Jonathan Kennedy

The Artist Spotlight is your inside look into the influences, collaborations and prompts that drive the NightCafe community.

We catch up with some of our most original creators to find what inspires them, who their favorite creators are, and how they use image generator algorithms as part of their work.

NC: WHAT INFLUENCES YOUR WORK?

JK: I have always had a vivid imagination and really elaborate dreams which give me a lot to draw on.

In fact, some of my first creations while I was figuring out Stable Diffusion were attempts to create characters from dreams I had. Maybe I’ll publish them someday.

There are also social and cultural influences. Art has always been used to convey a positive message, make a statement, or show what could be. I’m a huge advocate for diversity and equality, which you will see in my work (example: The Queens Who Could Have Been). 

Then of course, the amazing community! People like /u/AaronLee, /u/NateB, /u/Gazelli, /u/adansito, and /u/scarletgenesis are a few that come to mind who are always helping and encouraging everyone to be their best.

NC: MOST UNDERRATED ARTIST ON NIGHTCAFE?

JK: This is like making me choose my favorite book or song! I’ve really become close to so many in our community and I have so many I can think of. 

The main one I would highlight is /u/NotThatRankinFamily.

Her art is always stunning, and I am so impressed with how much time and effort she puts into every single piece she creates so it’s perfect. She is so talented and deserves a huge following. 

Other artists like /u/Reisang and /u/JEFFY40HANDS are also great examples of humility, helpfulness, and tremendous talent.

NC: PROMPT THAT MOST SURPRISED YOU?

JK: “Black Ink Flow”. /u/NateB did a starter image challenge that contained that phrase in the prompt. I was astonished at the results (example: Man in Black). 

What surprised me the most was that if you also ask for color in the prompt, the result is just out of this world (examples: The Flower Girl & Colorful Masquerade).

I believe /u/adansito mentioned this in his Artist Spotlight interview, about the order of operations for prompts. That is spot on. By putting the request for color before the request for black ink, these two styles collide and it’s pure magic.

Example Prompt:
"Colorful man: Black ink flow: 8k resolution photorealistic masterpiece: by Aaron Horkey and Jeremy Mann: intricately detailed fluid gouache painting: by Jean Baptiste Mongue: calligraphy: acrylic: watercolor art, professional photography, natural lighting, volumetric lighting maximalist photoillustration: by marton bobzert: 8k resolution concept art intricately detailed, complex, elegant, expansive, fantastical"

All you readers out there, make sure to credit /u/NateB if you use this prompt!

NC: ANY TIPS FOR PROMPT WRITING?

JK: The advice I like to give everyone when they reach out for help or are feeling down about how a creation turned out: 

Think of each word in your prompts like the stroke of a paint brush or note in a song. The more you practice, take risks, and get out of your comfort zone, the better your results will be. There is no such thing as failure, only learning. The quicker you “fail”, the quicker you'll improve.

Also, remember that artists of any medium, whether it’s painting a canvas, writing a book, or composing music, are at their best when they are inspired so go out and get inspired.

NightCafe gives us a great opportunity to not only see what everyone is making, but to meet these tremendously talented artists, get advice, and learn from people with all different levels of experience. Our community here is truly amazing.

My big tip for prompts has less to do with prompts and more with how you manipulate them. The big thing: start images are game changers. 

Even if it’s something you hand draw or use something very rudimentary like Microsoft Paint, the AI can take the words in your prompt and the input from your start image and create something much more precise than if it’s just thinking on its own. Sure, the AI is good, but anything you can do to help it along will only help you in the end.

NC: WHAT LED YOU TO USING NIGHTCAFE?

JK: Ever since I was a kid I’ve been drawing, making music, writing, etc. 

I’ve continued doing these things outside my normal career for years. Unfortunately, I was impacted by the massive layoffs in the technology sector at the end of 2022, so I decided that going forward, I wanted to find a way to blend my personal and professional passions and experiences with art and technology.

Everyone knows AI is the future, and NightCafe was highly recommended in an article I came across.

Next thing I knew I was signing up on the website, eventually joined the Discord server, and the rest is history. I’m so grateful to be a part of this community. 

NC: WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK TO NIGHTCAFE?

NightCafe remains a uniquely amazing AI art community, and a versatile development tool for concept art and all sorts of imagery.

The ease of use and continual updates keeping up with current AI technology have kept it cutting edge over the months.

It's the perfect destination for those looking to dip their hands into AI imagery and create beautiful works of imagination that wouldn't have been possible previously.

My love for AI art and NightCafe run hand in hand, helping me achieve visions like never before!