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Manips By Phlebas

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Anyway I've played around a little too with this, using Krita instead of photoshop where youcan use the AI rendering plugin right inside your painting program. Actually I think one of the easiest ways to use AI is to support / extend a layered imaging approach - you can start with photos that don't really fit together, and improve that, or start from crude drawings or paintings
So there is still a place for traditional photoshopping, using AI to supply the raw ingredients.
......
The bulk of this scene is a single AI generated image including the women, with some minor editing. The crucified woman is a separate AI figure, and the cross a standard photomanip cross. The loincloth colour was also a post generation edit in PSP.
Of course, there's no right or wrong way to use artistic tools. But if you're not intentionally trying to preserve the photomanip aesthetic, you might want to consider changing the workflow order so that the AI can process the manually modified image sources instead of editing what the AI produces by hand.

I assume the need to manually edit the AI output came from the fact that AI often struggles to depict certain concepts (e.g. a wrist pierced by a nail) as precisely as you intended. But there's a better way to handle the problem than editing it by hand, which tends to introduce inconsistencies characteristic of photomanip works.

Instead, you could start by creating a rough photomanip work using images from whatever source, then use AI to merge them seamlessly, like @malins mentioned above. Using a control net image and repeating the process with low-denoising strength inpainting passes can greatly help.

I also rely much on hand drawings or image editing while working on my renders, but I always let the AI do the finishing touch, which makes the result much more realistic.
 
I love that violet and really don’t care about historical accuracy if it looks that bloody good!
well historically purple & violet colors were made from murex snails.
(This dye technique is actually culturally characteristic of the Phoenicians)

The snails are still around and some years ago people started attempts to reconstruct the process,
this is what you get working with them nowadays
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrian_purple#Dye_chemistry

Purple_Purpur_(retouched).jpgTyrian_purple_on_grayscale.jpg
 
I returned yet again to the story The Punic Cross which I have always loved. ...
So, two efforts. ...
ph574 is inspired by the account of her purple garment sliding down to expose her figure, I took it a step further and gave her a skimpy purple loincloth. Perhaps the women watching are her peers, young noblewomen grateful that she has been chosen as the sacrifice rather than them, or maybe they are jealous. One might be the priestess who is aroused and seeks out male company after watching her ordeal.
and anyway yeah that's a beautiful result, definitely worth the effort!
 
Of course, there's no right or wrong way to use artistic tools. But if you're not intentionally trying to preserve the photomanip aesthetic, you might want to consider changing the workflow order so that the AI can process the manually modified image sources instead of editing what the AI produces by hand.

I assume the need to manually edit the AI output came from the fact that AI often struggles to depict certain concepts (e.g. a wrist pierced by a nail) as precisely as you intended. But there's a better way to handle the problem than editing it by hand, which tends to introduce inconsistencies characteristic of photomanip works.

Instead, you could start by creating a rough photomanip work using images from whatever source, then use AI to merge them seamlessly, like @malins mentioned above. Using a control net image and repeating the process with low-denoising strength inpainting passes can greatly help.

I also rely much on hand drawings or image editing while working on my renders, but I always let the AI do the finishing touch, which makes the result much more realistic.

You are right, fallenmystic, and many of my more straightforward AI efforts are based on roughed out photomanip models. There are a lot I have not posted yet, and most are more AI than photomanip. The reason for the workflow used in that image is that what you describe is beyond me. I don't have the means to produce top quality AI images in that way, I have to be content with less sophisticated methods. In the case of the loincloth image, the AI version just would not come out right, so I went with the combined AI/photomanip version. I agree it would be better to do an AI pass to unify it, but sometimes that just looks worse with the tools I have to hand.

Here is one that is more purely AI. The nails and blood were added, and the hands sourced from another similar AI image. Simple but I think it's quite appealing.

ph565.jpg

Bear with me in this AI journey of discovery
 
You are right, fallenmystic, and many of my more straightforward AI efforts are based on roughed out photomanip models. There are a lot I have not posted yet, and most are more AI than photomanip. The reason for the workflow used in that image is that what you describe is beyond me. I don't have the means to produce top quality AI images in that way, I have to be content with less sophisticated methods. In the case of the loincloth image, the AI version just would not come out right, so I went with the combined AI/photomanip version. I agree it would be better to do an AI pass to unify it, but sometimes that just looks worse with the tools I have to hand.

Bear with me in this AI journey of discovery
It's actually much simpler than it may sound because it involves little more than getting used to the workflow. Of course, you should continue the journey at your own pace, and I don't intend to urge you to change that.

Just don't hesitate to ask if you need help with the workflow. Since I don't have proper eyes and taste for crux art, I'd love to help someone who does so that we can all enjoy more stunning art. :)
 
Here is one that is more purely AI. The nails and blood were added, and the hands sourced from another similar AI image. Simple but I think it's quite appealing.

View attachment 1557513

Bear with me in this AI journey of discovery
It is a very good picture but AI is still in its infancy. People using photoshop which has been around forever still screw it up! I think adding a story to the picture would enhance it greatly... Tree might do that!!!
 
