2023 BLOG

I’m always up to something, in fact I try to create something everyday, so I thought I might put together a running Blog of the Current Work I’ve been doing. This blog will serve as a personal record, helping me look back and recall the work I’ve been doing, as I sometimes tend to forget the specifics of my past projects. I plan to include noteworthy work that I believe deserves to be shared and showcased here.

December 8, 2023

Over the past week, my creative endeavors have been buzzing with activity, primarily focused on crafting new images for Wirestock competitions. I enthusiastically participated in four distinct contests, each offering its own unique challenge. One competition, in particular, stood out as an enjoyable venture, embracing the freedom of capturing close-up photos with beautifully blurred backgrounds. Seizing this opportunity, I delved into the creation of more Christmas-themed images and explored the intricate world of macros.

For a glimpse into my latest work, you can follow this Orange Link HERE. The four new competition categories are neatly organized in Collections on my main page, covering a spectrum of themes: Wide Depth of Field, Rustic Nature, Indigenous People, and Scenes from Japan.

Amidst these artistic pursuits, a portion of my week was dedicated to the meticulous task of trimming my cannabis harvest, a process spanning around 13 hours over several days. The journey of this grow was fascinating, starting with six seeds, with only four successfully sprouting and ultimately two surviving. Despite this setback, I pressed on, topping the plants before transitioning to the flowering stage in an effort to maximize the yield from the surviving two.

The larger plant, a Northern Lights variety, showcased robust growth from the outset. In contrast, the Michigan Sweet Pine plant encountered a dampening-off issue initially, posing a threat to its survival. Despite the odds, it persevered, albeit lagging behind in growth by about 7-12 days. Both plants flourished beautifully, completing a 60-day flowering period. The harvest results left me astounded—Northern Lights achieved a personal best with a dry bud weight of an impressive 20oz (560 grams), surpassing my previous record of 11.5oz with Ripper Haze. The smaller Michigan Sweet Pine also pleasantly surprised me with a dry bud weight of 8oz (230 grams). What initially seemed like a potentially modest harvest turned into a bountiful yield of 28oz from two plants, leaving me both delighted and grateful. I’m currently working on an overview video of the entire grow but in the meantime I made a short 1 minute preview on Youtube.

In addition to my visual pursuits, I’ve found time for writing. I’ve penned a new poem simply titled “Bench,” inspired by a thought-provoking video about meditation and visualizing a bench overlooking something beautiful. This sparked my creativity, leading to the creation of 150 images featuring benches in picturesque settings. Eager to share these images with the world, I contemplated a video project. While conceptualizing the video, a poem spontaneously emerged in my mind, which I promptly transcribed and uploaded to my Writings Page. Although the video project is still in its nascent stages, I’ve crafted about six pages of handwritten dialogue, shaping the direction the video will take.

November 29, 2023

The past 23 days have flown by, and it seems like time is accelerating, especially as I engage in more creative pursuits. It’s somewhat surreal to realize that it’s only been 23 days since I joined WireStock. Yes, I decided to enlist with another platform to showcase my artworks. WireStock serves as a hosting service for images, allowing them to be sold in an open marketplace and distributed across 12-15 Stock Image sites, including well-known platforms like Adobe Stock, Dreamstime, Pond5, and 123Rf.

There are three membership tiers: a free option with limitations, a $6.50 per month plan offering 100 image uploads, and a $9.99 per month plan providing an additional 100 submissions. With a paid subscription, you can also access their AI image generator, although it’s somewhat limited compared to other tools like Leonardo, which I still use regularly.

Initially, I opted for the basic $6.50 per month subscription. However, after a week, I upgraded because I had already uploaded a hundred images and desired more upload capacity. An important lesson learned early on was that not all submitted images make it to the marketplace—only about 25% of my submissions were accepted. Out of 199 images, only 48 have been accepted for distribution.

