Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce

Sr. UX Designer sharing AI workflows for design and ecom. Prompts, teardowns, real experiments.

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

I challenged ChatGPT Images 1.5 and Nano Banana Pro to design a beverage lineup that absolutely nobody asked for.

The results are... concerning. 🤢

From "Liquid Frank" (blended up hot dogs) to "Ear Wax," here is the Unhappy Hour menu. See the thread for the complete gallery of unsettling goodness.

A thread on prompt engineering the un-drinkable. 🧵👇

@NanoBanana @ChatGPTapp @GeminiApp

#AIArt #GenerativeAI #PromptEngineering #DesignTwitter

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

Here's the full JSON prompt which you can edit to your liking:

{
"prompt_metadata": {
"version": "1.0",
"purpose": "LinkedIn branded luxury cologne product photography",
"style_reference": "High-end fragrance advertising, editorial product photography"
},

"description": "An ultra-premium product photography shot of a luxurious glass cologne bottle shaped as the iconic LinkedIn logo—a refined, rounded square silhouette with beveled edges and the distinctive 'in' letterforms embossed into the heavy glass. The bottle contains an elegant amber-gold fragrance, photographed in a sleek, corporate-luxe environment that evokes professional success and sophisticated networking.",

"subject": {
"product_type": "Luxury men's cologne bottle",
"bottle_design": {
"shape": "LinkedIn logo silhouette—a refined rounded square (squircle) with subtle beveled corners, approximately 4 inches tall",
"glass": {
"material": "Heavy crystal glass with exceptional clarity and light refraction",
"finish": "Polished to a mirror-like sheen with subtle faceted edges catching light",
"thickness": "Substantial weighted base providing premium heft",
"transparency": "Crystal clear with perfect optical quality"
},
"embossing": {
"design": "The lowercase 'in' LinkedIn letterforms deeply embossed into the front face of the glass",
"style": "Frosted matte finish on the embossed letters contrasting against polished glass",
"depth": "Visible dimensional relief creating shadow play"
},
"cap": {
"material": "Brushed gunmetal aluminum with subtle knurled texture",
"shape": "Cylindrical with flat top, magnetic closure",
"accent": "Thin polished chrome band at the base of the cap"
}
},
"liquid": {
"color": "Rich amber-gold with honey undertones, reminiscent of aged whiskey",
"fill_level": "85% full, showing elegant meniscus",
"clarity": "Crystal clear with subtle light refraction through the liquid",
"luminosity": "Warm internal glow when backlit"
},
"label": {
"text": "LINKEDIN",
"typography": "Clean sans-serif in LinkedIn's brand font, subtle debossed silver lettering on glass",
"placement": "Centered below the 'in' embossing"
}
},

"environment": {
"setting": "Ultra-modern executive studio environment",
"surface": {
"primary": "Polished black obsidian or dark granite slab with subtle veining",
"texture": "Mirror-like reflective surface creating perfect product reflection",
"size": "Minimal footprint, just enough to capture reflection"
},
"background": {
"style": "Gradient infinity backdrop",
"colors": ["Deep charcoal (#1B1B1B)", "Transitioning to LinkedIn blue (#0A66C2) at edges"],
"effect": "Subtle radial gradient creating depth without distraction"
},
"props": {
"primary": [],
"accent_elements": [
"Single subtle light streak or lens flare suggesting premium quality",
"Faint geometric line patterns echoing professional network connections (optional, very subtle)"
]
},
"atmosphere": "Clean, sophisticated, aspirational—evoking corner-office success"
},

"visual_style": {
"aesthetic": "Ultra-luxury fragrance advertising meets Silicon Valley sophistication",
"mood": "Confident, prestigious, polished, aspirational",
"tone": "Corporate elegance with warmth",
"references": ["Tom Ford fragrance campaigns", "Dior Sauvage editorial", "Bloomberg Businessweek cover photography"],

"lighting": {
"type": "Professional multi-light studio setup",
"key_light": {
"position": "45-degrees camera left, elevated",
"quality": "Large softbox for smooth, even illumination",
"intensity": "Primary light source, creates main highlight on glass"
},
"fill_light": {
"position": "Camera right, lower angle",
"quality": "Subtle bounce fill to open shadows",
"intensity": "30% of key light"
},
"back_light": {
"position": "Behind and below subject",
"quality": "Strip light or honeycomb grid for controlled rim lighting",
"effect": "Creates luminous glow through the amber liquid",
"color_temperature": "Warm (3200K) to enhance golden liquid color"
},
"accent_light": {
"position": "Top-down with snoot or grid",
"effect": "Creates precise highlight on cap and top of bottle",
"intensity": "Crisp specular highlight"
},
"overall_quality": "Soft yet defined, dramatic but not harsh, professional studio lighting",
"color_temperature": "Mixed—warm backlight (3200K) through liquid, neutral key (5600K) on glass"
},

