Wednesday, March 01, 2023

Exploring the Capabilities of Diffusion-Based AIart: OUTpainting

This will be the last post in my AIart series for now. I have been investigating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to create stunning works of art. In particular, diffusion-based AI art has been gaining traction due to its ability to create realistic and artistic images.

Two additional features have became available under the diffusion process, INpainting and OUTpainting. INpainting involves removing a section of an image and replacing it with something that blends into the space. It is similar to context-sensitive replacement, as used in Adobe's software. On the other hand, OUTpainting involves adding extra areas outside the reference image in such a way that they seamlessly blend onto the image.

OUTpainting is particularly appealing to me here as it allows for the expansion of tightly cropped reference images. Expanding the image to a more classic still-life composition, playing with shadows and lighting to create a more realistic image. For instance, adding two full shadows, to give the image more depth and dimension.
I used Dall.E 2, at the openai website, as it is the most up-to-date version, which can add in extra objects to the image, such as a vase of flowers or a bowl of fruit etc, while still maintaining the original image's aesthetic.  Futher, Dall.E produces more photo-realistic images than some of the other diffusion-based AIart.

So my conclusion, text-to-image and particularly diffusion-based AIart is opening up new possibilities as a great tool/media for artists and enthusiasts alike. It's not a magic one-click to a masterpiece. It might be a shiny new toy for the wanna-bee celebrity artist, NFT worshippers or even those just wanting more likes on Instagram, The shine will soon wear off. By understanding and utilizing INpainting and OUTpainting features, we will all be able to create stunning and realistic images that were previously very difficult if not impossible to achieve. With technology continuing to advance, it will be interesting to see what other features will become available under the diffusion process or next AI advancement, and how they will be utilized in the world of art. I don't think the sky is falling in.

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