A Practical Guide to AI Image & Video Generation in 2026
How to choose models, settings, and workflows for real creative projects.
A Practical Guide to AI Image & Video Generation in 2026
Generative AI is now a normal part of many creators’ workflows. In 2026, the practical question is not whether AI can make a picture, but which model and settings give you the right result fastest.
This guide covers how to pick an image or video model, control quality and resolution, and build a simple workflow for social content.
Choose your model by job type
Different models excel at different tasks. On imgmov you can switch between multiple engines in one interface:
| Model | Best for | Credit cost |
|---|---|---|
| Agnes Image 2.1 | Fast drafts, concept art | 0 |
| cogview-3-flash | Quick image ideas | 0 |
| Seedream 4.5 | Photorealistic images | 2 |
| Nano-Banana 2 | Artistic, stylized images | 2 |
| Agnes Video V2 | Short motion clips | 0 |
| CogVideoX-Flash | Image-to-video motion | 0 |
| HappyHorse | Creative stylized video | 3 |
| Video-01-Live | Live-action-style video | 4 |
| Kling v3 | Smooth cinematic motion | 5 |
| Hailuo 2.3 | Dramatic, cinematic scenes | 5 |
| Veo 3.1 | Highest-end video quality | 8 |
A simple image-to-video workflow
- Generate a seed image with a photorealistic model such as Seedream 4.5 or a free model like Agnes Image 2.1.
- Lock the style: save the prompt, aspect ratio, and model that worked best.
- Add motion: upload the seed image to a video model such as Kling v3 or Veo 3.1 and describe the camera movement.
- Export in the right size: choose 9:16 for reels, 16:9 for YouTube, 1:1 for feeds.
Resolution and quality settings
- 1K: fast previews and web assets.
- 2K: crisp social posts (+1 credit).
- 4K: print-ready or large displays (+3 credits; Pro plan).
Quality tiers:
- Standard: fast, good enough for most drafts.
- Medium: more detail (+1 credit).
- High: maximum detail (+2 credits).
Video clips can be generated at 4 seconds or 8 seconds depending on the model and your needs.
Prompt tips that actually help
- Lead with the subject, then the environment, then lighting and camera terms.
- Example: “A serene Japanese garden at golden hour, koi pond, stone lanterns, cherry blossoms falling, soft cinematic lighting, photorealistic.”
- Use AI Polish in imgmov to rewrite a rough prompt into a stronger version.
- Keep a short list of prompts that repeatedly produce good results.
Start with examples
If you do not know where to start, browse the imgmov gallery and remix any post you like. Remix copies the prompt and reference image into the generator so you can build on it immediately.