"color_palette": {
"dominant": ["Rich amber gold (#D4A574)", "Deep charcoal black (#1B1B1B)"],
"secondary": ["LinkedIn blue (#0A66C2)", "Gunmetal silver (#6B7280)"],
"accent": ["Warm honey highlights (#FFD700)", "Cool chrome reflections (#E5E7EB)"]
},

"textures": {
"emphasized": [
"Glass clarity and refraction",
"Liquid luminosity and depth",
"Metal cap brushed finish",
"Surface reflection quality"
]
}
},

"camera": {
"body": "Hasselblad H6D-100c or Phase One IQ4 150MP (medium format for ultimate detail)",
"sensor": "Medium format digital for maximum resolution and dynamic range",
"lens": {
"type": "Macro lens for product photography",
"focal_length": "120mm macro (medium format equivalent)",
"alternative": "90mm f/2.8 macro for full-frame simulation",
"quality": "Zeiss or Schneider optics for maximum sharpness and color accuracy"
},
"settings": {
"aperture": "f/11 (deep focus on product, slight background softness)",
"shutter_speed": "1/125s (with studio strobes)",
"iso": "100 (base ISO for cleanest image)",
"white_balance": "Custom calibrated to mixed lighting"
},
"angle": {
"vertical": "Slightly elevated, approximately 15-20 degrees above eye level",
"horizontal": "3/4 view (approximately 30 degrees off-center to show bottle dimension)",
"reasoning": "Reveals both the front face embossing and side profile of the bottle shape"
},
"distance": "Medium close-up, bottle fills approximately 60% of vertical frame",
"focus": {
"point": "Sharp focus on the 'in' embossing and front face of bottle",
"depth_of_field": "Product entirely sharp, background with subtle gradient blur"
}
},

"composition": {
"product_placement": "Rule of thirds—bottle positioned at left vertical third line",
"product_scale": "60-65% of frame height",
"negative_space": {
"distribution": "Generous space to the right for potential text overlay or brand messaging",
"purpose": "Creates breathing room, emphasizes product premium positioning"
},
"balance": "Asymmetrical with visual weight on the left",
"reflection": {
"visible": true,
"quality": "Clean mirror reflection on polished surface, approximately 40% opacity fade",
"extends": "Reflection extends downward, creating visual anchor"
},
"leading_lines": "Subtle gradient and reflection guide eye to the product",
"aspect_ratio": "4:5 (vertical, Instagram/editorial friendly) or 1:1 (square, versatile)"
},

"constraints": {
"preserve_product": true,
"maintain_brand_accuracy": "LinkedIn blue (#0A66C2) must be color-accurate where used",
"maintain_reflections": true,
"maintain_shadows": true,
"glass_rendering": "Photorealistic glass with accurate refraction, caustics, and highlights",
"humans_in_image": false,
"text_overlays": false,
"no_watermarks": true,
"no_dust_or_imperfections": "Pristine, flawless product surface",
"logo_accuracy": "LinkedIn 'in' letterforms must be recognizable and properly proportioned"
},

"technical": {
"resolution": "8K ultra-high resolution",
"detail_level": "Hyper-detailed with visible micro-textures on glass and metal",
"post_processing": [
"Subtle contrast enhancement",
"Careful highlight recovery on glass specular points",
"Color grading for warm luxury feel",
"Micro-contrast enhancement on embossing details",
"Clean frequency separation for flawless surfaces"
],
"output_format": "PNG (lossless) or high-quality JPEG",
"color_space": "sRGB for web, Adobe RGB for print"
},

"output": {
"format": "png",
"size": "2048x2560 (4:5 aspect ratio)",
"variations": 3,
"naming_pattern": "linkedin_cologne_product_v[number]"
},

"style_keywords": [
"luxury product photography",
"high-end cologne advertisement",
"editorial fragrance shot",
"premium glass bottle",
"corporate luxury",
"professional sophistication",
"aspirational branding",
"studio lighting mastery",
"photorealistic rendering",
"commercial photography",
"8K ultra-detailed",
"LinkedIn branded merchandise",
"executive lifestyle",
"networking success aesthetic"
],

"negative_prompts": [
"cheap plastic appearance",
"harsh unflattering shadows",
"cluttered background",
"amateur lighting",
"dust particles",
"fingerprints on glass",
"distorted reflections",
"oversaturated colors",
"flat lifeless lighting",
"CGI uncanny valley appearance",
"stock photo generic feel",
"busy distracting props"
]
}

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

I turned X, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn into luxury cologne bottles with AI image generation.

