From Text to Art: How to Use ReCraft AI for Image Generation

There are a lot of new tools out there, but with all the recent advancements in AI, you might be looking for a better, faster, and more affordable AI image generator. And that's exactly when you'll come across Recraft AI.

This guide is a complete tutorial on how to use Recraft AI. Along the way, you'll learn how to create stunning images and discover why Recraft is currently ranked as one of the best AI image generators out there, which is outperforming even MidJourney and Stable Diffusion.

Part 1. Recraft AI Canvas Overview

When you first visit the Recraft AI website and sign up, you'll have to fill in a short questionnaire and choose either the free or paid plans, and then you'll land in your workspace, which is a minimalist canvas.

The Recraft Infinite Canvas is a powerful tool for a flexible and expansive workspace where you can design without the limitations of a fixed artboard.

Recraft AI Image Creation Options

On the left panel of the interface, you get quick access to different creation options, including:

• Image
• Frame
• Image set
• Mockup

You can even upload your own images to use as a reference for your projects.

Whatever you choose to work on will be displayed directly on the canvas.

One of the standout features of Recraft's Infinite Canvas is its ability to accommodate an unrestricted flow of creativity. You can zoom in and out, move freely across the workspace, and arrange multiple design elements without worrying about running out of space. This makes it perfect for working on large-scale projects such as branding materials, multi-page presentations, or UX/UI design mockups.

Recraft AI Control Options

In the bottom-right corner, you'll find the undo and redo buttons. These are straightforward and allow you to easily backtrack or move forward through your edits. Next to them are the zoom controls, currently set to 50%, which allow you to adjust your view as needed. Clicking on the zoom display brings up additional zoom options. You'll likely find "zoom to fit project" and "zoom to fit selection" useful.

The Layers feature is located nearby, giving you quick access to different layers within your designs. Next to that, the small clock icon opens your project history gallery, where you can revisit past designs. The question mark icon brings up Recraft's knowledge base, where you can learn through step-by-step tutorials, discover keyboard shortcuts, and contact support if needed.

Recraft AI Project and Account Settings

In the upper-left corner of the top navigation bar, you'll see the Recraft logo. Clicking it opens a drop-down menu where you can access your projects, create new ones, view project history, manage your account, and more.

The Insert menu allows you to add generations, text, and images to your project.

Right next to it, the Templates section offers pre-made templates such as outpainting, background remover, and poster designs. These templates help speed up your workflow and will come in handy throughout your projects.

Next to that, you can choose how you interact with the canvas, either with the mouse pointer or the hand tool, which gives you flexibility in navigation.

You can also share your projects, similar to how you share a Google Doc. It is great for team collaboration or when working with external partners. Your credit usage is also visible here, showing how many credits you've used so far. You have the ability to top up and add more credits if needed, and your credits refill each month automatically.

Lastly, the avatar icon is where you manage your account settings, billing info, and other personal preferences. Recraft's interface is clean, minimalist, and user-friendly, allowing you to focus on the creative process without distractions.

Part 2. How to Use Recraft AI to Generate Images Creatively

Now that you're familiar with the layout, let's find out how to use Recraft AI to generate images.

With the free plan, you'll get up to two image variations to choose from. If you upgrade to the Pro subscription, you'll unlock even more options.

Step 1. Create New Project and Select Generation Model

To get started with Recraft's AI image generator, open the "Create New" menu and select Image. This opens the image frame where you can begin working. In the text prompt field in the upper-left corner, type what you want to create.

Directly above the text box, you'll find several settings. First is the Style and Model selector. Recraft starts you off with the default style called Recraft V3 RAW. If you click on it, you'll see a large library of additional models and styles that can change the look of what you're creating.

Step 2. Adjust Additional Settings

Beside the model selector is a Color Palette icon, used for specifying color schemes. You can update or upload specific brand colors as needed.

Below the prompt field are more image generation settings. In the negative prompt, you can exclude anything from the text that you don't want to see in the generated image.

The Aspect Ratio slider lets you choose your image dimensions. Below that is the Artistic Level slider, which sets the artistic tone of your image-from simple and clean to dynamic and expressive.

Step 3. Generate Image

You can also choose the number of images to generate. By default, it's set to two, but you can generate up to four or just one. Once you've configured your settings, describe your image, and click the Recraft button to generate the images. It usually takes about 10 seconds for them to render.

