Krea tutorial

More about Krea.ai

Generating images with Krea.ai

KREA is a website with a creative assistant and with it you can create text-to-images, alter them in a variety of ways and arrange them in a canvas.

There are basically two different way to use Krea, through the 'on the fly generation' (this is extremely disorienting as an image is automatically generated as you type!)

Or through 'Studio Projects' which is a bit messy.

These below are my first impressions on the interface, I was really impressed by the real time rendering of the image.

On the right side, you can switch to different style (default, portrait, cgi, cartoon, ...) this is just for the quick changes. A download button is here as well, but the export will be in low-resolution.

To access the finalized image, you are invited to click on rendering, then the image/enhancer/ page will open and from there the high resolution image will be tweaked and then exported.

Using the same image (as always), I was pretty happy with the result

Krea is fun because of the real-time feature, but it does not offer a large checkpoint selection, Loras etc ... It is a perfect fit for people discovering AI art, and who wants to see it working fast.

The free plan offer 3mn of runtime, but that is enough to play with Krea and generate 10 to 15 images. 

Here is a link to their documentation:

https://krea.gitbook.io/krea-wiki/getting-started/01_getting_started

https://youtu.be/wkkvcnpFSXw?si=Xdj02tvcgrYl4rBI

Stable diffusion: How to make a "Russian Propaganda Posters"

One of my most visited post on this blog is the propaganda poster article

it is from 2009 and now in 2024 with Artificial intelligence this is even easier

a prompt such as:

'vector poster of a revolutionary soldier woman in commissar uniform with a red star ; in the style of (((vector art))), by Shepard Fairey, in the style of tarot card'

will generate this

SDXL Prompt

 

prompt: 

Cover, painting of a brigitte bardot with long blue hair in a white t-shirt on one side of a tattooed cyberpunk space with details, luminism, strip lighting, complex, head and shoulders portrait, 4k concept art portrait by Greg Rutkowski, artgram, WLOP, Alphonse Mucha

negative prompt:

(nsfw:1.5),out of frame, cropped, bad proportions, out of frame, bad anatomy, poorly drawn face, morbid, mutilated,((extra eyes)), ((extra arms)), ((extra legs)), ((extra fingers)), ((extra headphones)), ((two headphones)), ((extra heads)), ((extra eyes)) (((2 heads))), duplicate, man, men, blurry, abstract, disfigured, deformed, cartoon, animated, toy, figure, framed, 3d, cartoon, 3d, disfigured, bad art, deformed, poorly drawn, extra limbs, close up, b&w, weird colors, blurry, watermark, blur haze, 2 heads, long neck, watermark, elongated body, cropped image,out of frame,draft,deformed hands, twisted fingers, double image, malformed hands, multiple heads, extra limb, ugly, poorly drawn hands, missing limb, cut-off, over satured, grain, lowères, bad anatomy, poorly drawn face, mutation, mutated, floating limbs, disconnected limbs, out of focus, long body, disgusting, extra fingers, groos proportions, missing arms, mutated hands, cloned face, missing legs

Firealpaca time-lapse activated

FireAlpaca is a free and open-source raster graphics editor software for Windows, and macOS. It is a popular choice for digital artists of all levels, thanks to its user-friendly interface and powerful features.

FireAlpaca offers a wide range of tools and features, including brushes, layers, filters, and effects. It is also highly customizable.

Overall, FireAlpaca is a great option for digital artists who are looking for a free and powerful software.

Since version [2.11.5] a new feature has been added:

• Added time-lapse recording feature (start and end from file menu or alpaca button).
• At the end of time-lapse recording, you can convert to animated GIF.
• When opening an APNG file, you can now select "Convert to animated GIF" or "Import as canvas".

https://firealpaca.com/download/#history

 

Introduction to Leonardo.ai

The image generation tool called Leonardo AI is remarkable for its ability to produce stunning images and its unique features that distinguish it from other AI image platforms. 

Upon reviewing the community feeds, it is evident that the quality of images generated by Leonardo AI rivals that of well-established platforms. 

An added advantage is that Leonardo is currently available for free. 

