Introduction NightCafe AI Tool

Artificial Intelligence or better know as AI is here and can be helpful but it is quite controversial, whether it is the basis of how the companies train their product on existing art or replacing human artists with a machine. 

But, if you enjoy creating items but don't have the skills to make it yourself or the money to commission someone else to do it then this is definitely an option. That being said, it is not completely done without any skills and depending on how much you create, it can cost you money. I am going to discuss the free AI tool NightCafe which is great to use if you are new to AI creation and if you only want to create a small number of items. There are many more AI tools available online but I am going to just focus on this one to get you started. 

The best thing about NightCafe is it is completely free to use. There are pro levels you can buy but this is not necessary when you are just beginning. In fact, I still have a free account. There are some things that you cannot make, like videos, but they do provide a few pro credits periodically so you can try out some of the pro features. I don't make AI videos (yet) so I don't need to be pro. Maybe as I get more experience or really want a certain feature, I will invest in it then. BUT, you can earn free credits every day. The program just recently rolled out a feature that allows you the chance to earn more credits than the daily 5 they started you out with and they even give you the first creation for free. 

You will need to sign up for a free account to keep a library of all your creations but you do not have to use anything but your email or Google account. 

1. To create a design begin with clicking the Create button at the top of the page.

2. Choose an AI Model. Click Browse All Models to see the options. Different models will vary in cost
(payment in credits). There are too many to describe here. The best thing to do is just try one out. Several options will only cost half a credit.

3. Type in your Text Prompt. Whatever you can imagine you want and put in more criteria to get different images. For example: "A vase of roses sitting on a table in a room with green walls, vintage oil painting."

The next few things you can do are optional.

4. Advanced Prompt Editor lets you choose a specific style that has been pre-written and will be added to your text prompt. For the prompt I wrote in Step 3, I would removed the vintage oil painting as this will probably conflict with one of the choices available here. I suggest you play around with these to see what you get.

5. Choose A Start Image (optional) allows you to select an image of your own that you can upload, Free Image library provided, or one of your own. 

Note: Some models will not have this option and others will have an option to use an image for the prompt. Also, be aware that the start image will drastically change your text prompt unless the two have similar features such as the image having the item you are writing about. 

The next few are Settings. These may change depending on the model used. 

6.  Number of Images. Default is always 1. If you choose more, then the amount of credits needed will increase. 

7. Runtime. The longer the runtime the more detailed and crisp the image can get. It will cost more for longer options. 

8. Aspect Ratio. Chose what size you want and think about this with the prompt you write. A portait will do better with a 3:4 ration and a landscape scene will be best at 16:9 or 4:3. 

9. Seed. Default is to be on. I suggest clicking the "?" button to learn more about this if you are curious. I always leave it on. 

10, Challenge Eligibility. Every day there is at least on challenge you can enter your creation in but you can do this at a later time. 

11. Click the Create button. This will tell you how many credits this will cost. 

Then wait for the design to complete. 

My results

The first one is the prompt I used above and then I changed the type of style from vintage oil painting to vintage watercolor painting, and then realistic photo. Each one kept the vases of roses and the green walls. Now it's your turn to try it out and see what you get. 

Helpful Hint to collect credits so you can keep trying new things: Go back every day and collect credits but don't use any for a period of time. The credits will begin to pile up and then when you are ready to try to create different prompts or try editing your creations you will have plenty. Just remember to go back. 

Watch the videos below to learn more about NightCafe and AI: