Author: FOCUS Magazine & Gallery SL

Did you know that you can upload your virtual photos to Midjourney? Usually stable diffusion AI can make the photos you’ve taken in a virtual world/game a bit more realistic. Midjourney has an enormous and ever growing data bank of images that it pulls from, so it can take any photo and “imaginize”it. I just made up that word! For those who don’t yet know, when using Midjourney you get a prompt to describe what kind of art you’d like to make by typing “/imagine.” So that’s why people may respond to AI images by saying “Nice imagines!” Midjourney creators probably chose the word “imagine” because, firstly, you are creating an image with your words, and secondly it’s an image that has no other input from you than your thoughts and how you communicate that image in words. I will be writing a lot more about Midjourney – which is my favorite platform for stable diffusion. There is a lot of controversy about Midjourney, which I will discuss too. But for now, take a look at these two photos that I’ve uploaded into Midjourney and what it gave back! The photos I took were quick, simple ones from Second Life with no special photo tools used and no post-editing. And with that photo, I show what Midjourney decided to turn my original photo into. Despite the heated controversy, Midjourney is fun to tinker with. I’m not terribly pleased with the outcome of these photos, but they are so drastically different from the original that I thought it was worth sharing. Again, no post-editing has been done to either. Enjoy! And let’s talk about it! How do you feel about AI art? Or even AI assisted art?

(Taken from an article in August 2023 issue of FOCUS Magazine

Art Steps

I came across a handy website that I think people will really enjoy knowing about. And it’s free! There is a paid version too with a few extra perks, but from what I can tell they aren’t necessary to create a basic gallery.

It’s called ArtSteps, and the reason I came across this site is because I have an SL friend who is also an artist in RL. She wanted to show her SL photography, as well as her RL photography, to people outside SL, but didn’t want to just pass along her Flickr address. She wanted to show just a few specific photos. She wanted it to look professional, like a gallery in SL, but easily accessed by anyone with internet access.

I came across ArtSteps.com and it did the job perfectly. You can choose between a few free gallery options, upload your pics to your private account, and voila! You have a virtual gallery!

Using it was a little confusing at first. You “walk” along the gallery by clicking a footsteps icon on the floor. Click ahead of where you want to go, and your viewer takes you there. I also used my arrow keys, which is easier for me on a laptop, after clicking the floor the first time. Also, to place photos on the walls, click one of your pics and it attaches to a canvas on your pointer. Once you place it on any wall or surface other than a window. Also, there are a few 3D objects you can used to decorate the space.

Angela set up a virtual gallery with a few of the photos from our featured artist, Sorcha Tyles, so you can see how easy it is. What a great way to share a few chosen photos with those who don’t have an SL account without having to share your entire Flickr account. And “walking” through the gallery is very similar to walking with mouselook in SL. To view the virtual gallery, you can visit it here.

If you have some time to wander, there are other’s exhibits from ALL around the world. There are several schools and universities, cultural centres, and personal and political exhibits too. It’s fun to share our own art, but it’s also fun to explore others if only to remind ourselves of the diversity and magnitude of humanity and the human experience of life.

Catherine Nikolaidis at Kondor Art Centre

August Noir by Catherine Nikolaidis
Perfect for the month of August (in the northern hemisphere) is Catherine Nikolaidis’ exhibit at Kondor Art Gallery entitled, “August Noir.” Walking into the classic gallery room, it feels almost like there are 12 windows that display beach scenes in black and white. Most of the photos are of Catherine, which is her usual style, but her photos are far from “selfies.”

Each photo seems like a fragment in time, or a fleeting, hidden —almost voyeuristic or paparazzi-like — glimpse into a woman’s quiet day at an empty beach. In all but one shot, her face is obscured as she goes about walking, sunbathing and swimming. However, in Catherine’s unique way, she brings sensuality to those actions. The way she crafts her infamous black and white photography brings a sense of realism — a talent that is so often sought by others and so rarely as expertly accomplished.

The opening party for this exhibit was held on July 23rd, but I’m expecting the exhibit will last through the month of August. There’s always so much happening at Kondor Art Center these days. If you haven’t been, you are truly missing out!

– Angela Thespian