To access Leonardo dashboard, simply enter your email address on the Leonardo.ai website and click "Count Me In." Within a few days, you will receive access to an improved version of Leonardo AI for generating images. 

Images from selected models: Leonardo AI utilizes a unique model-tired approach that distinguishes it from other AI image platforms. Instead of relying on foundational models like stable diffusion, Leonardo AI employs fine-tuned models that are optimized for specific styles. These models offer users a style-centric starting point, including 24 platform models optimized for various types of artwork.

This platform even has the option to 'Train your own model': One of the most impressive features is the ability to train your own models. Users can create a dataset by uploading their own images or selecting images from the Leonardo gallery. Once a data set is created, users can fine-tune a new model that leverages the stable diffusion base model, but is specifically tuned to their own data set. They can also create and share community models on the Leonardo platform. This unique approach allows users to not only use the platform's models, but also create and share their own models, creating a network of community models that can be used and extended by others. 

Additionally, Leonardo includes a built-in image editor called Canvas, which allows users to edit their generated images. By selecting an image and choosing "edit in Canvas," users can make adjustments and refinements to their images. The generation feature of Leonardo AI allows users to generate more elaborate prompt ideas based on a single prompt. This feature helps users generate more interesting results by providing detailed prompts.

Here is an example of an image generated Lion, with background removed

SDXL supported style

 style:comic book

style:Sticker

style:Neon Punk

style:Analog Film

style:Anime

style:Photographic

style:Cinematic

style:Isometric

reface, prequel and werbleapp to add fun to your instagram feed

Remember ToonApp? Well, it is old story now

If you want to turbo boost your Instagram with crazy animation, style conversion, and face swap ; there are plenty of fresh apps to do just that, see for yourself and these apps are still free.

werbleapp

Adding some peps on photos, by transforming them into mini looping animation

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg4A4IHJymL/

Pretty amazing result

Artrage2 : Debian installation

When purchasing a Wacom Bamboo Fun, a few applications are provided among them there's ArtRage 2 from AmbientDesign - 

It works!

Designer

I want to be a better graphic designer. Any suggestions? : Design: "Use good ingredients. Limit yourself to the following fonts for the time being: Georgia, Helvetica, Segoe UI, Avenir, Bembo, News Gothic.
Get your images from a decent source. For now, use iStockPhoto—it's a compromise between cheap and good.

Read about the grid system from a handful of recent library books. Experiment with it and see what works. Don't be afraid to use big type and white space.

Draw. Get half a dozen different kinds of pencils from an art supply store and a few flip pads. Draw simple shapes and look where their shadows fall—learn to see areas of light and dark. Draw faces from photography books (best not to draw your friends at this point; they tend to get mad). Draw things you care about. Make line-only drawings. Make shadow-only drawings. Go see an Impressionist exhibit.

Look at great design work that you someday aspire to doing, and try to make an exact duplicate. This is how great Renaissance painters learned their craft, and is it immensely useful. (Note: Don't copy work for your paid gigs... I shouldn't have to say this, but I've seen it happen.)

Design skill takes years, but it will make your head a better place to live. It will open your eyes."

This Designer guy I use to follow closed shop for unknown reasons : The Driblet of an Aphorism: Harmony

Digital Painting Process: DJ Goh-Goh

Digital Painting Process: DJ Goh-Goh - YouTube: piece: commission for Shwann of his character DJ GohGoh

Various way to mimic painting with Gimp

Gimp is this open source application that is a pseudo Photoshop - and it has many features, from photo editing to image retouching, or even painting

Here are a few of the filters available that would turn a photo in a fake painting
Distort Filters : Value Propagate
Filters/Artistic/Oilify
Filters/GMIC/Artistic/Painting
Filters/GMIC/Artistic/Kuwahara
FX-Foundry/Artistic/Water Paint Effect

Here is the forum explaining a few tricks and some tutorials
http://www.flickr.com/groups/gimpusers/discuss/72157619108510544/

A proper tutorial to emulate smudged painting
http://www.gimpusers.com/tutorials/smudge-painting-technique

And last but not least the online website to test some filters
https://gmicol.greyc.fr/

Why an alternative to facebook is needed

Why an alternative to facebook is painfully needed

Back in September 2014, a new social media network called Ello made his entry talking about ad-free alternatives to some of the big players of the field (facebook, myspace, etc ...), but more that that Ello promises that the personal information will never be sold to any third parties.

