How to Use Unsplash, Icons, and AI Image Suggestions

Three Free Visual Sources

Pixelesq integrates three visual content sources accessible directly from the asset library without leaving the platform:

• Unsplash - millions of free high-quality photos, searchable by keyword
• Icon Library - thousands of free icons across 6 styles
• AI Suggestions - AI-recommended assets based on your section context

All three are free to use. No separate accounts, no licensing fees, no attribution requirements (though attribution is appreciated for Unsplash).

Unsplash: Free Stock Photography

Unsplash is a free photography platform with millions of high-resolution images. Every Unsplash photo is licensed for commercial and non-commercial use without attribution. Pixelesq integrates Unsplash search directly into the asset library.

Access Unsplash in Pixelesq

1. Click Assets in your sidebar.
2. Switch to the Unsplash source tab at the top of the asset library.
3. Use the search bar to query by keyword (e.g., "workspace", "team meeting", "sunset over mountains").
4. Results appear in a masonry grid. Click any image to use it.

[Screenshot: Unsplash search in the asset library]

Best Uses for Unsplash

• Hero backgrounds when you do not have custom photography yet
• Blog post cover images for editorial content
• Placeholder images during site development
• Lifestyle and concept imagery for marketing pages
• Industry or topic illustrations for feature sections

When Not to Use Unsplash

• Product screenshots: always use actual screenshots of your actual product
• Team photos: Unsplash photos of generic people feel fake. Use real team photos.
• Branded imagery: your logo, brand colors, and specific visual identity need custom work.
• Industry-specific authenticity: if you are building a site for a specific niche (e.g., dentistry, law), generic Unsplash photos often look inauthentic. Invest in industry-specific photography.

A test: if a visitor could reasonably think "this photo is of an actual customer/team member/product," it should be real. If the photo is purely illustrative or conceptual, Unsplash is fine.

Unsplash Licensing

All Unsplash photos can be used for free, including commercial projects, without asking permission or giving credit. Despite not being required, attributing the photographer is considered good practice in the creative community. Some sites add "Photo by [Photographer] on Unsplash" in small text on pages using Unsplash images. Pixelesq does not auto-add this; it is your choice.

Icon Library

Pixelesq includes a large icon library covering most common UI icons. Access it through the asset library by switching to the Icons source tab.

Icon Styles

The library is organized by style. Each icon is available in multiple styles:

• Regular: standard outlined icons with medium stroke weight. Most versatile.
• Thin: very thin stroke weight. Elegant, minimal.
• Light: light stroke weight. Friendly, approachable.
• Fill: solid filled icons. Bold, high-contrast.
• Duotone: two-color icons with filled and outlined elements. Distinctive, modern.
• Bold: bold stroke weight. Strong, assertive.

Pick One Style and Stick With It

The single most important rule for icons: use one style across your entire site. Mixing styles looks instantly amateur. A page with some Regular icons and some Duotone icons feels inconsistent and unprofessional.

Pick your style during theme setup and use it everywhere:

• Feature section icons
• CTA button icons
• Navigation icons
• Footer social icons

If you are unsure, Regular is the safe default. It looks professional on most sites and matches most brand aesthetics.

Search for Icons

Use the search bar to find icons by keyword (e.g., "arrow", "mail", "user", "chart", "lock"). The library has coverage for most common concepts. For specialized icons (e.g., niche industry symbols), you may need to use a dedicated icon provider like Font Awesome or Lucide and embed them via Custom Tags.

AI Image Suggestions

On Pro plans and above, Pixelesq offers AI-powered asset suggestions. The Pixel Agent analyzes your section context (title, description, surrounding content, project profile) and suggests relevant images and icons automatically.

How It Works

When you click a media field in a section, a side panel opens showing AI-suggested assets. The suggestions are tailored to:

• The section's content (title, description, CTA)
• Your project's industry and audience from onboarding
• The content surrounding the section on the page

Click any suggestion to insert it. The panel updates with new suggestions as you change context.

