real-time feedback, allowing users to adjust styles, colors, and details as needed. This feature is particularly beneficial for designers and artists looking to digitize and refine their concepts quickly.

Sketch-to-Image on imagineArt's Ideate AI

By leveraging these AI tools, creators can efficiently produce high-quality CGI content, streamlining workflows and enhancing creative possibilities. Whether generating images from text, transforming existing visuals, creating anime art, or refining sketches, ImagineArt offers a comprehensive suite of tools to meet diverse CGI needs.

How does it all work?

ImagineArt makes it all possible by leveraging the power of leading and highly-valued Ai models.

1. Nano Banana (Gemini 2.5 Flash Image)

Developed by Google DeepMind, Nano Banana is a multimodal AI model designed for rapid and conversational image generation and editing. It allows users to create, edit, and iterate on visuals with unprecedented control, supporting text, image, or combined inputs. This flexibility makes it ideal for CGI applications, enabling creators to generate hyper-realistic images from text prompts or existing photos.

Key Features:

• Multi-Image Fusion: Seamlessly blends 2–5 images into a single cohesive scene, facilitating the integration of various elements into a unified composition.
• Character Consistency: Maintains the identity of subjects across multiple edits, ensuring continuity in character appearance throughout a project.
• Style Transfer: Applies consistent artistic styles across images, allowing for uniform aesthetics in CGI projects.
• Object Insertion/Removal: Enables natural scene editing by adding or removing elements without disrupting the overall composition.
• Targeted Edits: Facilitates specific modifications via text prompts, such as altering a subject's pose or background, providing precise control over image composition.

These capabilities make Nano Banana a powerful tool for CGI, streamlining workflows and enhancing creative possibilities.

2. FLUX 1.1 Ultra

FLUX 1.1 Ultra, developed by Black Forest Labs, is a unified AI model that delivers local editing, generative modifications, and text-to-image generation in high quality. It processes text and image inputs for precise regional edits or full-scene transformations, pioneering iterative workflows that maintain character consistency across multiple editing turns.

Key Features:

• Local Editing: Allows for precise modifications in specific regions of an image, enabling detailed adjustments without affecting the entire composition.
• Generative Modifications: Facilitates the creation of new elements within an image, expanding creative possibilities in CGI.
• Character Consistency: Ensures that characters retain their identity across various scenes and edits, maintaining continuity in CGI projects.
• Iterative Workflows: Supports multiple editing turns, allowing for gradual refinement of images to achieve desired results.
• High-Quality Outputs: Produces detailed and realistic images, suitable for professional CGI applications.

3. Seedream 4.0

Seedream 4.0, developed by ByteDance, is an advanced AI image generation model that supports 4K resolution outputs. It enables rapid generation of high-quality images, making it ideal for commercial projects requiring detailed visuals. The model supports multi-image composition, allowing users to combine various elements into a single cohesive image. This feature is particularly beneficial in CGI for creating complex scenes with multiple components.

Key Features:

• High-Resolution Outputs: Generates images at up to 4K resolution, ensuring detailed and sharp visuals for CGI projects.
• Multi-Image Composition: Combines multiple reference images into a single output, facilitating the creation of complex scenes.
• Style Transfer Capabilities: Applies different artistic styles to images, providing creative flexibility in visual design.
• Fast Inference Speed: Produces images rapidly, enhancing efficiency in CGI workflows.
• Advanced Editing Tools: Allows for precise modifications to images, enabling detailed adjustments in CGI projects.

Each tool varies in its accuracy and might be good in different parts of the CGI process. But the good news is, with ImagineArt, you do not have to jump around different tools and websites to complete your project.

Conclusion

CGI once used to be a tedious and complicated process away from reach of many. AI and ImagineArt have revolutionized CGI creation by offering an intuitive, AI-powered platform that caters to both enthusiasts and professionals. Its suite of tools, ranging from text-to-image generation to sketch-to-image conversion, removes the need for multiple expensive and complex softwares and empowers users to bring their creative visions to life with unprecedented ease.

By streamlining the creative process and reducing the need for extensive technical expertise, ImagineArt democratizes access to advanced CGI capabilities, enabling a broader audience to engage in digital art creation. Embrace the future of CGI with ImagineArt and unlock new possibilities in your creative endeavors.