[AI Art/Illustration] The Watercolor Lost Soul, Saved by Yokai #241

When you want to 'recreate the look' of a watercolor illustration, you start adding elements like bleeding, blurring, paper texture, and ink lines, right?

……The result.

I gradually lost my sense of direction.
I almost drowned in the swamp of adjustments, thinking, 'This just isn't looking right...'

So, the conclusion I reached.

Why not just do Yokai illustrations!

The 'fluctuation' of watercolor, if you're aiming for realism, just looks like a 'mistake,' but with Yokai, it instantly becomes 'character.'
The bleeding, the splashes, the negative space—it all becomes part of the 'supernatural' presentation.

I'm a genius! lol

By running away to Yokai, I actually managed to cover up my flaws.

I've locked in the direction for this project as follows:

• Ink x Watercolor (line-and-wash): Lines are pen, shading is ink bleed

• Lots of negative space: Keep the background as clean as possible, use the atmosphere to create fear

• Mostly monochrome: Keep it within a grayscale range

• Only one accent color: Limit red to just 'eyes' or 'markings' (to prevent overdoing it)

• Splashes, drips, and bleeds are welcome: actually use them as the Yokai's aura

Just having these 'constraints' made it harder to get lost.
If I start adding things freely, I'm doomed.Constrain first, then play was the right answer.

Works

1. Rock Demon in Ceremonial Robes

2. Smoke-Haired Beast Demon

3. One-Eyed Ittan-momen

4. Shadow Laugher (Kagewarai)

5. Fallen Samurai with Crow Wings

6. Sume Bedridden

Afterword

I really thought, how can AI manage to shape things so well even from a vague phrase?
(Thinking about it calmly, it makes no sense that it can even get close to the 'randomness' of watercolors.)

The prompts I had it create this time will be released to members.
I plan to include the 'Yokai generation pattern' and 'how to create consistent constraints' as a set.

If I get 'lost in watercolors' again, I'll take refuge with the Yokai.
That's probably the right thing to do.

If you see this article and think, 'Maybe I'll give it a try' or 'Maybe I'll try making some Yokai illustrations,' then

Like or comment and let me know.
I'm a creature that lives on everyone's 'Likes' to refine the next mechanism (lol).
See you later.

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