Picture era utilizing AIs like Midjourney is shockingly good. However the AIs even have a couple of weaknesses. On this article, I will present you how one can work round a type of weaknesses.
We’ll learn to make two or extra characters with matching faces.
Face matching is surprisingly inconsistent, and there are a couple of totally different strategies that can be utilized. Once I created my music promotion poses, I had to make use of some particular strategies to get the graphics to work.
How we use Midjourney, InsightFace, and Adobe Generative Fill to create this look
In my article about utilizing AI to create an album, I glossed over the strategies I used, giving a thousand-foot view of what they have been. However on this article, I’ll dive in and present you how one can make all of it occur, step-by-step.
Additionally, for this text, I’ll assume you’ve got signed up for and arrange your Midjourney account. For those who’re unsure how to try this, this text by ZDNET’s Lance Whitney will stroll you thru the steps: Learn how to use Midjourney’s web site to generate wonderful photographs with AI.
First, I will present you what I did to create my photographs, after which I will present you some further strategies.
This system makes use of an present {photograph} as a part of the picture immediate, which supplies Midjourney some steering on what to create. Since I needed my essential album promotion photographs to appear like me, I gave Midjourney a starter picture.
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Up till not too long ago, Midjourney solely ran in Discord. Now, there’s each an online interface and a Discord interface. I nonetheless choose the Discord interface, so on this article I will be exhibiting how one can do these varied steps utilizing Discord. Not all of those options can be out there within the net interface.
Let’s get began by importing a starter picture. To do that, double-click on the plus icon on the backside of the Discord display screen (bear in mind, Midjourney runs in Discord), select your picture, after which hit return.
As soon as it has been introduced into Midjourney, right-click on the picture and choose Copy Hyperlink:
This hyperlink is what you will use in making ready your immediate. Subsequent, give Midjourney the /IMAGINE immediate, adopted by the URL, after which your spec. This screenshot of the set of 4 generated photographs exhibits what it seemed like after I entered the total immediate. The highest left image is the picture I wound up utilizing for my profile.
Please word that this set of photographs was most positively not my first “roll” on Midjourney. Count on to do 5, 10, even 20 totally different tries earlier than you get one thing you want.
That stated, you may see how the generated model (particularly the one on the higher left) appears fairly near what I appear like. Extra curiously, the leather-based jacket within the picture appears weirdly just like the one I have been sporting for the previous decade or so. How does it know?
Only for completionist’s sake, this is what might need been generated with out utilizing the uploaded picture as steering.
They’re all fine-looking gents, however they give the impression of being nothing like me.
You should utilize the starter-image trick for something you need. Here is what Midjourney thinks my little Yorkie Poo pup Pixel might need seemed like as a Scottish warrior prince:
Every quad of photographs generated by Midjourney has its personal ID, known as a seed. If you wish to create future photographs which are just like an present Midjourney picture, you may attempt referencing the seed ID. It does not all the time work, nevertheless it’s value a attempt.
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To get a seed ID, click on the grey smiley-face icon (1) on the higher proper of the picture the place you need to get the seed. Then, within the search field, kind in :envelope: (2). Then click on on the envelope (3).
I do know it is utterly intuitively unobvious, however this course of will persuade Midjourney to ship you a message that incorporates the seed ID for the quad of photographs you are working with.
It is unlucky that the seed is for the quad of photographs, as a result of that makes it tougher to drill into the one picture you want. However it’s a place to begin.
For my promotion, I needed a picture of me standing in entrance of my automotive. I drive a pink Dodge Challenger and I believed that might be cool for my bio web page.
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This time, as an alternative of beginning with the precise photograph of me, I used the generated profile picture as my start line. As proven above, I uploaded it and received its URL.
Then, I mixed the profile picture with the beforehand retrieved seed worth and a immediate, and after about 20 spins, I received this quad:
Discover the /think about immediate. The URL is at first, and the seed immediate on the finish had my seed quantity. That is how I tied the 2 photographs collectively.
Whereas the picture on the decrease left was completely horrible, the one on the best wasn’t unhealthy. Strictly talking, it did not look solely like me. However it did seize the identical thematic fashion as the unique profile picture, it was shut sufficient, and the automotive seemed good.
However this was not my face and most positively not my hair:
To get the faces proper, I used a instrument known as InsightFace, which additionally runs in Discord. Getting InsightFace arrange is its personal mission, and fairly than taking you down that rabbit gap right here, I will level you to the tutorial I used to get began.
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This video is from PIXimperfect. I actually like this channel as a result of the presenter showcases some glorious picture tutorials, specific on Photoshop options. So, do not simply watch the video — save the channel.
After getting InsightFace arrange, we are able to go to city. The method entails two steps: importing the face you need to use, and importing the picture you need it utilized to.
To add the picture you need to use, use the /saveid command.
If you kind /saveid, you will be given a spot to add a picture. Then it is advisable give that picture a reputation ID. I known as mine “daviddoor” as a result of I am standing in entrance of a door. Keep in mind that ID since you’ll use it within the subsequent step.
Now, it is time for the face swap. Kind /swapid:
Add the picture you need the face to be utilized to. Then kind within the ID you created earlier. For those who’re fortunate, when you hit return, you will get a picture with the brand new face.
After all, the hair nonetheless is not proper.
Lastly, I wanted to repair the hair. For this, I dropped into Adobe Photoshop and used Generative Fill. Midjourney is nice for creating complete photographs. Photoshop Generative Fill is right for putting new imagery on high of present photographs and having all of it bend collectively seamlessly.
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The important thing drawback was all the additional hair beneath the ears. To remove that, I first introduced the Dave Head to one thing no person had ever seen earlier than: a bald me. I chosen the house simply the place I needed the hair eliminated, generated “bald”, and Photoshop did the work.
Then I chosen a smaller space and generated “curly hair”. This took a couple of tries, nevertheless it labored out.
And, in spite of everything the varied AI results, the ultimate image is beneath.
One fast word: the hair right here does not fairly match the tutorial hair above. That is as a result of I needed to recreate the method for demonstration, and the AI all the time comes up with one thing barely totally different. That is the precise closing picture from my authentic manufacturing course of, however the rightmost picture within the Three Daves graphic above exhibits how new hair might be generated, even when it is not precisely the identical output.
Can I nonetheless use Midjourney totally free?
No. Midjourney now not has a free tier. The plan I take advantage of prices $8 per thirty days. Up to now, I have never hit any limits with it, though it typically can take a short time for photographs to be created.
What about InsightFace? Is it free?
InsightFace does provide some free credit. I’ve achieved 4 or 5 face swaps and have not used them up. It seems to take about three “credit” per face swap, and also you get 50 free credit.
The place does Picsi.ai match into all this?
So, once you run out of face swap credit, you will must subscribe to a Patreon account for Picsi.ai. There are two plans. The bottom $10 per thirty days plan appears like it is going to do superb for most individuals. As to the connection between InsightFace and Picsi.ai, it seems that InsightFace is an open-source mission, and Picsi.ai has created a usable Discord consumer for it. However I am positive extra can be revealed over time.
Have you ever used any of those AI picture instruments? What do you consider the face swap approach? Does this spark any concepts for you? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
You’ll be able to comply with my day-to-day mission updates on social media. You should definitely subscribe to my weekly replace publication on Substack, and comply with me on Twitter at @DavidGewirtz, on Fb at Fb.com/DavidGewirtz, on Instagram at Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz, and on YouTube at YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.
Disclaimer: It is best to think about the authorized penalties (e.g. copyright) of utilizing AI-generated photographs earlier than implementing them into your work.
