Those Dirty Apes
Getting "the look" just right.
The picture above is pretty much the first picture that I was able to produce when I prompted AI to recreate this scene from Bovodar and the Bears. This is the scene in which the raccoons first bring him to the apes—who fancy themselves to be human men. Like all AI productions, it’s not quite what I imagined. When I first conceived of the apes’ cabin, I pictured it deeper in the forest, not so close to the ocean like this. And yet, with this conception, we see the cabin right there on the rocks overlooking the Beluosus Sea.
But in many respects, I like this picture better than some of those I produced last time when I tried to portray this chapter. Why? Because this image of the apes was modeled after the apes that Mary illustrated. And, of course, I like to try to stay as close to her conceptions as possible when I can.
Their faces look very creepy to me. Leering and filled with evil intent.
And humorously, the very VERY first version I got of this picture when I tried to make this scene—the AI gave me a completely different-looking “Bovodar.” In fact, I’d swear that this first iteration of the scene looked like it was portraying Atreyu from Neverending Story.
I asked it:
So, I'd like to see a picture of the raccoons delivering Bovodar as prisoner to Lord Chorl and Lord Dumwon. What would that look like to you?
The AI’s first response was this:
Again…it’s Atreyu, is it not?
The only thing it got right on this first try was the setting, and those apes. It did a real good job with the apes, I feel.
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