Starting a new banner from scratch every season takes too long
Spring sale, summer deals, year-end promotions — every season brings another round of banner requests. Hiring a designer takes days. Doing it yourself means opening Photoshop and rebuilding everything from scratch. I made a full set of discount event banners with XBRUSH Canvas in under 10 minutes.
At a Glance: In XBRUSH Canvas, upload a reference image, generate a background with a text prompt, then add a text layer on top. The result is a finished promotional banner ready to export. Multiple sizes — 1080×1080 for Instagram, 1280×720 for YouTube — can be made in one session without starting over.
Step 1 — Set the mood with a reference image
Before generating anything, decide on the visual tone. A reference image gives the AI a concrete target for color palette and composition — results are far more consistent than prompting from scratch.
For a spring sale banner, cherry blossoms and pastel tones work well. For a year-end sale, a deep red and gold reference image sets the right mood immediately.
Upload the reference to XBRUSH and ControlNet analyzes the composition and color balance, then applies those characteristics to the background generation. This step alone removes most of the back-and-forth with prompt adjustments.
Step 2 — Set the canvas size for each channel
Each platform has its own recommended dimensions. Choose the right size before generating — it affects how the composition is framed.
| Channel | Recommended Size | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram Feed | 1080×1080px | Square banner, product image |
| YouTube Thumbnail | 1280×720px | Wide banner, event announcement |
| Online Store Main Image | 1000×1000px | Product listing hero image |
| Facebook / LinkedIn | 1200×628px | Link preview, community banner |
| 1000×1500px | Vertical promotional pin |
Generate the Instagram 1080×1080 first, then reuse the same prompt on a 1280×720 canvas for YouTube. Both fit in a single session — no need to start from a blank project each time.
Step 3 — Generate the background
With the canvas size set, generate the background. Uploading a reference image and adjusting with a short prompt is the fastest path to a usable result.
Prompt: "spring sale event banner background, soft pink cherry blossom petals, pastel bokeh, clean product display space, high-end promotional"
Since text will be placed on top, it helps to leave an open area in the center or lower third. Adding "clean center area" or "empty space for text" to the prompt tells the AI to reserve that space.
For a brand-specific promotion rather than a seasonal one, specify the brand colors directly:
Prompt: "luxury skincare promotional banner background, deep navy and gold, minimalist, empty center space for text overlay"
Step 4 — Add discount text and badges
Once the background is ready, add a text layer in Canvas. Drop in the key message — "30% OFF", "SPRING SALE", "Limited Offer" — then adjust position, font size, and color until it reads clearly against the background.
If the text is hard to read against a busy background, inpainting can darken the area behind the text without affecting the rest of the image. One prompt is enough:
Prompt: "darken the background slightly around the text area, keep the overall color tone"
Export the finished banner as PNG or JPG at the target resolution — ready to upload directly to any channel.
When to Use This
- Running seasonal promotions on an online store and needing fresh banners each time
- Operating solo without a designer but needing professional-looking marketing images
- Posting across multiple channels (Instagram, YouTube, online store) with different required sizes
- Updating existing product photos with seasonal backgrounds instead of reshooting
FAQ
Do I need design experience to make banners with XBRUSH?
No design experience is required. XBRUSH Canvas works through text prompts and a drag-and-drop text layer system. A complete banner can be made in under 10 minutes without any prior design tool knowledge.
Can I create multiple sizes in one session?
Yes. Open a new canvas, change the dimensions, and re-run the same prompt. Instagram 1080×1080 and YouTube 1280×720 can both be completed in a single session without rebuilding the project from scratch.
Does it work without a reference image?
Yes. A text prompt alone is enough to generate a background. That said, using a reference image alongside the prompt significantly improves how closely the result matches the intended color palette and composition.
Can I add text directly inside XBRUSH?
Yes. XBRUSH Canvas includes a text layer feature. Font, size, and color are all adjustable. The finished banner can be exported as PNG or JPG at the specified resolution.
Can I edit specific parts of the background after generating?
Yes. The inpainting tool lets you select any region of the image and regenerate just that area. Darkening the area behind text, swapping a background prop, or adjusting the corner composition are all handled through natural language prompts.
Are banners made with XBRUSH cleared for commercial use?
Yes. Images generated on XBRUSH are available for commercial use. Full terms are available at xbrush.ai.
Can the free plan handle banner creation?
Yes. The free plan includes 400 bonus points per month with no credit card required. At $0.01 per image, that covers dozens of banner variations — enough to test multiple seasonal concepts before committing to a paid plan.
Tools Used
- XBRUSH Canvas — banner background generation and text layer placement
- ControlNet — reference-guided composition and color control
- Inpainting — targeted background adjustments for text readability
- Export — PNG / JPG output at specified resolution
Last updated: 2026-04-03