The AI Epic series

This is a series that I wasn't planning to do, but it happened organically when I started experimenting with Leonardo.Ai's Universal Upscaler, which upscales (embiggens) but also adds in more than just interpolated detail. It really does very well working at a vast scale, although it sometimes gets carried away with itself, adding bizarre details (plus the usual extra limbs and the like), so I have to edit it from time to time. Below is a selection, you can see them all at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/billayton/albums/72177720318233270

The themes covered include the usuals: life, death, heaven, hell, good, bad, the past, the future, mythology, reality, and of course, our place in the universe.

A New Utopia, 2024, AI generated image

Final War, 2024, AI generated image

The Age of Enlightenment, 2024, AI generated image

Exodus, 2024, AI generated image

In Hell, 2024, AI generated image

Life, the Universe, and Everything, 2024, AI generated image

 

Leda and Swans / AI

In this AI-generated image of Leda and swans, how many swans can you count? Partial swans are not to be included...

Leda and Swans, 2024, AI-generated image

Again, this did not make it to the Tumblr blog where the better AI images live.

Still Life with Hypnos variations AI

This is not exactly what I wanted, trying to generate a winged head of the Greek god Hypnos, but I liked the resuts anyway:

Still Life with Hypnos variation AI

Still Life with Hypnos variation AI

Still Life with Hypnos variation AI

Still Life with Hypnos variation AI

Narcissus in the Pool (AI generated)

 Here's another image I've been playing with, a Narcissus variation. I used Leonardo Ai's "Canvas" feature to interactively draw parts of the image, & also used text prompts to define it.

Narcissus in the Pool AI

Digital Medusa

 As part of a series of mythological figures that I've worked on over the years (drawings & paintings mostly), here is a digital sculpture done in Blender. I'll probably be reworking some of my other themes in coming days & weeks...\

Digital Medusa, 2021, sculpted & rendered in Blender

The Dream Wings of Night

 An important thing about the Blender 3D digital sculptures that I make is that they can be almost endlessly recomposed, textured, lit, post-processed and so on. Like a photographer or painter with a favorite subject, there are infinite variations to be discovered and displayed. (See previous posting for another version of this one.)

The Dream Wings of Night, 2021, digital Blender image

The Mists of Time

 A new variation on the "winged head" theme...going back to classical mythology (Hypnos, Morpheus) & Symbolists like Fernand Khnopff...post-processed with noise & reducing of contrast.

The Mists of Time, 2021, digital image

Satyr

Well, we're back for the summer from Arizona (where we've been the last 9 months or so). I'm back in my NY studio working on some new pieces & just got a new computer (refurb) as my old ones are in AZ. Here is my first return to Blender (3D sculpting etc. program) with a horned head, name of "Satyr"...

Satyr, digital sculpture

Narcissus Revisited

This is a brush & ink drawing of a familiar motif. There are many versions I've done of Narcissus, & there will quite possibly be many more. I don't like to repeat myself excessively, generally speaking, but there are themes that I return to again & again, & this is one of them. I also try to find something new in familiar images each time.

Narcissus Revisited, 2020, ink on paper, 17" x 14"

Medusa 2018

This is one of a new series of smallish paintings on treated plywood...I give the plywood several coats of water-based grain filler & then draw & paint on top. So far it seems to be working & the paint & ink hold well. In this one, the ripples in the grain of the plywood echo the coils of Medusa's hair, which was an unexpected but welcome touch.

Medusa 2018, ink & acrylic on plywood, 20" x 16".

Hermetic Venus

This is a new acrylic painting from a new series of color works, a coming-together of many themes I've worked on over the years. This one had a long gestation period of maybe a week...it went through many different iterations until reaching what (I hope) is the final stage, below.

Hermetic Venus, 2017, acrylic on plywood, 16" x 12"

Medusa Again

Here is a new ink drawing of Medusa, a continuing thread in my artwork (along with other mythological figures such as Cyclops, Narcissus, etc.). This one is a little darker and more melancholy than most.

Medusa Caught in the Coils of Reality, 2016, brush & ink on paper, 11" x 14".

Young Minotaur in an Arena

From an occasional series of images of Minotaurs...see also the previous posting.

Young Minotaur in an Arena, 2015, acrylic on cardboard, 48" x 36".

Second piece on gatorboard

Below is my second (finished) piece on the gatorboard surface, The Mask of Morpheus. This is more of a monochrome painting (done over an ink & brush drawing, which can be seen underneath here & there). I am liking this as a surface to work on & am thinking of moving up in scale a little...

The Mask of Morpheus, 2015, acrylic over ink on gatorboard, 10" x 8"

Leda's Return

I bought some new brushes today, which tends to give a fresh feel to ink drawings. I did this loose-ish drawing this evening & took a flash photo, which didn't come out as well as it could have, so I played around with the image in Photoshop a little...

Leda's Return, 2014, brush & ink on paper (with digital manipulation), 16.5" x 14".

Morpheus, Lord of Sleep and Dreams

I think it's time to break out of my hibernation state, though the world outside is still encased in ice and snow...

Morpheus, Lord of Sleep and Dreams, 2014, ink & graphite on paper, 11" x 8.5".

Starr Library fundraiser / Head of Leda

My ink drawing from 2009, Head of Leda is included in the art fundraiser auction at the Starr Library in Rhinebeck on Saturday, February 22nd, along with a host of other artworks by renowned local artists. For a full listing & details, please see the Facebook page.

Head of Leda, 2009, brush & ink on paper, 10" x 8".

On the Wings of Mercury

A new mythological piece rendered in ink with brush.

On the Wings of Mercury, 2013, brush & ink on paper, 16.5" x 14".

The Machinations of the Cyclops

File under mythology...

The Machinations of the Cyclops, 2013, acrylic on cardboard, 48" x 36".

Leda with the Swan-Like Neck

And, whilst in a mythological mood (see posting below), here is a new Leda:

Leda with the Swan-Like Neck, 2013, brush & ink on paper, 24" x 19".