I was prompting and rolling images in Midjourney, trying to get an image to go with my first blog post, and ran into AI stubbornness and weirdness. I wanted a cute robot splattered with paint. I had a simple prompt I've used for cute robots, but adding the term [ splashed with colorful paint and colorful paint pooled at its feet] changed the robot's look drastically.

At first, I rolled and rerolled the prompt, adjusting it as I went and not quite getting what I wanted. I eventually used an image prompt of the type of cute robot I wanted to paint. Nope. That didn't work, either. It gave me a Robot closer to the one I wanted, but Midjourney was stingy with the paint splatter. I then used one of the robot images I wanted and added a robot image that looked wrong but had a good amount of splatter along with my text prompt. I started to get these completely different Kawai kuties. Nothing that I asked for or prompted, but they looked amazing. I would never know how to prompt for these images, so I kept rolling them to see what would happen.

As a creative, one of the most exciting things about working with AI text to image is the element of serendipity and surprise. These apllications can produce unexpected and often beautiful results that can be difficult to achieve through traditional means.

One of the most commonly discussed examples is the concept of "happy accidents." These are unintended results that occur while using an AI program, but they can be embraced and used to your advantage. For example, an AI program might produce a color palette that you wouldn't have thought to use on your own, but that ultimately adds a new level of depth and interest to your work. Similarly, an AI program might generate an unexpected shape or form that can be incorporated into your piece in an exciting way.

One of the best ways to take advantage of these happy accidents is to have an open mind and be willing to experiment. It's easy to get caught up in controlling every aspect of your work, but embracing the unexpected can lead to some of the most exciting and unique results.

Another great way to use serendipity to your advantage is to use AI synthesis to generate multiple variations of a piece. This can be especially useful when working on a commercial project, such as a series of illustrations for a children's book or a set of product designs. Using AI to generate a wide range of options, you can quickly and easily explore different possibilities and find the perfect solution.

In conclusion, AI imaging software can be fun and open up new possibilities for creatives and artists. The element of serendipity and surprise can lead to happy accidents that can be used to your advantage and make your work stand out. Keep an open mind, be willing to experiment, and enjoy the journey.

This post was partially written using ChatGPT and edited in Grammarly. I like to use Ai when it helps speed up the process of writing, creating music, or imaging. How about you?