Streamline AI Printmaking

I want to streamline the process of making a LINOCUT PRINT with AI ART programs, starting from the most basic scribble:

The final AI Linocut print

1)  I drew a crude picture of a running man with a mouse in Scribble Diffusion:

Scribble Diffusion

Scribble Diffusion prompt: "Linocut of a running man"

Scribble Diffusion

Scribble Diffusion prompt: "Linocut of a running man"

2)  I imported the result into Leonardo.AI using a similar prompt: "Linocut of a running man Krrrl01" --  and generated a new version of the linocut from an AI model trained in Leonardo.AI on 30 drawings from my book -- "Krrrl Drawings 01":

Leonardo.AI

Leonardo.AI prompt: "Linocut of a running man Krrrl01"

3)  I uploaded the Leonardo.AI image above into Midjourney, using the original prompt: "Linocut of a running man."  The results were better, but they were too generic for my taste:

Midjourney

Midjourney prompt: "Linocut of a running man"

4)  Thus I revisted Leonardo.AI, using a similar prompt: "Linocut of a running man Krrrl01," but with "Prompt Magic" turned on.  I liked the result below the best: 

Leonardo.AI

prompt: "Linocut of a running man Krrrl01"

with "Prompt Magic" turned on

5)  I reversed the above image in XnView (Image>Map>Negative), and flipped it horizontally in XnView (Image>Flip>Horizontal).  

I did not increase the resolution --  it is still 512x512 pixels, 72 DPI. However this low resolution image below can be downloaded as is, and imported into LightBurn directly, to engrave with the laser cutter at Quelab.

XnView

Ready to be imported into LightBurn

and laser engraved into linoleum

5)  At Quelab I laser engraved the image on a 6x6 inch square of unmounted linoleum from Takach Press -- with the following settings:

• Speed 150
• Power 80, both minimum and maximum
• 148mm x 148mm

It took 7 minutes and 42 seconds a pass; and I made 5 passes to laser engrave the 6x6 inch linoleum square.  This was just after midnight on March 9th:

First pass

7:42

7 minutes and 42 seconds 

a full laser engrave pass

Note how the third cut

is deeper and appears darker

FINISHED

five passes

6)  We printed the laser linocut during the drawing session at North Fourth Art Center on Thursday, March 9th.  Actually I made Ellie do all the work:

 

The final print --

note that the uneven laser engraved space on the sides

gave a grey tone, rather than an empty white space

Ellie inking my laser linocut

We printed with the Skateboard Press method:

Ellie printed 

with a FEZIBO anti-fatigue board

• Laser Cutter Materials (according to the Dallas makerspace)

***

LOSING MY IDENTITY

or Not?

The above AI linocut still has a little of my "KRRRL Drawings" touch -- as there are lines that go through and around the figure -- making the figure more transparent -- in keeping with my aesthetic.  This is because the AI image was weaned on my drawing style, generated by my model "Krrrl Drawings 01" in Leonardo.AI. 

Leonardo.AI

RemoveBG

Reaching for a more 

TRANSPARENT AESTHETIC

The same Scribble Diffusion image transformed into sculpture

with the Leonardo.AI prompt: "Sculpture of a running man Krrrl01"

When the AI Art programs are left to their own devices, they create more contour-driven linocuts -- less my style -- that feel more traditional European, like the AI Linocuts we laser engraved in 2022: 

AI adjusted Linocuts

The more contour-driven AI Linocuts

of 2022

I started making FAKE prints last year, 2022.  The process was slower and more painful, as the AI Art programs were not as good, and we were using a more picky and primitive software for the laser cutter at Quelab.

Holly Grimm had early access to DALL-E 2 around July 2022, and sent me an image which I laser engraved and printed  below, our first Fake AI Linocut:

DALL-E 2

Fake Prints "Outpainted"

Our first Fake Print generated in AI

with DALL-E 2

Later I gritted my teeth and made more Fake AI Linocut prints at the end of 2022, using the AI Art program Midjourney:

Midjourney

AI adjusted Linocuts

Fake AI print

generated in Midjourney

I would like to get a small Android tablet for live drawing sessions -- the SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S6 Lite looks like a good deal for $340.  I could draw with Scribble Diffusion or Nomad Sculpt, and alter the drawing with AI during the model breaks.  

Then I could make prints immediately, by laser engraving the tablet drawing into linoleum with the portable LaserPecker 2 (I just bought a portable battery power bank,so I can laser engrave without cords).