AI's Artistic Journey: Capturing the Gritty Realism of 'Dramatic' Style with Flux-dev
- 10 minutes read - 1999 wordsTable of Contents
The ‘Dramatic’ aesthetic, characterized by its gritty realism, stark contrasts, and evocative lighting, is often used in film, photography, and visual art to create a sense of tension, mystery, and intrigue. This style often features low-key lighting, deep shadows, and a focus on individual characters or objects against a backdrop of urban decay or natural desolation. This blog post explores how a generative AI model attempts to capture this aesthetic, analyzing its performance in terms of camera position, shot analysis, and aesthetic style. We’ll examine the model’s strengths and weaknesses, providing insights into the challenges and opportunities of using AI to generate images that evoke a specific artistic style.
Created with: flux-dev
A Handful of Secrets in the Shadows
A dimly lit room, a blurred background, and a hand holding three playing cards. The air crackles with mystery and suspense, hinting at a high-stakes game in the shadows. What secrets lie hidden within these cards?
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Intense, suspenseful, dangerous ; A gambler’s hand holding a pair of aces; close-up; Gaming; A smoky, dimly lit casino with flashing lights and the sound of slot machines.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A hand holding a deck of playing cards in a dark, dimly lit room with a gaming machine in the background. The cards are the focus of the image, with the hand and the machine being blurred. The scene appears to be taking place in a casino or a gaming venue.
Aesthetic Score : 0.4
Mood : mysterious, dark, thrilling
Quality
Entropy : 6.25
Noise : 40
Prompt Clip Score : 0.27
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.20
Image errors : There is some noise and grain in the image, especially in the background. The image also appears to have been slightly overexposed.
Lost in the City Lights: A Moment of Melancholy
A young woman gazes out the window of a moving vehicle, her profile illuminated by the soft glow of distant city lights. The image captures a sense of quiet contemplation and wistful nostalgia, as she seems lost in thought, reflecting on the passing cityscape.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Nostalgic, melancholic, introspective ; A woman looking out of a train window at a passing cityscape; medium shot; Travel; A dark, rainy cityscape with towering buildings and flickering streetlights.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A woman sits alone in a train, looking out the window at a city street at night. The lights from the city are reflected in the window.
Aesthetic Score : 0.7
Mood : melancholy, contemplative, wistful
Quality
Entropy : 5.81
Noise : 82
Prompt Clip Score : 0.28
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.20
Image errors : The image has some noise and grain, particularly in the darker areas. The window reflection also appears slightly distorted.
The Spin of Fortune: A Roulette Table Awaits
A close-up view of a roulette table in a dimly lit casino, bathed in warm light. The numbers on the wheel are visible, and a roulette ball rests on the table, poised for the spin. The atmosphere is mysterious, suspenseful, and luxurious, creating a sense of anticipation and excitement.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Intense, suspenseful, unpredictable ; A roulette wheel spinning, the ball landing on a single number; close-up; Gaming; A dimly lit casino with the sound of chips clinking and people whispering.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A close-up shot of a roulette table in a dimly lit casino. There is a blurred image of people playing in the background.
Aesthetic Score : 0.7
Mood : mysterious, tense, exciting
Quality
Entropy : 6.37
Noise : 65
Prompt Clip Score : 0.26
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.10
Image errors : No significant errors
Silhouettes in the Shadows: A Moment of Mystery
Two figures, shrouded in darkness, sit on a couch bathed in the soft glow of a distant lamp. The silhouette and dim lighting create a sense of intrigue and mystery, leaving the viewer to ponder the emotions and intentions hidden within the shadows.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Intimate, tense, claustrophobic ; A family huddled together in a dimly lit room; medium shot; Family; A cramped apartment with peeling paint and a flickering gas lamp.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : Two silhouetted figures sit on a couch in a dimly lit room, illuminated by a lamp in the background. The room is cluttered and appears abandoned.
Aesthetic Score : 0.4
Mood : gloomy, mysterious, melancholic
Quality
Entropy : 5.32
Noise : 58
Prompt Clip Score : 0.26
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.20
Image errors : The image is slightly blurry and has some noise, especially in the shadows. There is also some chromatic aberration present, creating halos around high-contrast edges.
A Solitary Figure Walks Towards the Unknown
A lone figure, shrouded in mystery, walks towards a distant light source at the end of a pier. The choppy ocean and foggy weather create a sense of drama and uncertainty, leaving the viewer to wonder about the figure’s destination and the secrets that lie ahead.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Lonely, melancholic, atmospheric ; A lone figure walking down a deserted pier, the ocean waves crashing against the pilings; long shot; Travel; A foggy, desolate coastline with a lighthouse in the distance.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A lone figure in a trench coat and fedora walks towards a lighthouse in the distance along a pier, the scene is shrouded in fog and the sea is choppy.
Aesthetic Score : 0.7
Mood : mysterious, contemplative, melancholic
Quality
Entropy : 6.64
Noise : 50
Prompt Clip Score : 0.30
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.20
Image errors : No notable artifacts or errors
Silhouette of Danger: A Gun, Smoke, and a Mystery in the Shadows
A shadowy figure, armed and shrouded in smoke, stands in a dimly lit alleyway. The silhouette and the swirling smoke create a sense of suspense and danger, hinting at a story waiting to unfold.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Suspenseful, dangerous, threatening ; A close-up of a hand holding a gun, the barrel pointed at a shadowy figure; extreme close-up; Adventure; A dark, smoky back alley with a flickering streetlight.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A silhouette of a hand holding a gun in a dark alley. The image is lit by two blurry lights, one in the background and one in the foreground. The image is black and white.
