So, I've been playing a bit with AI art, specificially OpenArt AI, which has everything from Flux to Nano Banana and SeeDream. They're all pretty amazing and I've learned a lot. But as the old saying goes, the more you know, the less you know. Who says that? Well, me for one. The more I play with AI art the dumber I feel 'cuz there's always some new problem that show up and humbles you. In my case, it's consistent and repeatable characters. I know there's a solution, but I keep messing it up. Or something. I dunno. I'll figure it out whence I chillax and put some real effort into it.

DeeDee and her one true love—well, two of them if you count the root beer.
To her credit, she is trying to stop smoking. But there's a lot of drama going on, so who knows how that's gonna turn out.

Also, AI art is kinda like the slot machine at a casino—you never quite know what you're gonna come up with. And sometimes you throw good money after bad to get the tiniest of details fixed. Take this image of DeeDee above: it took me a couple of dozen passes to get her glasses close to what I imagined... and they're still not right. And don't get me started on the rear side window of her Shelby Mustang. And I must admit, she came out a bit sexier than I pictured her, but the other iterations didn't get that subtle smirk, so I stand by my testimony, your honor.

Another caveat emptor: Ethan keeps coming up younger than I liked, but I gotta say, he and Ivy look pretty into it, so I figured I'd just stop there. As I said, slot machine, good money after bad... you can stay up all night if you're not careful. Or just plain unteachable like I am. lol

The thing is, I don't really wanna draw... or illustrate or whatever. I just wanna read... and maybe write something once in a while. In a former life I had to fake it 'til I made it in photography and graphics... and I did all right, got paid for my time, oddly enough. But it became a chore and I lost my enthusiasm for my own personal gratification. Kinda like writing. I had to write so much for other people it wore me out. Now that I'm retired. I'm dabbling in writing again. Maybe I'll do the same for illustrating... and maybe not. Time will tell.

Anywhoooo... I used to draw for my cross-dressing and petticoating stories. Well, kinda. I drew in pen and pencil, traced, scanned, photoshopped, copied and pasted, whatever it took. I consider myself a writer, not an artist, but I was driven to making my own crossdressing art because of—as the kids say today—reasons.

Tony aka "Toni" or "Antoinette" in the Petticoat Detective series from long ago

Oddly, my quaint little scratchings were kinda popular way back then. I still get hits on my old DeviantArt page, after all these years, which is both flattering and weird to me. I leave them up in case someone else wants to enjoy them; but I also hope that others will get inspired to make their own art. And sometimes I get told that happens.

So there ya go.

Tony dabbling in his disguises

Yeah, I know, not everyone is crazy about AI art, or at least the idea of it. I'm not sure what to think about the ethics and all, but it's here and it helps me do amazing things. I'm not capable of drawing anymore... well, I guess I could, but it takes me a ridiculous amount of time to make a single image, it's not worth the effort. So yeah, I've sold my soul to the company store, so to speak, and it's AI art for me.

Tony (in disguise as "Toni") interrogating a suspect

I guess the reason I'm posting this is to let you know that if this is something you're interested in, give it a try. And trust me, if I can do it, so can you. Do I feel guilty about cheating another artist out of a commission? Not really. I wouldn't know who to go to do this kind of art and if I did I couldn't afford them.

Self portrait of the artist as a young'n

I could go into the politics and morality of "stealing another's work" but I've sworn to keep politics out of this side of my life. As I see it, all art is based on other people's art—name me an artist who isn't influenced by either a predecessor or a peer and I'll show you a complete hermit or a rare true genius. Even Michelangelo got ideas and inspiration from the ancients. (Yeah, I ain't no Micky G, that's fo' sho'—I'm not even close to being Mickey Spillane.) But as Willie Shakespeare once said, there's nothing new under the sun, and he got that from Ecclesiastes as I remember—though I've been told that came from an even earlier work.

As the great Billy Preston once sang, the world goes round in circles.

Stay warm, stay safe... and be good to yourself and yours.

d.