AI Image Generation: A Practical Look

A Real-World Tutorial

Dec 04, 2023

So here’s what I’m thinking:

There’s a lot of angst about AI putting humans out of business. I mean it’s more complex than that, but that’s the emotional dis-appeal of AI in a nutshell. Taking food off the table, putting artists out of work, huge infringements on existing works, and so forth.

But I’m also thinking, “What if I start with an image of my own creation, e.g., a photograph? Lord knows I take enough of those. If the process starts with my own work, who’s got a problem with that?

So, with that in mind, here’s a case study based on my own experience.

The Photograph That I Started With

This is Kef in his natural environment.

Tools: I subscribe to the paid version of ChatGPT 4. It has the ability to be the middle layer of communication between me and whatever magic comes out of the system. That includes the ability to take my prompt and produce images directly by utilizing a direct connection to DALL-E 3.

I gave it my photo. My initial prompt was this: Generate an iteration in the style of Matisse cutouts

ChatGPT responded: I can generate an image inspired by the style of Matisse's cutouts. Let's create a composition featuring a black cat in an interior setting with vibrant shapes and colors reminiscent of Matisse's art. I'll initiate the request for you. Please wait a moment while the image is being created.

Who said anything about “vibrant shapes and colors?” No time to ponder that. The response was quickly followed by this:

ChatGPT: Error creating image. I'm unable to generate images in the style of specific artists such as Henri Matisse due to content policy restrictions. However, I can create an image with a similar abstract and vibrant feel, using bold shapes and colors that evoke the spirit of Matisse's cutouts without directly copying his style. Let me know if you would like me to proceed with this adjusted prompt.

ME: Yes.

ChatGPT: Error creating image. It appears there are issues with generating the image as requested. I won't be able to provide an image at this moment. If there's anything else I can assist you with or if you have another request, please let me know!

Well, alrighty then. Apparently, ChatGPT has some built-in guardrails. No worries.

ME: Create an image with an abstract and vibrant feel, using bold shapes and colors almost as if they were cut out of colored paper

ChatGPT: Here is an image with an abstract and vibrant feel, using bold shapes and colors reminiscent of colored paper cutouts. This visual captures the dynamic and rhythmic interplay of shapes and colors as you requested.

Imagine a vibrant and abstract composition that captures the essence of colored paper cutouts. The scene is filled with bold, irregular shapes in a variety of colors that overlap and interplay, creating a dynamic and rhythmic visual effect. The color palette is diverse, featuring deep blues, bright yellows, rich reds, and lush greens, all with a matte texture as if they were cut from colored construction paper. The composition is balanced and lively, with a sense of movement and harmony, evoking a joyful and creative atmosphere.

Buh BAM! This knocked my socks off. No cat, but then I didn’t mention one.

ME: Excellent. Make a version that appears to be painted. Show the texture of the brushstrokes as well as the underlying canvas

ChatGPT: Here is the image reimagined as a painting, with visible brushstrokes and the texture of the canvas beneath the vibrant colors and bold shapes.

Create a painting that channels the essence of an abstract composition made of paper cutouts. The artwork should have bold, painted shapes in a variety of colors that look like they've been brushed onto a canvas. Emphasize the texture of the brushstrokes, with visible lines and swirls of the bristles, and the texture of the canvas should be subtly visible beneath the paint. Use a color palette that includes deep blues, bright yellows, rich reds, and lush greens to maintain the vibrant and dynamic feel of the original paper cutout concept.

Again, very interesting. I like it, but I want that cat!

ME: Make a version of this picture that appears to be painted. Show the texture of the brushstrokes as well as the underlying canvas

ChatGPT: I will generate an image that interprets the scene as a painting, with visible brushstrokes and canvas texture. Please wait a moment while the image is being created.

Transform the uploaded image of the black cat in a home setting into an oil painting. The painting should have a rich texture, highlighting the brushstrokes and the fabric of the canvas. Include details such as the cat's fur, the neon clock, the kitchen appliances, and the patterned wallpaper, all rendered with the depth and vibrancy of oil paints. The overall effect should be warm and inviting, with a realistic yet artistic representation of the original scene.

ChatGPT: The scene has been reimagined as a painting, capturing the essence of the original image with visible brushstrokes and the texture of the canvas.

Wow! I’m particularly impressed that the clock is not a machine’s idea of “a clock.” The numbers are legible and in the correct orientation. This was not always the case with earlier versions of DALL-E.

ME: Do another like that last one.

ChatGPT: The image has been transformed into another painting, highlighting the rich textures and warm tones of an oil painting.

