avatarEllen Eastwood

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er based on the prompt “A Dan Flavin art of a rabbit”.</figcaption></figure><p id="2b9b">It’s a beauty. Simple, poetic, surprising. The reference to Dan Flavin creates an atmospheric, illuminated render of the rabbit. I could see this as a piece in my own space.</p><p id="16cf" type="7">“An Isamu Noguchi art of a rabbit”</p><figure id="8d22"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*gj4fxhoA7HyROuRpYyb8Ig.png"><figcaption>A DALL-E render based on the prompt “An Isamu Noguchi art of a rabbit”.</figcaption></figure><p id="113c">Stunning. There is a bit of surrealism in the form itself, but it’s an impressive concept of a rabbit.</p><p id="03ce" type="7">“A Barbara Hepworth sculpture of a rabbit”</p><figure id="4eee"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*7LOC2oigQDzizr7kBf2stg.png"><figcaption>A DALL-E render based on the prompt “A Barbara Hepworth sculpture of a rabbit”.</figcaption></figure><p id="7855">This render looks right out of the imaginary sculpture park itself. The texture is amazingly realistic, the composition is dynamic. In its poise, the rabbit displays a big personality.</p><h1 id="830a">Defining the three-prong prompt: A sculptural reference, persona, and an action</h1><p id="5b77">Now that we’ve explored a basic static DALL-E render of a sculptural reference, we can expand the prompt with a third contextual element, <b>action</b>.</p><p id="56be">We’ll ask for the rabbit to be active, jumping, or leaping.</p><figure id="3b09"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*lYLI6loWGLuEmEit8uZNKw.png"><figcaption>Adding ‘action’ to the initial prompt. This defines the 3-prong approach for the prompt.</figcaption></figure><p id="2f0c">Defining an action for our persona will add fluidity and spatial aspects. We can describe the action as leaping, or jumping through the air.</p><p id="360c">The prompts for DALL-E are thus:</p><p id="e870" type="7">“A Dan Flavin art of a rabbit leaping through the air”</p><figure id="a91c"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*OhgL44MaPkgu2NcnBBcPwA.png"><figcaption>A DALL-E render based on the 3-prong prompt “A Dan Flavin art of a rabbit leaping through the air”.</figcaption></figure><p id="1c1b">DALL-E rendered this beautifully based on the 3-prong input. The image has a cinematic, ethereal quality. While we’re not sure where this narrative is going, it can be the take-off point for the rabbit hero story.</p><p id="ac7b" type="7">“An Isamu Noguchi sculpture of a rabbit jumping through mid air”</p><figure id="5b4e"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*-tfcnwiVkpOpni9ziPb53Q.png"><figcaption>A DALL-E render based on the 3-prong prompt “An Isamu Noguchi sculpture of a rabbit jumping through mid air”.</figcaption></figure><p id="9b64">In this DALL-E image, the hero, the rabbit is taking on a playful personality, jumping into the air, escaping the picture, leaping into his freedom. Action here defines the hero as having energy and aspirations.</p><p id="6506" type="7">“A Barbara Hepworth sculpture of a rabbit jumping”</p><figure id="60fc"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*tn92Rom8N8RRMEy5-MTVvg.png"><figcaption>A DALL-E render based on the 3-prong prompt “A Barbara Hepworth sculpture of a rabbit jumping”.</figcaption></figure><p id="c4a3">This DALL-E rabbit seems to be dancing on his concrete cube, excited to be in this park-like environment. The action here adds delightfulness and subtlety.</p><h1 id="0612">Defining the four-prong prompt: The sculptural reference, persona, action, and environment</h1><p id="600e">We can expand a 3-prong set-up to include any other attribute. We can set the stage by defining the surroundings, colors, expression, background, textures, and so many other aspects.</p><figure id="44e0"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*_LiLU-WRYZnBBdfaLNyXCQ.png"><figcaption>An illustrative outline of a 4-prong approach to crafting the prompt. This includes the sculptural style reference, the hero (rabbit), the action, and the environment.</figcaption></figure><p id="b24a">For this exploration, we define the environment on the Barbara-Hepworth-inspired dancing rabbit.</p><p id="5bd8" type="7">“A Barbara Hepworth sculpture of a rabbit diving into a big swimming pool”</p><figure id="cc8

