How to Design Unique Overlays With AI — And Keep Your Sanity

Creating copyright-free overlays with Midjourney and Photoshop, a.k.a. crafting magic with a stubborn robot, while keeping copyright lawyers at bay…

Photos, overlays and headaches by author

Overlays for digital art and — well, any photography — are just like those extra cinnamon sprinkles in my banana bread: they add that final touch that helps everything come together into an even more delicious whole.

Once you start using them, suddenly every photo feels like it’s just screaming for a little extra bokeh, mist, or a dramatic explosion. These effects are pretty cool, and you can use them in any app that supports PNGs with transparent backgrounds, even on your phone!

So let’s say you’ve fallen in love with overlays just like I did… and went on the hunt for the best ones. You can search for free and paid versions online, sure — but what if you could skip the download sites entirely and make your own overlays?

I have wonderful news: you totally can! :)

I make my overlays myself, and not just because it’s fun — though it absolutely is fun — but because I need full control over my PNGs. When you download overlays from random free sites or even paid bundles, you’re often dealing with mixed…