How Kaitlyn Used AI to Elevate Her Creative Direction Practice

With a background in branding and a sharp eye for storytelling, Kaitlyn Morneweck joined our AI for Visual Design course to make sense of the rapidly evolving creative landscape. The result was a powerful generative AI toolkit that Kaitlyn now uses to enhance both her client work and personal creative projects.

From Agency Life to Building a Brand 

After spending three and a half years at a top agency working with B2B tech and SaaS brands, Kaitlyn decided it was time for a shift. She moved into freelancing, offering creative direction, brand work, and design strategies for clients. With more flexibility in her schedule, she saw a perfect window to explore the topic everyone in design was buzzing about: artificial intelligence.

“I went to the Awwwards design conference, and AI came up in almost every talk,” Kaitlyn says. “Instead of feeling intimidated, I felt energized. I wanted to learn more.”

Eager to integrate AI into her creative work, Kaitlyn felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of tools and unsure where to start. She enrolled in Designlab’s AI for Visual Design course to gain clarity, structure, and practical guidance on how to use AI effectively in her practice.

Learning the Language of AI

Kaitlyn came into the course with a few key goals:

• Understand how to evaluate and use different generative tools effectively
  
  
• Learn how to prompt creatively and strategically
  
  
• Explore how AI could enhance—not replace—her design practice
  
  

What she found was not only a practical foundation, but also a deeper understanding of how to think critically and creatively about AI. 

There's no way I would have made as much progress [with these tools] as I have without this course. 

With guidance on how to approach each tool based on the goal at hand—whether it was visual storytelling, brand development, or concept generation—Kaitlyn was able to cut through the noise and focus on what actually worked, noting, “There's no way I would have made as much progress as I have without this course.” 

Putting AI to Work—For Clients and Herself

Today, Kaitlyn integrates AI into multiple aspects of her design process:

• Concepting and moodboarding: “I use MidJourney and Adobe Firefly to explore early ideas. It helps clients visualize concepts before we move into production.”
  
  
• Video storytelling: “I’ve been stitching AI-generated assets into narratives for brands—and even personal projects.”
  
  
• Social content: “I’m creating more personalized, brand-aligned visuals to support my posts. It’s quicker and more impactful.”

“Even though the course focused on image and video generation, the prompting techniques translated to writing and content creation too,” she explains. “I’m now using AI to generate brand copy and social media posts as well.” 

If you're not tapping into AI, you’re not engaged with or understanding of where the future's going. And it doesn't have to be daunting and scary. It's actually quite empowering and exciting.

By learning not just how to use tools, but how to guide them effectively, Kaitlyn unlocked a new layer of creative control—allowing her to work faster, smarter, and with more intention across all facets of her design practice.

Of integrating AI more meaningfully into her work, Kaitlyn shared: “If you're not tapping into AI, you’re not engaged with or understanding of where the future's going. And it doesn't have to be so daunting and scary. It's actually quite empowering and exciting.”

What Worked: Curriculum, Projects, and Mentorship

Kaitlyn appreciated the course’s multimodal structure, including:

• Video lectures that showed tools in action
  
  
• Live mentorship and peer sessions for real-time feedback
  
  
• Project-based learning to solidify new skills
  
  

“The projects were the most valuable part,” she says. “They were challenging and time-consuming, but that’s where I learned the most. The freedom to explore made all the difference.”

Mentorship was another highlight. “I made strong connections, and one even led to a potential opportunity,” she shares. 

I regret not diving in sooner. This course helped me embrace AI in a way that feels aligned with my voice and values. It’s not about replacing creativity—it’s about enhancing it.

Kaitlyn especially loved the final project, which centered around a fashion brand brief. But she took it a step further. “I had just gotten engaged, and I’m passionate about sustainability and the ocean. So I reimagined the brief as a sustainable bridalwear brand. I used AI to create visuals, mockups, and even a short brand video. It felt like a real launch.”

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Kaitlyn’s experience with AI for Visual Design didn’t just equip her with technical skills—it transformed the way she approaches her creative practice. By demystifying generative tools and providing a clear framework for their use, the course helped her move from curiosity to confident application. Whether she’s building moodboards, crafting brand content, or experimenting with passion projects, AI is now an integrated part of her toolkit—not an intimidating unknown.

“I regret not diving in sooner,” Kaitlyn reflects. “This course helped me embrace AI in a way that feels aligned with my voice and values. It’s not about replacing creativity—it’s about enhancing it.”

Ready to start integrating AI into your creative workflow? Learn more about our AI for Visual Design course.