D&D General DALL·E 3 does amazing D&D art

[Saracenus]

I corrected GPT-4/DALL-E that a Bulette as a hybrid of an armored lizard and has a shark-like head I got this...

 

[pukunui]

Yeah, I tried doing a bulette a while back, but none of what DALL-E produced was worth sharing here.

 

[Saracenus]

Well after mucho chats with GPT-4 I manage to wrestle this pic out it... Giving you the prompt that was generated with this image is useless because it refers back to previous iterations I have with GPT about what a Bulette should look like...

 

[Zaukrie]

I corrected GPT-4/DALL-E that a Bulette as a hybrid of an armored lizard and has a shark-like head I got this...

View attachment 318154

All monsters are gargantuan

 

[Parmandur]

The sand in the air drifts slowly to the earth below in silence and all is as it was. Yet not quite, for the silence is not complete. Down below, as yet unseen through the settling dust, lifts the cool sound of running water. The clearing air soon reveals a cracked pool, now overflowing with spring-clear water, and a long dead channel, taking, at each step, its own parched drink before passing the flowing river on. It will take time to heal this land, but there will be blosso



This room is hung with rugs and skins and there are hides on the floor. There is a bed, 2 chairs, a small table with a tun of cheap wine on it, an old shield and some of the chief’s weapons (in the corner), a chest with his clothing, and other clothing hanging on pegs. A thick chain (for his cave bear) is set into one wall. Nothing of value is in the place.

 

[Lanefan]

I corrected GPT-4/DALL-E that a Bulette as a hybrid of an armored lizard and has a shark-like head I got this...

View attachment 318154

If the Tarrasque and a Bulette had a love child, this would be it.

 

[Scribe]

Well after mucho chats with GPT-4 I manage to wrestle this pic out it... Giving you the prompt that was generated with this image is useless because it refers back to previous iterations I have with GPT about what a Bulette should look like...

Question for you. If you were to tell it via GPT-4, to look up a D&D Silver Dragon (as all the Dragons have distinct crests/features) would you then be able to pass that 'definition' of a D&D Silver Dragon down the line to have it generate an oil painting of one?

 

[pukunui]

Question for you. If you were to tell it via GPT-4, to look up a D&D Silver Dragon (as all the Dragons have distinct crests/features) would you then be able to pass that 'definition' of a D&D Silver Dragon down the line to have it generate an oil painting of one?

Or use it to render a kobold or dragonborn that resembles one? I've been trying that with my kobolds without much success.

 

[Scribe]

Or use it to render a kobold or dragonborn that resembles one? I've been trying that with my kobolds without much success.

Or to define for the purposes of further iteration, the characters we have worked on.

 

[Saracenus]

Question for you. If you were to tell it via GPT-4, to look up a D&D Silver Dragon (as all the Dragons have distinct crests/features) would you then be able to pass that 'definition' of a D&D Silver Dragon down the line to have it generate an oil painting of one?

It cannot do this, it will not look at images, it generates from the data sets and the text prompts you give it whether you are using Bing or GPT-4 versions of DALL E 3. You can go the default GPT-4 (basically turning off the plugins) and upload an image of a D&D Silver Dragon and ask it to analyze it and it will spit out a pretty accurate description of it that you can use to mold your prompt.

Or use it to render a kobold or dragonborn that resembles one? I've been trying that with my kobolds without much success.

Not sure. If you can describe silver dragon and then tell it to incorporate it into generating the kobold or dragonborn it might be able to do it, but I haven't tried fusing the characteristics of a description with something else. It might work or not work like the hybrid work done earlier in this thread.

Or to define for the purposes of further iteration, the characters we have worked on.

I think I answered this in saying the text analysis would work for the purposes of further iteration but again it DALL-E is prohibited from using an actual image as a starting point. Midjourney AI has the ability to use an actual image as a reference and can even fuse multiple images before it starts generation... I do not have any experience with it, but I have a friend that is pretty deep into that one.

