Baby Cthulhu

I started with a Meta AI image prompt, and then hand-finished it for the final Cthulhu baby breathing smoke as seen in the underworld tar pits.

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A Set of Aliens Living in New York (inspired from John Carpenter's THEY LIVE)

I fed Travis Fox's image that I purchased last year featuring a They Live-themed alien into Bing Co-Pilot and had it spit out some AI-generated images. I brought them all into the Affinity Photo, cleaned up glitches, and made some minor fixes.

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Tusks of the Blood Moon: Red Death Lurks Beneath the Blubber

[Affinity Workflow: Pieced together several images (stock + AI generated) to make the main feature. Then Affinity Photo editor work to adjust and merge with some Filter Forge conversions for look and feel. Hand-tweaked the fonts with text-on-path. Built the poster credits from various internet samples, and matched-font type for my custom edits.]

In the desolate winter of 1888, a chilling legend awakens on the icy shores of Round Island in the District of Alaska. The Arctic winds carry whispers of terror, and the blood moon casts its crimson glow upon the frozen landscape.

Tagline: “Red Death Lurks Beneath the Blubber…”

Synopsis: Amid the unforgiving wilderness, a remote whaling outpost harbors secrets darker than the Arctic night. The townsfolk speak in hushed tones of a murderous walrus, a creature that emerges only during the blood moon—a time when the line between life and death blurs.

Captain Elias Blackwood, a grizzled seafarer haunted by past sins, leads a ragtag crew aboard the Frostfang. Their mission: to hunt the elusive walrus that has left a trail of mutilated bodies in its wake. But this is no ordinary beast. Its tusks are stained with blood, and its eyes hold ancient malevolence.

As the blood moon rises, the crew ventures deeper into madness. Dr. Isadora Hart, a brilliant naturalist, unravels cryptic Inuit legends that foretell doom. She warns of a curse that binds the walrus to vengeance—a curse that transcends time and reason.  First Mate Magnus Bjornsson, a man of few words and hidden scars, battles his own demons. His obsession with the walrus borders on madness, fueled by memories of a fateful encounter years ago.  The Village of Togiak quivers in fear. The walrus strikes under the cover of blizzards, dragging victims into icy depths. Its hunger knows no bounds, and its thirst for revenge drives it relentlessly.

As the Frostfang sails toward Round Island, the crew faces not only the wrath of the elements but also their own guilt and regrets. The blood moon looms large, casting shadows on the frozen sea. The walrus awaits, its tusks honed for slaughter.  But what if the walrus is more than a mere beast? What if it carries the sins of humanity, seeking retribution for crimes long buried in the ice?

Tusks of the Blood Moon is a bone-chilling tale of survival, redemption, and the primal forces that bind us to the abyss. As the crew confronts their darkest fears, they must answer one question: Can they escape the walrus’s wrath, or will they become its next victims?

Prepare for a voyage into madness. The tusks are hungry, and the blood moon calls…

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Görgathös: Lord of the Bloodfire Pit

Görgathös: Lord of the Bloodfire Pit, was a demon lord with a malformed cone-shaped head, multiple pairs of limbs resembling tentacles, glowing red eyes, and spider-like legs. Known not just as a formidable leader but also as a terrifying monster that resides deep within the depths of hell. His appearance alone is enough to send shivers down the spine of even the bravest soul. Görgathös was originally banished to hell after leading an army of horrifying creatures against the divine realm. The punishment for his rebellious actions was severe, and he was sentenced to never-ending imprisonment in the fiery pits of hell. But Görgathös was not one to be cowed by such a sentence. In his eternal prison, Görgathös honed his already formidable powers, using the intense heat and molten rocks around him as sources of energy. His body twisted and mutated under harsh conditions, transforming him into an even more grotesque and monstrous form than he was before.