[Screenshot: AI asset suggestion panel with recommended images]

When AI Suggestions Are Most Useful

• First-draft content: when you do not know what image you want, let the AI suggest something appropriate. Saves time vs browsing Unsplash manually.
• Repetitive selections: when you need similar-style images across multiple sections, the AI maintains consistency better than manual selection.
• Non-designer workflows: for teams without visual designers, AI suggestions provide decent defaults without requiring taste judgment.

When Manual Selection Is Better

• You have a specific image in mind (your product screenshot, a specific team photo)
• The page has unique branding that AI suggestions cannot match
• You want fine-grained control over visual style

AI suggestions are a starting point. Override them freely when you have better options.

Combining Sources

Most pages use multiple sources:

• Your own uploads for logo, team photos, product screenshots
• Unsplash for hero backgrounds and blog covers
• Icons from the library for feature sections and UI elements
• AI suggestions for quick-fill during initial drafts

This mix lets you cover most visual needs without buying stock or hiring a photographer.

Pro Tips

• Attribute Unsplash photographers as goodwill. Not required but appreciated. "Photo by [Photographer]" in small text below the image supports the Unsplash community.
• Cache Unsplash images if you use them heavily. Unsplash serves its own CDN, but for performance, save commonly-used images to your Pixelesq assets so they load from your domain.
• Standardize your icon style at project start. Decide Regular vs Fill vs Duotone on day one. Enforce it across every icon you add. Future you will thank you.
• Use AI suggestions to break creative blocks. If you are staring at an empty media field not knowing what to put there, the AI panel gives you something to react to. Even if you do not use the suggestion, it helps you decide what you actually want.
• Do not overdo stock photography. Three Unsplash photos in a landing page is fine. Twelve Unsplash photos makes your site feel generic. Custom photography (or thoughtful illustration) always outperforms stock for trust and authenticity.

Troubleshooting

Unsplash search returns no results: Try broader keywords. "Purple cats wearing glasses" is too specific. "Cats" works. Also confirm your search is on the Unsplash tab, not the Library tab (which only shows your uploads).

Icons look blurry on the live site: Icons are typically SVG (scalable vector graphics) and should never be blurry. If they are, the wrong file format was used. Re-select the icon from the library to ensure you get the SVG version.

AI suggestions are not appearing: AI suggestions are a Pro plan feature. If you are on Free, you will not see the suggestion panel. Upgrade to Pro or use manual selection.

AI suggestions feel off-topic: The AI uses your section context. If the section title is generic ("Feature 1"), the AI has nothing to work with. Fill in section content first, then ask for suggestions. The more context, the better the suggestions.

Unsplash image quality looks low: Unsplash serves multiple resolutions. For high-quality usage (heroes, large banners), select the higher-resolution version if available. Avoid using thumbnail-sized versions for large display areas.

FAQ

Is Unsplash completely free even for commercial sites?

Yes. Unsplash's license allows free use for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without attribution. You can build a paid SaaS product with Unsplash hero images and owe Unsplash nothing. Attribution is appreciated but not required.

How many icons are in the Pixelesq icon library?

The library has thousands of icons across 6 styles. Specific count varies by version, but coverage is broad enough for most common UI needs. For specialized icons not in the library, use a dedicated icon provider via Custom Tags.

Can I upload my own icons to the Pixelesq icon library?

Uploaded icons go into your regular asset library, not the shared icon library. You can still use them in sections that accept icon fields, but they are separate from the built-in icon library. This is usually fine; just be consistent in how you access them.

Does using Unsplash images affect my site's SEO?

No inherent SEO impact. Unsplash images are served either from Unsplash's CDN (if you use them directly) or your domain (if you save them to your library). Either way, they are regular images. The usual SEO factors apply: image alt text, file size, format (WebP is better than JPG for SEO and performance).

Are AI image suggestions based on my actual site content or just keywords?

Both. The AI reads the specific section's content (title, description, CTAs) and your project's broader context (industry, audience, goals). Suggestions reflect the intersection of both layers, giving you contextually relevant options.

Can I pick icons from the library and customize their colors?

Yes. Icons inherit colors from your theme by default (usually accent or gray). You can override the color per use in section configuration. This is useful for highlighting specific icons (e.g., making a check mark green, an alert yellow).