How AI "Artists" are making money with Midjourney right now

Mango Street
30 Jun 202306:03

TLDRThe video discusses the impact of AI-generated images on the art world, highlighting the democratization of the creative process through platforms like mid-journey. It showcases how anyone can become a 'prompt engineer' by using descriptive prompts to generate art, inspired by Jonas Peterson's work. The video also explores variations in generative art and emphasizes the value of individual creativity over AI tools. Finally, it promotes Squarespace as a platform for selling art, offering features like member areas for exclusive content and customizable portfolios.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 The video discusses the impact of AI-generated images on the art world and the democratization of creative tools.
  • 🖌️ Squarespace sponsorship highlights the importance of platforms that support creators and their work.
  • 🤖 Mid-journey is introduced as an impressive platform for generative art, available through a Discord subscription.
  • 💡 The process of creating AI art involves being a 'prompt engineer,' using descriptive language to guide the AI's output.
  • 📸 Inspiration from Jonas Peterson's work is used to illustrate the potential of AI-generated art in terms of financial success.
  • 👵 The video uses the example of creating a series of images featuring a 'spunky old bitty' like Iris Apple to demonstrate the process.
  • 🎨 Variations in AI-generated art can be achieved by adjusting elements like color palette, lens type, and composition.
  • 😄 Adding humor and personality to the AI-generated images, such as telling a joke, can enhance their appeal.
  • 💰 The value of AI-generated art is seen as lying in the tools rather than the human creator, challenging the traditional view of art.
  • 📷 The video advocates for the use of AI in creative fields like photography and filmmaking, particularly for mood and storyboard creation.
  • 🛒 Squarespace is recommended as a platform for creators to showcase their work, sell products, and manage client interactions.

Q & A

  • What was the initial reaction of the person in the script when they saw the lady on the screen?

    -The person put their pen down and just sat and watched her for a few minutes, which led to a discussion about aging, beauty ideals, and the culture's fixation with youth.

  • What is the significance of the discussion that took place in the home regarding the lady on the screen?

    -The discussion highlighted the cultural preoccupation with youth and beauty standards, and it influenced the person's decision on the type of work they wanted to exhibit.

  • What is the platform mentioned in the script for generative art?

    -The platform mentioned is Mid-Journey, a subscription-based Discord service.

  • How much does the basic plan for Mid-Journey start at?

    -The basic plan for Mid-Journey starts at $10.

  • What is the process for creating an AI-generated image using Mid-Journey?

    -To create an image, you message the Mid-Journey bot, type 'forward slash imagine', press enter, and then type your prompt describing the image you want.

  • What are some details that can be included in the prompt to create a more descriptive image?

    -Details such as the camera and lens, the image's colors, composition, lighting, and other specific visual elements can be included in the prompt.

  • Who is Iris Apple and how is she used as an example in the script?

    -Iris Apple is an American fashion icon. In the script, she is used as a better alternative to the term 'old lady' for creating a series of AI-generated images that challenge traditional beauty standards.

  • What is the purpose of making variations of the AI-generated images?

    -Making variations allows for exploring different visual elements and styles to enhance the images and potentially increase their appeal and marketability.

  • How does the script suggest using AI-generated images for photography workshops?

    -The script suggests that AI-generated images can be used to create mood and storyboards, which can be beneficial for photographers and filmmakers, but emphasizes that human creativity and storytelling are still essential.

  • What is Squarespace and how does it relate to the content creator's journey in the script?

    -Squarespace is a website building platform that the creators have been using since 2013. It helps them manage and sell their content, such as podcasts and photography, through customizable websites and member areas.

  • What are some features that Squarespace offers for content creators?

    -Squarespace offers features like member areas for selling access to exclusive content, professional portfolios for showcasing work, and appointment scheduling for easy client management.

  • How can someone take advantage of the offer mentioned in the script for new Squarespace customers?

    -New customers can save 10% by going to squarespace.com/mangostreet, using the link in the description, or entering the code 'Mango Street' at checkout.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 AI and Art: The Democratization of Creativity

This paragraph discusses the impact of AI on the art world, particularly focusing on generative art and the potential for individuals to create and profit from AI-generated images. It highlights the sponsorship by Squarespace and introduces the concept of 'prompt engineering' using the mid-journey platform. The speaker shares their perspective on the accessibility of AI art, emphasizing that it's not exclusive and everyone can participate. They also touch upon the societal discussions that AI-generated images can spark, such as those about beauty ideals and the fixation on youth. The paragraph concludes with a practical guide on how to use the mid-journey bot for creating art, including tips on crafting detailed prompts and experimenting with variations to enhance the final product.

05:01

🚀 Empowering Creators with Squarespace

The second paragraph shifts focus to the empowerment of content creators through the use of Squarespace, a platform that the speaker has been using since 2013. It emphasizes the ease of creating professional websites and the multitude of features offered by Squarespace, such as member areas for selling exclusive content and customizable portfolios for showcasing photography. The speaker also mentions the convenience of scheduling appointments directly from the website and the benefits of Squarespace's design flexibility. The paragraph ends with a promotional offer for new Squarespace customers, encouraging them to take advantage of the platform's services and highlighting the virtually endless options for personalizing their online presence.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Squarespace

Squarespace is a website building and hosting platform that provides users with templates and tools to create and manage their own websites. In the context of the video, it is mentioned as a sponsor and is used to exemplify how individuals and businesses can utilize such platforms to showcase their work, sell products, and manage their online presence effectively.

