Description of My Work Process
Over the past year, I have been creating art using artificial intelligence, and many have reached out to learn more about my process. Here is a brief description of how I create my images.
Idea Development in Midjourney
Every artwork begins with an idea. I start by writing a short prompt in Midjourney, generating between 200 and 1,000 sketches within a given theme. I create so many sketches to explore possibilities and find something unique. The most important - and often most challenging - part of the process is defining the right style and expression.
I always request photorealistic painting in my prompts, meaning that my images combine the textured qualities of painting with the precision of photography. They resemble something that could have been photographed but possess a softness and depth that give them a dreamlike quality.
Rather than relying on long, detailed prompts, I primarily work with visual references, blending newly generated images with selected motifs from my extensive archive. My background as a curator of photography has given me strong experience in selecting images from large collections. I particularly enjoy assembling series where the motifs visually and thematically complement each other.
Selection and Refinement
From the many sketches, I select around 50 images that have potential. At this stage, I continue experimenting - sometimes combining elements from different images - to refine the composition, mood, and details. This process can take several days until I narrow it down to 3-4 images that I believe are suitable for print.
Detailing and Editing
Once the style and composition are in place, I upscale the selected images and download them into Lightroom for initial adjustments. Here, I fine-tune colors, contrast, and overall balance.
Final Editing in Photoshop
The final artistic refinements take place in Photoshop, where I enhance textures, adjust details, and upscale the image further to ensure it is print-ready. I work manually, especially when adjusting colors and lighting, as I am a perfectionist when it comes to achieving high-quality prints.
Just as with photography, I start with a base - whether a photograph or an AI-generated composition - and continue refining it until the artwork has the atmosphere, structure, and depth I envision.
Test Print and Completion
Before finalizing a piece, I create a high-quality test print to ensure that colors, textures, and details translate well onto paper. Once I am satisfied with the result, I send the image to my print provider.
AI as a Creative Tool
AI allows me to work freely with my imagination and create subjects that I wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to photograph. This creative freedom enables me to explore new visual worlds and narratives.
My work exists at the intersection of photography, painting, and digital art. It has a strong narrative quality, often feeling like stills from a larger story - a visual tale that balances between the familiar and the fantastical.
Animations
Some of my images also come to life through motion. For this, I use Luma Dream Machine to add subtle animations, which I incorporate into my reels. Many of the images I generate along the way - even those that don’t make it to print - are used in my short animations.
