A Creative Director’s Eye — Interview with Artist Charlene Sepentzis

For artist Charlene Sepentzis, elegance is in the execution.

There’s a certain polish to the work of Charlene Sepentzis that is instantly recognizable. For those familiar with Leonardo.Ai’s catalogues, her signature style has become a benchmark for quality—a visual shorthand for what happens when a powerful tool is guided by an impeccable artistic vision. The Montreal-based creative director and designer has a knack for crafting images that feel both impossible and entirely real; a gravity-defying pyramid of basketballs sits under a warm afternoon sun, or a close-up of a sneaker reveals details so crisp you feel you could reach out and touch them.

Unlike artists who lean into the chaotic or the kitsch, Charlene’s work is a lesson in restraint and intention. The more creative and elegant the concept, the more she finds a way to ground it in a believable, beautiful reality. It is this unique skill that has made her a definitive tastemaker. She doesn’t just create images; she crafts worlds that feel aspirational yet attainable, with her work often feeling like it’s been pulled from a high-end editorial photoshoot. We sat down with the artist to discuss her pursuit of elegance and what makes an image truly compelling.

I think it comes naturally to me to find a concept and tell a story, since I’m a designer at heart. Just like when I work on brands, I need to ground my ideas in strong concepts—whether it’s tied to strategy, brand purpose, the mission, or even the name. With Spill, it’s the same thing: I’m always looking for ideas that aren’t the obvious ones. I also challenge myself to come up with concepts that could answer real needs for other Creative Directors, like in the context of an ad campaign.

For the latest Spill (Issue 02, Ep.1), we chose basketball as a main theme, so I could explore it in different creative angles during the interview. It was a chance to make visuals that could almost work as part of an integrated ad campaign. A product shot, a human with the product, a billboard, a whole vibe basically. A giant ball facing a player on the court—a real challenge. A perfect pyramid of basketballs on a bright summer day—to show infinite potential. A top-down view of a man about to dunk, with a face so detailed and realistic it feels alive.

Once I have the concept in mind, I write my prompt, generate, refine, re-generate, and when my designer’s eye feels it’s right, I do a few touch-ups and the visual is ready.

I’m really picky about details and quality. And I would never let an 11th finger slip through, haha. I bring the same eye for detail that I use in design. And honestly, people already have high expectations when it comes to AI visuals. They want 4K, natural skin pores, suede texture on a shoe, realistic reflections in a scene, and so on. I always upscale everything to make sure the final result has the highest quality, no matter where it’s going.

Since I usually have the main idea in mind from the start, I tend to use the models that give me exactly what I need. For anything 3D, FLUX Kontext and the style sets at 3D Render, is im-pe-cca-ble every single time. It’s actually hard to pick just one image. Flux Kontext and Lucid Origin are also a real pleasure to use when I need people in my compositions—the faces look natural, the emotions feel right, and the details are spot on. That said, I still like to mix it up, and sometimes the result ends up serving as a reference for generating with another preset.

Oh, this project was so much fun to work on! My main goal was to find a way to combine simplicity with celebration. The tiny sparkles took over the identity, as a nod to the shine of talents, the awarding and to celebrate the creative community, all in a simple way. I created different sizes to add some rhythm and to mirror the idea of exponential radiance. For the wordmark, I wanted a typeface that struck the perfect balance between modern and classic, and that harmonized with the sparkle aesthetic. In short, it’s all in the details, always.

charlies.ca

Spill Issue No. 01: Advertising & Marketing Edition | Spill Issue No. 02/Ep 1: Awarding AI Creative Excellence | Spill Issue No. 02/Ep 2: Keeping Creativity Divine with AI  |  Spill Issue No. 02/Ep 3: Vibe Marketing

Inspired? Head to Leonardo Learn for tutorials, behind-the-scenes deep dives, and pro-level tips to fuel your AI journey. Or — if this is all new — start making today with a free account at Leonardo.Ai