Ed's New AI Generated Logo For His Train Layout

Woodsy,

As the subject of AI has come up recently, I thought I'd show you one application I've used it for: the design of a logo for my train layout using Chat GPT. 

The layout was given the fictional name of "The Milwaukee North Western Railroad" a couple of years ago when I transitioned from running anything and everything, to running mainly Milwaukee Road trains (and any other railroad that ran through Wisconsin). 

The basis for the logo was a photo I took of my Lionel 4-4-2 Milwaukee Road Hiawatha #1. The Chat GPT prompt was simply: "create circular logo with the words 'Milwaukee North Western Railroad along the perimeter'. 

The result is shown here. I'm here to tell you, I have absolutely not enough talent to have done this on my own with paint, pens, markers, crayons, chalk, whatever!! 

The logo is now being used on my YouTube channel Ed "ICE" Berg - Trains and Toys.

From The Milwaukee North Western Railroad Offices

Ed

Bill Ev's Thunderbirds Fun with AI

Woodsy,

I know it's fashionable to criticise AI. But I see it as simply an extension of the creative process. Really not too different to an electric guitar, or a sequenced synthesiser, or 3D printing as opposed to carving. [And I am both a musician and a qualified fine arts artist] and I don't object to AI...

But I digress. Here are some AI sequenced photos of our stringed friends, processed to look like real people. I recognise that not everyone will see the resemblance. But if I'd spent hours and hours trying to make them look completely realistic, the illustration would still not look right to some.

   

Plus, a meme I saw online that made me chuckle! 

Also attached is a teaser of the start of restoration work on the 1966 issue of the Dinky FAB 1.

 

When I was about 7, I broke off the radiator mascot. Having a close inspection of the original photos, I can see that the original issue had a stylised 'P' instead of 'RR' and the mascot looks remarkably like a rocket!

This looks almost identical to the FAB 1 radiator mascot in the new Thunderbirds series. Clearly WETA Digital must have been inspired by Dinky's solution to get around the image issue, whether be it for copyright reasons or product placement prohibition for children.

We'll see if my carving and filing skills with solder are still up to scratch. [Now I really could do with AI!]

Bill Ev.

Oz Base Film Update: HP Sources

Hey Moonbasers! 

How are you faring with the Brave New World of AI?

I hate generative art with a passion, because the systems have been trained with everything on the web, including artworks -regardless of copyright.

I searched "Have you been Scraped?" and sure enough, some of my work is already included.

I've decided I will not use Generative AI imagery in my puppet film, but it is almost impossible to use any system, without some form of AI lurking in the workings,

So I'm making background models and I looked at the new systems that create a 3 Dimensional model from a single photo.

I wanted BG models of the Houses of Parliament and King Charles' Gate - could the new systems come up with a basic shape I could work on in the real world?

It turns out the answer is yes. But as with all things AI, the spectre of "Hallucinations" are ever present.

I bet you never knew that Parliament had two Big Bens, or that they had rows of trumpeting angels on the roof!

Here are some screen grabs of the 3D meshes I'm working with, Good enough for background work, but still not a reliable substitute for reality!

Looey

Oz Base

Ex Machina

I re-watched Ex Machina last night,

A future flick from 2014. I enjoyed it but not ecstatically.

Basically about a gynoid called Ava, an imprisoned innocent and a megalomaniac, Ex M was an AI vision made when, unlike today, AI wasn't part of everything everywhere. 

The film is good to look at: minimal, stark, clean and polished. The inside of the house is a pristine underground white rat maze like you'd see on Grand Designs. Outside it's a shack in a remote lush valley. 

SPOILER! I found it awkwardly tense and ultimately a bit depressing, the robot killing it's captor in order to live in the real world, the innocent sacrificed.

Prescient it was and I'm still wondering what would an AI being like Ava do in a world full of humans?

It's probably not long before we find out.

Have you seen Ex Machina?

Action Man Moving Scene with Patient and Medic

 Here's my old photo

Hope you like my new clip

Nuclear Ferry Movie

This Project SWORD Nuclear ferry animation didn't work out as expected! 

Moon Ranger Movie

 A little messing with video makes a Tarheel Moon Ranger go!

Probe Force One Movie

Tarheel's photo-box art is crying out for motion! 

Eh voila!

 

My Rrrumblers Movie

 My Rrrumblers all revved up and coming to the birthday party!

SpaceX Nuclear Pulse Movie

 Those propellers were made for turning! 

T in a Circle Moon Prospector Movie

 One good turn deserves another!

Samurai Central

 I recently picked up these 12" action figures dressed as a Chinese male archer and a female Ninja. 

Finely detailed and high quality, I've no idea of the make. No makers mark visible anywhere.

Still, here's some shots of them guarding (or attacking) MoonBase Palace.

Enjoy.

And a short clip of the above.

MJ's Bad AI Example

Hi Woodsy this is an example of how ai app kinda gets it wrong, I didn't ask for the wave, nor for kirk to lose his phaser or get it back, the resolution is poor on this too, so try to use the best photos, clarity is key to good ai manipulation

Regards 

MJ

UK