Unveiling My Creative Process: Crafting “Idle Wild”

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A Captivating Blend of AI Art and a Human's Creative Process

Idle Wild by Teresa Cowley shown in an art gallery like setting
The piece I call Idle Wild in an illustrative representation of an art gallery.

In my previous post, I shared the incredible opportunity I had to showcase my work in New York’s Times Square. The piece I selected for display is titled “Idle Wild,” and today, I’d like to take you on a journey behind the scenes of this captivating tribal mask with a spontaneous wild side.

The creative process behind “Idle Wild” commenced with my experimentation in a phone app called WOMBO Dream. This app employs AI technology to generate images based on text prompts. I want to be transparent and mention that I do use such apps as part of my creative process. However, I always engage in extensive customization, editing, and image manipulation to shape the final outcome. Consequently, I consider my work to be a form of digital mixed media.

When I began this project, WOMBO Dream was still in its early developmental stages. As a result, the initial results were a bit messy, to be honest. I recall using a text prompt like “African tribal mask carved out of zebra wood,” but the app produced a representation that combined zebra wood with patches of zebra print and oddly proportioned facial features. However, amidst this chaos, I noticed a glimmer of potential in one of the images. It reminded me of Trap Jaw, a character from the beloved 80s cartoon series “He-Man.” Both “He-Man” and “She-Ra” were personal favorites of mine during my childhood. The zebra print surrounding the face of “Idle Wild” resembled Trap Jaw’s metal jaw, which excited me immensely.

A series of images showing the evolution and creative process of Teresa Cowley's Idle Wild
I was able to go back and find some of images of the early stages of Idle Wild showing the creative process. From left to right; The initial image created with WOMBO Dream that started it all, the fully developed mask after worked on the facial features, and the final result with decorative elements created with MidJourney and other AI art tools.

Driven by my enthusiasm for this Trap Jaw-shaped zebra print, I embarked on creating various images to obtain other facial features for the mask. To challenge myself further, I decided to tackle the entire process on my phone, curious to see how it would unfold.

After completing the facial aspect of the mask, I felt it needed an additional touch. Consequently, I began experimenting with ornaments and details using AI art tools like MidJourney and others (variety is the spice of life, isn’t it?). Through a combination of masking, blending, editing, and numerous trial-and-error attempts, “Idle Wild” gradually took shape. It was one of those pieces that required setting aside and revisiting repeatedly, as I sensed something was not quite right. Due to this artistic journey, it took me a couple of years to finalize the artwork.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes glimpse into my creative process. Working with AI art tools is an exhilarating experience for me because it’s not about what the AI creates, but rather what I can craft using the AI-generated results.

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Digital artist and graphic designer, Teresa Cowley

My name is Teresa Cowley, and I'm a digital artist and graphic designer from Vancouver Island, Canada. I focus on abstract and fantasy art as well as digital collage, and like to utilize AI art tools as part of my design process to create new, innovative pieces of art. I strive to create new, unique designs that tell imaginative stories, and I am eager to push the boundaries of what can be expressed with art and technology.

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