We believe in being transparent, since honesty and intention are central to these cards. We also know many people feel cautious about AI art, especially in spiritual tools like oracle cards or decks such as Hero’s Ascent. That’s why we want to be clear about how the images in this deck were created.
The short answer is yes, we used AI tools as part of our creative process. But not in the “one-click image” way you may have seen online, where AI alone does all the work with little to no human input.
Each card in Hero's Ascent began with a clear vision. We started with sketches, drawings, or mockups we created, then generated multiple drafts in MidJourney. From there, we spent hours manually editing and refining each image in Photoshop until it matched the card’s theme and supported the lesson it was paired with.
In total, more than 400 hours went into crafting the images on the cards alone, with each image taking between 2 and 10+ hours to create, refine, and finalize.
Beyond the imagery, the entire card design, layout, and other details were built by hand in Photoshop and Illustrator. Megan, a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, wrote every lesson, activity, and affirmation using her training and experience as a practicing mental health professional.
In the end, while AI was one tool we used, Hero’s Ascent works because of the therapy-inspired lessons, activities, and affirmations woven into every card.
The artwork brings a sense of fun and adventure to the experience, but the heart of the deck is about helping you grow, heal, and reconnect with yourself in a way that feels approachable, impactful, and even enjoyable.
