The last time I did something fun was playing with AI. ChatGPT has a new tool that lets you create different kinds of images. You can download your photo, and that’s all you need. It writes the prompt for you.
I took a selfie, and the result is shown in the image. I think it’s so cute and cuddly. I wish it could be real. I use the image as a profile photo on this blog and on one of my Instagram accounts.
Using AI is like a party. I use it a lot for both fun and serious things. It’s suitable for checking grammar and providing helpful feedback. I use both ChatGPT and Gemini to help me write fiction. Sometimes it can express my thoughts exactly as I wanted to say. I write a chapter, then check the spelling and grammar with AI. Sometimes it suggests storylines for how to continue a story, and when it gets interesting, I can spend hours reading AI-generated stories based on the one I provided. It is an excellent fiction writer. The only downside is that it doesn’t check for explicit content. Not yet, anyway.
You still need to think for yourself when you use AI. It isn’t perfect, but it’s an excellent tool for creating. Many people use AI as a substitute for creating content, but it’s meant to help, not do everything for you.
You know, when you have a lot of extra time, you do things you usually are not known to do. It’s not a big secret; it doesn’t matter if people find out. It won’t have a significant effect on the world. Maybe it won’t even reach other people. You only do it for fun anyway as a way to relax. I’m going to tell you what I’ve been working on.
I’ve never been a good drawer like my parents were. My late dad painted with oil paint when he was younger, and he even tried to sell some paintings. He always drew when he was a kid, so he got a lot of practice. He said that was how he got good at it. There are quite a few paintings made by him at home. He drew from photos. He sketched first and then painted with oil paint. He gave up painting when he got occupied with work, and he didn’t think there was any point in wasting time on it. Just as well since there was no place to paint anyway. Also, because the paint had a strong scent, I couldn’t be in the same place because of it.
When I was a kid, I painted with water paint, but I stopped when I became interested in other things. I didn’t think it was much fun to draw anyway. You need to like it, or you will only get frustrated. I got some kind of resentment towards drawing when classmates had disapproving looks when they saw one of my drawings. From 2009 to 2011, when I studied graphic design, I didn’t like drawing at all, and I didn’t know what or how I should draw something. We had subjects about different drawing tools and styles. Even if the teacher did help, I still didn’t like drawing. Anyone can draw, but how many can draw very well? That’s another question. I’m not a painter; I’m a photographer. Stick to what you know, I’ll say. People who are good at doing art and illustrations should do that.
The secret is that I started drawing and painting again. I bought pens and watercolours, but I already had a paintbrush that my dad once owned. I don’t care how they turn out. I only do it for fun. Maybe it will pass. At the moment, it’s something I’ve been working on. I give you a few examples of what I have done and what tools I’ve used. As I said, it’s only practice and for fun.
In the first picture, I used crayons in the background and then painted with Dual-Tip Art Markers. You need a thick paper with those pens, or they will get through the paper. I finished the drawing with a 0,45 mm line micro pigment ink pen.
My latest purchase is watercolours. I sketched all the work with a pencil first and then painted it. It’s easier that way because you know what it will look like. I did one with the paintbrush, but it didn’t go well, so I won’t show you that. That will remain a secret.
Drawing and painting things by hand are more manageable than doing them on a computer, and they look more natural, too. I leave the excellent drawing and painting to those who do it best. This won’t be a hobby for me; it’s only something I do now. In a way, it’s fun to do this again. I try to learn how to draw by searching online, but it never looks like the teachings. Maybe my visualization ability isn’t as good as it should be when it comes to drawing. In other things, it isn’t a problem. Perhaps it’s meant to be. Some are good at drawing, and some are not. Anyone should draw or paint no matter what level they are. It’s one way to relax when you have nothing else to do.
In my world 