Empowered Postpartum Planning
Empowered Postpartum Planning
This award-winning cover was created for the Empowered Postpartum Planning Guide by Dr. Erin Tenney, a certified nurse-midwife (DNP, CNM, WHNP). The design was selected as the winning entry on 99designs, chosen from dozens of professional submissions for its calm, emotional resonance and authenticity.
Blending the intuitive power of AI with my graphic design expertise, I used Midjourney to generate the visual foundation and brought it to life through thoughtful composition, refined typography, and emotional storytelling.
The Creative Brief
Dr. Tenney wanted a cover that would break away from typical pregnancy and parenting book aesthetics. Her vision was clear: something calm, grounded, and modern that would speak directly to expectant mothers preparing for one of life’s most transformative journeys.
The brief called for a soft, feminine design that reflected strength, vulnerability, and empowerment—without relying on clichés or overly commercial imagery. The final concept needed to feel like a private, reflective moment of readiness—a sanctuary rather than just another self-help book.
The Challenge
Competing on 99designs meant facing dozens of professional designers, all interpreting the same brief. Standing out required more than good execution—it demanded a genuinely fresh visual approach that couldn’t be achieved through stock photography or conventional design methods.
I needed to create something emotionally authentic that would resonate deeply with the target audience while also being bold enough to win in a crowded competitive field. The challenge was twofold: honor the intimate, personal nature of the content while ensuring the design had enough visual presence to be selected from countless submissions.
I immediately recognized this as an opportunity to integrate AI-driven image generation—not as a shortcut, but as a strategic tool to explore emotional territories beyond what stock imagery could offer, then refine that foundation with my design expertise.
Dr. Tenney wanted a cover that would break away from typical pregnancy and parenting book aesthetics. Her vision was clear: something calm, grounded, and modern that would speak directly to expectant mothers preparing for one of life’s most transformative journeys.
The brief called for a soft, feminine design that reflected strength, vulnerability, and empowerment—without relying on clichés or overly commercial imagery. The final concept needed to feel like a private, reflective moment of readiness—a sanctuary rather than just another self-help book.
The Challenge
Competing on 99designs meant facing dozens of professional designers, all interpreting the same brief. Standing out required more than good execution—it demanded a genuinely fresh visual approach that couldn’t be achieved through stock photography or conventional design methods.
I needed to create something emotionally authentic that would resonate deeply with the target audience while also being bold enough to win in a crowded competitive field. The challenge was twofold: honor the intimate, personal nature of the content while ensuring the design had enough visual presence to be selected from countless submissions.
I immediately recognized this as an opportunity to integrate AI-driven image generation—not as a shortcut, but as a strategic tool to explore emotional territories beyond what stock imagery could offer, then refine that foundation with my design expertise.
Design Process
Research & Moodboarding
I started with a deep dive into other books in the niche—identifying visual tropes to avoid and gathering inspiration for something fresh and authentic.
AI-Driven Exploration
Using Midjourney, I crafted descriptive prompts like “gentle mother energy,” “calm minimalism,” “earthy pastel colors,” and “botanical softness” to generate conceptual imagery. I iterated quickly and refined repeatedly, combining my knowledge of visual storytelling with an understanding of Midjourney’s generative capabilities.
Typography & Layout
Once I had the hero image, I brought it into Photoshop and began intensive typography and design refinement. Competing against dozens of talented designers on 99designs, I remade the design through multiple font iterations, pushing toward perfection with each round.
Research & Moodboarding
I started with a deep dive into other books in the niche—identifying visual tropes to avoid and gathering inspiration for something fresh and authentic.
AI-Driven Exploration
Using Midjourney, I crafted descriptive prompts like “gentle mother energy,” “calm minimalism,” “earthy pastel colors,” and “botanical softness” to generate conceptual imagery. I iterated quickly and refined repeatedly, combining my knowledge of visual storytelling with an understanding of Midjourney’s generative capabilities.
Typography & Layout
Once I had the hero image, I brought it into Photoshop and began intensive typography and design refinement. Competing against dozens of talented designers on 99designs, I remade the design through multiple font iterations, pushing toward perfection with each round.
Final Design
This rigorous iterative process led me through multiple competition rounds, ultimately winning the final selection.
The result is a calm, inviting composition that reflects hours of meticulous refinement—strategically designed to stand out among countless professional submissions while maintaining its serene, authentic emotional core.
Tools & Skills
AI Integration - Midjourney
Prompt engineering and strategic direction of AI-generated imagery to align with the emotional tone and conceptual vision. Iterative refinement of visual outputs through carefully crafted prompts.
Graphic Design - Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator
Design composition, layout refinement, image integration, and advanced editing techniques to transform AI-generated assets into a polished, professional book cover design.
Typography - Modern Serif Selections
Careful font pairing and hierarchy development. Selection of serif typefaces that communicate both authority and approachability. Strategic use of spacing, alignment, and scale to create visual balance and emotional resonance.
Conceptual Thinking - Moodboarding & Storytelling
Understanding the psychological needs of the target audience. Creating visual narratives that speak to expectant mothers preparing for postpartum experiences. Developing authentic, relatable design solutions without relying on clichés.
Client Collaboration - Interpreting Nuanced Briefs
Translating abstract emotional concepts into concrete visual strategies. Maintaining alignment with client vision throughout the iterative design process while confidently advocating for design decisions rooted in strategic thinking and audience psychology.
Why It Resonated
When I read Dr. Tenney’s brief, I understood what she truly needed: not just a cover, but a sanctuary for expectant mothers. She wanted to break away from predictable pregnancy book aesthetics, seeking something calm, grounded, and modern that felt like a private moment of readiness.
Facing dozens of designers on 99designs, I knew conventional approaches wouldn’t work. I used Midjourney not as a shortcut, but as a creative partner—a tool to explore emotional territories beyond stock imagery. While AI generated the raw potential, my design expertise and understanding of the audience transformed that potential into genuine meaning.
Winning this competition wasn’t about being the flashiest. It was about creating something so authentic that Dr. Tenney recognized her vision reflected back to her. The design listened, understood, and answered with empathy.
Key Takeaway: AI isn’t a shortcut—it’s a multiplier of human creativity. The winning combination: strategic thinking + emotional intelligence + AI capability.