Participating in challenges has added another layer of excitement. I’ve entered seven challenges, securing a 2nd place in one, earning me $15. Additionally, I’ve sold 20 images, bringing in another $5 with a $0.25 royalty per image. In total, I’ve made $20 in just 23 days. While I acknowledge that this won’t make me wealthy, it has covered a couple of months’ subscription fees, and more importantly, it has been an enjoyable and fulfilling daily activity.

Reflecting on the last 15 days (acknowledging I didn’t work on images every single day), I generated 2,898 images—an average of 193.2 images each day. While this may sound like a substantial quantity, it’s important to note that not all of these images were submitted. For instance, in response to a challenge, I created over 200 images, narrowed them down to 30 that were submitted, and only the one shown here won 2nd place. (This was NOT my Favorite submission, These are my submissions.)This illustrates the significant effort required to achieve even a modest ranking.

Ultimately, for me, the value lies not just in winning or financial gains but in the daily enjoyment and satisfaction it brings. Comparatively, I spend more on certain TV subscriptions that provide less enjoyment, making WireStock, in my mind, a justified and rewarding investment. MY WIRESTOCK SITE

Additionally, during this 23-day period, I successfully uploaded and crafted numerous new products and images on both Redbubble and Pictorem. Simultaneously, I continued my exploration of creating new music. On Redbubble, the new products include a collection of holiday-themed images perfect for Christmas cards or even apparel such as shirts and sweaters. On Pictorem, I’ve showcased a significant portion of the latest artwork I’ve produced.

My approach is to maintain Pictorem as a curated gallery, displaying all my artwork as intended. In contrast, Redbubble serves as a platform for selling products featuring my images. Lastly, Wirestock is where I market stock-type images, predominantly those generated in response to challenges presented by Wirestock.

November 6, 2023

Shortly after my previous entry, Adobe unveiled the latest version of Illustrator. Consequently, I’ve been exploring the new features of this software and familiarizing myself with its capabilities. At this stage, my interactions with it have been more about experimentation than content creation. Nevertheless, the potential to produce AI-generated vector graphics is undeniably impressive.

My creative endeavors during this time span were quite diverse. I delved into generating new art, conducting experiments, writing, developing new products, and immersing myself in music production.

Around the 14th of the month, I shifted my focus to crafting Fall and Halloween-themed imagery. I started by working on picturesque scenes of covered bridges in the Fall and eerie Halloween-themed images. Among the assortment of new Fall images I created, one that stands out as a personal favorite is a simple depiction of a rocky shoreline in the autumn. However, choosing a favorite proved challenging, as my images of covered bridges and grinding mills were close contenders for the top spot.

In the subsequent week, commencing on the 16th, I found myself contemplating what to create next. I entertained the idea of venturing into carving, particularly exploring old-world bone carving and scrimshaw. While the initial attempts yielded intriguing results, as is often the case with AI-generated content, I encountered surprising twists that led me down different creative paths. During some of the “bone carving” sessions, I stumbled upon an appealing carved ship within a frame, which inspired me to generate over 200 similar images. This influx of nautical-themed visuals took center stage. Additionally, during this week, Leonardo AI introduced new AI models and software updates that enabled the creation of remarkably lifelike images, particularly of people. Intrigued by these advancements, I conducted several photo sessions with individuals aboard the ships, though I have yet to decide how to incorporate these images into a narrative.

Over the following days, I dedicated time to refining the ship models, as AI frequently cropped portions of the images or placed them too close to the frame’s edge. Fortunately, Photoshop came to the rescue with its generative expansion tool, which I found myself using extensively. The “expand” feature in Photoshop proved invaluable for my recent work.

In the week starting on the 23rd, I shifted my attention back to Blockade Labs’ skybox, given their recent model and software updates. I contemplated recreating the Mekaba forest, previously featured on Kuula, and creating a new tour on Thinglink. This endeavor led to the generation of over two hundred new forest panoramas. To add a unique touch to the tour, I decided to include still photos in specific areas of the forest, a task I entrusted to Leonardo. Although I didn’t complete this project, most of the images are in place and uploaded, awaiting the planning and creation of links. I anticipate returning to it when the time is right.

