The Art of Prompting
and How to generate Art with Artificial Intelligence?
Prompting an AI is a sophisticated art of formulating detailed and precise instructions, called 'prompts', for an artificial intelligence (AI) to carry out a specific task, such as the creation or generation of text, images or sounds.
This technological revolution is embodied, as never before, through language, allowing natural interactions with machines, in English and not in code anymore. Today, we can ask an AI to assist us in our creative processes to enriching our artistic decisions, to co-create with us.
In the past, it was essential to master computer programing languages to communicate with machines. Now a 'prompt' in people language opens the doors to advanced technology. Prompting is like learning a new language, with its own syntax and vocabulary. Mastering this art is essential to guide AI and obtain accurate and relevant results.
Let's take for example the creation of a representation of the flag of Amsterdam in the style of Da Vinci using a generative Artificial Intelligence tool (MidJourney) making images:
1. Starting point
It is essential to start by defining a clear and precise definition of our request by formulating an explicit prompt to the AI, similar to an advanced search on Google.
basic prompt : "Imagine a painting of the Amsterdam flag in Da Vinci style"
=> This basic prompt generated this painting with a canal and the Dutch colors. It demonstrates that the model has some references of "Amsterdam" and its Dutch National Flag but completely misses the essence: the Amsterdam Flag of 3 crosses and the Da Vinci Style. It is necessary to further enrich the instructions to the model with keywords of relevant details about the painter style and the characteristics of the Amsterdam flag.
2. Guiding the style
To obtain a faithful representation of the Amsterdam flag in the style of Da Vinci, it is imperative to provide the AI with specific, structured and understandable instructions. The guidance should focus on Da Vinci's characteristic shapes, techniques and color palette.
And although the prompt is more detailed, it must remain very precise. Too much detail confuses and drowns out the AI. It is therefore necessary to find the balance between details and precision to maintain the performance of the instructions.
Prompt enrichi: " three crosses "X" in Da Vinci drawing sketch style with handwriting notes of geometric and mathematics equations, printed on Renaissance yellowish paper background"
=> The model better understands the instructions relating to shapes and colors, but it is still failing on the composition and contextual elements (type of cross and Da Vinci style) to make the rendering more credible and successful.
3. Iterating the prompt
The iterative creation process is essential. It consists of continually refining, regenerating and adjusting the prompt, testing the choice of words and their order, similar to the meticulous work of a sculptor on his marble, until the desired outcome is achieved.
Generative artificial intelligence technology, by its very nature, is not deterministic. This means that every time you give it an instruction, it will produce a different result, even if the instruction is the same. This characteristic therefore means that each creation resulting from generative AI is unique and cannot be recreated identically.
This singularity brings an artistic and unpredictable dimension to the art process, transforming each interaction with AI into a new experience where each output is an original work, never repeated, offering infinite possibilities and discoveries.
4. For the perfect story
It is crucial to test and include elements of context specific to Da Vinci style to create the desired atmosphere, by detailing precise references to his work (such as "the Vitruvian Man", Da Vinci famous drawing).
Prompt Final : "Three anatomical men in shape of "X", with their arms up, legs open in shape of X, from their back, standing next to each other in geometric circles and calculations, mechanical drawing sketch in Da Vitruvian Man in Vinci style with geometric, mathematics, mechanical, handwriting notes, anatomical exploration drawings printed old paper background"