The problem is that viewed from a platform like facebook - a registered user is 'the product' - everything he does is scrutinized, and tracked and recorded so every post that is shared, every friend or every link followed is then sold to advertisers.

Being spied upon is it seems the new trend, the natural way of living with surveillance cameras at every corners of the cities, and where mobile devices are following your every moves...

So when people launch a new social media network that basically says “You are not a product,” its manifesto attracts new people.

The fact that Ello after a few research ended up - being a $435,000 company in venture capital, closed-source code, and a centralized structure appeared to be in contradiction with his pro-independence manifesto.

It just happened not to be what people looking for freedom would be interested in.
Not the anti-facebook we were looking for.

The need is still there, though ...

Dungeon crawl stone soup (roguelike) a mixed review

The Quest for the "Orb of Zot"

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup is an open-source, single-player, role-playing roguelike game of exploration and treasure-hunting in dungeons filled with dangerous and unfriendly monsters in a quest to rescue the mystifyingly fabulous Orb of Zot. 

Yeah, right .. this isn't what the game is like at all. No dear reader, this game is madness incarnated - this game will get you addicted and looking into every irc, forums and even wiki for weeks in order to get passed some curses or find out what the heck is wrong with this particular wand you just found or how to drink from fountains, or why the priest has disappeared in the next release of the game? or which is better Vehumet or Sif Muna ? or what a 'gourmand amulet' will do for you, or how to defeat an invisible monster ... - and you will have to face your old ghosts too in that insane game. You will lose your sleep and possibly your sanity.

Okay, I'm exaggerating a tad bit, but in a nutshell ... this isn't a "normal" game ; but more like a Universe you are entering into - you can from the first seconds in the game starts to feel that something is a bit odd - when you have to select your character's race and class among the 24 different species and the 27 "background" as they call it. Another hint about the difficulty of the game is that it has several "Tutorials" included.

I've tried Minotaur gladiator, Spriggan conjurer, Troll berserker ... the game is very well balanced - each player will have to find in himself what his type of gameplay fits the best.

But "Crawl" is freakin' hard - even after watching many youtube videos on great skilled player - you will get killed over and over, you have to be sharp, to be focused, to be prepared, to be disciplined ... and maybe, maybe one day you will grab the Orb and escape with it... that's if you're lucky.

Tips

Now some tips, learn your keyboard shortcuts (q for quaff, z for spell casting, a for special actions, d for drop, f for throwing things, ' for swap between your short range and long range weapon etc ...) - learn how to create macros, learn how to counter spells, which potions are to use when you are surrounded, which god to worship etc ...

https://crawl.develz.org/wordpress/howto

Learn how to play with Zoopy Joobles ;  He is one of the best player (he's very humble and has an amazing voice) - Following the saga of Zoot the Air Elementalist will keep you on the edge of your seat for about a dozen of hours ...which is about the average time of a Crawl game.

How to play where to play

The game is free and available on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux - and Online too with various servers :
Europe
US

Ow! and I almost forgot, of course you can save your game (by pressing "S") - but once your character is dead ... no reload, you have to create a new one and start from scratch again ... it's not a bug, it's a feature -- that's the kicker.

Cosplay and porn - the mix was inevitable

Cosplay glamour

Cosplay is a slippery field it seems, it's basically fans dressing themselves as their idols – the iconic wonder woman, Emma frost, Witchblade, Street fighter Cammy, or any sexy and powerful characters from movies, comics, anime or any sort of fictions...
It has no rules, no professionals (and yet some are getting closer to professionals makeup artist, or movie costumes maker, or actors …) - it used to be a field when the newbie enthusiast could have fun posing pretending to be cammy or black cat – that was back in early 2000s ; now cosplay is evolving and a gap is slowly but surely distancing the early fun type newbie and the self-called "professionals" like Yaya Han, because few are making money out of cosplay...

