[AI Picture Book Production Log #3] My Original Character Got Radically Altered!? The Day I Got Angry at AI's Rampage
Introduction: The Grand Plan to Turn My YouTube Original Animation into an AI Picture Book!
This is part 3 of the "Ryugu Castle Grand Plan," where I remake the paper-theater animation videos I posted on YouTube into Kindle picture books.
Last time, I shared the themes and thoughts I put into the work, and the time before that, I shared the reasons why I decided to remake it.
So, for this third installment, I'm finally entering the process of using AI (ChatGPT) to transform the illustrations I drew myself into pictures for a picture book!
I'd be happy if you could join me as I look back on the process of blood, sweat, and tears (?) that led to completion, while sometimes feeling impatient and sometimes venting my anger (?).
[Before & After] Can a flat-colored anime drawing turn into a miraculous masterpiece!?
The illustration I'm using this time is a scene capturing the protagonist, the Beaver brothers, and their friend, the monster Debra, playing in the sea. It's from the beginning of the story.
What will happen to this simple, anime-style illustration that I painted digitally with solid colors!?
I'm excited and nervous myself, but I want to see what kind of evolution it will undergo by using AI!
A collection of chaotic NG scenes! The time my original character was radically altered by AI
Now, let's start working together with the AI right away.
Personally, I want to express the fun atmosphere of the characters in the sea and the beauty of the ocean well.
I pressed the button with my heart pounding, hoping for a wonderful result.
……But, however! The world isn't that easy!! (BGM: Beethoven's Symphony No. 5)
① Too toxic American comic style! Unauthorized character alteration
Eek!What is this! What came out was a mysteriously American comic-style, colorful illustration.
Why does it have a foreign cartoon-like finish?
It arbitrarily added eyes and noses to sea creatures like sea anemones and sea cucumbers, the sea anemone's tentacles have become long noses, and it grew fingers on the beaver.
I don't know, the feeling of this isn't it is overwhelming. The colors are also too sharp overall, making me feel a sense of toxicity.
I like the bright atmosphere of the sea, but the character has been significantly altered, and it's completely different from the direction I'm aiming for.
Rejected! This is rejected!! ...So, let's pretend we didn't see that and move on to the next one!
② Tentacles from the nose!? The rampage of the sea anemone and Debra
Well, although I was stunned by the "masterpiece" at the very beginning, I pulled myself together and tried this one.
Unlike before, an illustration with a quite painterly taste has come out!
I personally quite like the expression of the sea. The members of Furumosu playing in the sea where bright light shines in. It's a very peaceful scene.
But... however. The sea anemone!! The tentacles are weird again YO!
The beaver touching the sea anemone also has a black nose added for some reason, and fingers have grown again.
Above all, tentacles, not spaghetti, are growing from its nose!! Because they are pink, they look like earthworms, which makes them even more disgusting. It has a strange alien creature vibe, sweat.
Also, Debra on the right. She has two pupils in her left eye, and she's breaking the coral too vigorously; this is full of a sense of completely destroying the sea. The sand clouds are also amazing.
Because it became an illustration full of things to point out, my adrenaline (?) also skyrocketed!
I like the overall taste, but... this is a no-go. It's a shame because the screen is beautiful.
So, moving on to the next one, next!!
③ Not "Snap"! A barrage of retorts to the manga-style effects
Yes, the next one also has a similar atmosphere in terms of color to the previous one.
Um, first of all, the sea anemone is better than before, but the form is somehow different... Also, I told you I don't need the beaver's nose or fingers!! Anger
How many times do I have to say it for you to understand...
By the way, I've been curious about this for a while, but the sea cucumber to the right of the sea anemone.
For some reason, the shape has become like a giant seashell instead of a sea cucumber.It's big enough to hold a pearl, hey!
The moray eel drifting in the sea has dead eyes and a scary expression, and above all, Debra! It's you!Stop changing your pose on your own!!Stop changing it in such an exquisite way!!
Also, don't express the act of breaking coral witha sound effect like 'Snap!'! What kind of direction is that? This isn't a manga, it's not a manga.
No, no, no, it doesn't get it at all.You, you don't get it at all!!(A reference to a certain former agency president)
After much struggle, it has become much better.
Haaah~, I've exhausted so much mental energy up to this point. I'm completely tired from all the retorts.
I realized that before even making illustrations, this is a task that drains a lot of mental HP.
However, I can't give up here! With the mindset that 'even fire feels cool if you clear your mind,' I pulled myself together and tried again, and here it is!
Ohhh, isn't this much better!
The original image hasn't been destroyed or altered that much! Good, good, keep it up!
Nice! It's getting much closer to the image I have in mind! Haaah~~~~, thank goodness! (Seriously)
I almost peed my pants at theremodeled finishfrom earlier, but I'm relieved that something decent has finally come out.
After my mental HP was severely drained... the ideal image has finally descended!
And after several hours of incredible struggle...Ta-da!!
Finally, it's finally finished!
It was a long way to get here, but I somehow did it, uwaaaahhh~! (Inarticulate scream)
That said, there are a few points I'm personally concerned about, so I'll fix them manually, but it feels like it's pretty close to the final form!
This original drawing...
I can't believe it evolved this much... AI is truly terrifying!
Summary: AI picture book production is a battle of love and patience
Well, with all that said, this third installment was one where my mental HP was steadily chipped away just by finishing a single illustration (lol).
I had underestimated how difficult it would be to get an original illustration finished exactly as I envisioned using AI... I'm crying.
I hold my head in my hands at the AI's "that's not what I wanted" ideas, but I want to enjoy even this gritty battle as part of the real thrill of making a picture book!
By the way... which of the "rejected images" that appeared this time was your favorite?
Please let me know in the comments, like "The tentacle coming out of the nose is crazy" or "I laughed at the snap," as it gives me energy for production!
I'll keep struggling and battling with the AI next time too, so I'd be happy if you could support and watch over me by clicking "Like" or following!
My challenge has only just begun. I'll do my best to continue making my picture book tomorrow!
🌍 The World of Frumos (List of works & SNS)
🏠 Blog (The mothership for everything):https://frumosimage.com/
🎬 YouTube:Frumos Channel
📚 Amazon Kindle:Author Page
📸 Instagram:@frumosart
🕊️ X (formerly Twitter):@frumosart