You are right, fallenmystic, and many of my more straightforward AI efforts are based on roughed out photomanip models. There are a lot I have not posted yet, and most are more AI than photomanip. The reason for the workflow used in that image is that what you describe is beyond me. I don't have the means to produce top quality AI images in that way, I have to be content with less sophisticated methods. In the case of the loincloth image, the AI version just would not come out right, so I went with the combined AI/photomanip version. I agree it would be better to do an AI pass to unify it, but sometimes that just looks worse with the tools I have to hand.

Here is one that is more purely AI. The nails and blood were added, and the hands sourced from another similar AI image. Simple but I think it's quite appealing.

View attachment 1557513

Bear with me in this AI journey of discovery
That is really, really nice, Phlebas! :clapping:
 
ph560 depicts the suffering woman crucified in the courtyard, while the life of the palace goes on around her. This is a mixture of standard photomanip components while the central figure is an edited version of an AI generated figure.
ph560.jpg

This is a bold composition, with the close-up portrait of suffering contrasted against the comfortablly clothed females in the background. The long depth of field allows us to focus on each character in turn as we scan the image from left to right. The wealth of fine detail provides a feast for the eyes, the colour balance providing a subtle compliment between terracotta and blue/green.

We can see the lioness-style fountain producing a stream of water, but the fact that the victim can hear it provides another layer of torment. This is just one among many authentic period features presented in a successful blend of AI and manip art. I recognise the blue dress as a manip component, but perhaps the wearer is an AI character?

I have yet to read 'The Punic Cross', but the story is evidently providing great inspiration. Nice work, Phlebas! :)

Phlebas AI 2024 ph560.jpg Rose Drawing Room cf ph560-2024.jpg
 
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A short story inspired by a couple pictures by Phlebas…

Fellatia was the younger sister of Aurelia, the wife of Senator Phalus. She was a pretty woman that had habits and desires that annoyed her sister.

z 02.jpg

One of those habits was Fellatia’s enjoyment of sucking the senator’s cock.

z 03 A.jpg

This did not upset Aurelia much. Her husband’s infidelity bothered her some, but she hated giving him blowjobs, so if Fellatia didn’t mind swallowing his massive loads of cum, she could tolerate his cheating.

But one afternoon when Aurelia came back from the market quicker than usual, she snuck up to perhaps have an afternoon quickie with her husband. She quietly undressed and crept up to the bedroom to surprise Phalus. Instead, it was Aurelia who was surprised. She peered into the room and saw her husband having sex with Fellatia!

z 03.jpg

Noy only were they engaged in in fornication, Phalus seemed to be enjoying screwing her sister and Fellatia was most encouraging. Something had to be done and quickly. She could see herself going from the rich life of a senator’s wife to being sold at the slave market with profits from her sale going to Phalus and her sister!

Aurelia confronted Phalus. She was angry when she confronted him. “So you not only cheat on me but you are doing so with my sister! I demand this situation is taken care of quickly and permanently.”

Phalus lies and says “But Fellatia seduced me. What do you want me to do about her?”

“I want her crucified!”

“But she is your sister” Phalus protests.

z 04 a.jpg

“And how long will you be senator if word gets out you are fucking your wife’s sister? Either you put her to death nailed hanging from cross or everyone will know of your infidelity” Aurelia growls. “And everybody will know what a cheating bastard you are!”

The following day, Fellatia is arrested and brought to the senator’s house. She had been stripped of her fine clothing and wears only a rope binding her hands behind her. The senator sheepishly said “Fellatia, it has come out you have plans to seduce a senator. That is a severe crime here.”

“I have not ‘tried’ to seduce anyone. The only senator I have had any designs on is your husband and he hardly needed to be seduced” Fellatia says proudly.

“You will regret saying that when you hang naked nailed to you cross” Aurelia snaps back.

z 04 B.jpg

Fellatia is taken to the dungeon where she will be held until that Friday when she will be nailed to a cross and raised to hang naked before the town’s citizens until she dies hanging from it.

z 04.jpg

Chained sitting against a wall of the filthy room, Fellatia cannot believe she is to be crucified and die like a slave. She looks down at her naked body and said “…and every commoner will be able to see this jewel of a body!”

Friday comes and Fellatia is marched naked to the hill where slaves and criminals are crucified to suffer the hours on their cross before death ends their suffering. Fellatia swore she would be crucified with whatever dignity she could muster as she marched naked to her execution. Her plans ran awry when the first spike tore through her flesh. In a few minutes her wrists and feet are nailed to the cross and she is raised to hang naked before all the people who have come to see a noble woman nailed to her cross and hang before their prying eyes.

After the shock of being nailed and raised, Fellatia looks down on the crowd staring at her naked body hanging from the cross.

z 06.jpg

She glares down at them and lectures “I am the sister-in-law of a senator. You have no right to see me like this!”

The crowd ignores her commands and stay around till the midday sun becomes too hot to stare even at a crucified noble woman. They drift off to recount Fellatia’s crucifixion over a cold adult beverage.

Late in the afternoon, Aurelia comes to see her sister. Fellatia begs her to forgive her and end her torment. Aurelia says “Only your death will save you from your pain!”

z 08 (1).jpg

Late that evening, Fellatia would succumb to the tortures of her cross.

z 10.jpg

She still looked wonderful hanging naked but dead on her cross…
 
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