Quick Answer
60-second read
Generating your first image in OpenArt takes about 5 minutes: sign up, pick a model from the 100+ available, write a prompt, and generate. No Discord account needed. Below is the exact process, plus how to manage your credit usage so your free trial (or paid plan) lasts as long as possible.
Free plan available
This guide was last updated July 2026. For pricing details and an honest verdict on whether OpenArt is worth it, see our full OpenArt review.
What You Need Before You Start
- A free OpenArt account (no credit card required)
- A rough idea of the style/subject you want to generate
- 5 minutes for your first image — later ones go faster once you know the interface
Step 1: Create Your Free Account
Go to openart.ai and sign up with email or a Google account. You’ll get 40 one-time trial credits automatically — no credit card required. If you want an extra 50 credits, join OpenArt’s Discord community and follow the prompt to claim them (this is optional and not required to use the platform itself).
Step 2: Choose a Model
From the create screen, open the model selector and browse the available options — 100+ models covering photorealism, illustration, anime, and more. For your first image, pick a well-reviewed general-purpose model rather than a highly specialized one, so you get a feel for how prompts translate into results before narrowing down to a specific style.
Step 3: Write Your Prompt
Type a description of what you want to generate. If you’re new to prompting, browsing OpenArt’s community template library first and remixing an existing prompt close to what you want is usually faster than starting from a completely blank prompt — you can see exactly what wording produced a result you like, then adjust it.
Step 4: Set Generation Options
Adjust aspect ratio, number of variations, and any model-specific settings (some models offer style strength or reference-image options). More variations per generation use more credits, so on a free trial, start with a single generation per prompt until you’re confident in your prompting before generating multiple variations at once.
Step 5: Generate and Review
Click generate. Most image generations complete within seconds to a minute depending on the model and current load. Review the result, and if it’s not quite right, adjust your prompt rather than just re-generating identically — small wording changes (adding lighting, composition, or style details) usually produce more useful iteration than repeating the same prompt.
Step 6: Try Director for Multi-Step Projects
If you need a consistent character or style across multiple images (a comic sequence, a set of brand visuals), open Director from the main menu instead of generating one-off images. Director walks you through defining a consistent subject once, then reusing it across subsequent generations — genuinely useful once you outgrow single-image prompting.
Quick Tips for Managing Your Credits
- Check credit cost before generating with a new model: premium models cost significantly more credits per generation than basic ones — this is the single most common source of user frustration, so check the cost shown before you generate.
- Avoid video generation on a small plan: video burns credits far faster than images. Stick to images until you understand your usage pattern.
- Use the community template library: starting from a proven prompt wastes fewer credits on trial-and-error than writing from scratch.
- Track your remaining balance: OpenArt shows your credit balance in the interface — check it periodically rather than being surprised when it runs out mid-project.
Ready to Generate Your First Image?
Sign up free — 40 credits, no credit card required.
Start Free with OpenArt →Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to generate an image in OpenArt?
Most generations complete within seconds to about a minute, depending on which model you’re using and current platform load. Video generation and higher-resolution outputs take longer than standard images. Your first full session — account creation through your first generated image — typically takes about 5 minutes.
Do I need prompting experience to use OpenArt?
No — OpenArt’s community template library lets you remix existing prompts rather than writing from scratch, which is the fastest way to get a decent result as a beginner. Reviewing a few templates close to what you want before writing your own prompt from zero will save both time and credits.
How do I avoid running out of OpenArt credits quickly?
Check the credit cost shown before generating with premium or video models, since consumption varies significantly by model — this is the most common source of unexpectedly fast credit depletion. Starting with basic image models and single generations (rather than multiple variations per prompt) while you’re learning the platform stretches a free trial or smaller plan further.
What is Director in OpenArt?
Director is OpenArt’s tool for structured, multi-step generation — useful when you need a consistent character, subject, or style across a series of images rather than one-off prompts. It’s accessed from the main menu and walks you through defining a consistent element once, then reusing it across subsequent generations.
Related Resources
- 📊 OpenArt Review 2026 — Full pricing, features, and honest verdict
- ⚡ OpenArt vs Midjourney — Which AI art tool fits your use case
- 🎨 Best AI Art Generators 2026 — Full roundup of tools compared