Create a detailed oil painting from the provided image, featuring a black cat in a domestic interior. The artwork should emphasize the texture of the oil paint with heavy, visible brushstrokes, showing the cat, the neon clock, the framed artwork, and the kitchen items. The canvas texture should be apparent, contributing to the tactile quality of the painting. Use a warm, rich color palette to enhance the cozy atmosphere of the home setting.

ME: Do another.

Reinterpret the provided image as a textured oil painting, focusing on a black cat in a kitchen setting. The painting should showcase thick, expressive brushstrokes and the grainy texture of a canvas, bringing the scene to life with a vivid color palette. Highlight the reflective surface of the neon clock, the details on the cat's fur, and the assorted kitchenware and food package with a touch of artistic flair that mimics the look and feel of a hand-painted masterpiece.

ChatGPT: The scene has been rendered again with a textured oil painting effect, capturing the intricate details and vibrant atmosphere of the kitchen setting.

Kitchen? Who said anything about a kitchen?

ME: Make the color palette more muted.

Produce an oil painting from the given image, with a more muted color palette. The black cat and the kitchen environment should be depicted with subtle, subdued colors, while still maintaining visible brushstrokes and canvas texture. The painting should convey a calm and serene atmosphere, achieved through the use of gentle earth tones and soft lighting, contrasting with the previous vibrant versions.

ChatGPT: The image has been transformed into a painting with a more muted color palette, offering a calmer and more serene interpretation of the scene.

The texture is interesting. Kef seems to have, ahem, put on “his winter coat.”
[ wink wink ]

ME: Give the cat more personality.

Create an oil painting from the provided image, infusing the black cat with more personality. The cat should have a distinctive, almost human-like expression of curiosity or contentment, with its gaze perhaps directed towards something interesting off-canvas. Use a muted color palette for the surroundings, but give the cat's eyes a subtle sparkle to draw attention. Maintain the visible brushstrokes and canvas texture, crafting a portrait that tells a story and connects emotionally with the viewer.

ChatGPT: The painting now portrays the cat with a more pronounced personality, featuring an expressive, curious gaze.

You really went to town on those brushstrokes, right? But it’s carried off with some skill.

ME: Show more of the space around the cat.

Generate an oil painting that depicts a black cat with a lively personality within a domestic kitchen setting. The cat should have an expressive and engaging demeanor, with its eyes wide and a slight tilt to its head, as if it's reacting to something happening in the room. Expand the view to show more of the kitchen space around the cat, with a muted yet warm color scheme. The surroundings should include elements such as kitchenware, furniture, and possibly a window, all portrayed with detailed brushstrokes and rich texture to create a cozy atmosphere.

ChatGPT: The image now includes more of the space around the cat, giving a fuller view of the kitchen environment with an expressive portrayal of the cat's personality.

Whoa! We’re definitely into Disney territory here.

ME: Show more brush strokes and the canvas beneath.

Craft an oil painting from the image provided, showcasing a black cat with a charismatic presence in a kitchen setting. The painting should feature pronounced brush strokes, making the texture of the paint and the weave of the canvas evident, to enhance the artistic quality. The kitchen should appear lived-in and welcoming, with details such as a wooden table, earthenware pots, and a bright window, all depicted with a rich interplay of light and shadow to create depth and interest.

ChatGPT: The painting has been re-created to show more pronounced brush strokes and the texture of the canvas, highlighting the artistic quality of the work.

Ok, I thought, let’s get back to the original idea.

ME: Ok now do a version that is paper cutouts.

This time, the bot was literally speechless. As was I. I love this!

ME: Do a version like this cutout style showing two black cats

ChatGPT: The image has been re-envisioned in the paper cutout style, now featuring two black cats within the colorful kitchen setting.

I’m loving this.

ME: Do another

Love the whisk! And I continue to be amazed that the color palette does tie back to the original photograph, especially the plants and flowers in the wallpaper. What continues to bemuse me is that the bot correctly deduced that my photo was taken in the kitchen.

ChatGPT: The new image features two black cats in a kitchen, each with its own pose, in a paper cutout style that emphasizes whimsy and graphic design.

Whimsy? I love it!

Here are the other nine pictures in the set:

For those of you keeping score, these nine plus the other three equals twelve. It was Julie who had the idea to make these into a calendar. Which I’ve done and will send as Hanukkah gifts to my kids. And if you’re interested, say so in the comments, and I can give you more details on ordering one. ;)

So anyway, there’s my tutorial on AI image generation using my own photograph as a starting point. I’d be curious to read what you think of this notion of using AI image generation as a tool for the artist, just like any other technology.

One More Thing and Then I'll Shut Up

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