As a use case of what I am doing, let's walk through the Bulette craziness I went through, warning may make your eyes bleed...

Note: If something is highlighted in gold, that is directly from me, if it is blue, that is a generated prompt by the AI. I am going to hide the walls of text GPT generates behind a spoiler tag to save all your sanities.

It kicked it off with the following:

Natural Language PROMPT: A D&D bullete[sp] cresting up through the ground going after the horses of an adventuring party

Spoiler: DALL E 3 Generated Spew

Medium: Oil painting.

Subject:

• Colors: The bullete, a large, subterranean monster, is depicted in earthy browns and grays, contrasting with the vibrant colors of the startled horses.
• Pose: Dynamic. The bullete's powerful jaws are open wide, and it's cresting upward with force, while the horses rear up in panic.
• Viewing Angle: Diagonal from the ground level, allowing us to see both the bullete emerging and the horses' reactions.

Background:

• Environment: Outdoor, on a dusty trail with sparse vegetation.
• Colors: Earthy browns and greens for the ground, pale blue for the distant horizon.
• Lighting: Midday, intense sunlight casting strong shadows from the bullete and the horses.

Style Traits:

• Influences: Inspired by the Romantic era, capturing the raw emotions of the scene.
• Technique:

- Painting: Thick oil paints, textured canvas to capture the gritty feel of the scene, and dynamic brushstrokes, especially in the depiction of the bullete's movement and the dust being thrown up.

Prompts for DALL-E:

1. Oil painting of a grayish-brown bullete bursting dynamically from the ground, its jaws open wide, amidst a cloud of dust. In stark contrast, a group of vibrant-colored horses rear up in panic on a dusty trail. The environment is sparsely vegetated with a pale blue horizon in the background. The midday sun casts intense shadows from the bullete and the horses, and the scene is inspired by the Romantic era with thick brushstrokes capturing the raw emotion.

2. Oil painting of an adventuring party's horses startled as an earthy brown bullete emerges forcefully from the ground beneath them. The background depicts a dusty trail with minimal vegetation and a distant pale blue horizon. The intense midday light creates bold shadows, and the painting technique showcases thick oil paints on a textured canvas with dynamic brushstrokes inspired by the Romantic era.

Now, for the four new ideas inspired by your last suggestion:

1. A dragon perched atop a cliff, overlooking a caravan passing through a desert valley.
2. An underwater city being explored by merfolk and guarded by colossal sea creatures.
3. A floating island with a magical academy, with students practicing spells below.
4. A mysterious forest portal glowing at twilight, with curious animals peering through.

That generated that first image I posted with the actual bullet coming up from the ground chasing cowboys on horses. Yes I misspelled Bulette that first time and that may have been the cause of the complete failure. Time to instruct and iterate.

Natural Language CORRECTION: Bulette are huge hybrid creatures that are the body of an armored lizard and shark-like features at the head...

Spoiler: 2nd DALL E 3 Generated Spew

I apologize for the oversight. Let's correct that.

Medium: Oil painting.

Subject:

• • Colors: The bulette is depicted in dark earthy tones with armored scales in shades of gray and brown. Its shark-like head is a more muted gray with sharp, menacing teeth.
  • Pose: Dynamic. The bulette's body, reminiscent of a powerful lizard, is cresting upward with force, while its shark-like head snaps towards the horses.
  • Viewing Angle: Diagonal from the ground level, emphasizing the bulette's size and the horses' reactions.

Background:

• • Environment: Outdoor, on a rugged terrain with rocks and sparse vegetation.
  • Colors: Earthy browns and greens for the ground, pale blue for the sky.
  • Lighting: Midday, intense sunlight casting pronounced shadows from the bulette and the horses.

Style Traits:

• • Influences: Inspired by the Romantic era, emphasizing the raw emotions of the scene.
  • Technique:

- Painting: Thick oil paints on a textured canvas, with brushstrokes that highlight the bulette's armored scales and the dust being thrown up.