 

 Cosplay porn

And then on top of this … enter the pornstars … and many of them.
And big shots too, like Tori Black (above) cosplaying "wonder woman" because of parody films  – or "Phoenix Marie" cosplaying "Ms Marvel", or the talented Tanya Tate who clearly is enjoying herself cosplaying a variety of characters like Green Lantern or Emma Frost and is trying to attract (?!) a geek fandom.

It was inevitable, because cosplay is a bridge between fantasy and real life - between the glamour World of Superhero - and the business of porn. Think of the excitement of a male convention prepubescent geek, taking a selfie, having the signature and a little chat with Tanya Tate ... to understand the phenomenon.

But nobody can argue that female superhero costumes weren't the bait for this to happen in the first place.

I mean Siri cosplaying "Power girl" was not an accident.

or Pornstar April O'Neil cosplaying April O'Neil from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle

Some say that it's sign of the "end of time" ... we'll see about that.

Phoenix Marie as Ms Marvel
Tori Black as Wonder Woman(NSFW)
Tanya Does San Diego Cosplay - Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movies and TV News and Rumors

5 Ways to Make Money Fast Using Online Resources (with a $200 Investment)

With a mere $200 to invest and capitalize on online opportunities to make money quickly, there are several strategies that can potentially yield a good return on your investment.We will explore 5 ways to leverage online resources with a starting investment of $200 to boost your earnings.

1. Create a Niche Website or Blog:

Invest the  $200 in creating a niche website or blog focused on a specific topic that you are passionate about. Research profitable niches with good audience demand and low competition. Use your investment to purchase a domain name, web hosting, and a professional theme. Once your website is live, monetize it through affiliate marketing, sponsored content, or ad networks. Focus on creating quality content, driving traffic, and optimizing your website for search engines to increase your chances of generating income.

2. Start an E-commerce Business:

With $200, you can start your own e-commerce business by leveraging popular platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. Research profitable product niches (once again) and find reliable suppliers. Use part of your investment to purchase inventory, set up your online store, and cover marketing expenses. Utilize social media platforms and digital advertising to drive traffic and generate sales. With effective marketing strategies and a quality product, you can quickly recoup your investment and scale your e-commerce business.

3. Invest in Stock Trading:

Consider using a portion of your $200 to dip your toes into the stock market. Open an online brokerage account and educate yourself on stock trading strategies and techniques. While stock trading involves risks, careful research and analysis can help you make informed decisions. Start by investing in low-cost stocks or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to diversify your portfolio and potentially generate returns. Remember to approach stock trading with patience, discipline, and a long-term perspective.

4. Create and Sell Digital Products:

If you have skills in graphic design, writing, or programming, invest your $200 in creating digital products such as e-books, online courses, or software applications. Platforms like Udemy, Gumroad, or Etsy allow you to sell your digital products to a wide audience. Invest in tools or software that can enhance the quality and presentation of your products. Market and promote your creations through social media, email marketing, or partnerships to maximize your sales potential.

5. Flip Domains or Websites:

Invest your $200 in buying undervalued domain names or existing websites that have potential for improvement. Use platforms like Flippa or Sedo to find attractive opportunities. Conduct thorough research to identify domains or websites with good traffic, revenue potential, or potential for rebranding. Invest in improving the quality and visibility of the domain or website and then sell it at a higher price. This strategy requires patience, negotiation skills, and good market analysis to make profitable flips.

In conclusion, with a $200 investment, you can enter the online world and potentially make money. Whether you choose to create a niche website, start an e-commerce business, invest in stock trading, create and sell digital products, or flip domains and websites, each strategy requires dedication, research, and continuous learning. Remember to manage your investment wisely, stay focused, and adapt to changing market trends. Investing in your online venture can lead to significant returns and open up new opportunities for financial growth.

Hannah Minx

Hannah Wagner (better known by her stage name Miss Hannah Minx; born Oct. 1990) is an American vlogger known on Youtube for her Kawaii anime look and proportions (notice the frequent use of top down photo like the one above).