Predictably, I got sidetracked as I often do, and began working on other types of images using Leonardo. These included model ships, sunset scenes, an old-time barbershop, barns, space-themed visuals, still life compositions, and more. Some of these found their way to my Redbubble store.

During the final week of October and into the first days of November, I explored macro photography of matchbox cars. This unexpectedly opened up a new avenue of creative exploration. As a child, I had a deep fascination with playing with matchbox cars and often marveled at the world from a miniature perspective. Now, the captivating results of my photography prompted me to delve deeper into this theme. I generated hundreds of images, particularly focusing on “Jeep” type matchbox cars. I decided to compile them and invested nearly a full day refining the compilation. After setting up products and uploading them to my Redbubble store, I received a rejection due to a trademark issue related to the jeep’s front grill configuration. This setback was disheartening, considering the time invested. However, undeterred, I embarked on creating a similar image without the jeep trademark, which, while quicker to produce, didn’t match the appeal of the original jeep compilation.

During the initial week of November, I had a conversation with my cousin Troy. I ended up sharing a collection of my vintage barber shop images with him because his father has been a barber for as long as I can remember. The reason I wanted to show these images to Troy was that, throughout the process of creating them, I had his father, Bob, in mind. This prompted Troy to request if I could create an image featuring the words “Bob the Barber” as a gift for his dad. I gladly accepted the request and set to work on it the following day. Once I completed the image and was satisfied with the outcome, I uploaded it to Redbubble and configured a variety of products for Troy to choose from.

I’m uncertain about what November has in store, but I’ve been actively engaged in some much-needed file organization. As you can imagine, my computer is inundated with thousands of images. To put it into perspective, in Lightroom alone, I currently have nearly two hundred thousand images. Effective management is essential if I ever hope to locate specific files in the future. Stay tuned for upcoming updates!

October 13, 2023

Time certainly flies when you’re immersed in enjoyable activities, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my creative pursuits, experimenting with my familiar tools like Photoshop, FinalCut, Logic Pro, and the fascinating AI tools such as Skybox and Leonardo. Let’s rewind to the first week of October, where I dedicated my time to capturing mesmerizing images of moths and dragonflies, reigniting my passion for macro photography.

One entire day was dedicated to generating images with Leonardo, and the subsequent two to three days were spent perfecting these images for display on platforms like Redbubble and Pictorem. In total, I introduced 30 new designs, including some designed as cut-outs for magnets, which still demand a considerable amount of effort. Selecting which images to showcase is always a challenge for me, as I hold an appreciation for each one.

Moving forward, I delved into creating enchanting mushroom houses, the ultimate purpose of which I am yet to decide. However, I’ll likely follow a similar path as this week, where I created a video using the treehouses I crafted some time ago.

And yes, you heard it right – I ventured back into the world of video editing! After a brief hiatus for my “Riven Waters Channel” (now renamed “Infinite Stories”) and a more extended break for my other channel, “Made While Medicated,” lasting nearly eight months. The extended break was due to a lack of growing plants, but I’m thrilled to report that I’ve reignited my creative spark.

Moreover, I engaged with the Skybox program, primarily aimed at producing 2D images, but it unexpectedly yielded some remarkable 6K images that upscale beautifully. My direction in this venture is still unfolding, guided by the universe when the time is right. I also allocated time for music creation, completing one new song and having another in the works, steadily building towards an album with three songs so far.

In the current week, I continued my creative journey, capturing more macro shots of bees, birds, flowers, and even chess sets. Some of these have already found their way onto Redbubble, such as the enchanting images of bees

and Lotus flowers!

As autumn set in, I wanted to craft some scenes of New England in its fall splendor. Two stand out, depicting an old grinding mill by a stream or river in the autumn, which I liked so much that I transformed them into oil paintings, now available on Redbubble.

October 2, 2023

During the past week, I’ve been quite busy producing a variety of content using tools like Leonardo, Skybox, and Photoshop. Additionally, I’ve been creating music and incorporating new designs into my online shops. Alongside these creative endeavors, I had to allocate a significant amount of time to software updates and upgrades, which required getting everything smoothly integrated.

