The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

The New Hotness

  • AI Artistry

    My techie news feed spat out a reference to an AI text-to-image generator, so I figured I’d try it out.

    The caption is the prompt producing the image, with the style in parentheses …

    steam engine black and white engraving full page detailed
    steam engine black and white engraving full page detailed (art)

    Much wheel! Such hinge! Crazy piston! Also, where do the red cowcatcher and amber headlight come from in a “black and white engraving”?

    diesel engine black and white detailed
    diesel engine black and white detailed (photorealistic)

    Well, it is an “engine”.

    diesel engine black and white detailed
    diesel engine black and white detailed (anime)

    Now, that is a manly engine, but with red widgets.

    steam boiler black and white engraving full page detailed
    steam boiler
    black and white engraving full page detailed (anime)

    It has the appearance of an old catalog page, until you look closely.

    OK, let’s try for some wildlife …

    pileated woodpecker line drawing, black and white, on tree
    pileated woodpecker line drawing, black and white, on tree (art)

    So. Many. Legs.

    stained glass window bird motif
    stained glass window bird motif (photorealistic)

    Not bad. Not bad at all.

    coloring book chickadee on twig
    coloring book chickadee on twig (art)

    Chickadees seem like relentlessly cheerful little birds, but that oddly spherical critter is definitely having a hard time.

    phoebe sketch, black and white, detailed, full frame
    phoebe sketch, black and white, detailed, full frame (art)

    Oops.

    phoebe bird sketch, black and white, detailed, full frame
    phoebe bird sketch, black and white, detailed, full frame (art)

    That must be a mil-spec phoebe, because it definitely doesn’t resemble any phoebe I’ve ever seen.

    Bottom line: Although the pictures are much better drawn than I can do, the (in)accuracy of the content prevents it from solving any problems I have.