In recent months, the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) art tools has increased exponentially, making them more accessible and powerful than ever before. ‘AI art’ has become a new medium for artists, writers, and digital creators, providing an avenue for new possibilities. One such creator exploring the corridors of AI with innovative tools like Midjourney is OneLight Studios’ Josh Gottsegen, the acclaimed author of the successful fantasy novel, “The Adventures of Rockford T. Honeypot” and the “Joosh’s Juice Bar” children’s book series. The writer now merges his vivid imagination with AI technology to conceptualize unique characters for the enchanted Tropland Universe.
The inhabitants of Tropland are every bit as fanciful as their home; their proud heritage is etched into their vibrant characters. While his previous books take place in Tropland Forest, where anthropomorphic animals talk and live with humans, Gottsegen’s upcoming novel “Myth of the Pear Princess,” takes place in Tropland’s Spirit Realm, like the upside-down of “Stranger Things.”
While writing the story, Gottsegen says he uses AI art to create vivid concept art, which fuels his creative process. “Combining my previous stories with current projects in development, I can explore new levels of storytelling and get real-time feedback across social media,” Gottsegen shared. “The Spirit Realm opens magical doors that didn’t exist in my previous books but are very much a part of Tropland.”
His images, posted on his growing Instagram account, showcases ‘King Mak’ wielding a shape-shifting ability that can be harnessed at will. The monarch will stop at nothing to hold his Kingdom’s mighty grip on power. Like her father, Princess Penelope wields potent magic and is a warrior princess who can travel between the two realms.
Gottsegen explained that since he incorporated AI art into his life and his Tropland Universe Instagram, he has found a new way to share his creativity. Recently, the author found like-minded creative artists in a new friendly Discord server called the ‘AI Art community.’ “They’re building a wonderful community for artists excited about the future of advanced tools. They do daily art challenges, collaborations, and inspire fresh, new ideas. They’re even developing an app for the community that will be available in early 2023,” he said.
Gottsegen aims to continue animating words with illustrative characters and settings in the coming years as technology advances. “I plan to expand my creative output utilizing AI art to assist in developing my future books, animated television series, and film storylines. It’s been a dream for many years, and I feel I’m getting closer,” the author left off.
