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The brilliant AI images dreamt up by a Welsh designer

27 Sep 2023 4 minute read
Glyndwr, The First Minister, Superted (Credit: Welsh.ai)

A Welsh designer has used AI to dream up a series of fantastical images from Cymru culture.

Cai Morgan is a designer and content creator by day. His job as head of Boom Social at Boom Cymru TV has seen him explore the possibilities that AI offers – and so far his designer dabbling has come up with some amazing Welsh-themed images.

He’s now uploaded his images to an Instagram page which people are loving.

“I started the page to learn more about AI media generation,” he said. “Im fascinated yet terrified by how AI is going to change our creative industries so I guess I thought one of the ways to learn about it was to confront the issue head on. I needed a focussed subject to make images around, as there was a lack of Welsh imagery in the AI space I went for that.”

Using one of the most popular Ai image generators he set out on his voyage of discovery.

“Like most people, until recently all I had heard about AI is how its going to take all of our jobs, so a few weeks back I decided to open a can of worms and dance with the devil that is Midjourney,” said Cai.

“Midjourney is an AI image generator that produces AI Art deriving from commands inputted by the user.

“As a way of taking my first steps into the AI unknown, I learnt how to use Midjourney and started asking it to produce images around the theme of Wales, with some of our cultural icons being portrayed in some pretty preposterous scenarios.”

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From the likes of First Minister Mark Drakeford in his Pixar debut, the mythical Mabinogion tales as a HBO Game of Thrones-esque blockbuster, or Gareth Bale replacing Russell Crowe in a Gladiator remake – it’s fair to say Midjourney tuned in to Cymru culture terrifyingly quickly.

“Some of the generations are truly remarkable and breathtakingly realistic, but from my experience so far, for every A* image produced there are 10 F-grade generations which are hilariously awful,” said Cai.

“Even though, ironically. the word ‘Art’ appears in AI Art, Art is a pure, 100% human expression of emotion via the means of skilful creative articulation.

“Midjourney is mass-producing hundreds of thousands of incredible images per hour, generated via non-human means. There can’t be such a thing as AI Art in my opinion, but regardless of your moral stand-point on what Midjourney is actually producing, be it friend or foe, the products of AI media are here to stay.”

Check out Cai’s Welsh.ai Instagram page HERE

He is also taking Welsh based generation ideas via the account’s open DMs, so if you’ve got a crazy idea, send it over to Cai!

Bendigeidfran
Dewi Sant x Gucci
First Minister at Springfield Glee Club
Captain Bale in a Kubrik-esque space thriller
Cymru F1 Team – Launching with a promo around Eryri
Limited edition Wil Cwac Cwac line for @levis
Y Fari Lwyd for Milan Fashion Week ’23
Glyndŵr with House of Dragon/GoT vibes
Gareth Bale in Gladiator
Sam Tân the drama series
Anime Blodeuwedd
SuperTed for Marvel
Jac Y Jwc for Pentre Bach Fashion Week
Caffi Sali Mali
Black Nun, Glanllyn
Mark Drakeford in a Pixar movie

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Y Cymro
Y Cymro
1 year ago

Is it me, but does the cartoon render of Mark Drakeford look a little like Huey Green of opportunity knocks? Anyway, I hear Andrew RT Davies was muted. Wish somebody would. His bleeding voice gets on my nerves.

Mawkernewek
Mawkernewek
1 year ago

Andrew RT Davies driving at 20mph

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