A new trend in AI art is emerging: eye-catching illusions built on geometric patterns like checkers and spirals. These illusions cleverly utilize familiar visual cues for depth and perspective, leaving the AI art world buzzing. I'm talking about Illusion Diffusion HQ (https://huggingface.co/spaces/AP123/IllusionDiffusion).

These captivating illusions are powered by a technology called ControlNet (https://huggingface.co/monster-labs/control_v1p_sd15_qrcode_monster), which allows users to subtly influence the AI art generation process. Think of it like providing an artist with detailed instructions – highlighting desired edges, specifying shapes, or even outlining textual elements. ControlNet works by setting constraints based on these instructions, guiding the AI to create specific geometric patterns like spirals or checkers, rather than directly prompting for an illusion. Now, let's dive deeper and see how this technology brings these illusions to life!

Let's take a glimpse behind the magic of Stable Diffusion:

Crypto.com creating a unique design piece integrating their logo with a landscape scene to promote their products.

BRB, heading into the mountains for a ski trip ⛷️ pic.twitter.com/IhOiE9tg00

— Crypto.com (@cryptocom) January 6, 2024

Despegar (a Latin American online travel agency), could enrich its creative marketing pieces by cleverly integrating its logo or other visual branding elements with beautiful visuals of the destinations its users love.

This technology also opens up a world of possibilities to give a unique style to QR codes, texts or other patterns implicated in the interaction with the user.

1. Design your base pattern: Create a black pattern over a white background, ready to be integrated into the illusion.
2. Access the tool: Visit Illusion Diffusion HQ on HuggingFace (https://huggingface.co/spaces/AP123/IllusionDiffusion).
3. Upload your pattern: Select "Input Illusion" and upload the image you've prepared.
4. Experiment with prompts: Explore different prompts to discover what works best. Consider scenes that naturally blend with the pattern, such as intricate nature landscapes or oil paintings.

Here are a few example prompts you could try out:

Medieval Village
(masterpiece:1.4), (best quality), (detailed), Medieval village scene with busy streets and castle in the distance

Japan cherry blossom season
(masterpiece:1.4), (best quality), (detailed), Japan cherry blossom season, style of Hokusai

City
(masterpiece:1.4), (best quality), (detailed), Bustling urban city streets during the evening rush hour, with towering skyscrapers, diverse pedestrians, and the city skyline illuminated against the fading sunset.

Greek Columns
(masterpiece:1.4), (best quality), (detailed), A gabled arch in a stone structure with a pool in front of it, Greg Hildebrandt–style, vibrant cartoon art, trending on Artforum, photorealistic imagery.

Space
science base on the surface of alien moon, planet hangs in the sky above the moon, future, sci-fi.

Beach
(masterpiece:1.4), (best quality), (detailed), Serene tropical beach at sunset, with palm trees casting long shadows, gentle waves washing ashore, and a vibrant sky painted in warm hues.

Forest
Landscape in the style of Ivan Shishkin. High resolution, detailed layout, realistic, vibrant colors, perfect composition, 8K photorealistic concept art.

5. Adjust Advanced Options: Experiment with the "Illusion Strength" setting, typically starting around 0.8. Find a balance that subtly embeds the message without compromising the overall image quality.
6. Generate and iterate: Generate the image and carefully evaluate the results. Refine your output with different prompts and illusion strengths until you achieve the desired effect.

Try your own!