Notably, Apple rolled out substantial updates during this period. The MAC operating system was upgraded to Sonoma 14.0, while iPhone and iPad received iOS 17.0.2. Furthermore, there was an update to Luminar NEO, which introduced some exciting features like an AI-driven Neon glow. Photoshop 2024 also made its debut, boasting an array of new AI features, with generative fill standing out as a game-changing addition.

Currently, my workflow involves generating initial images using Skybox or Leonardo, both of which excel at producing remarkable visuals. However, they sometimes fall short in capturing finer details. While these images appear good from a distance, zooming in reveals pixelation and imperfections. For instance, when creating clockwork gallery images, the gears and intricate details appeared fine at 100% zoom, but upon closer inspection, they seemed distorted. To rectify this, I employ Photoshop’s generative fill to selectively enhance areas, typically yielding satisfactory results. While Photoshop’s generative fill may not be high-resolution, it generally does an admirable job.

One particularly handy feature in Photoshop is the new Crop fill option, which proves invaluable when the AI-generated images lack proper framing or dimensions. Often, these areas appear blurry due to depth of field or being part of the background, but Photoshop’s AI effectively sharpens and enhances them.

In my online stores, I’ve introduced several new designs, some of which relate to health conditions I personally experience, such as EDS (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome), MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome), and POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). These designs draw inspiration from the symbolism of zebras in the medical world. Medical students are often told, “When you hear hoofbeats behind you, don’t expect to see a zebra.” In essence, they are encouraged to consider common diagnoses rather than rare ones. However, conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder defy this expectation, and that’s why they are symbolized by zebras. “Sometimes when you hear hoofbeats, it really is a zebra.” Each zebra has unique stripes, just as each person with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or HSD is unique. I’ve chosen a Rainbow Zebra design for those with rarer conditions and a Unicorn Rainbow Zebra for those, like myself, who experience all three. A significant portion of my time this week was dedicated to the creation of fresh content, and I must say, some of these creations have left me utterly astounded due to the exceptional quality generated by AI.

ALSO….Throughout the week, I expanded my ever-growing library of images by introducing an array of new categories. These additions include moths, dragonflies, HO scale trains, pirates, skulls, Antarctica, underwater cities, sunlit beach treasures, woodworking, architectural wonders, avian beauty, diverse terrains, enchanting wine cellars, inviting classrooms, captivating artistry, artisanal craftsmanship in homes, and an extensive collection of macro photographs that delve into the intricate world of mushrooms. I encourage you to stay tuned for these exciting additions that will soon make their appearance in my upcoming work.

Sept 25, 2023

Wow, time really flies when you’re constantly creating. Over the past three weeks, I’ve been fully immersed in my creative projects. I’ve been busy crafting graphics for my Redbubble site and crafting new images for future work. Additionally, I launched a new gallery called “The Contraption Gallery,” featuring artwork inspired by mechanical creatures, robots, and surreal settings. Originally, I was going to use an existing Skybox Pano, but this time, I aimed for a two-story gallery complete with a balcony overlooking the main hall. It may sound straightforward, but it turned out to be quite challenging. I had to capture nearly 140 panoramic shots before finding the one that met my vision. Once I had the right image, I spent hours in Photoshop refining it, adding people, props, signs, and artistic elements. Then, I integrated it into Thinglink, incorporating hotspots and links to my Redbubble or Pictorem sites.

I’ve chosen Pictorem as the platform for all my “Art” because it functions more like a gallery, offering a limited selection of item types for purchase. In contrast, Redbubble hosts my art that’s better suited for various items like stickers, magnets, or even bath mats.

Aside from graphic work, I invested considerable time in Photoshop enhancing images, merging them, filling gaps, and creating T-shirt designs for Redbubble and Amazon Marketplace. I also tackled some logo projects, both for myself and a few friends on Discord.

