My go-to AI Tools for creating images and videos (That actually work)

Start your AI Art journey with the right tools

Jun 09, 2025

I've been experimenting with AI creative tools for two years now, and honestly? Most of them promise way more than they deliver. But a few have genuinely changed how I work.

Let me save you some time and money by sharing what I actually use. Not what tech blogs claim you should use.

Prices as of June 9th, 2025

What I've learned using these AI tools

Midjourney spoiled me for everything else. Once you get used to its image quality and style controls, other tools feel clunky. The reference features become absolutely essential for maintaining consistency across projects. I can finally create a series that looks cohesive instead of random.

Ideogram solved my text problem. Most AI tools make fonts that look gibberish or completely unreadable. Ideogram actually creates clean, readable text that matches your image style. The Canvas feature lets me overlay typography on my Midjourney images without needing to search and purchase multiple display fonts.

ChatGPT is where I started, and it's fine for beginners. Easy to use, lots of tutorials online. But here's the problem: everyone can spot ChatGPT imagery from a mile away. It has this distinctive look that screams "I used AI." Great for quick mock-ups, terrible for anything professional.

Runway became my video playground once I got the unlimited plan. Video AI fails constantly and hilariously. Perhaps half of the attempts are unusable? But when you're not counting credits, you can afford to experiment. The Gen-4 image references help maintain visual consistency between shots and complement the Midjourney Omni-reference feature for character consistency.

Kling AI handles what Runway can't. Like fast-moving action. Car chases, sports footage, anything dynamic. The quality is genuinely impressive with their 2.1 model. My only complaint is their credit system is expensive and makes me overthink every generation rather than freely explore.

The supporting tools that I frequently use

Beyond the fancy AI stuff, I rely on some boring but essential software:

• Canva for layouts and quick edits

• CapCut for video editing (free and surprisingly capable)

• PDFgear instead of Adobe's overpriced PDF tools

• Napkin for work infographics that don't look amateur

• Venngage when I need additional professional templates

I've basically replaced Adobe Photoshop with Canva + Midjourney + Ideogram for most projects. Unless you're doing super technical photo manipulation, this combo handles everything, including print-ready materials.

My actual workflow

I don't use these tools in isolation. Usually I'll start concepts in Midjourney, add text elements in Ideogram, then assemble everything in Canva. For video, I prototype ideas in Runway where I can fail cheaply, then recreate the winners in Kling for final output.

The biggest mistake I see people make? Expecting one tool to do everything. Each excels at specific tasks. Midjourney for stunning visuals, Ideogram for text integration, Runway for video exploration, Kling for polished action sequences.

I hope you find this article useful and happy creating!