I used to draw all the time. As a child, I thought I might be some sort of artist, but other life interests got in the way, and I just stopped one day. Based on a few of the drawings I still have, I could have been pretty good. For example, on the right is a drawing I did, probably in the early-eighties, based on a painting entitled “Destroying Angel” by Michael Whelan. I loved Whelan’s work, particularly during the time I was reading a lot of fantasy. I think I tried to draw many of his works—some were more successful than others.
I decided to see what ChatGPT could do with my image. I’ve had some good luck with it turning Henry’s drawings (see below) into little masterpieces (said his father), so when I stumbled upon a couple of my drawing from over-forty years ago, I thought I’d see what it could do. I uploaded it, and the AI had a few suggestions. Here are four that I liked, in styles suggested by ChatGPT.
The first is in the style of an engraving by Gustave Doré. I’ve always liked his work, especially what he did for Dante’s La commedia. The second is an art nouveau style: flowing lines, ornate frames, and organic motifs gives the image an eerie elegance, softening the macabre with beauty. Pretty slick. I’m reminded of a tarot card. The third is in the Neo-expressionist style of Francis Bacon, a violent, raw rendering with exaggerated distortions, harsh strokes, and emotional intensity—turning the figure into something nightmarish and modern. And finally, I asked ChatGPT to surprise me with its favorite style. I might like it the best.
So, I mentioned using ChatGPT on some of Henry’s drawings. At the end of the school year, Henry brought home a portfolio of work—everything from math worksheets, to writing journals, to random drawings. One was particularly striking to me. “That’s a graffiti zombie,” he told me. So I uploaded it to ChatGPT and asked it to keep the Dadist style, coupling it with a bit of surrealism (whatever that means). The one on the left is the original, and ChatGPT’s is on the right.
Cool stuff.