couldn't say 'no' to this opportunity!
In a previous article, we discovered that the Deep Dream artificial intelligence image-generator knew Star Trek characters such as Captain Picard.
In today's experiment, we'll see what the AI knows about famous historical figures and modern celebrities.
We previously learned that the AI doesn't know a lot about the Vietnam War, but what if we ask for Alexander the Great in battle, in the style of former Osprey illustrator Angus McBride? Using basic size, AI artistic mode, 'landscape' shape.
Disappointing. Not really McBride's style. Not clear why one eye is shadowed, and there's a spearhead just floating there – but hey, it knew to put him on his famous horse!
Second try: Ulysses S. Grant in a battle of the American Civil War, in the style of Don Troiani. Same settings as above, but 'portrait' shape.
Interesting. The uniform is wrong, and he seems to have brought a tactical radio with him.
Let's forget historical figures. Imagine that you're commissioning a fantasy figure of an angel, and you need some concept art. And let's request "in the style of Princess Diana."
That's pretty good, and I see the resemblance, but a full-body image would be more useful. So I'll modify the text prompt to "Angel in heaven with wings, full body, in the style of Princess Diana" and generate a fresh picture. (I won't re-generate or evolve the picture, as I think it would be difficult to add legs that way.)
We've gotten quite lucky! Without being prompted, the AI has given us a picture of an actual figure, including base! You could easily send that as concept art to a sculptor. (Not much resemblance to Princess Diana, though.)
Maybe a more recent celebrity would work. I'll try "happy woman tapdancing, in the style of Angelina Jolie."
Here we see an issue when using 'Artistic AI' mode, which is that if we don't specify the type of art, we could get anything from oil painting to watercolor to – in this case – something more of a caricature. Good resemblance though. She's not tapdancing, though, and why is she in the desert?
So let's say that you need an illustration for your female sci-fi skirmish character. You don't want pretty, you want tough as nails. So let's try "woman with AK-47, in the style of Greta Thunberg".
I'm not sure that's an AK-47, but she looks tough!
And finally, because everyone right now hates Vladimir Putin, let's try something crazy: "Vladimir Putin in a dress, in drag".
That's not drag, that's trans! Vlad, we never knew!