Another month has rolled by, and I must confess I’m still fascinated by the possibilities of AI art. Will the bubble burst? I honestly don’t know…
Often, when working on some artistic project, you begin to get a sense of the limitations of the space. But the so-called “latent space” from which AI art emerges is rather vast. There still seems quite a bit to explore. There’s always the hope that through human will, human creativity, and perhaps Divine intervention, you can get the AI to cooperate in making something beautiful.
Though it might seem a paradox, AI art has helped me learn more about traditional art, sculpture, and photography. As those who practice the art of promptcrafting would tell you, artist names are like powerful incantations in Stable Diffusion. I’ve been studying artists whose work I had not previously known, and developed an enhanced appreciation for photographers like Dorothea Lange (1895-1965), Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946), and Edward Steichen (1879-1973).
Because of the way Stable Diffusion’s neural net operates, invoking the name of a photographer doesn’t just change technical details. It may also affect the clothing worn by the subject, the pose, and (especially) facial expression. If you’ve tried your hand at AI art, but despaired of the blank, generic, expressionless look of the characters generated, try learning about vintage photographers and including them in your prompts. You might find this helps create something human and expressive. Ultimately, AI is only a tool or medium. We can choose to make it expressive of human values.
Anyway, here are this month’s winners in the Cute Dept.:
The Child Who Rules the City
Young Queen Elizabeth – Stained Glass Portrait No. 1
Loreena McKennitt Sporting the Urban Sombrero
Kate Rusby – Color Sketch No. 1
Laura Fraser – Retro Photograph No. 1
Tamsin Greig – Retro Photograph No. 2
Mother Cabrini Lends a Hand to a Kitten
Psychedelic Poster from the 1960’s No. 1
Sculpted Head of Queen Elizabeth by an Ancient Ruin
The Ugliest Portrait of Queen Elizabeth Ever Painted
Slideshow of images contained in this post:
Michael Howard
Standard Disclaimer: All images are meant respectfully, and are in keeping with general principles concerning creative transformation, fair use, and fan art. None of these images should be construed as being disrespectful to any person, living or dead, or to any religion, sect, nation, or community. The author intends no such offense.
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Ethics and Spirituality 