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f"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*VM3eVfQ3YmXeriXWTUAQBA.png"><figcaption>A DALL-E render based on the 4-prong prompt “A Barbara Hepworth sculpture of a rabbit diving into a big swimming pool”.</figcaption></figure><p id="0744">It’s a nice rendering, although it took a few rounds to get a render of the rabbit’s entire body. The form of the sculpture is lovely, smooth, and artistic. I could see this sculpture in someone’s swimming pool.</p><p id="3c60">This can become an idea for a prototype. Or it can be a visual cue for a story that yet has to be written.</p><p id="58a0">Expanding on the prompts can add interesting dimensions, although it will take several tries before DALL-E can loosely match one’s expectation, even on a rudimentary level.</p><h1 id="f09d">Learnings and takeaways</h1><p id="e758">DALL-E renders take time (and money). They need a meaningful prompts to make a render valuable to the designer.</p><p id="ea35">Crafting a prompt takes a conceptual input. We need to define our expectations of a DALL-E render. (Randomness is fine, but unsurprisingly, the outcome is unpredictable).</p><p id="4faf">It is important to know the artistic style references well. Read up about artists’ and their work and look images of their oeuvre. Delve into their universe that took them decades to create.</p><p id="6c89">Study art history, visit museums, attend art lectures, research art movements. It will come in handy when you need to write design inputs.</p><p id="47f6">Keep being amazed by what you see around you and make a note of it.</p><p id="2ce2">Experiment with the prompt, but don’t ask for the impossible. Remember, DALL-E pulls from open source databases. DALL-E doesn’t have the human ability to bend its mind around corners.</p><p id="5f04">Remain humble and always remember, DALL-E does not replace the human imagination and creative mind. DALL-E is a tool. We can use it to explore.</p><p id="bd7b">Above all, enjoy the journey into AI.</p><p id="87ca">And then, take a break from it all.</p><p id="734f"><b>Interested in learning more about UX design, AI, design tools & trends, and art? Join Medium with <a href="https://evaschicker2012.medium.com/membership">this link</a>, and support my future writing. Thank you! </b>✍️🧡</p><p id="7ff8"><i>All images created with DALL-E ©Eva Schicker 2023.</i></p><p id="be5c">Read more about AI and design:</p><div id="f8f5" class="link-block"> <a href="https://evaschicker.medium.com/applying-abstract-art-references-to-dall-e-as-stylistic-concepts-55a000660f8c"> <div> <div> <h2>Applying abstract art references to DALL-E as stylistic concepts</h2> <div><h3>5 explorations on how DALL-E’s AI is interpreting modernist art styles</h3></div> <div><p>evaschicker.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*FJxhtMEaieIBKV-Tqsu18w.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="144e" class="link-block"> <a href="https://evaschicker.medium.com/how-to-explore-the-golden-ratio-in-design-and-typography-b124331ba378"> <div> <div> <h2>How to explore the golden ratio in design and typography</h2> <div><h3>The secret lies in 1.61803398875</h3></div> <div><p>evaschicker.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*6VIjPYDeIFm-JvSKNYg50g.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="770e" class="link-block"> <a href="https://evaschicker.medium.com/creating-steam-in-css-d8641ba7525c"> <div> <div> <h2>Creating steam in CSS</h2> <div><h3>Think hot, delightful, freshly brewed coffee</h3></div> <div><p>evaschicker.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*VuQaTsutYWfyUueWNHz2aQ.gif)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="0bce">Thank you.</p></article></body>

Please Remove Your Laptop From The Coffee Shop

Coffee shops are meant to be community spaces, not offices

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio at Pexels

I headed into a coffee/sandwich shop for an early lunch. The place was busy, with all 25-ish tables occupied. Those of us in line looked for a space to sit once our order was ready.

A few tables were filled with people eating, drinking, and socializing. But many others had one person sitting there, deeply focused on their laptop.

I managed to find a high stool to perch on. As I ate, I watched. The laptop people all had a single coffee in front of them that they sipped sporadically. While I don’t know how long they’d been there, their focus on whatever they were working on suggested it had been a while. One had papers spread all over the table. Another guy was actually taking a Zoom call in headphones.

I wouldn’t write about this incident if it were the first time it had happened. But I can think of three similar occasions in the last year. All at different coffee shops in various parts of the city.

That’s pretty remarkable considering I don’t even drink joe so I’m rarely in coffee shops.

A few months ago I walked into a high-end coffee shop for a meeting. It has only six tables, and they’re set up in a line. That made it easy for me to spot that each of those tables was occupied by one person and one laptop. No one was talking, everyone was working. No one looked like they were going anywhere anytime soon.

I’ve been working from home for nine years, so I know how hard it can be. The drive to leave the house is strong. Remote work can be very convenient, but it can also be isolating and leave us uninspired.

Because of this, I work one day per week at a co-working space. I love it there — it’s cozy, the employees are great, and the top floor has a massive skylight providing an inspirational view.

But the reason I most appreciate the co-working space is that for one day per week, I’m in a different space. The novelty is refreshing. I love coming home and being truly glad to be back there.

We all have a need for “third spaces,” spaces that aren’t home or work. This is why we appreciate gyms, malls, and yes, coffee shops.

If you’re a nomad, a freelancer, or a remote employee, you don’t even have that second space, so you spend a whole lot of time in that first space.

To add to that, some people feel more motivated and inspired in a coffee shop. Research suggests that coffee shop noises actually stimulate creativity. There must be something to it since YouTube offers numerous videos of coffee shop noises to play while working from home. This one has a million and a half “views.”

So yes, coffee shops can be a great place to work. But not when you’re impeding people from doing the things coffee shops are intended for.

I can occasionally be petty, so I actually sat and watched the remote workers while I ate my lunch. They didn’t look up at their surroundings. They were parked at their far more comfortable tables, blissfully unaware of anything but their work, having no idea that others might put that table to better use.

Meanwhile, people with their fresh coffees looked around for a place to sit.

The few times I’ve had my laptop at a coffee shop, I’ve done a scan every few minutes to ensure newcomers had tables. At the point when there were no more empty tables, I gave mine up.

The price of a coffee doesn’t buy you a table for as long as you want it. Coffee shops have a high turnover. If your coffee has gotten cold, it’s time to go.

In an era of self-focus, where we are self-employed and working towards our own goals, we can’t forget community values. Where it was once considered common courtesy to release a table if you’re no longer using it, now many have more of a “Too bad, I was here first” mentality.

Having no office doesn’t make it someone’s right to take up a table indefinitely for something that has nothing to do with drinking coffee. Coffee shops are a space for community, they were never meant to replace an office. Those who need a free place to park their laptop for a few hours can check out a local library.

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