Her extensive cosplay in Japan, her informational videos about Japanese culture, and her JWOW (teaching a Japanese Word of the Week)/JPOW (Japanese Phrase of the Week) made her one of the most successful Youtube account.

She is actually so successful that many popular vloggers have made parodies of her characters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCPNPm1nlq0
Controversies, parodies, hateful comments nothing seems to stop Hannah, why?

Because Hannah Minx is quite a package of win

What are her angles? Japan, cosplay, teaching Japanese to the mass and being a geek with a big heart.

In my blog I've made some articles on famous cosplayers, and I wanted to add Miss Hannah Minx - even though she's not really a conventional cosplay girl ; because of her enthusiasm.

You can tell whatever you want about her characters or her videos, but you'll never get bored.


YouTube - MissHannahMinx's Channel
http://www.youtube.com/bonusminx
http://misshannahminx.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/HannahMinx
https://www.facebook.com/MissHannahMinx

Now absolutely nothing to do with the character above - I just fund a fantastic t-shirt :

My next article will be about .. the invasion of pornstar in the cosplay milieu.

Tips for Graphic design

Use good ingredients

High resolution Stock photo (e.g. iStockPhoto :  a compromise between cheap and good)

You can't go wrong with the following fonts:
- Georgia,
- Helvetica,
- Segoe UI,
- Avenir, Bembo,
- News Gothic.

Experiment with the grid system and see what works.
Don't be afraid to use big type and white space.

Draw

Get half a dozen different kinds of pencils from an art supply store and a few flip pads.
Draw simple shapes and look where their shadows fall—learn to see areas of light and dark.
Draw faces from photography books.
Draw things you like and care about.
Make line-only drawings.
Make shadow-only drawings.
Go see an Impressionist exhibit.
Expand your craft, open your mind to new styles and arts

Get inspired

Look at great design work that you someday aspire to do, and try to make an exact duplicate.
This is how great Renaissance painters learned their craft, and it is immensely beneficial.


Design skill takes years, but it will make your head a better place to live. It will open your eyes.

Cosplayer Spotlight

Back in 2011 a post has been made here ; about an outstanding cosplayer - she goes by the name of Crystal Graziano - and she is among the top brass of the American cosplay folks (among celebrity like Bellechere, Jessica Nigri, Katybear, Megan Marie, Queen Riot, etc ...).

No wonder she attracts success like a magnet - she has a dream body, the technical skills, the design genius, and the taste of a real professional. And she's getting better and better.

The only regret written back then, was that the beautiful Crystal Graziano  didn't had any youtube videos yet. Well surprise, now there's plenty of excellent interviews of her at www.youtube.com/user/stagefivetv/ check for all videos titled "Project Cosplay" - 8 episodes featuring the missus.



Extraordinary Cosplayer Spotlight: Crystal Graziano - Los Angeles Video game babes | Examiner.com: The pinnacle of sex appeal has been achieved.

But not only she's cosplaying, designing and making her own costume, she also can draw  anime style.

There seems to be no limit in her talents.

Where to find more about her :

www.flickr.com/photos/preciouscosplay/
www.facebook.com/people/Crystal-Graziano/
crystalcosfx.deviantart.com/
twitter.com/#!/itsprecioustime
preciouscosblog.blogspot.com

Grumpy Cat

Image source : Grumpy-cat

Tardar Sauce (aka Grumpy cat) became an internet sensation after her photo (yes Tardar is a female) arisen in  September 2012.

Her official webpage is at www.grumpycats.com
Her facebook page
Her youtube channel
Her tumblr
Now there's meme about grumpy cat all over the place
"I had fun once, it was awful"
"No!"
"Good!"

The meme is being used into T-Shirt, Poster,  magnet, flyer, hat, etc ...

Check for yourself :
http://socialeyezer.com/2012/12/11/14-purrfect-gifts-of-the-grumpy-cat-meme/
http://kakuleter.com/20-lol-grumpy-cat-illustrations-and-drawings/

This post is dedicated to Grumpy Cat
But does Tardar Sauce approves of this ?