The other denizens of hell feared and respected Görgathös for his power, but they also knew that crossing him was a grave mistake. His tentacles could ensnare even the largest demon in an instant, and his spider-like legs allowed him to move with unmatched speed and agility. Despite being trapped in hell, Görgathös remained a force to be reckoned with, and his legend lived on through countless tales of horror and fear. Mortals whispered his name with trepidation, knowing that he was not just a demon lord but also a monster that could rip the very fabric of reality apart. In short, Görgathös is more than just a demon lord; he is a living embodiment of terror, and his mere existence in hell sends shivers down the spines of those who dare to think about him.

Affinity Workflow: A few cycles of image prompts using NightCafe AI  to end up with the basic octo-daemon creature. I then cleaned up AI artifacts, sharpened edges, merged several pixel overlays to recolor different regions, and brushed in additional objects.

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Glowshard's Awakening

Deep within the volcanic caves of Mount Draconem, a tiny emerald egg began to tremor and shake. Hairline cracks formed across the ancient shell etched with cryptic runes as rays of lava light filtered in. After centuries lying dormant, the hatchling within sensed it was time to break free into the world.

With a final mighty push, the egg shattered apart, and out tumbled Glowshard, a small sky-blue dragon wyrmling covered in glittering crystalline shards. He let out a squeaky sneeze, sending sparkling motes shimmering through the air. His eyes blinked open, revealing brilliant golden irises that reflected the lava flows around him. Despite his miniature size, power coursed through Glowshard's veins, gifted to him by the magical volcano that was his hatching ground. His whip-like tail twitched with excitement as he explored his new surroundings, tiny wings flapping in a frenzy. The cavern walls glowed with mystic runes left behind by ancient dragons of old.

Glowshard's instincts took over. He opened his mouth, feeling the scorching heat building within, and released his first real burst of dragonfire. Instead of a cone of flame, however, brilliant lances of pure light and energy erupted in a blinding flash. Shard-like projectiles ricocheted wildly, fracturing the rocks and causing the entire volcanic cavern to luminesce. Glowshard blinked, startled by the unexpected brilliance. Had he done that? A surge of uncertainty mingled with exhilaration coursed through him. This was only the beginning...

Affinity Workflow: A few cycles of image prompts using NightCafe AI (DALLE-3) to end up with the cute glowing dragon. I then cleaned up some AI artifacts, sharpened some edges, and extended the image vertically a bit to show off his motes of magic.

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Nrub'atocto Lingers Underground

Some more artwork to go with the previous Nrub'atocto - She Who Feeds storyline showing the entity still trapped below ground with the skeletal remnants of lesser daemons entombed around Nrub'atocto.

Affinity Photo Workflow: Two image prompts using NightCafe AI to help create the monster and portions of the cave, which were then merged and composited with layer masks.  Stacked various layers to paint in more color, and added a human skeleton to help you comprehend the scale of the daemon.  

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No Joke. This Is A Stickup!

I pulled one panel from Batman #144 (© DC Comics 2024) drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Nesi, then remixed them into my own version of The Joker making a terrible joke as he dumps sinister laughing gas into the local Starbucks while firing an AK-47 in the air to get everyone's attention.

Affinity Photo Workflow: Panel pulled, dialog balloon replaced with my own weak joke.  Frame created with vignette overlay.  Gas recolored to green to be more Joker-appropriate.  A variety of masks are applied to alter the look (such as reflection).  New deadly laughing gas was added to the canister in his hand.  Mixed some skull-and-crossbones into the nasty green gas.  Replaced the original Joker face with another grabbed from a different source so we could see his psychotic grin way better. 

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The Joker Laughs As He Gets A Beatdown

I pulled panel elements from a couple pages of the issue of Batman #142 (© DC Comics 2024) drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Nesi, then remixed them into my own version of The Joker getting a beat down provided to him by some Gotham City thugs.

Affinity Photo Workflow: Thugs pulled out and adjusted to show movement.  Machete and crowbar elements were added for more fun.  Masked and mixed in Joker's HAHA into the background, radial-gradient added, then recolored everything green.  Painted in grass.

