The Workflow Edit | Practical AI Tool Tutorial
How to Use ChatGPT Images Without Generic AI Instructions
When you need a consistent set of custom visuals and your design team is unavailable, ChatGPT image generation can create matching icons — if your prompt locks down the style before you generate the first one.
Dear Suzannah
Dear Suzannah, I need a set of matching icons for our internal wiki but I cannot draw and our design team is booked through next month. Every image I generate looks close but none of them match each other in style.
Describe one icon in detail, generate it, then use it as a reference for the rest.
The real use case
Generate a consistent set of custom icons for an internal wiki when the design team is unavailable.
The tool-specific prompt to use
This prompt is specific to this tool and use case. Paste it in, then replace the bracketed notes with your real details.
I need a set of [number] icons for an internal company wiki. The icons represent: [list each concept, e.g. onboarding, security, billing, analytics, support, settings]. These will appear at 32x32 pixels in a sidebar navigation menu, so they must be recognizable at very small sizes. Style: flat design, 2D, minimal detail, rounded corners on all shapes, no text or labels inside the icons, no perspective or 3D effects. Color palette: [three to five hex codes or color names, e.g. navy #011923, teal #2AA4C0, gold #F2A31A, cream #FFF8EE]. Background: transparent or solid [color]. Line weight: [thin, medium] — pick one and keep it consistent across all icons. Size: square, 512x512 pixels, centered with consistent padding. Generate the first icon for [pick one concept from the list]. Once I confirm the style, I will ask for the remaining icons one at a time, each in the exact same style, color palette, and line weight. Keep the visual weight consistent — no icon should look heavier, more detailed, or more complex than the others. Use simple geometric shapes that read clearly at 32x32. Avoid gradients, shadows, photorealistic elements, and decorative flourishes. If a concept is abstract, use a widely recognized symbol rather than a literal illustration. Do not add borders or circles around the icons unless I ask.
Prompt length: 215 words.
Make the result less generic
- Define the exact color palette with hex codes so every icon uses the same colors, not ‘close enough’ variations.
- Specify line weight and corner radius so the visual style stays consistent across the whole set.
- Generate one icon first, confirm the style, then use it as a reference for the rest instead of batching them all at once.
- List the specific concepts each icon needs to represent so the tool does not guess or default to generic symbols.
- Ban gradients, shadows, and text so the icons stay clean and recognizable at small sizes.
Quick human check
- Do all the icons share the same color palette, line weight, and corner style when placed side by side?
- Is each icon recognizable at a small size (like 32×32) or does detail get lost?
- Does every icon represent its intended concept clearly, or do any look ambiguous?
- Are the backgrounds consistent (all transparent or all the same solid color)?
- Would a colleague looking at the wiki recognize these as a matching set, or do they look like they came from different sources?