On a different note, I’ve been working on a few songs, with two of them nearing completion. However, it’ll still be a while before I release any new music. Moreover, I’ve been devoting more time to my indoor garden, tending to my plants. I encountered some difficulties starting this grow, and I believe I’ve pinpointed the issue. Unfortunately, some of the plants didn’t make it, and two others were affected by the troublesome dampening-off fungus. The survivors, Michigan Sweet Pine and Sawyers Pancakes, had a challenging start and will likely remain smaller, while the Northern Lights plant, which spent more time in the vegetative stage, is set to become a larger plant. I’m hoping the smaller ones can catch up before I switch the lights to the flowering schedule.

I haven’t written anything for awhile so I’m putting my New Theory on the page. Are We Light Beings?

Sept 3, 2023

Today, my primary focus was on launching a new art platform on Pictorem. This incredible website offers an ideal platform for showcasing a diverse range of artworks simultaneously. I invite you to visit and explore the platform; while it primarily caters to art prints, it remains an excellent avenue for experiencing a wide array of artistic creations. You can find my collection at https://rivenwaters.pictorem.com/.

Sept. 2, 2023

Over the last couple of days, I’ve been generating a ton of new inspiration and new art pieces, some of which I’ve already put on the Redbubble site. The AI systems that I’m using continue to amaze me on a daily basis, so that’s why I guess I’m working at such a pace. It’s hard to stay abreast of all the changes while doing everything else. BUT, I just want to create all the time, and I think AI inspires me in so many ways. It really gets my creative juices flowing. Photoshop continues to amaze me, and it seems like each week there’s something new. There have also been big update announcements over at Luminar for NEO, which I use in my workflow daily still, so I can’t wait to see the new stuff in action. The folks over at Blockade Labs continue to update the Skybox system, and the improvements are just amazing. So much new stuff! Oh, and of course, over at Leonardo.ai, things keep improving in leaps and bounds, plus people in the community keep generating new AI models that are just awesome! Okay, enough about that. I made these today, and you can find them over at Redbubble by clicking here.

Aug 31, 2023

I’ve been busy creating new art or editing my existing art to produce new products for Redbubble and Amazon. I’ve also linked up the Clockwork Gallery to Redbubble, which I find pretty cool. Some of the cool new designs I’ve created are listed below, and now the Amazon site is open! Check out the links below.

Aug 25, 2023

Since my last post, I’ve been busy working on a bunch of projects as always. The most recent update is my new storefronts!! One is all set up and running on a site called Redbubble. The other is on Amazon! My Amazon store is still being worked on, but I’ll update it here as soon as it’s open. But in the meantime, head over to RedBubble here: RivenWaters.redbubble.com

Aug 17, 2023

It’s been a little over a week since my last post, and I’ve just been too busy to post, so I’ll fill you in on what’s been happening. After finishing up the galleries, I decided to take a break from the tours for a bit and focus on collecting new content. This basically means playing around with the latest updates to the software I’ve been using. I also spent a good amount of time creating a couple of videos for my YouTube channel. These videos are basically just showcasing the capabilities of Skybox. Other things I did this past week: gathered content for Skyboxes, adding another 12 categories to my ever-growing library of Skyboxes. I almost forgot about this story I put together a month or so ago, called “The Lonely Miner”. You can check it out below or on my other page on the Written Word section. All the links are below.

Aug 9, 2023

I didn’t quite finish the new galleries yesterday, so the morning was focused on finishing those up. I still had to add the Pano’s to Thinglink and ALL the images in the new galleries, plus set up all the hot spots. Of course I always forget stuff like the plan for all the hotspots. I’ve learned over time that once you have more than 3 or four Pano’s you really need some sort of plan. The new Cross-Connector was really the main focus for the plan, connecting all galleries together in a central hub. This is what I intended to do with “The Hub” but it just didn’t have enough exit points and this new cross connector has a lot! While doing all of this I realized I hadn’t made Thumbnails like I did with the parks. I really like the way the thumbnails are working on this blog so I thought I’d just make direct links to all the galleries here.