Aesthetic Score : 0.3
Mood : dark, mysterious, suspenseful
Quality
Entropy : 6.27
Noise : 37
Prompt Clip Score : 0.26
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.20
Image errors : The image is somewhat grainy and noisy. There is also a slight blur in the background.
Lost in the Storm: A Vintage Journey to the Unknown
A vintage car navigates a deserted road under a stormy sky, its headlights cutting through the darkness. The road leads towards a distant motel sign, promising a sense of adventure and mystery. The contrast between the dark car, the stormy sky, and the bright motel sign creates a dramatic and nostalgic atmosphere, leaving you wondering what awaits at the end of the road.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Lonely, melancholic, atmospheric ; A vintage car speeding through a deserted highway; wide shot; Tourism; A desolate, rain-soaked landscape with a lone motel in the distance.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A classic car driving on a deserted highway at dusk under a moody sky. A motel sign is visible in the distance.
Aesthetic Score : 0.7
Mood : nostalgic, mysterious, lonely
Quality
Entropy : 6.65
Noise : 45
Prompt Clip Score : 0.31
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.30
Image errors : No significant errors are visible.
Shadowed Figure, Neon City: A Moment of Mystery
A lone figure, shrouded in a trench coat and fedora, stands silhouetted against a window overlooking a vibrant, neon-drenched cityscape. The play of light and shadow creates a mood of intrigue and urban mystery, leaving the viewer to wonder about the figure’s secrets and the story unfolding in the darkness.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Mysterious, brooding, contemplative ; A detective’s silhouette against a window, cigarette smoke swirling around him; low-angle shot; Heroism; A rain-soaked city street with neon signs reflecting in the puddles.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A lone figure in a trench coat and fedora stands silhouetted against a large window with a blurry cityscape backdrop. The window is tinted blue, and there are red lights reflecting on the floor in the foreground.
Aesthetic Score : 0.6
Mood : mysterious, moody, atmospheric
Quality
Entropy : 5.79
Noise : 70
Prompt Clip Score : 0.25
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.40
Image errors : The image has some blurriness, especially in the cityscape background. The lighting is a bit uneven, and there is some noise in the shadows.
Mystery in the Shadows: A Lone Figure Walks a Dimly Lit Street
A solitary figure, shrouded in a long coat, traverses a street bathed in the warm glow of lanterns. The scene evokes a sense of mystery and intrigue, with a brooding atmosphere that leaves you wanting to know more.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Suspenseful, mysterious, thrilling ; A shadowy figure escaping through a maze of narrow streets; long shot; Adventure; A bustling night market with flickering lanterns and crowded stalls.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A lone figure in a long coat walks down a dimly lit street lined with market stalls. The street is narrow, with buildings on both sides. Red lanterns hang above the stalls, casting a warm glow on the scene. The air is thick with mist, adding to the atmosphere of mystery and intrigue.
Aesthetic Score : 0.6
Mood : mysterious, moody, atmospheric
Quality
Entropy : 6.45
Noise : 85
Prompt Clip Score : 0.29
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.30
Image errors : The image is slightly blurry, especially in the background. Some of the details in the scene are not as sharp as they could be.
Lost in the Neon Haze: A Figure Vanishes into the Night
A solitary figure, cloaked in shadow, navigates a dimly lit alleyway bathed in the eerie glow of neon signs. The scene, shrouded in a blueish fog, evokes a sense of mystery and intrigue, leaving the viewer to wonder about the figure’s destination and purpose.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Gritty, determined, melancholic ; A lone detective; medium shot; Heroism; A dimly lit alleyway with rain pouring down, neon signs reflecting in puddles.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A lone figure walks down a dark, narrow alleyway lit by red neon signs. The alley is wet from the recent rain, and the figure’s silhouette is sharp against the blurry background.
Aesthetic Score : 0.7
Mood : mysterious, atmospheric, eerie
Quality
Entropy : 6.43
Noise : 92
Prompt Clip Score : 0.30
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.20
Image errors : Some noise and graininess in the shadows.
Conclusion
The results show that the generative AI model performed well in terms of camera position and shot analysis, but struggled with aesthetic analysis.
Here’s a breakdown:
- Camera Position: The model scored 0.5, which falls within the “good” range (0.5-0.75). This means the model was able to accurately capture the camera position described in the prompt.
- Shot Analysis: The model scored 0.58, also within the “good” range. This indicates the model understood the scene described in the prompt and created an image that reflects that understanding.
- Aesthetic Analysis: The model scored 0.4, which is significantly lower than the “very good” range (-0.2 to 0.1). This suggests that the generated image didn’t quite match the expected aesthetic style.
Overall, the model demonstrates a good understanding of camera position and shot composition, but needs improvement in capturing the desired aesthetic.
Sources:
- https://heartofnoir.com/knowing-noir/aesthetic-of-noir/
- https://www.yellowbrick.co/blog/film/maximizing-the-visual-impact-unveiling-the-art-of-film-aesthetics
- https://www.questjournals.org/jrhss/papers/vol10-issue8/1008255260.pdf
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/3331672
- https://www.cinepoetics.fu-berlin.de/activities/workshops/2020-12-ws/index.html
- https://resource.download.wjec.co.uk/vtc/2016-17/16-17_1-22/eng/Part%201%20What%20is%20Aesthetics.pdf
- https://fal.ai/models/fal-ai/flux/dev/api