💡AI generated images

AI generated images refer to visual content created using artificial intelligence algorithms. These algorithms can take input prompts and generate corresponding images based on that input. In the video, it is discussed how some people are making significant money by creating and selling AI generated images, which challenges the traditional notion of art and its value.

💡Mid-journey

Mid-journey is a platform for generative art, specifically mentioned as a subscription-based Discord server where users can create AI-generated images by typing prompts to the Mid-journey bot. The platform is used in the video to demonstrate how anyone can become a 'prompt engineer' and create their own AI-generated art series.

💡Prompt engineering

Prompt engineering is the process of crafting detailed and specific instructions or prompts for AI algorithms to generate desired outputs, such as images. In the video, the term is used to describe the act of creating prompts for AI to produce art, emphasizing the importance of descriptive language and specific visual elements to achieve the desired results.

💡Beauty ideals

Beauty ideals refer to the culturally influenced standards of beauty that are considered attractive or appealing within a society or culture. The video discusses how these ideals often focus on youth and can lead to discussions about aging and societal expectations. The video uses the example of an older woman on screen to spark a conversation about these beauty standards and their impact on individuals and society.

💡Cultural fixation with youth

The cultural fixation with youth is a societal tendency to prioritize and idolize youthfulness, often at the expense of appreciating other stages of life. In the video, this concept is explored through the lens of beauty ideals and the impact it has on individuals' self-perception and societal values, leading to the creation of art that challenges these norms.

💡Fifteen hundred dollars per print

The phrase 'fifteen hundred dollars per print' refers to the high value that can be placed on individual pieces of art, such as prints, in the marketplace. In the context of the video, it is used to highlight the potential financial success that can come from creating and selling AI-generated art, specifically mentioning Jonas Peterson's series as an example of the lucrative nature of this emerging art form.

💡Wes Anderson color palette

The 'Wes Anderson color palette' refers to the distinctive and aesthetically pleasing color schemes often used in films directed by Wes Anderson. These colors are characterized by their vibrancy, saturation, and unique combinations, which create a visually appealing and recognizable style. In the video, this color palette is suggested as one of the variations to apply to the AI-generated images to create a more whimsical and stylistic outcome.

💡Combat boots and checkered tile floor

The terms 'combat boots' and 'checkered tile floor' are used in the video to describe specific visual elements that can be included in the AI-generated images to add a sense of style and personality. These elements contribute to the overall composition and mood of the image, demonstrating how small details can significantly impact the final product and its appeal to viewers.

💡Squarespace site

A 'Squarespace site' refers to a website created using the Squarespace platform. In the video, the speaker mentions uploading AI-generated images to their Squarespace site to begin selling prints, showcasing the practical application of the platform for e-commerce and online presence. This highlights how Squarespace can serve as a tool for artists and creators to monetize their work and reach a wider audience.

💡Mood and storyboards

Mood and storyboards are essential components in the creative process, particularly in filmmaking and photography. 'Mood' refers to the emotional atmosphere or tone of a scene or piece, while 'storyboards' are visual representations of a sequence of events in a film, video, or animation. In the video, AI is suggested as a tool for creating mood and storyboards, providing a starting point for creativity and helping artists and filmmakers visualize their ideas before executing them in reality.

Highlights

The video discusses the impact of AI on art and creativity, specifically in the context of generative art and AI-generated images.

The speaker's personal experience with a video of a lady looking back at them sparked a discussion about aging, beauty ideals, and the cultural fixation with youth.

AI-generated images are becoming a lucrative market, with some people making a significant amount of money from them.

The video introduces 'Mid-journey', a subscription-based Discord platform for generative art, with a basic plan starting at $10.

To create AI-generated art, users need to become 'prompt engineers' by providing detailed descriptions for the AI to generate the desired images.

The video uses Jonas Peterson's $1,500 per print series as an inspiration to create their own series featuring a spunky old character.

The importance of being descriptive in prompts is emphasized, including details like camera, lens, colors, composition, lighting, etc.

The video demonstrates how variations in prompts, such as changing color palettes and outfits, can significantly alter the resulting AI-generated images.

The 'describe' function of Mid-journey is highlighted, which allows users to upload an image and have the AI write a prompt based on its analysis.

The video addresses the issue of gatekeeping in the art world, questioning the high value placed on AI-generated art and the notion that writing prompts is an artful process.

The speakers share their perspective that the value in art lies not in the human but in the tools provided, and that AI can be a beneficial tool for photographers and filmmakers.

The video promotes Squarespace as a platform for selling art, with features like member areas for selling access to content and professional portfolio websites.

Squarespace is praised for its flexibility and ease of use, with the speakers mentioning their long-term customer relationship since 2013.

The video provides a specific example of how to use Squarespace to sell reasonably priced prints and showcase photography.

A promotional offer is mentioned, where the audience can save on a new website or domain by using a specific link or code.

The video concludes with a brief overview of the different options available on Squarespace for various types of users.