Aug 8, 2023

Happy Birthday to my Daughter’s, Hope you guys have a great day!!

The majority of the day was dedicated to establishing two fresh gallery spaces. These galleries are destined to house the extensive collection of images I crafted over the weekend. With nearly 1500 images at my disposal, the task of selecting which ones to exhibit proved to be quite challenging. While the AI-generated images were predominantly high quality, a certain portion required quite a bit of correction. Recognizing the considerable time investment needed for their refinement, I opted to focus on crafting a select few “artistic” compositions using Photoshop. These chosen pieces would find their place in one of the new galleries, designated to showcase my artistic creations. The second gallery, on the other hand, would remain unaltered, serving as a photographic archive under the title of the “Time Machine.”

I named the artistic display as “The Clockwork Gallery,” as each image intricately revolves around the mechanisms inherent within timepieces. As for the other gallery, I named “The Time Machine Gallery” , though perhaps it might be more fittingly called a museum due to its role in presenting the history of the Time Machine. Admittedly, if a piece of art were to be sold, it could be classified as part of a gallery collection. Regardless, the narrative I formulated emerged during my efforts to logically organize the images into a cohesive sequence. The depiction of the wooden spherical object served as a pivotal point, suggesting the concept of a Time Machine. Subsequently, the rest of the narrative unfolded naturally, centering around an inventor’s journey in conceiving and constructing a Time Machine.

Aug 7, 2023

Hi Everyone, I’ve opened up a couple new Gallery spaces! Actually one of them is more of a connector between galleries and the other one is a Gallery of Ai inventions, focusing on VR Goggle creations. Follow the Link to the New Gallery Connector Hallway and see if you can find your way through the new spaces! https://www.thinglink.com/video/1745055662016037541

Aug 5-6, 2023

The weekend was spent primarily working on generating new content for some upcoming tours. I spent time working with Skybox AI and Leonardo AI to create new art for the galleries and future projects. Skybox also just released a new version, and I wanted a chance to check it out. They added a bunch of new AI models (35 total) and introduced some new features. In fact, I made images of all 35 using the same exact keywords, obtaining some really cool results. It also helped me better understand what each model does.

Additionally, I was experimenting with producing non-VR360 images using Skybox AI, mainly out of curiosity. Some of the results were very interesting, producing predictable outcomes after going through all the new options. For instance, if you use the Manga Model (the image of the sprockets), you will sometimes get flat 2D posters of multiple objects or plans. Other times, you just get really cool and unexpected results that often send me off in new directions.

Over the weekend, I created over 900 new Skyboxes and over 500 Leonardo images. This added another six folders to my ever-growing list of Skyboxes, which include: The 35 Skybox styles, Art and Fractal art, Tools in Toolbox, Inventor and inventions, New Scenics, and New Macros. I have also included a slideshow of the 35 different AI models using the same keywords. The keywords used were: Da Vinci-like drawings, VR goggles, plans, accurate geometry, Lego-style, steampunk elegance, macro perspective, old-world tools, mechanical parts, sprockets, cogs, gears, screws, clockwork, gold, silver, copper, glass, minuscule engraving, precision engineering, tool mark patterns, craftsmanship, plans, 2D, and flat. If you input these keywords, you will most likely get a strange-looking 360-degree image, best viewed as flat panoramas.

Aug 4, 2023

Today, I was busy working on a couple of logo projects for two friends of mine on Discord, Billy and JB. Billy was looking for a new logo for his company, “Billy Bongs Beans and Thangs.” I had previously created a few logos for Billy, so I wanted to explore a new direction using a combination of AI and Photoshop. Here’s an example of one of several logos I worked on.

JB was looking for a logo of his car, a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk. This is a pretty unique car, as there weren’t a lot of them made, and JB has one that he is restoring. He thought it would be cool to have a logo featuring a dark metallic red version of the car. I attempted to use AI to create it, but I only got cars that didn’t match what he wanted. So, I decided to go old school and used Photoshop to convert a few existing photos into a red version for him. I plan on combining the AI-generated designs with the ones from Photoshop, but I’m currently waiting for JB to get back to me.