Prompts for DALL-E:

1. Oil painting of a massive bulette with the body of an armored lizard and a shark-like head, bursting dynamically from rugged terrain, its jaws open wide showing sharp teeth. Diverse horses rear up in panic nearby. The environment consists of rocks and sparse vegetation with a pale blue sky. The midday sun casts deep shadows, and the scene is inspired by the Romantic era with thick brushstrokes emphasizing the raw emotion and the bulette's armored scales.

2. Oil painting of a powerful bulette, a blend of armored lizard and shark features, emerging with force from the ground. Diverse horses of an adventuring party are startled, some rearing up in fear. The background showcases rugged terrain with minimal vegetation and a clear pale blue sky. The intense sunlight creates contrasting shadows, and the painting technique emphasizes the texture of the bulette's scales and the dust cloud, inspired by the Romantic era.

Let's generate these revised images.

Here are the revised images based on the detailed description of the bulette. I aimed to capture the unique blend of armored lizard and shark-like features of the bulette in contrast with the startled horses.

Let me know if these images align better with your vision or if there's anything else you'd like to explore!

This one generated the second image I posted. The other one was worse, but the one I posted was getting closer.

OK, now I need to switch gears, what if I switch to default GPT-4 instead of the beta DALL E 3 plugin and ask it to...

Natural Language PROMPT: Describe a D&D Bulette from various versions of the Monster Manual

That pumps out this wall of text I will put behind a spoiler tag...

Spoiler: GPT-4 Generated Spew

The Bulette, often referred to as a "land shark," is a fearsome monster that has been a part of Dungeons & Dragons lore since its early editions. Here's how it has been depicted across various versions of the Monster Manual:

### Original Dungeons & Dragons (OD&D)

• • Visual Description: Resembles a cross between a snapping turtle and an armadillo, with large jaws.
  • Combat Abilities: Known for leaping out of the ground and attacking its prey.

### Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1st Edition)

• • Visual Description: More detailed, with tougher-looking armor and more menacing jaws.
  • Combat Abilities: Improved leaping and biting mechanics. Often aims for softer ground to make its digging easier.

### Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (2nd Edition)

• • Visual Description: Similar to 1st edition, but with a more streamlined design.
  • Combat Abilities: Greater emphasis on its powerful jaws and leaping ability. Some variants introduced.

### Dungeons & Dragons (3rd and 3.5 Editions)

• • Visual Description: More anatomical details added, like muscle tone under the armor and sharper teeth.
  • Combat Abilities: Given more robust mechanics, including Attacks of Opportunity and a more detailed burrowing mechanic.

### Dungeons & Dragons (4th Edition)

• • Visual Description: Leans into a more fearsome look, emphasizing the size and horror aspects.
  • Combat Abilities: More tactical options, including a "swallow whole" ability.

### Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

• • Visual Description: Modern, detailed artwork that balances the ferocity and anatomy of the creature.
  • Combat Abilities: Simplified, yet strategic mechanics. Known for its Deadly Leap and ability to Burrow.

Across editions, the Bulette is consistently portrayed as an ambush predator that can burrow through the ground and leap out to attack its prey. It's a creature of raw physical power, relying on its natural armor and devastating bite to take down foes. The modern editions have polished its visual and mechanical aspects, but the core concept remains true to its origins.

I switch back to the original DALL E 3 chat for Bulettes and cut and paste in the wall of text from Default GPT-4. This generates the following (I will put an example of the images generated from it in the spoiler tag...

Spoiler: 3rd DALL E 3 Generated Spew w/ Pics

Thank you for the comprehensive overview of the Bulette across various editions of Dungeons & Dragons. Based on this information, let's craft a visual depiction that encapsulates the essence of the Bulette over its many iterations:

Medium: Digital illustration.

