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AI art, daily paintings, fantasy illustration, humor, step by step, how to, storytelling art

Creating Backgrounds with Copic Markers

Michele B. Naquaiya

Abstract lines drawn on YUPO translucent paper by Legion

When you use these fascinating markers, aka alcohol inks, you can get lots of effects. When the inks touch each other on the special paper, they can bleed together, repel each other, or you can layer one on top of another, side by side or upsidedown, to create more choices. I usually only use two or three colors because this background will be combined with another artwork.
I have been experimenting with making cat characters. Here’s what I used: #1 cat breed #2 a facial expression #3 clothing. I was looking for a combination of all three to come up with a comical character who had a great personality. I chose the grey cat and inserted a pipe for him to smoke. The background was black because I wanted to see the trailing smoke from the cigar. So my prompt included a “CAT SUIT”. For the background, I used the above Yupo sketch. The AI gave me this guy who I kind of fell in love with. Here are a few versions, with a made up text that seemed appropriate. I pictured him running a casino and having a flashy flare….

I liked him. I added the Yupo paper background to give it a little art deco style flair. What I especially like is the way the colors blend and compliment each other. Here is another version where I changed his suit and thought he looked like a casino boss. So I gave him a title to advertise his place of business.

Wow. Look at that personality change. I went through 3 or 4 versions of the fishy suit and decided on this one. I gave the suit a leathery texture and that gave his face a grainy texture as well. Here my Yupo background is very subtle. To my eye it compliments and looks a but moody and mysterious. What a dapper guy. Would you trust him? So I hope you can see that you can create your own backgrounds. They are important because they are individually YOU!

AI art, animals, humor, storytelling art, watercolor, whimsy

When Cats Go Chatty

Michele B. Naquaiya

I overhead a coversation of two cats chatting over morning coffee.

The big Maine Coon cat on the left (Alfredo) has a sarcastic look on his face as though he’s bored with everything. The Rag Doll cat on the right (Louisa) looks a little stuck up and kind of snooty. Alfredo says “Hey girl, have you ever heard of a Rag Doll?” Louisa stares at him in disbelief “I AM ONE YOU BOZO!” What a way to start the day.

daily paintings, Illustrations, patterns, thoughts behind the work, watercolor, whimsy

Paisley Dress Watercolor

Michele B. Naquaiya

When I started with this image, I had a completely different thing in mind. I wanted to combine 2 or more images together to create something I would be surprised and awed by. When you start to fine tune your ideas in AI, it can easily go many wild ways. That doesn’t mean it’s bad…just different. That’s why this is fun. Here are three images that I put together in a surprising way.
Here’s the first watercolor that I painted from a live model at Clark College in Washington at their evening life drawing sessions–back in 2007. The 1st is the original and the 2nd is one that I just played with some color filtering.

original painting

I added these color tones in photo edit

Here is a watercolor illustration/doodle on watercolor paper I was hoping I could somehow blend into the art, done in watercolor markers.

I asked AI to combine several combinations of the idea of this woman and the illustrated watercolor sketch. Here are the goofy things that happened.
1 They told me I could not have a nude
2 I said, ok but can you come up with the same or similar pose of the woman?
3 They said sure thing, so I chose the girl in the garden among a bunch of images offered.
4 Next I asked if they could put the illustration design on her dress. So I made up a name and called it the “paisley design”.
5 After around half a dozen color changes and getting the pattern to fit her body, I accepted the top design with a few tweeks. I ended up getting the Paisley Dress Watercolor, final product.

This just goes to show you can’t always get what you want….but if you try sometime…
you get what you need👌😂

As always, fun unhurtful comments are accepted. Tell me if you’ve had any similar experiences.

AI Art, animals, daily paintings, fantasy illustration, humor, Odd Little Stories, Revising Old Work, storytelling art

Candid Cat Conversations

Michele B. Naquaiya

Cats are smart and independent as we all know. Here are a couple of buddies discussing what they’re going to do today, as well as life in general.

After tea, wanna go out and look for a few birds?
I’ll bet when we get out I can beat you to the gate!
Do the Roberts still live in the old farmhouse? I heard they had mice.
Did you ever wonder what it’s like living in an 18th century Chateaux?
I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of this cartoon life!
six months later ——See???? Piece of cake! I told you we could do it!!!!

We dropped by a few weeks later. Check this out!

fyi: I created this little story with prompts and my cat art. When I started putting it together, I had no idea where it was going. All I knew was I wanted a few different breeds of felines and a window with a window sill that I could cover with different fabrics, and a few outdoor views and weather conditions that told different stories. So the teapots eventually became samovars in France??? Doesn’t bother me. I added the idea and the text of Provence because it’s a dreamy place and Freepix offers cool instant graphics. The images become increasingly sophisticated as the story developed. This little story was created in Freepix AI. You can try it out. I’m getting a feel for it. I think with an extended plot , this could become something kind of precious.

This is my watercolor of Jake and Elroy. Collection of July Schlotman.

Your comments are appreciated and sharing is good too. It’s a new world out there and I’m in because I believe AI can help artists. Even artists like me.👌

AI art

My studio photo modified into AI

Michele B. Naquaiya

I’m having more fun experimenting with taking a real photo and transforming it into an AI image or two. Here is a real photo of my worktable as I’m creating a painting that I did in 2019. As you can see, I love using the crowquill pen, especially with Sepia Drawing Ink. The watercolor in front of me is a reference for possible colors I might use in the new WIP drawing. I love this watercolor. Sometime in the future I’d like to make it into repeatable fabric design.

The following three AI creations are variations from my original real photo. I am fascinated as to how the AI engine can create almost instantly as many versions as I want. If you study closely, you will figure out that my completed background watercolor painting has been transformed to 3 variations….all different versions but with the same color palette. It took me a minute or two to figure out how AI made the transition of the original watercolor to the 3 reference flower art in the background. Each one is different and I just love that. They have similar shapes and themes. The last one on the bottom looks like a blue butterfly. All three also have different types of bottles of ink.

Also notice how the 3 AI creations focused on the new originals being drawn with a sharp and clear focus–in contrast to the background which is in soft focus on all the 3 new offerings. Once you choose one or two of your favorites, you can download them to your harddrive and use as you like.

For this little exercise I wanted to show that if you can understand what AI looks for to create your image, you can have better control of the outcome. The other thing to remember is that I have not touched or modified the prompt or style choice from the original prompt. That could generate many, many more options and practical uses.
Every time I do one of these, I realize the choices are vast, but once you get the hang of it, a fast computer and good AI engine will yield tons of material. It can make life easier and I’m all for that. Good luck trying it. I would love to see what you come up with.