Visual Style Lock and Asset Intake (Onboarding)

Visual Style Lock and Asset Intake (Onboarding)

1. 01

   Collect the client's existing brand assets before any generation begins

   Request vector logos, hex codes, licensed typefaces, and 10 to 20 reference images the client already considers on-brand. Without this baseline, every later approval becomes a subjective argument.

2. 02

   Define the locked visual variables in writing

   Document palette, lighting direction, camera angle, texture treatment, and subject framing as a one-page spec. Recraft's custom style creation from uploaded images gives a practical way to encode that spec as a reusable preset rather than a prompt paragraph.

3. 03

   Separate concept exploration from production output

   Reserve high-fidelity exploratory generation for moodboards and pitch decks, and route anything client-facing through the locked style preset. Midjourney-style concept work is useful for winning the direction, not for shipping the final asset.

4. 04

   Confirm commercial usage rights per asset before it enters a client deliverable

   Record the license terms, model version, and generation date for each approved file. Adobe Firefly's commercially safe positioning is one option, but the agency still owns the record-keeping obligation.

5. 05

   Run a differentiation check against the client's category

   Pull five competitor visuals and confirm the locked style is distinguishable at thumbnail size. Homogenized output is the known failure mode of this category, and it shows up first in feed placement.

6. 06

   Store the approved preset, spec sheet, and reference set in one shared client folder

   Name the folder with the client slug and lock date so any delivery team member can reproduce the look without asking the original designer.