First, my apologies; I meant to write a short story for this post, but stuff got in the way. I know, I know; if I’d have wanted to, I’d have done it.

Perhaps there’s some truth in that, but I really did have other stuff on my plate. Mind you, I could still see the plate, so it wasn’t too bad. In fact, I could probably squeeze something out now. I did, after all, used to write short stories during lunch when I used to work.

. . . but that was another me.

Instead, I’ll give you some Halloween graphics I created using the MidJourney AI Art Generator engine.

As a quick refresher, the above is one of the concepts put out by the AI based on words I threw its way. Because I did multiple ones, I won’t go into each prompt, but all of the following involved a mansion, the moon, a graveyard, and creatures flying around.

Then, after the initial offering, I can choose to upscale it . . .

. . . which typically produces a larger and more detailed version. I can then further evolve it . . .

I have 84 images, all based on similar prompts, with some words added or removed depending on what the AI rendered.

Don’t worry, I won’t show all of the images, but you can see them all in THIS SmugMug Gallery and, of course, in the slideshow at the end of the post.

I had originally planned to show each concept’s evolution from rough draft to finished product, but that can get tedious, so I’ll just pick some of the ones that impressed me.

I’m not sure what’s the deal with the multiple moons, but I suppose the AI could just be a lunar fan. I wish I could share the gallery of all the stuff I do because it shows the progression of the images.

I try and present them in the same order, but it’s a pain for this many images because there’s no great way to sort them in the order they were created. I try to download them in order, but then I edit them, which changes the attributes.

The gallery is roughly sorted in sequence, but the problem is that I do variations on some and not others, and then I have to visually match them . . .

. . . but since nobody is likely to care, I shouldn’t worry about it, and I won’t.

Besides, all of these tools have pretty generous initial credits, and then they give you a small number of free credits each month. Anyone really interested can try the tools for free, and then, if interested, they can purchase additional credits.

There’s a bit of controversy regarding these tools . . . arguments flying back and forth about whether or not they really generate “art” since there’s no effort on the part of the user . . .

I won’t mention the number of hours spent doing this . . . time I could have spent writing. “No effort” . . . HA!

There are fears that this will put graphic artists out of work. After all, robots have replaced human workers in many applications.

And, truthfully, we are in the early stages of what these tools can do. They will only get better, and “learn” to be more realistic, more polished, and easier to work with.

Some artists are using these as ‘launching off points’ for generating their final vision.

In fact, all these images have been processed to make them sharper and give them a bit more punch and impact, so they’re not exactly what the AI produced.

It could also be that AI-Generated Art becomes a medium onto itself, a subcategory of Art.

After all, computer programs replaced people who used to draw fantastic backdrop scenes by hand . . . but CGI has taken over movies, and people who used to paint large canvasses and plates for use as backdrops in movies now do it on a computer. And there’s more demand for it than it ever.

And it’s not just drawings or photos . . . AI is expanding into all areas. You can read HERE about AI being applied to writing, including fiction.

Am I worried? Well, I don’t make my living from writing, and if I did, I would be starving (I consistently do poorly in the Alphabet Title Voting).

But what if I were an author currently selling my fiction and staring into the maw of a giant AI fiction-writing machine?

I don’t think I’d worry. I may be wrong in this, but even in the age of machines that can build amazing objects, people value things made by other people. Will there be a place for AI Art, AI Fiction, etc.?

I think so. Will it compete with the effort of humans in those areas?

I think so. Will it supplant humans?

I don’t think so. Some, maybe, but human-generated art isn’t going away.

After all, would the AI come up with the concept of a band comprised of skeletons playing in a graveyard as other skeletons arise from the ground?

OK, I don’t know. Maybe they would.

Anyway, HAPPY HALLOWEEN . . . and if so inclined, enjoy the following slideshow . . . it’s probably better than any fiction I might have written.

Slideshow of the MidJourney Halloween Files Gallery — 84 images.

That’s it. This post has ended . . . except for the stuff below.

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