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The Joker, Batman, and Donald Trump walk into a bar together...

I pulled one panel from Batman #144 (© DC Comics 2024) drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Nesi, then remixed them into my own version of The Joker making a self-referencing joke to Batman: The Killing Joke as he walks into a bar.

Affinity Photo Workflow: Dialog balloon added with my own weak joke.  Hand-created the frame. Some minor half-tone/masking filters to adjust color saturation a smidge. 

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The Mist, part 1 & 2 (imagine a movie sequel call THE MIST: REBORN)

Rediscovered an old post I did, and decided to pull my original camera images and try another attempt at creating the morning's drive through The Mist... join me, as we head to the grocery store to help barricade windows.

Affinity Photo Workflow: My own photos plus a couple monsters borrowed from NightCafe AI Image collection I found combined, mixed & masked, extra textures, and more mist added with a bit of HSL color tweaking.

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Melting Birthday Cake

Made my own birthday cake today. I may have used too many candles.

Affinity Photo Workflow: Affinity Workflow: Pictures of cake, candles, chocolate drip, numbers, and kitchen counter all scrapped from the internet. A little fire brush, and smoke brush. Some creative warp mesh (pushing and pinching), and a ton of mask blending during the combining of 8+ images.

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Deacon Sirus, Your Local Spiritual Weatherman

Deacon Sirus, weathered hands clasped tight, stood atop the parched earth before his church. The once vibrant fields lay barren, the relentless sun a cruel reminder of their despair. His town, Hopewell, clung to the hope of rain, their whispers laced with desperation. With a deep breath, the Deacon's voice boomed, a plea not just to the sky but to the heavens themselves. His words, honed by years of faith, resonated with an almost tangible fervor. As he spoke, the sky, once an empty canvas of blue, began to stir. Wispy tendrils of grey coalesced, weaving into a tapestry of storm clouds. The wind picked up, a mournful sigh morphing into a hopeful song. The air, thick with anticipation, crackled with unseen energy. Finally, the first fat drops of rain splattered onto the Deacon's face, each one a tiny promise of salvation.

Affinity Photo Workflow: I merged a couple Nightcafe Image AI prompts into this single image.   Used Affinity Photo to clean out some AI artifacts, painted more lightning, added raindrops, and a bit of lens distortion from raindrops obscuring the camera lens.

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The Circle Opens: Stonehenge Crossing Into Netherrealm

For thousands of years, the ancient stone circle known as Stonehenge has stood in silence, keeping its secrets. Yet on the morning of the summer solstice, the calm is shattered when the inner stones begin glowing with supernatural power at dawn's first light. Ancient runes and symbols ignite fiery yellow-blue, crackling with energy never seen before in present-day Britain. Within minutes, a beam shoots out from the epicenter of the towering monoliths, converging in an explosion of sound and light at the center of the circle. From the smoke and debris, a shimmering portal emerges—a doorway leading to a strange and mystical realm thought only to exist in myths. Now the door between worlds lies open.

Affinity Photo Workflow: A few image prompts using Bing DALL-E & Nightcafe Image AI to create some of the various objects.   Merged hell dimension within the gateway, added luminescent comet, scrollwork, and text intro.   Portal beam, shaman, and extra monolith work brushed/masked into the merged prompt images within Affinity Photo.  I rather like the text font "Ave Ave BB" once I added some outline weight to it. my first time using this font I think.

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Stonehenge Illuminated

Stonehenge is illuminated by a beam of energy from a dimensional portal.  Several Meta ImagineAI image prompts to create stones + sky which I then merged within Affinity Photo, and then added multiple brushes to create the beam effects.