Your generated images will appear as thumbnails at the bottom of the image frame. Clicking on a thumbnail will display the larger version for review.

The default Recraft V3 RAW style offers a realistic appearance, ideal for things like stock photos or thumbnails.

Step 4. Regenerate Image with Another Recraft AI Model

You can also generate additional images by clicking away from the current image on the canvas and choosing Image again from the "Create New" menu. You can reuse the same prompt or enter a new one, and try different styles and color schemes.

To change styles, click the tab above the prompt box. This opens the Style Library, where you can browse or filter styles using the dropdown menus. You can filter by Recraft V3, V2, and external models like Nano Banana, or use the Styles Dropdown to filter by categories such as photorealism or illustration. Use the search bar to enter style keywords, then click Apply to update your project with that model and style.

If you modify the prompt and generate again without creating a new image frame, the new images will replace the old ones. Keep that in mind when working within the same canvas.

Step 5. Edit Your Generated Images

Once your images are created, you can fine-tune them. Fine-tuning lets you modify an existing image while keeping key visual elements consistent. You can start with an existing image, adjust the prompt, and set the Similarity Slider to control how close the new image should be to the original.

To customize colors, click the Color Palette icon. You can choose colors using the picker tool, upload brand-specific colors, or click the dice icon to generate random color schemes. Choose what fits your needs, then click the Recraft button to generate new images.

Leave the rest of the settings as they are and click Modify. Recraft will generate a new image that keeps the original's style, composition, or feel intact. This is helpful for keeping branding and layout consistent while changing subjects.

You can also create variations of your image. Click Remix, readjust your prompt, and adjust the similarity slider to adjust how the new image should match the original one. Click the Modify Image button.

The variations will replace the other images in the frame, except for the original.

All previous images remain in your Image Gallery, accessible from the lower-right corner.

Step 6. Use Editing Tools and Export

After generating an image, you'll see the Editing Toolbar at the top of the screen. This includes tools like Repaint to redraw areas with a new prompt, Erase to remove elements, Remove Background, Change Background, Mockup, Vectorize, and both Crisp and Creative Upscale for enhancing resolution.

It's a good idea to use the upscaling tools at the end of your workflow. These tools finalize your image, ensuring the best quality and avoiding unnecessary reprocessing. From here, you can experiment with different styles, prompts, and models to explore what works best for your designs.

When the image is generated and edited, click Export on the top right, select the width and height resolution according to your needs or select "Best size available," and then choose the image format, which can be PNG, JPG, PDF, or TIFF.

Finally, the downloading will start, and you can then save the image to the preferred location of your device.

Part 3. What Is the Cost of Recraft AI?

Recraft AI offers three main subscription plans tailored to different user needs: Free, Pro, and Teams.

The Free plan includes 30 credits per day, which renew daily, and allows three generations per style per day. However, images generated on this plan are public and cannot be used commercially. You can upload 3 images per day and generate up to 2 images per prompt. While you get access to basic AI-powered image editing tools, custom styles, and a pre-made style library, there are limitations - such as no parallel generation and no access to external models like Flux or Nano Banana.

Pro, starting at $10/month (billed annually at $120), is designed for creators who want full control and professional output. It includes 1,000+ credits renewed monthly, and all generated images are private. You also get a commercial license for all images created while subscribed. This plan unlocks unlimited style usage, unlimited image uploads, and lets you create up to 4 images per generation with support for up to 10 parallel generations. It also gives access to Creative Upscale (an enhanced 4K upscaling feature), the ability to extract prompts from images, and the use of external models like Nano Banana, Seedream, GPT-40, Flux, and more. Additional creative control is offered through custom color palettes and artistic level adjustments.

Finally, the Teams plan is geared toward businesses and collaborative teams, priced at $55 per month per seat (billed annually at $660). It includes everything in the Pro plan, with major enhancements like 9,000 credits per seat, renewed monthly. Teams can benefit from a shared workspace, centralized account management, and premium 24/7 support. This plan also supports Single Sign-On (SSO), making it ideal for organizations that need secure and streamlined access across multiple users.

Part 4. FAQs of How to Use Recraft

Conclusion on How to Use Recraft

So that's pretty much everything you need to know about how to use ReCraft AI for image generation. We walked through the pricing, explored the canvas, and broke down the steps to create your own images. No matter if you're just playing around or working on serious projects, Recraft gives you all the tools to bring your ideas to life, and it's actually fun to use. Try it out and see what you can come up with.