The creators behind Lummi: Katt & West Kast

One of the defining factors that separates top AI artists from everyday creatives is their unique ability to create images that feel real. These are not just images that seem genuine at first glance. We're talking about generated photos that will baffle even the most trained eyes, even if they have a surreal or otherworldly twist.

These are the true AI artists shaping tomorrow's creative playground, and thankfully, Lummi is lucky enough to feature multiple creators of this caliber.

Two artists who reach this level of artistic mastery are Katt and West Kast. Both have distinct styles, inspirations, and formats, but each of these artists boasts collections that highlight how surreally beautiful and lifelike AI art is becoming.

Meet Katt

Part photographer and part illustrator playing with AI, Katt has a visual style that ranges from eerily realistic science fiction to mouth-watering food images that make you want to lick the screen.

Aside from creating genuinely striking images, Katt's work is wonderfully versatile. Marketers, web designers, and visual storytellers are turning Katt into one of the most popular Lummi creators.

We wanted to learn more about the creative inner workings of this photographer turned AI artist. Here is what she had to say.

You describe yourself as a traditional photographer. How does photography influence the way you create with AI?

I'm used to playing around in a darkroom for hours (or days) trying to perfect a single image, and a lot of that perfectionism transfers into how I create with AI.From the very beginning, I was obsessed with getting the perfect grainy, analog look.

If I'm going for photorealism, it's a given that I'm going to incorporate light leaks or some kind of distressing; the imperfections from AI-generated images pair so naturally with the imperfections you randomly uncover while processing in a darkroom.

Your AI-generated food images get the stomach growling. What are some tips you can share to make AI-generated food look so tasty?

That's great to hear!Honestly, it's all about hyper-fixating on the details.

The way light hits the food, the smoke, the color palette, etc., is super important when creating food images.

I'm a firm believer that the eyes always eat first, so perfecting those minute visual details will usually elicit stronger responses.

What was the last --sref code you used and how do you feel about it?

I stumbled upon one that caught my eye last night (--sref 3010561319), and it's the coolest surrealist collage style. It's very turquoise-heavy, with lots of fun textures and colors chaotically thrown together. I'm not sure if I'll use it for any of my projects, but it's so much fun to play with.

What's the first piece of advice you have for someone who wants to start creating AI images?

Get familiar with art theory and history.

It's the most effective way to understand how and why a piece stands out rather than blending in as another AI image. It also offers a way to explore varied combinations of styles and themes, ultimately allowing you to create something unique and speaks to your creativity.

Meet West Kast

West Kast's portraits are so sharp and avant-garde that you'd think they were straight off the cover of Vogue. He can objectively say that he mastered the skill of creating editorial and fashion images with AI. But apart from surreal and genuinely lifelike portraits, West Kast's creative skills span several genres.

From angsty illustrations to serenely blissful sci-fi scenes, his repertoire of visuals are a true treasure for creatives who need visuals that suck viewers deeper into every pixel. But the profound depth of West Kast's creativity goes beyond the images he creates. Here's what we learned about this extraordinary creator.

Your visuals are unique, sharp, and versatile. But in your own words, how would you describe your creative style?

My creative style is a dynamic interplay of classic, modern, and experimental elements, primarily expressed through portraits. My foundation in fashion art direction, analog and digital photography, illustration, and art history has deeply rooted me in both classic and modern aesthetics.

Portraits are my passion, inspired by my love for academic drawing, sketching, and black and white photography. I explore the endless expressions of the human form, often infusing my work with experimental elements inspired by movies, music, or personal experiences.

This unique blend results in fashion-driven portraits that capture the essence of aesthetic, beauty, elegance, simplicity, and sophistication. While I occasionally venture into nature, animals, or objects, my classic foundation remains a constant influence in my pursuit of experimental modernity.

How did you get into creating AI generated art and images? What was the tipping point for you to start mastering this craft?

My journey into AI-generated art began in August 2022 when I discovered Midjourney. While I had previously experimented with Dall-E, I was immediately drawn to Midjourney's ecosystem, aesthetic direction, and the passionate debate surrounding AI vs Artists.

Through continuous learning and experimentation, I've mastered my own art of prompting, drawing inspiration from my background in art direction, design, photography, architecture, cinema, sketching, illustration, and art history.

Midjourney has become an invaluable tool matching my creative process.

Some of your most iconic pieces are your portraits. Where do you get the inspiration for these?

My inspirations for portraits come first from my passion for fashion editorial and beauty, for the aesthetics, allure, elegance, and art de vivre it embodies. This passion is stimulated by my constant observation of people on the streets, a fashion ballet in motion, absorbing their unique styles and allure, from casual to sophisticated. Reminiscing about my time in Guadeloupe, Cuba, and Paris, snapping spontaneous analogic black and white cinematic portraits with my old Canon EOS, Canon 50mm macro lens, and trusty Kodak TMAX 400.

I draw inspiration from classic and contemporary series, films, and documentaries like The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Hotel du Nord, Mondwest, Memento, Traffic, Heat, Unbreakable, and Ex Machina. Iconic fashion magazines like Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, CitizenK, i-D, AnOther Magazine, and Life Magazine also fuel my creativity.

Some of my lifelong inspirations include legendary artists such as Caravaggio, Auguste Rodin, Mark Rothko, Kazimir Malevich, Pierre Soulages, Kurt Schwitters, Johannes Vermeer, John William Waterhouse, Alphonse Mucha, Honoré Daumier, Egon Schiele, Richard Estes, and Enki Bilal.

I've also been deeply influenced by iconic photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Raymond Depardon, Robert Capa, William Klein, Helmut Newton, Josef Koudelka, Edward Weston, Martin Parr, Richard Avedon, Guy Bourdin, Peter Lindbergh, Herb Ritts, Patrick Demarchelier, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Nick Knight, and Sarah Moon.

Additionally, architects like Walter Gropius, Frank Lloyd Wright, Tadao Ando, and Fumihiko Maki; fundamental designers like Dieter Rams and Paul Rand; fashion designers like Christian Lacroix, Yohji Yamamoto, and Yves Saint-Laurent; and musicians like Jacob Desvarieux, Malavoi, Wally Badarou, Change, Brian Eno, Cliff Martinez, Eivor, Kentaro Haneda, Jay Denes, Quincy Jones, Stan Getz, and John Coltrane are constantly shaping my creative vision.

What is something you would like to see in terms of people using AI-generated art? In other words, what are your favorite use cases when it comes to people using your visuals.

I envision my visuals being used by fashion brands, trending agencies, and digital magazines for covers and editorials.

Creative and art directors, fashion designers using my visuals for inspirations, moodboards, concepts, collections, photoshoots, and even final visuals.

I'd love to see my visuals incorporated into minimalist-elegant digital displays for fashion-beauty boutiques and my illustrations used in e-books for creative storytelling.

How do you see AI shaping the fashion industry over the next several years?

As AI-generated images and videos continue to evolve fast, the fashion industry will need to collaborate with AI Artists, AI Designers, AI Art Directors to create innovative digital and online experiences. While organic fashion will always have its place, AI technology will undoubtedly add new dimensions from casual to luxury fashion.

I believe that the future of fashion lies in a harmonious blend of classic and experimental elements, with AI playing a significant role in shaping the industry.

Tomorrow's creative playground

K A T T and West Kast are, in a way, artistic philanthropists. Because of their work, vision, and ability with AI tools, all creatives are able to enjoy hundreds of stunning free images.

Be sure to explore their pages and other creators on Lummi.

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