A Controversial Game Changer…
AI image generators let you convert text to a generated image without complicated software. With any number of image generators, you can use your imagination to instantly create amazing AI images or artwork. At first, I was hesitant to delve into this new technology. I mean, we all know what Cyberdyne Systems and Skynet meant for the human race, right?!?! But, it didn’t take long for curiosity to grab me and I became even more quickly captivated by this powerful engine for creativity. I am currently exploring Midjourney Discord, Open AI: DALL-E-2, Canva Pro, Magnific AI and Runway, as well as Copy.ai and ChatGPT. Simple adjustments to prompts can offer wide ranges of differences—from very similar imagery to completely divergent results. Each generator appears to excel at particular aspects of image creation. Although, the generators are not without fault. While abstract or highly stylized artwork can be very successful, realistic people were initially very challenging—most often resulting in additional fingers and misshapen faces—or no faces at all. Midjourney’s “–no hands” command became very useful. Thankfully, more recent versions of the platform have solved any of these issues. My big “A-HA” moment was when I realize the “photorealistic” was a painterly term and “realistic photography” produced much better results in my pursuit of accurately representing people. Take a look at the difference in the results with the two images depicting students on campus. Per each generator’s terms, the creator (with paid subscription) owns the images, but often the image may be viewed and used as source for further manipulation by others. There are currently a number of lawsuits against AI generators, so there may be some issues in the future with using the images commercially. There are also numerous discussions about not only the legality of the tool, but whether or not racist or sexist stereotypes are being used by the generators. To date, there have been no legal challenges of individuals in court. There are significant challenges at the university level, especially with the availability of text generation. For now, I am looking at these powerful tools as ways to learn and grow my expertise in verbal direction of image creation. Be sure to review some specific prompt learnings that I’ve shared below, or visit specific projects:
Creating interiors is surprisingly soothing. Adding biomimicry and futuristic as prompts to specific materials such as concrete, stone and wood resulted in extraordinary visions of architectural exterior concepts. Additionally, prompting specific lighting cues offer varied dramatic results. More recently I’ve explored residential exteriors, using MidJourney v5.2. An exploration of dual images as part of a conceptual group based upon fame. My exploration of historic imagery has included very similar prompts with specific years and places of significant conflict around the world as variables. (Using the Same Prompts as the Last Image in the Historic Series) In the early 1990s, Afghanistan was a war zone. The country had been devastated by years of fighting between Soviet forces and Afghan rebels. When the Soviets withdrew in 1989, they left behind a government that was even more corrupt than before and unable to control much of its territory outside Kabul. In 1992, another civil war broke out between factions within this government: one group backed by Pakistan and another supported by Iran. By 1994, when this photo was taken, most Afghans were living in poverty or displaced from their homes due to violence from various factions vying for power — including criminals who took advantage of lawlessness after the Soviet withdrawal. You are in Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan. It is 1994 and you have just arrived in this war-torn nation. You step out of your plane and into an airport that looks like it has been hit by a bomb. The streets are filled with rubble, wreckage and smoke–all signs of destruction from fighting between rival factions within the country. Many people are terrified at what they see around them; others seem to be laughing as if nothing has happened to their country or their lives… Many buildings have been destroyed or damaged by fighting between different groups within Afghanistan over power struggles for control over various areas within Kabul itself; this includes residential homes belonging to civilians who had no involvement whatsoever with politics but were simply caught up in these conflicts nonetheless due to where they lived being under threat from opposing forces trying desperately hard not only win against each other but also gain control over everything else around them (including innocent bystanders). The city is in ruins. It’s a war zone, and it looks like there’s chaos everywhere. There are no laws or order; people are running around doing whatever they want to do. The government doesn’t have control over its citizens anymore, so this makes it seem like Afghanistan has lost its way as a country. Many of the people are terrified. The Taliban also wants to kill people, but they do it different ways: they shoot them or stab them or blow up their houses or throw acid in their faces–it’s all very horrible! And then there’s the government, which means “the police,” because Afghanistan doesn’t have any real governments yet since it hasn’t been independent long enough for anyone else besides foreign powers like Russia or America (which invaded) or Iran (which funded militias throughout most of history) ever really cared about what happened here before now… The sound of explosions is everywhere; gunfire echoes in the distance as you make your way through the city looking for an escape route out of Afghanistan or Pakistan before it’s too late!
Interior Prompts
Exterior Prompts
Fame Prompts
Historic Prompts
AI Generated Text
Midjourney is an independent research lab exploring new mediums of thought and expanding the imaginative powers of the human species.
Open AI: DALL-E-2 is an AI research and deployment company with a mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.
Canva Pro makes it easy for anyone to achieve their goals and create professional designs with premium content
Copy.ai AI powered digital ad and marketing copy that saves you time and increases conversion rates.
Runway is an applied AI research company shaping the next era of art, entertainment and human creativity.
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI.
Bridle, James. “The Stupidity of Ai.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 16 Mar. 2023.