Subject:

Spoiler: 3rd DALL E 3 Generated Spew w/ Pics

• • Colors: Earthy browns and grays for the Bulette's armored scales, with darker shades for its menacing jaws.
  • Pose: Dynamic. The Bulette is half-burrowed in the ground, its body tensed, ready to make its signature Deadly Leap.
  • Viewing Angle: Slightly below eye level, emphasizing the Bulette's massive size and the impending threat it poses.

Background:

• • Environment: A rugged outdoor terrain, indicative of the creature's preference for softer ground, with remnants of its recent burrowing activity.
  • Colors: Muted earth tones for the ground, transitioning to a dimly lit sky, creating a sense of tension.
  • Lighting: Diffused, with a soft light source illuminating the Bulette, casting deep shadows that enhance its fearsome appearance.

Style Traits:

• • Influences: A blend of modern and traditional D&D artwork styles to pay homage to the Bulette's history while incorporating the refined details of its more recent depictions.
  • Technique:

- Digital: Using a software like Procreate or Photoshop, the illustration would emphasize the muscle tone under the Bulette's armor, its sharp teeth, and the intricate details of its scales. There would be a balance between the raw ferocity of the creature and the anatomical accuracy.

Prompts for DALL-E:

1. Digital illustration of a massive Bulette, colored in earthy browns and grays, half-burrowed in rugged terrain. The creature is poised for its signature leap, with a focus on its menacing jaws, armored scales, and detailed muscle tone. The muted environment showcases remnants of its burrowing, and a diffused light source casts deep shadows, enhancing the Bulette's fearsome appearance. The style is a blend of modern and traditional D&D artwork.

2. Digital illustration of a Bulette in a dynamic pose, ready to leap from the ground. Its earth-toned armored scales contrast with the dark jaws filled with sharp teeth. The background is a rugged landscape with signs of recent burrowing. The lighting is soft yet focused on the creature, emphasizing its size and the threat it poses. The artwork style pays homage to both classic and modern D&D depictions.

Let's generate these images.


Here are the images inspired by the detailed evolution of the Bulette across various editions of Dungeons & Dragons. I aimed to encapsulate its fearsome nature while paying homage to its rich history in D&D lore.

Do let me know if these images capture the essence of the Bulette as you envisioned or if there's anything else you'd like to explore!

Interlude, I thinks this is close, so lets try to change the scene and recreate the image from Expedition to the Barrier Peaks of robots tossing a sleeping Bulette out a cargo hatch at the adventuring party they had just done the same to. It. Was. Not. Working. or Pretty.

I now go back and try to refine the images generated by DALL E 3 Generated Spew...
I paste in the actual prompt with Image 1 since that looks the best to me...

GENERATED PROMPT: Digital illustration of a massive Bulette, colored in earthy browns and grays, half-burrowed in rugged terrain. The creature is poised for its signature leap, with a focus on its menacing jaws, armored scales, and detailed muscle tone. The muted environment showcases remnants of its burrowing, and a diffused light source casts deep shadows, enhancing the Bulette's fearsome appearance. The style is a blend of modern and traditional D&D artwork.

That gives me this...

NEW GENERATED PROMPT: Digital illustration of a massive Bulette, colored in earthy browns and grays, half-burrowed in rugged terrain. The creature is poised for its signature leap, with a focus on its menacing jaws, armored scales, and detailed muscle tone. The muted environment showcases remnants of its burrowing, and a diffused light source casts deep shadows, enhancing the Bulette's fearsome appearance. The style is a blend of modern and traditional D&D artwork.

I don't like the color choices so I write this...

Natural Language PROMPT: Make the scales dull metal gray with blue highlights

Which generates the following image and prompt...

NEW GENRATED PROMPT: Digital illustration of a massive Bulette with dull metal gray scales accented by blue highlights, half-burrowed in rugged terrain. The creature is poised for its signature leap, emphasizing its menacing jaws and detailed muscle tone. The environment, in muted tones, showcases remnants of its burrowing activity. A diffused light source casts deep shadows, amplifying the Bulette's intimidating presence. The artwork style seamlessly combines modern and traditional D&D influences.

