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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?

I grew up watching Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy movies with my parents so those types of images interest me. 

My dad in particular was an influence. The first time I cracked open Frank Herbert's Dune or an HP Lovecraft short story was because my Dad handed me the books and encouraged me to read them.

I’m also drawn to things that are surreal and whimsical but with a dark edge. I especially get excited when I find a creation that has taken a trite concept and breathed new life into it by adding a unique twist.

Everything under the sun has been done, but each of us has our own individual way of expressing our perceptions and feelings.

NC: MOST UNDERRATED ARTIST ON NIGHTCAFE?

I grew up watching Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy movies with my parents so those types of images interest me. 

My dad in particular was an influence. The first time I cracked open Frank Herbert's Dune or an HP Lovecraft short story was because my Dad handed me the books and encouraged me to read them.

I’m also drawn to things that are surreal and whimsical but with a dark edge. I especially get excited when I find a creation that has taken a trite concept and breathed new life into it by adding a unique twist.

Everything under the sun has been done, but each of us has our own individual way of expressing our perceptions and feelings.

NC: PROMPT THAT MOST SURPRISED YOU?

My idea was to create a being that was half-woman, half-Venus Flytrap. After playing around with the prompt for a while I settled on this:

Whimsical dreamy Anthropomorphic Venus Flytrap-Woman Hybrid Humanoid 
Venus Flytrap with eyes gaping, mouth yawning, arms and legs
At The Dentist
Minimalism ominous

I had trouble getting the mouth to open as wide as I envisioned. When I inserted At The Dentist I achieved my goal, which surprised me because I didn’t think it would work!

Here is the final result.

This prompt also illustrates how redundancy can help. If it has been a challenge to produce a specific output, reword what you desire in different ways. I used Anthropomorphic, Hybrid, Humanoid, as well as a description - Venus Flytrap with arms and legs - and that did the trick for me.

NC: ANY TIPS FOR PROMPT WRITING?

Claude Monet was obsessed with the way a change in lighting conditions transformed the subjects of his paintings. His series with water lilies is a good example of this. He painted them many times over, at different times of the day throughout the year, in order to explore how light altered their appearance and the mood they evoked.
 
From my experiments I’ve noticed the Mysterious XL v4 is particularly skilled at rendering light, although all the models generally do well. If you want a bright light with a dark silhouette or figure add Backlit or Backlighting to the prompt. Use At Dusk for that wonderful golden hour photographers and filmmakers covet. At Dawn can make the environs more ethereal or more feminine.

Hard Lighting or Harsh lighting can make a person look older and more haggard; Gentle Lighting or Soft Lighting has the opposite result. Chiaroscuro usually renders a darker background with a better lit subject, since the technique produces a good contrast between shadow and light.

Play with the directionality of the light source. Lit From The Left or Lit From The Right can give one particular side of the face a more shadowy aspect. At Noon or Top Lighting can be harsh, but it can give the eyes a dark sunken look. It is also interesting to use on reflective surfaces like water, mirrors, etc. Bottom Lighting can be more dramatic and unique.

Here is an example with Backlit and At Dusk in the prompt. 

Most of all, however, its important to trust your gut. Sometimes through exposure we become desensitized to our creations. We've seen them too often and they've lost their luster. Try not to forget your initial, knee jerk response. 

Have faith in a creations first impression. And don't be afraid to experiment!

NC: WHAT LED YOU TO USING NIGHTCAFE?

I cannot recall where I found the link but I'm glad I clicked on it. (I think it may have been Reddit?).

I immediately tried out NightCafe and I have been a member ever since.

One of the best parts of the NightCafe experience is the community. If you ever want to know how someone created a certain image politely ask them!

I've found the artists here to be extremely helpful and accommodating.