design – Page 2 – Painting Mexico

Exploring AI rich options

June 8, 2024 Michele B. Naquaiya

I feel like a privileged artist to be watching and participating in a mini-miracle. I have fallen in love with a favorite AI platform. Right now my head is spinning with all the choices and options I have. I’ve been using my original art as the inspiration to create new images, rather that starting from what another artist has done. This is my favorite method of working so far as it helps me feel like my feet are on the ground and I understand that I have a personal stake is the creation of this piece.
Here is my original scratchboard, straight out of my imagination, that I am using as my inspiration:

These six AI creations are just a few of the options I chose to show you here. There are hundreds more. With a one word change in my prompt, a slight change in the lighting, the color of the cat and/or the general look of the girl and atmosphere of the composition, every shot here is different.
If you run photoshop or a similar program, you understand there may be many, many different ways to solve a problem or get the image you are looking for or the improvement to the original. There is no one way that is correct. To me this is the same experience in AI. I think it will not put an end to original art as we know it. I think it’s exciting and can open a lot of doors for artists. Let me know your thoughts on this.

loving mexico

‘Tis the Season, or closing in towards holidays, tourists, party lovers, worshipers.

October 5, 2023 Michele B. Naquaiya

Now that I have been living in Mexico for five years, things are starting to gel and make sense. I thought I understood Day of the Dead when I came here. I discovered I did not. Two years ago I sat with friends on a dark November 2 night. We lit candles and they made a lovely altar with flowers and food for the deceased. We gave offerings to our departed. The gift I chose was oranges for my beloved brother because he could never get enough oranges. He would even scrape the pulp from the fruit with his teeth. I always remember him eating oranges, whenever he could. Putting his picture on the altar and seeing him there with all the other spirits made me cry. I wondered why was I here, in another country, kind of alone. We shared little stories about the deceased and I began to understand how sacred and special these days of celebration and how healing they are. Death is a celebration, not an ending.

I have grown to love Dia De Los Muertos because I finally can allow all the tears to flow and remember my lost family and forever treasure them without sorrow. They never leave us, they are always there, just as we will be there for them.

I will post all the art I have created for this time of year for the next few months. It keeps me going and is a great inspiration in the face of a dark and darkening world. Here is a link if you wish to purchase this art. I would be grateful.

AI Art

Pink Mama Chicken

July 28, 2022 Michele B. Naquaiya

Here she is in all her pinkness. What do you think? Would you make friends with her if you met her in the farmyard?

AI Art

Hat Gal travels Part I

July 11, 2022 Michele B. Naquaiya

I’m developing a character I’m calling “hat gal”. It’s not a very descriptive title I know but she’s hung around my body of work for a long time, so I’ve decided to give her a shot to come out and meet the public. I have a history of loving hats…wearing them, drawing them and knitting them. Here she is visiting 3 places: the leaning tower of Pisa in Pisa Italy, Sayulita Beach in Mexico and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Enjoy and post comments if you like. Feel free to send suggestions for their names.