Images attached. Full JSON prompt in the replies so you can remix fast. 👇🏼

Which one are you wearing?

Use this for rapid packaging concepts, product photo mockups, brand world exploration, and pitch visuals before a single pixel hits production.

Speed matters. Iteration matters. Taste matters.

#AI #GenAI #PromptEngineering #Design #ProductPhotography

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

@oggii_0 Absolutely LOVE this style!!! Great prompt!

I tried your prompt with a slight modification in color and threw in some branding for Coca-Cola... I think it turned out pretty cool!

Thanks again for the inspiration!

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

@AllaAisling MMA one turned out pretty cool! Great prompt, thanks!

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

@Kerroudjm @atomu_ai Super cool prompt! Thanks for sharing! Thought I'd try your prompt with spaghetti and meatballs... turned out pretty good!

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

@AmirMushich Awesome prompt! Thanks for sharing it! Here's mine for Coca-Cola using your template.

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

@RobotCleopatra Brazil favela. I love how ChatGPT captured this so well. I lived in Brazil for years and walked many streets like this.

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

@milan_pokora @AllaAisling I love this one!

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

@AllaAisling My dad drove a 1954 Cadillac convertible back in the 1960s and 1970s. I never got to ride in it (I was born in the 1980s), but I love that ChatGPT Images can bring the car back to life again and it looks sooo good! 🤩

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

@clairevo @elawless Congrats! How precious! We've got 3 boys here! My wife is outnumbered haha!

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

The tools are in our hands.

If you can dream it up, you can ship a prototype today.

What non-existent product are you going to bring to life this week?

Let me know below. 👇

#AIBranding #FutureOfCommerce #Midjourney #DesignTwitter

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

The gap between imagination and reality has vanished. 💥

For years, I’ve had a persistent, chaotic, albeit fun thought: Animal from The Muppets needs his own energy drink!!!

It was just a "what if." Until today.

I used AI to manifest a product that doesn't exist.

I present to you... Animal's "DRUM RAGE." 200mg of pure, adrenaline-pumping caffeine, from one of my favorite childhood characters. 🧵👇

#GenerativeAI #ProductDesign #Creative

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

Want to try this workflow? Here is the exact prompt I used to generate the product shot.

Steal this. Tweak it. Build something wild. 👇

PROMPT: "A punchy photo shoot of an Animal energy drink can, the can is tilted slightly to its side, high energy, vibrant GenZ colors, neon paint splatters, lightning bolts, musical notes exploding outwards from the can, chaotic graffiti background, dynamic motion blur, condensation on the can, hyper realistic, studio lighting, 8k --ar 4:5"

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

Whoever communicates value the fastest wins.

We used to spend days researching and hundreds of dollars on assets like this. Now, it's a 2-minute morning task.

Leverage AI to learn faster, visualize better, and ship quicker.

Bookmark this post 🔖 to steal this workflow for your next piece of content.

Follow me for more practical applications of AI in E-commerce. 🛒🤖

#AIforEcommerce #EcommerceTips #ConversionRateOptimization #GenerativeAI #Gemini

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

E-commerce operators: Stop sleeping on this workflow. 🤯

I went from a raw idea to this professional-grade infographic in under 2 minutes. Zero design skills. $0 spent on freelancers.

The real unlock here is the AI-powered process used to create it. This is the new speed of execution in e-commerce.

Here is the exact two-step playbook I used to turn complex information into a viral visual asset using @GeminiApp and @NanoBanana:

🧵👇

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

STEP 2: The visual synthesis (Nano Banana Pro)

Most people fail here because they try to describe the image themselves. Don't. Feed the structured knowledge back into the AI.

I took Gemini's structured output and fed it into Nano Banana Pro.

My Prompt to Nano Banana: "Turn this text [paste Gemini output] into a visual infographic, focusing on crisp, coherent text, vibrant visuals to help teach the concepts, and a 16:9 visual layout perfect for sharing."

🤖 The Result: The AI understood the analogies and structured the data visually better than I ever could have manually.

[Mike Curtis | UX + AI + E-commerce @UncleMikeyUX]

@Ridnime Thanks for the inspiration and reminder to share our art!