NightCafe + Leonardo + Fotor + edits
Cobweb
I created this image in several steps, each of them involved images made with AI models. I layered colorful tiling image (Leonardo.ai) and linear black and white frame design (Nightcafe Studio) to create the sense of scale and space.
The composition (sketch) is very abstract and it doesn't "remind" me of anything much. Which made me interested to see how AI models will interpret and evolve it. I used Fotor AI for this purpose.
The end result is a composite of interpretations AI made without any additional text prompts.
April - May 2023 is the time for my first experiments with AI generated images. And I found it not as simple as it might look (or as hyped media says it is). I used prompt models and found that a lot of times the best results are achieved with far fetched prompts not with the direct ones.
Some styles can be imitated by AI very well while others not at all. MidJourney comes with its own recognisable style. I value the authenticity of the artwork and in that way imitation mode of AI models a lot of times fails.
Nevertheless, the evolution process is incredibly satisfying and I find it interesting to discover the visual meaning of non-visual words as well as making composition choices and constructing references. I think that art that is done with AI models is legit art.
Canva -> Dream Studio + edits
Aurora Australis inspired
Aurora is a phenomenon that is interesting to explore with AI. The real photos of aurora look so... unreal. It makes it hard to validate authenticity. Direct approach to prompts in several AI models gave a very blend and surface level images. As if all the magic behind aurora was sucked out of it and all that was left was a homogenized formal shapes.
In order to create something closer to aurora atmosphere I needed to shy away from making prompts around the word "aurora". Characteristic light waves disappeared from the sky, but the sense of wonder became more present.
I appreciated the models used in Canva at that point. They don't create a "final" detailed look like some other models do, but in exchange suggest a wider range of visual ideas that can be further evolved.
It also bacame clear that specifying the dimensions of the work helps a lot - horisontal panorama works incomparibly better then the default square format.
Dream Studio at the moment had (and maybe still does, but services change incredibly fast) a well balanced tool to make relatively detailed variations while keeping composition and colors of the reference. At this point the difference between images became elusive.
Overall I feel that photos of Aurora are magical at least in part due to the fact that it actually happened somewhere on Earth in so called "reality", serving as a proof of the event. And that is something that AI generated images lack by definition.
About my web & UX background
Web was my professional field for years. At first I looked at sites from a search-engine-ranking-factors point of view. Then turned to Usability for tools to make user experience better and less frustrating. When done separately form design, work with usability usually is focused on mistakes.
At that point I already knew that I wanted to create designs, not test and correct them. While analyzing usability, I often had ideas and sketches for a completely new designs.
User Experience (aka UX) as far as I can see does not necessarily mean the lack of mistakes. Design can be flawed in many ways and still provide beautiful UX and the other way around.
Also content-based design needs solid ground, and it won’t make up for poor content.
Within my journey in web I have learned to make code with html, css and js that looks and works quite nicely. But I’m not a coder. I know it can be done better, faster, more professionally. To me it's a helpful tool I enjoy using sometimes to bring the ideas to life.
I’ve learned to put together designs to serve both intended function and user needs. Yet, I can not honestly say I’m a good designer or that the dream to become one drives me.
I feel very lucky to work with the Lab, because it provides the content of the highest quality. Everyone I have worked within the Lab care little for formalities, instead have a true purpose and interest. I respect and genuinely want to support that.