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Protecting the Southern Frontier from Hellish Intruders

Sheriff Robert Torres had seen it all in his three decades of service Hudspeth County, a desert border town in southern Texas. But nothing prepared him for the sight of a huge and horrifying daemon emerging from a glowing pentagram portal shimmering in the dry switchgrass. The nearest local farmers had fled in terror, leaving Robert and his faithful horse Blister to face the monster alone. Despite being outmatched in every way, the sheriff stood his ground before the portal, cocked his rifle, and said to Blister, "If this is our Alamo, let's make history". As the daemon approached, cackling and casting spells, Robert aimed and thought, "You may claim this land by magic, but we Texans will defend our home and way of life". Whatever the battle's outcome, the sheriff was determined to show the courage and grit of the Texas lawman.

Affinity Photo Workflow: A few image prompts using Bing DALL-E to create the monster (head, tail, claws combined from multiple attempts).  Grassy fields and clouds merged from multiple images.  Cowboy, horse, and original flag from public image searches, fences clipped in from other pictures. Dust, particles, pentagram, additional cloudwork (IAMRENSI brushes), and sunburst beams are added by hand in Affinity Photo. Experimented with various brushes (clouds, particles, smoke) used as my masking tool to work out Fx (such as damage to the flag).

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Angered Deity Looks Down on Stonehenge Summoners

An angry god peers down through a rip in the fabric of space-time upon the mysterious stone structure of Stonehenge. Gazing with wrath upon the ancient monument below, this powerful deity seethes with an unknown fury as it observes the tiny mortals milling about the ancient site from its vantage point in another dimension. What has provoked its ire and what fate may befall the unaware humans scurrying amidst the massive megaliths below the watchful supernatural eyes from beyond remains uncertain.

Affinity Photo Workflow: A few image prompts using Bing DALL-E & Google ImageFX to create some of the various objects.   Clouds are taken from many public images, and additional stones are masked from multiple images.   Light beams/bursts, rune work, electrical bolts, cloud addons, gradient glow on made deity face, and shadow brushwork are added within Affinity Photo.

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Nrub'atocto Stirs

Some more artwork to go with the previous Nrub'atocto - She Who Feeds storyline showing the entity still trapped below ground.

Affinity Photo Workflow: A few image prompts using Bing DALL-E to help create the monster and portions of the cave.  Filter forge used to convert to wood carving-type look.  Edits and additional items added within Affinity Photo.

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Interplanetary Stonehenge

Stonehenge located on a remote planet is illuminated by beams of energy as a local shaman executes a celestial summoning.  Several Meta ImagineAI image prompts to create stones then merged into moon and astrophotography images. Brushwork layers to create a radiant burst behind the moon within Affinity Photo.

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UFO Spectral Mapping of the Arizona Desert

UFO caught on film actively spectral mapping the Arizona desert floor south of Tucson.

Affinity Photo Workflow: A few image prompts using Bing DALL-E, and Meta AI Imagine to get me part of the flying saucer.  Sky image pulled from an astrophotography search, van with reflection borrowed from a car ad, cactus masked from other images.  Laser beams. ring lights on saucer and spectral mapping grid (mesh warping funtime) were added by hand in Affinity Photo.   A lot of masking to get the desert skyline and road added. Boxes and buildings dropped in for extra features.

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Multidimensional Summoning

At noon, the ancient stones of Stonehenge glowed with the sun's warmth and cast long shadows over the desert landscape. A group of wandering mages had set up a temporary camp nearby, hoping to unlock the hidden power within the stones. After many days of meditation and prayers, they finally triggered a bright beam of light that erupted from the circle's center, piercing the sky and forming a colorful vortex in the distant clouds. The mages gasped in a mix of awe and fear, as a colossal being emerged from the opening in the clouds. Their prayers had been answered, but they did not know if the godlike creature from another world would be their ally or their ultimate doom.

Affinity Photo Workflow: A few image prompts using Bing DALL-E, Meta AI Imagine, and Nightcafe Image AI to help create portions of the monster, a lot of cloud images, and the desert valley. Vapor clouds, the sun, sunburst beams, and the summoning beams were added by hand in Affinity Photo. Eyeballs created using Filter Forge were added to the creature. Stone circles and tribal tents were pulled from images and masked in.

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