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Shannon

United States

AI Art experience

Integrating AI into my art excites me because it aligns perfectly with how my ADHD brain functions. The fast-paced, iterative process of working with AI keeps me engaged and allows me to experiment, break down, and rebuild ideas quickly. I can move from concept to creation fluidly, adapting the vision in real-time. This responsiveness helps me stay creatively stimulated and inspired, making the act of creation feel like an ongoing dialogue between me and the technology. It’s a tool that speaks directly to my need for rapid iteration and creative spontaneity.

Personal experience

My personal experiences are deeply woven into every piece of AI-generated art I create. Growing up in Southern California with an unconventional childhood, I learned early on the importance of representation, identity, and self-expression. I was raised by different sets of grandparents, and this exposure to a variety of perspectives, combined with a strong sense of empathy, made me acutely aware of the complexities of human experience. As an artist, I strive to create pieces that reflect those complexities—art that makes people feel seen, valued, and accepted. I use AI not as a replacement for creativity but as a tool to enhance my ability to communicate these themes. Through AI, I can explore new visual forms while maintaining the deeply personal, human-centered storytelling that has always driven my work. Whether it's through characters that reflect underrepresented communities or compositions that evoke strong emotional responses, my personal journey guides my exploration of what AI can do, pushing the boundaries of both technology and creativity.

Unexpected thought

As a digital designer for many years, I’ve always used technology in my career, relying on tools like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop daily. But working with AI has given me a whole new creative brain that I had never known was there. It has reignited my creativity in ways I didn’t expect. While traditional design tools feel like extensions of my hands, AI feels more like a collaborator, constantly pushing me to think beyond my usual boundaries. The most unexpected realization I’ve had is that AI has made me more creative, not less. Over the last 2 years, as I've explored the generative process, I realized it was opening up new parts of my imagination, encouraging me to explore visuals and ideas that I might not have considered otherwise. It is not uncommon for me to dream about it, I'll dream about creating something and then I'll wake up and create what I was dreaming about. And, it’s like having a creative partner that throws ideas at you in real time, forcing you to rethink how you approach art. AI has unlocked deeper layers of my own artistic potential and that is such an amazing unexpected part of this technology for me.
Published in >
The AI Art Magazine, Number 1
Watcher Beyond, AI generation, October 9, 2024
Watcher Beyond, AI generation, October 9, 2024.
Shannon, Watcher Beyond, AI generation, October 9, 2024

Description

The inspiration for"Watcher Beyond" stems from the concept of perception and the limits of what we understand about the unseen. It invites contemplation on the fragmented ways in which we observe the world and the layers of reality that lie beyond our immediate vision. This piece symbolize a desire for deeper insight, a connection to realms unseen, or knowledge that exists outside the boundaries of human comprehension. It explores themes of curiosity, mystery, and the idea of otherworldly observation.

Process

I utilized a combination of Midjourney's Niji algorithm, Adobe Photoshop, Magnific AI and Topaz AI to create and finish. For everything I create I use layers of images I have created either outside Midjourney or things I have created with the technology, either specifically to be an image or style prompt or a favorite image that becomes a foundational piece for a certain look. Once I get to a point that shows promise I begin refining until I achieved something that I love. When I make a final selection I will clean up those images in Photoshop, fixing anything that is not quite right. Then I will use Magnific AI for it's creative upscaling, I have a very specific setting I use now that gives me the skin finishing that I love and it's instrumental in my creative workflow now. Finally, for pieces that require higher resolution I use Topaz AI to upscale.

Tools

Midjourney's Niji algorithm: Text prompt along with image and style prompts Adobe Photoshop: Post production editing and cleanup Magnific AI: Creative upscaling which creates a beautiful skin texture Topaz AI: For upscaling in the instances I need print quality

Image credit:
Essay by
The AI Art Magazine, Number 1
Published in:
The AI Art Magazine, Number 1,
Dezember 2024
WHY?
The magazine reveals what happens when humans and machines get creative together. We’re throwing the doors wide open believe it's going to be a big party—come in and let’s dance.
Media coverage
WHO?
Christoph, Franziska, Ingo, Jason, Jan, Jens, Katrin, Merzmensch, Mike, Simone, Tito
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