Still too much like a Tarasque so I refine again with...

Natural Language PROMPT: Make the head more pointed with the mouth underneath like a shark, and its eyes are on either side of its head.

And that is how I finally get the best Bulette I could get... the prompt below is the actual prompt used to generate the image.

NEW GENRATED PROMPT: Digital illustration of a massive Bulette with a more pointed head resembling a shark, its mouth positioned underneath, and eyes located on either side of its head. The creature's scales are dull metal gray with blue highlights. It is half-burrowed in rugged terrain, poised for its signature leap. The muted environment showcases remnants of its burrowing, and a diffused light source casts deep shadows, emphasizing the Bulette's fearsome appearance. The artwork combines modern and traditional D&D styles.

Just as a control, I threw the last generated prompt, minus the last sentence because of character limits, straight into Bing...

PROMPT: Digital illustration of a massive Bulette with a more pointed head resembling a shark, its mouth positioned underneath, and eyes located on either side of its head. The creature's scales are dull metal gray with blue highlights. It is half-burrowed in rugged terrain, poised for its signature leap. The muted environment showcases remnants of its burrowing, and a diffused light source casts deep shadows, emphasizing the Bulette's fearsome appearance.

And here is a brand new chat instance in GPT-4 with the DALL E 3 plugin turned on to remove any previous context...

PROMPT: Use the prompt: "Digital illustration of a massive Bulette with a more pointed head resembling a shark, its mouth positioned underneath, and eyes located on either side of its head. The creature's scales are dull metal gray with blue highlights. It is half-burrowed in rugged terrain, poised for its signature leap. The muted environment showcases remnants of its burrowing, and a diffused light source casts deep shadows, emphasizing the Bulette's fearsome appearance. The artwork combines modern and traditional D&D styles."

GENERATED PROMPT: Digital illustration of a massive Bulette having a more pointed head similar to a shark. Its eyes are positioned on either side of its head while its mouth is located underneath. The Bulette's scales shimmer in dull metal gray with striking blue highlights. It is half-burrowed in a rugged, rocky terrain, appearing ready to make its powerful leap. Around the creature, the environment is filled with signs of its burrowing activity. A diffused light source from above casts deep, dramatic shadows, greatly accentuating the fearsome presence of the Bulette. The art seamlessly blends contemporary and traditional Dungeons & Dragons styles.

GENERATED PROMPT: Digital illustration depicting a colossal Bulette with a head shape reminiscent of a shark. Its eyes are situated on the sides of its head and its mouth lies below. The creature's scales are a muted metallic gray with hints of blue. It is semi-burrowed into a rough terrain, gearing up for its iconic leap. The backdrop displays traces of its previous burrows. A soft light source from the top casts intense shadows, highlighting the intimidating nature of the Bulette. The artwork is a harmonious fusion of both modern and classic D&D artistic styles.

When I put at the beginning, "Use the exact prompt:" It doesn't change the prompt at all and I get these...


Conclusion: I think GPT-4 is the best medium for getting to the image you want quickly. You have to pay for the pleasure but it allows for quick turn around. If you want to directly iterate off a specific image, you have to tell GPT-4 to use the exact prompt given. I have not hit a character limit yet. 554 characters is the highest I have gone so far, that I have checked (I have to put a prompt in Word to get a character count). My down time has been minimal so long as I don't go crazy in a single session. If I do that (only twice so far for me) it will put me in a cool down for about 8-20 minutes. GPT-4 DALL-E only generates 2 images at a time now, down from 4 just a week ago.

Bing just takes what you give it and tries its best to make it happen, the 380 character limit is something you have to dance around when taking something from GPT-4 to Bing. On the other hand, it is free and still generates 4 images off a prompt.