Aug 3, 2023

The focus today was on some treehouses! I just love treehouses and the thought of having a really nice home built in the trees just appeals to me. This project was mostly done using Leonardo.ai, which typically generates 2D images. However, I wanted to see if I could get it to create panoramas. I did manage to generate panoramas, but I’m struggling to get the stitching line right. It’s not difficult to fix if it’s vegetation, but it becomes quite challenging when it involves buildings. I generated close to 250 of these images, so it was difficult to find ones I liked because most of them were really cool. Here’s a sampling of some of those images, including a couple of attempted panoramas.

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Aug 2, 2023

Today, I’ve been focused on creating some new content using Skyboxes and Leonardo.ai. One direction I went into was thinking of an inventor in his workshop, working on contraptions with gears, pulleys, wood, etc. I originally started with the workshop spaces in Skybox AI. I generated so many that I still need to look through them, but I included the one below as a sample. This is a really nice open space with second-floor balconies and high ceilings. This would be a good candidate to bring into Twinmotion because there’s lots of room to put things. That got me thinking that I should generate some static images using Leonardo.ai, and I was really blown away by most of the images it made. I’ve included one with the inventor and tried to make him look similar to myself using Photoshop to change his face. I added a similar mustache and goatee, fixed the glasses, changed the ears, changed the hair, changed the nose, cheeks, and jaw. Basically, the character got an entire facelift. The other images are of the inventions, and boy, did I get some really cool stuff, so much so that I think I’ll put it in a new gallery? Stay tuned for more on the inventor series.

August 1, 2023

I wanted to thank Blockade Labs for gifting me the TechnoWizard status which give me unlimited generations and priority generations!! I really do appreciate so much! I also wanted to tank ThinLink for writing such an awesome blog about what I’ve been doing with their software. Thinglink is the company where I host my tours. They also gifted me a premium membership, which gives me total access to all the cool new features!! Click Here for a link to the Blog article

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July 31, 2023

Today I also created and produced a 1 minute short showing how you can use a panorama from Blockade Labs Skybox and then use Photoshop to enhance it using generative AI. I tried to illustrate how good it works to correct Faces, hands, or just items on a table, for instance.

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July 28, 2023

Today was another Twofer, although I did start one of them the day before after finishing up Aqueduct Park. The one I started yesterday was Kona Square Park. This one was another time well spent in Photoshop, learning generative AI and how to add things that don’t actually exist. For example, I added a lion’s head of sorts to a bridge and thought it would be cool if I could make it look like water was coming out of its mouth. It was quite a challenge and required a lot of tinkering around, but I think I figured something out.

There was no existing geometry to work with, so I began by making a selection in the rough shape of the stream. I tried using different keywords, but it kept generating ghost versions of the geometry behind it. So, I created a new layer and filled the selection with color, then tried again, but got similar results. Then I thought, maybe if I apply a water pattern to the layer effects and rasterize the layer style, it might work. Well, the first few attempts resulted in nothing but garbage, but then all of a sudden, water started to take shape! It took a few more iterations, but I finally achieved the desired effect. Then, of course, I had to add a pond below it with a splash, and a small outlet from the pond into the large stream. All of that took the better part of half a day, but I learned a lot and thought the final result was pretty impressive.

The other project was the new Roman Bath Park, and this one presented its own challenges because this time I tried to incorporate swimming pools and people in the water. I thought it would be easier based on my previous water projects, but rendering people swimming realistically proved to be difficult. I made several attempts that were close, but ultimately, I had a wizard shoot a bolt of lightning into the water to wipe them all out! Hahaha, just kidding. That’s a story for another day, perhaps. Here are the links to the new panoramas.

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July 27, 2023

Aqueduct Park

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July 26, 2023

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July 25, 2023

Today, I finished a mini-tour of sorts—the small City Center tour that is part of my much larger and ongoing project. Additionally, I added some new music, sound effects, and a new panorama that will kickstart another mini-tour called Center Park.