Hello everyone,

One of my to-do’s today was to experiment with image-generating AI (Artificial Intelligence for those of us who have miraculously avoided that topic so far) to get some ideas for a webpage redesign.

It didn’t work extremely well, so I’ll probably still have to use an old-fashioned noggin and pen and paper and maybe a graphic designer for this one.

However, it was fun to play around so I took the opportunity to ask the AI tool I was using (Dezgo for anyone wondering) to generate an image I have had in my head literally for years and haven’t gotten around to trying to draw yet.

I envision an image that shows a briefcase sitting in front of a door with an old, well-worn Peter Pan hat hanging off one corner. I want it to be thought-provoking and poignant. (Get it, like Peter Pan having taken up a real job but not quite letting go of the boyish magic of the past… Hooked in a painting.)

I tried several times, adjusting my text prompt each time, and the AI tried its best. But we devolved farther and farther from what I have in my head. It’s a good study either in my lack of clarity or in how easily I can waste time.

I didn’t document the first few tries, but here are the last:

Attempt Three: “I need a piece of art – a close-up view of a briefcase sitting in the foyer of a home. The door behind the briefcase is closed. There is a hat sitting on one corner of the briefcase. It is a peter pan hat with a feather in it.”

Attempt Four: “I need a piece of art. There is a briefcase sitting in the foyer of a home. The door behind the briefcase is closed. There is a hat sitting on the briefcase. It is a peter pan hat with a feather in it.”

Attempt Five: “An image showing a scene with two items in the foreground. The image is set in the foyer of a home. There is a briefcase sitting on the floor in front of the door. The door behind the briefcase is closed. There is a hat sitting on the briefcase. It is a Peter Pan hat with a feather in it.”

Attempt Six (my try at reverting back to something similar to what I started with): “I need a piece of art – there is a briefcase sitting on the floor in the foyer of a home. The door behind the briefcase is closed. There is a peter pan hat with a feather sitting on one corner of the briefcase.”

And then I had to stop. I’m kicking myself for not having saved the first few images and prompts. It did actually sort of get the idea the first couple times, and then descended from there.

If you try something similar soon, please share.

-LS