Exploring AI Art Creation with Midjourney: A Journey into NFTs
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Chapter 1: The Creative Journey
Join me as I navigate the intriguing realm of AI art creation using Midjourney, sharing insights and techniques along the way.
Amidst the evolution of art and technology, I'm diving deep into the development of a unique NFT collection on OpenSea. This venture is primarily for enjoyment, as my social media presence is modest, and I've yet to sell any individual pieces. However, my fascination with AI has grown significantly over the past months, compelling me to explore its possibilities.
Reflecting on my early experiences with generative NFTs back in 2021, I remember experimenting with generating thousands of unique images, like "10,000 unique cat pictures." I had no idea how that exploration would lead to such significant changes in my life!
For those creating AI art intended for NFT sales, there are numerous strategies. Personally, I prefer using AI to generate original source materials, followed by extensive post-processing. My creative approach can be summed up as AI combined with hand-drawn elements, Photoshop, coding, and a glitch-inspired aesthetic that blends futuristic and retro vibes, evident in my body of work.
While I don’t often discuss my technical setup, as it’s quite personal and might not be beneficial for others, the universal appeal of AI is why I focus on it in my writings. Here, I aim to share how it can be applied to create original NFT artworks.
Section 1.1: Crafting an AI Artwork
Recently, I was experimenting with hypotrochoidal mathematics while creating a piece titled "Media Expansion" for my 1/1 NFT collection. The mathematical concepts are illustrated through radio waves radiating from a fictional broadcasting tower.
While I avoid overusing particular techniques, I sometimes envision new applications for them. I initially aimed to create a floral design using this math, but I later decided that overlaying a mathematical shape on a dandelion would be a fascinating alternative.
I would like to share my specific prompting process to gather source imagery for this concept.
Subsection 1.1.1: Sourcing the Dandelion
To kick off, I used the following prompt:
Copy a richly detailed pen and ink drawing of a dandelion, centered view, extreme close-up, low angle shot, night scene, --v 5 --s 1000
The results closely matched my vision, which is rewarding considering the learning curve I've navigated recently. Although I'm not yet a master at prompting, I've improved my efficiency significantly.
However, I realized the initial image was too close-up. I modified the prompt to:
Copy a richly detailed drawing of a dandelion, centered view, close-up, low angle shot, night scene, --v 5 --s 1000
This adjustment produced a better perspective. I then requested variations of the fourth result, which I liked best, ultimately upscaling it for further development.
The favorable aspects of this image included a central focus, an appealing stem thickness, a uniform black sky for easier manipulation in Photoshop, and complementary floating elements.
Bottom line: This serves as an excellent foundation image for my project.
Next, Let’s Work in Photoshop
My goal is to transform this image into something extraordinary.
To achieve this, I intend to isolate the dandelion from its background, which was relatively straightforward due to its uniformity. Although I often engage in complex isolation tasks in Photoshop, this instance required minimal cleanup.
At this stage, I’m contemplating the background design. Should I incorporate animation or glitch effects, or perhaps a combination of both?
For now, I’ll preview how my mathematical flower might look when superimposed over the dandelion.
After some tweaks, I found the results captivating. However, I need to step away for a moment to focus on coding.
Now that I’m back, let's evaluate whether the additional coded “flower” enhances the composition.
Surprisingly, I found the animation to be quite engaging, albeit a bit fast. The mathematical foundations of this concept can be explored further on Wikipedia.
Next Steps: Enhancing the Dandelion
Lately, I’ve been exploring techniques to create high-saturation movements and transitions, which I’ve applied in several NFTs. I’m uncertain whether this will harmonize with the coded overlay, but my style tends to embrace a glitchy aesthetic.
I’ll take a moment to refine my approach and return with an example of my vision.
After some adjustments, I found a pleasing result!
My next idea involves creating a rain effect. To achieve this, I’ll utilize Midjourney’s “tile” command to create a seamless background, similar to what I’ve done in previous projects.
For this instance, I’m aiming for a gentle rain pattern. My latest prompt includes:
Copy an intricately detailed drawing of thousands of raindrops falling --v 5 --ar 1:2 --s 500 --c 100 --tile --v 5 --s 250 --no clouds
I’ve received some promising options, but the process of refining prompts can be challenging, as seen in my previous iterations.
However, I discovered an “Explore Related” section in Midjourney, which offers similar results that could inspire my next steps.
As I worked through iterations, I prompted:
Copy an intricately detailed illustration of hundreds of tiny raindrops falling, minimalistic, stipple style --ar 1:1 --s 500 --c 100 --tile --v 5 --no clouds
I noticed potential in one of the images, which had a nice blend of raindrop styles.
I isolated the raindrops and adjusted the brightness and contrast to create a better visual effect.
While the initial outcome didn’t align with my vision, I’m optimistic about the next steps.
In my latest attempt, I aimed to generate a single raindrop to use as a base for creating a field of raindrops:
Copy simple illustration of a single raindrop, centered on the page --c 100 --s 500 --v 5 --s 250
The selected result was promising, leading to further adjustments that eliminated a busy sky background.
After several iterations, I integrated large raindrops in the foreground and smaller, faster-falling droplets in the background, moving closer to my artistic vision.
Now, I’m focused on adding more coded elements, specifically electrifying the stem and creating lines radiating from the center of the dandelion to the orbiting spirograph flower.
I’ll refine these elements further, as well as consider adding lightning effects to enhance the night sky.
Final Thoughts
I believe I’m nearing completion, achieving a vibrant and chaotic aesthetic that resonates with my artistic style. I plan to add this piece to my 1/1 NFT collection!
Tomorrow, I’ll delve into another fascinating aspect of Midjourney: utilizing existing images to guide the AI in creating new works.
Jim Dee is an accomplished writer, developer, and multimedia artist based in Portland. Discover his projects and insights at JPD3.com. Thank you for joining me on this journey!
In this video titled "MidJourney AI - Best Prompt Tricks - Beginners Guide," viewers can learn valuable techniques to enhance their prompting skills in Midjourney.
The second video, "Make INSANE AI ART with this Midjourney PROMPT System," demonstrates innovative approaches to creating stunning AI art using Midjourney's prompt system.