Jan 16, 20235 min read

How to Create AI Art

Updated: Feb 20, 2023

Anyone can be an ‘artist’ with AI. But by the end of this, you’ll be a prompting pro.

Artificial intelligence is massively disrupting the world of art, making it easier than ever for anyone to create unique and one-of-a-kind pieces.

From hyper-realistic images to captivating abstract artwork, AI is revolutionizing the way we create and experience art.

And I'll show you how.

What Is AI-Generated Art?

AI Art is a revolutionary form of digital artwork that is created using artificial intelligence algorithms known as neural networks. Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning utilises pattern recognition on huge databases to generate unique one-of-a-kind images.

Artificial intelligence has come a long way in recent years. Anyone can now create stunning images, even if they have never had any programming experience or picked up a paintbrush.

The concept of AI-generated art is simple: you provide a text prompt that describes the image you want to create, and AI does the rest.

So where do we start?

Where to Access AI Art Generators?

One of the key advantages of AI-generated art is that it is accessible to everyone.

There are a wide range of free options to get started with.

What's your favourite AI to use?

Midjourney
Stable Diffusion
Nightcafe
DALL-E 2

How to Use AI Art Generators?

Most text-to-image AI art generators work in the same way: you enter a text prompt, press a button, and watch as the art come life.

The results are often generated in less than a minute, and from there, you can upscale the image or generate a new set of variations based on the first result.

Most platforms offer free credits before you need to pay for anything, so if you're just using it for a bit of fun there are plenty of platforms to try out.

Here are a few detailed guides to some of the most popular AI art generators:

How to Get Better AI Art Results

One of the best ways to improve your results when using an AI art generator is to be specific in your text prompt.

You can help the AI understand what you're looking for by providing the art style, subject's pose, colour palette and even the type of lens on a camera.

How to create AI art — A page from my Midjourney Guide

Style

You can tell the AI to generate the image in a specific style too. From creating an Alien Spaceship design in the style of Da Vinci's sketches to a Picasso Pig. There are no limits to what you can try. Here is some inspiration;

Picasso
Da Vinci
Monet
Van Gogh
Salvador Dali
Michelangelo
Andy Warhol

Crafting a Masterpiece with Advanced Prompts

I'll be honest with you. The likes of Midjourney's V4 update it is made it ridiculously easy to generate mind-blowing artwork.

But there are some less obvious modifiers that can produce great results.

For example, using the keyword "unreal engine" will result in images that look like 3D models. The AI knows Unreal Engine is a 3D rendering engine that is largely used for game development. Keywords like 'Captivating' or 'Sharp Contrast' are great for visually stunning pieces. Or 'cinematic lighting' would produce... well images with cinematic lighting.

The output is still somewhat limited by the input.

So play around with it and see what you can generate.

Revolutionising the Art World

AI art allows for anyone to fire off their creative energy without the limitations of resources, materials or time.

But, it's important to note that AI-generated art is still in its early stages and isn't able to replace the creativity and intuition of human artists. While the technology is impressive and can produce images that are indistinguishable from human-made art, it still lacks the emotional and personal touch.

AI-generated art also raises ethical questions about authorship and ownership, as the AI is creating the images, not a human artist.

Dive deeper into all these topics by reading my article below.

Could this unlock the limitless possibilities of Human creation?

FAQs

Q: What is AI art?

AI art refers to artwork that is created with the help of artificial intelligence algorithms. These algorithms can be used to generate artworks, assist in the creative process, or be the main medium of the artwork. It is done through Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning known as neural networks which adapt and learn to information on huge databases to create unique digital images.

Q: Where can I create AI Art?

Q: What is the difference between AI-generated art and traditional art?

AI-generated art is created with the help of artificial intelligence algorithms, while traditional art is created by humans using traditional mediums such as paint, pencils, or sculpture.

Q: Can AI art be considered as a form of original art?

AI art can be considered as a form of original art as long as it is not an exact copy of other existing artworks. AI art can be original in the sense that it is generated by the algorithm using deep learning which utilises pattern recognition in huge databases to identify aesthetically pleasing images.

Q: What are the benefits of AI in art?

AI can bring new possibilities to the art world, such as the ability to generate endless variations of a single image, AI can also assist artists in their creative process, by providing new tools and ways to explore their ideas by saving them a lot of time.

Q: How is AI used in contemporary art?

AI is used in contemporary art in a variety of ways, such as in the generation of new images, the creation of interactive installations, and the manipulation of existing artworks. AI is also being used to create new forms of art, such as generative poetry and music.

Q: What are the challenges of AI art?

One of the main challenges of AI art is the question of ownership and copyright. If an algorithm generates a work of art, who should be credited as the artist?

Q: What app are people using for AI art? Lensa, one of the most popular AI apps around right now, uses artificial intelligence to turn your selfies into works of art for just a few dollars.