Meet Rebecca!
Rebecca, known as @talesfromanotherdimension is a multifaceted creative based in Canada. Bridging various artistic realms, Rebecca’s work rich in dark, atmospheric, and cinematic qualities, carries a sense of magic and mystery. Rebecca's resilience shines through in their art, as they find solace, strength and healing in AI art despite facing health challenges.
With a background in photography and music, influenced by films and TV, and with a strong interest in animation, Rebecca is on their way to becoming a film director, with several short films already under their belt. In this candid interview, Rebecca highlights the transformative role of AI art in making creativity accessible, even for artists with physical limitations.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got interested in AI art?
I have a degree in photography and worked in the marketing industry for 11 years as a web/graphic designer, illustrator and animator. Unfortunately chronic illness got in the way of me furthering my career, so I simplified my life, moved to Canada from the UK and became an ESL teacher. But sadly my health got even worse to the point I was no longer able to sit up at a computer or focus on screens for much time. The discovery of AI art has allowed me to be creative when I felt like I was losing all other avenues. Miraculously, due to many factors which have helped my improvement over the last few months my health has improved a little to allow me to sit up for longer, take short walks and really explore the world of AI. I have been blown away by how it has not only helped me to deal with isolation and boredom from being bed ridden but helped me process grief and loss. I’ve seen people using it to help with many troubles, it really is an excellent art therapy.
Who or what are your artistic inspirations, and how do they influence your work?
Oh my gosh I have so many influences! It all started back in my childhood in the films and TV I loved. Things like The Goonies, Back to the Future and Doctor Who. Then when I was a bit older I got super inspired by Ray Harryhausen (I was lucky enough to meet him!) and that’s what got me into animation, though I have to admit, I struggle with the patience for it, especially now because of the limitations my health puts on me. Can’t wait for Runway.ml to develop a little further!
I think a lot of my work on Instagram is also inspired by Christopher Nolan films. You’ll see quite a bit of Inception in there and even Interstellar. I also love the movie Prospect and although that film Annihilation was creepy as, it seems to have embedded itself fully into my subconscious! Pair that with my love of retro design movements such as Mid Century Modern, Brutalism, designers like Saul Bass and the show/book Tales From The Loop (which also pulls from all those inspirations), along with the slightly more underlying influence (ie you won’t be seeing any gore!) from the zombie films I used to love, hence the bio punk theme, you’ll start to see where my world is coming from!
I love to explore and wander these in MJ and I create based on these inspirations. Before I got sick I was a wanderer - as a kid I’d wander the fields and lanes around my home. As an adult I’d explore European cities without maps and often not even see the sights I meant to see because I’d get lost. Still can’t believe I missed the Gaudi Cathedral in Barcelona! Now due to my health, I can’t visit Japan or Cuba but I also can’t travel through dimensions or dream realms so in its simplest terms AI is allowing me to create and explore worlds! A most wonderful way to escape a housebound life!
How do you approach the creative process when working with AI?
The creative process with MJ is just so wonderful! Even before I got sick I would let my fear of not being able to create it to the level I wanted get in the way. It’s hard being a film director that no one wants to listen to (and of course now I’m house bound its impossible) - I found that kind of group work very difficult and although I have produced a few short films I found it very hard to direct. I love the idea of being a film director but actually getting people to do what I need I find very hard. I guess I’m rather socially awkward and actually quite shy though you’d never guess! So that would get in the way of even starting an idea but now I don’t have to worry about the finished result. I don’t have to worry that I don’t have millions of dollars to make the movie I want, or I don’t have the people to help me set up the scenes I want to photograph or I don’t have the energy just to spend the day on a photo shoot, so all those barriers have been lifted and my confidence is so improved!
You know at my sickest I didn’t even have the energy to hold a pencil, there was a point where I could hardly speak. To be given a lifeline in the form of MJ was just so incredible! Here’s me stuck in bed hardly able to speak but I’ve got this incredible app that can bring my ideas to life and help me escape this living hell! I write prompts much like I compose music. I will have one initial idea which I will play with and I’ll see things in the idea that inspire other prompts and it all goes from there, sometimes the idea will end up completely different from the original which is exactly how my music works (The first 8 bars I lay down often sound nothing like the finished piece). Eventually I’ll do a few re-rolls to get close to what I want and sometimes I’ll use a reference image from a previous prompt.
I’m really interested in exploring contrasts and find those the most satisfying works. Like contrasting innocence with scary, or brutalist design with organic curves, or technology with the beauty of nature. Although it’s a challenge keeping my work tied to the main theme I do like it when MJ kind of takes it off into another direction. Sometimes I spend days trying to make my prompts very specific like my image of the girl reaching her hand out to touch a portal and other images I allow a little more leeway and let MJ take the lead.
I do get creative blocks still because I kind of run out of “idea energy” and have to regenerate, it takes up a lot of cognitive power coming up with these ideas but there’s no pressure anymore because I know that the finished product won’t take my energy and I know that once I’m regenerated I can put all my energy and effort back into the idea. Sometimes it takes me days and days to get the image I want but at the end of it I still have energy to cook my kid dinner! It’s so liberating and empowering. So I think working in AI helps take the pressure out of the creation process which in turn just allows ideas to flow!
I don’t think the creative process differs much from creating art in a more traditional way except AI helps with confidence. We have less to lose so creating something that sucks isn’t as scary. I think confidence is one of the biggest limits to what we can create. AI certainly opens up my confidence - I’m even hoping I can put my new found confidence back into physical art - I’ve certainly started taking more photographs since I started working with AI.
How has working with AI in art influenced your mental and emotional wellbeing?
Working with AI has absolutely helped with my mental health - as described before it has increased my confidence, helped me escape when I need to, and helped me process difficult themes like grief and loss. I think it is important to still be aware of when the process is becoming frustrating and let that go. And we still need to be aware of the pressures of social media if we are posting online.
In your opinion, how does AI redefine the concept of creativity and artistic agency, and how do you see it impacting the future of art?
I think AI brings more accessibility for people, especially those with health problems and financial restrictions. I’m also not concerned about its impact on the future of traditional art either. I think people will continue doing traditional stuff and they’ll probably get more recognition for it. I think there will come a point where the world is very saturated with AI art and that will actually bring more value to the traditional art. And like all art forms the amazing (AI) ones will be the ones who stand out and deserve recognition.
I do think that world building will become much more accessible and recognized as an art form in its own right rather than as part of film pre-production. Seeing all these world builders on instagram is so cool - it’s like instead of going to rent a movie at blockbuster in the old days, It’s go and explore the worlds of peoples mysterious minds, minds that we would never have been able to see into with any other format. It’s going to be exciting to see how that develops with AI.
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or not, who would it be and why?
Oh wow - I mean I don't have the mind that matches any of my favourite directors or artists but imagine if someone liked my world enough to want to bring it alive in film form - that would be great.
What advice or encouragement would you give to aspiring women who are interested in pursuing AI art?
Gosh I'm terrible at advice - I'd say just go for it! Subscribe for one month of Midjourney and play! Use it to escape, use it to process emotions, use it to tell stories, and see where it takes you.
For more of Rebecca’s incredible work, make sure to visit her Instagram account: @talesfromanotherdimension