The era of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly catching up with activities that were previously considered only possible by humans. One such topic of interest is the creation of original artwork and paintings, which many famous painters have been praised for in the past. However, AI has acquired this unique skill via online AI image generators.
Anyone looking for inspiration or wishing to visualize an idea without the ability to do so can make it a reality with AI image generators. With the help of these generators, anyone can create original artwork. So, what are they?
What Is an AI Image Generator?
An AI image Generator is an online tool that uses deep learning algorithms to create original artwork from text prompts; all you need to do is type and explain a scenario in a text box. For example, ‘Digital painting of the Earth in space with Saturn rings’, and the algorithm will use this prompt to create original art to the best of its understanding.
Different AI image generators use different algorithms, some use variations of other existing tools. In short, it is a great way to bring ideas to life when you don’t know how to draw or paint. You can create landscapes, realistic photographs, digital paintings, oil paintings, original characters, and even objects.
Top 7 AI Image Generators
As mentioned earlier, there are many free AI image generator tools available online. Here, we have curated a list of the top 7 AI image generators for you to try and explore. If you’re wondering how to generate images with AI, we will help you get started with the following list:
1. Midjourney
Midjourney is one of the most popular and comprehensive AI image generators. It generates original art in just a few seconds. However, compared to other AI image generators, it is hosted on a Discord server; therefore, you need to know your way around Discord to be able to try it.
First, you need to visit their website and join their Discord server. Then, you will be automatically added to a ‘free’ group where you can try out its image-generating algorithm. There, you have to type in your prompt using Discord bot commands. The bot will create four variations of the same text. You can further use bot commands to continue working on the same prompt or ask for a high-resolution image to download on your system.
Midjourney is commonly used by artists to find inspiration for their artwork. Compared to other generators, it can create images with faces without distortion. Here’s a fun fact, one of the artworks created by Midjourney, ‘Théâtre D’Opéra Spatial’ has won the first prize in an art competition hosted by the Colorado State Fair, where it beat 20 artists.
2. DALL·E 2
DALL·E 2 is another popular AI image generator that is considered cutting-edge by many. It was developed by OpenAI, which is the same creator responsible for the natural language machine learning algorithm called GPT-3. People mostly use it to generate new ideas or design new products.
First, you need to sign up on the platform, for which you’ll get 50 credits. Generating images from a single prompt will cost you one credit. If you need more credits, you’ll have to purchase them from the platform.
This AI generator tool is mostly popular for its ‘paintbrush’ feature, which allows you to edit the details of the generated images. You can adjust colors, highlights, shadows, textures, and more to your liking. Similar to Midjourney, it can create multiple images at a time with high-quality resolution.
3. Craiyon
Formerly known as Dall·E Mini, Craiyon was created by researchers from Hugging Face and Google. It has a simple page and is easy to use. The best thing about this AI image generator is that you don’t have to sign up or create an account to use it.
Once you visit their website, you simply have to enter your text prompt, and the AI will generate nine different images. It is free to use, and you can create unlimited images. However, Craiyon creates mostly abstract art and is not good for portraits. Hence, it is generally used to explore what AI can do with the artwork.
4. DreamStudio (Stable Diffusion)
Popularly known as ‘Stable Diffusion’, DreamStudio is different from other AI image generators. It is based on an open-source model, and any developer can access its API to study it or create a different algorithm based on it.
To use the tool, you need to first create an account on the platform. Then, you simply have to enter your prompt, and it will generate multiple images in a few seconds. The tool also allows you to edit the generated images and tweak them to your liking.
DreamStudio can be used to generate original illustrations, photographic images, logos, 3D models, and just about anything else. You can choose from three different AI models to generate your images in different styles: Stable Diffusion v1.4, Stable Diffusion v1.5, and Stable Inpainting V.01.
5. NightCafe
Compared to other AI image generators, NightCafe is popularly known for its ability to create artwork in different styles. It has various algorithms and options that are taken from the other tools. Moreover, it has two different modes for users to explore:
- Text to Image/Video: As the name suggests, it is the normal mode to generate images from text prompts.
- Style Transfer: This is a unique mode that allows you to upload an image and convert it into different styles with the help of AI.
To use this AI image generator, you need to sign up and create an account on the platform. It has a credit system that is used to generate images; you can either purchase the credits or earn them by participating in their online community.
NightCafe is easy to use, and you can create up to 5 images for free per day. Some popular styles for generating images include B&W portraits, Dark Fantasy, Anime, Modern Comics, CGI Characters, Artistic Portraits, and more. Hence, it offers a lot of fun and options to explore.
6. Dream by WOMBO
Dream by Wombo is another AI image generator developed by the Canadian artificial intelligence startup WOMBO. Apart from its online platform, it is also available in the form of smartphone applications for both Android and iOS.
You can start generating images without signing up or creating an account. However, the artwork you create will be lost if you don’t create an account. The process for generating images is similar to NightCafe. You simply have to enter your prompt and choose a style to create your free original artwork.
Both the online platform and the app are easy to use, and you can generate unlimited images for free. You are also free to sell the generated art pieces as NFTs if you wish to do so. However, it cannot process faces and may appear distorted. It also allows you to upload your images to use as a base to generate new artwork.
7. starryai
starryai is another AI image generator that offers an additional feature: it can turn generated images into NFTs, over which you have full ownership. You can either sell it or use it for personal or commercial purposes. Its machine-learning algorithm is unique and has an application for both Android and iOS.
To use the tool, you can either download the app or create an account on its platform. You will get five credits on signup, of which one credit will be used for every image you create from a prompt. To get more credits, you simply have to purchase them from their platform.
Both the website and smartphone applications are easy to use and can generate high-quality realistic images. Most people use it as an NFT generator or to create new product renders. There are various styles to choose from and you can upload an image to use as a base while generating new artwork.
