AI in all of its wonder

[MABO]

Now you have to paint it!

Looks very cool!

[Kekso]

The classic injection mold technology seem to be nearly gone.

Sorry for late reply. I kindly disagree. 3d printing is not suitable for massive production. Therefore I think that mould injection will continue as long as many of us need armies and not single figures.

[MABO]

Sorry for late reply. I kindly disagree. 3d printing is not suitable for massive production. Therefore I think that mould injection will continue as long as many of us need armies and not single figures.

That is of course correct as well, Dalibor, but on the other hand we have less and less new set in 1/72. In 28mm this is something different, but I am not so keen on this topic.

https://plasticsoldierreview.com/ShowFeature.aspx?id=27

I have the impression, that a lot of hobbyists change to selected 3d prints. Maybe as well because, we are all getting older, the rooms are full with boxes and there are less and less young people following us into collecting and paint 1/72 figures.

[Kekso]

but on the other hand we have less and less new set in 1/72.

I don't follow 1/72 market lately but I believe that this is also true.
Although I think it is because 1/72 is less and less popular scale.
Kepping in mind that historical topic is less popular than scfi or fantasy,
I think that historical figures in 1/72 scale do not have bright future regardless of way they're produced.
Just to be clear, they won't disappear but won't grow its market share either.

[MABO]

Yes, at the moment I have the impression, it is shifting to individual designs and more expensive figures. The golden Age of the 2000 with 142 sets in one year is over actually. But let's see what might happen in the future.

[sberry]

I would like to comment on the initial postings in this thread, the AI-generated pics you have presented.
I must say that this is a fascinating topic, and I think it is quite impressive what you can do these days using such tools. (Inspired, among other things, by your thread here, I have started recently to experiment with various platforms; some results here…)

[steve_pickstock]

So work in progress pictures of my 28mm Mini Me.

I wasn't really into this today but he's been sitting there for weeks part painted, and I've been doing little bits at it - I remodelled the scarf/sash, and the snap-sack on the right hip from miliput.
So today I put my foot down with a firm hand, went up into the attic for a Warlord Games officer sprue and sat down to paint.
The problem was that I just wasn't firing on all four cylinders so I did the best I could, and will come back to it when the arthritis/rheumatism is less bothersome.

So as I said, some remodelling and reshaping, the weapons came off the Pike and Shot Officer's sprue, actually the sword is a good match for my own, and the pole-arm is quite like the half-pike I use in battles.




Overall it will do for a 28mm wargames figure but I need to look at some of the edges, highlights especially for the knot of the scarf on the right hip, that could be better defined.

Here he is/I am next to the Warlord Pikeman. The previous version was a little undersized but this second version is much more in proportion.



So, yes, very much a wip but Mrs P says he really does look like me, so I'm happy with progress on this.

[steve_pickstock]

So apart from some issues with cloudy matt varnish, which isn't that big a problem, I'm calling this one done.

[steve_pickstock]

And here he is with his unit - Sir Vincent Corbet's Dragoons of the County of Shropshire December 1642 to May 1646.
Most of the figures are Wargames Foundry figures, the chap with the white beard and moustache, is from Warlord.

First how the unit appeared when it was completed a couple of years ago


And how they appeared in a huge battle - which is why the whole army got painted in the first place.


Have to say that I am well pleased with him and how he turned out.

And then last night

[Peter]

You look to be asking somethinig in this picture:



"Sorry guys, but isn't it time for tea? Can't we have a break? I'm getting thursty from all this wargaming!"

[Santi Pérez]

That's great, Steve! Now you can command all your 17th-century units in person (with your mini-me).

Santi.

[steve_pickstock]

I think I was saying "If I see you with your hand over that muzzle again (a big No-no), I will slap your legs!"
But to be honest if you look at the original photo - I was just hot, too hot to be bimbling around in a woollen suit.

[steve_pickstock]

I'm thinking about trying to make a mounted General-Me. I just have to find the right picture to base it on.

[Michael Robert]

Hello Steve,
it is very interesting and impressive how you managed to get your personal figure. This means you could do all kind of stances and create all well-proportioned figures you could possibly desire.
My personal attitude to AI is somewhat torn apart . Clearly, I see the power and possibilities - which are endless - but then I also feel a huge threat. Working in a big company I am in constant contact. In some way we work and train the beast so that it can - one day - replace us. Actually, I still have some creative roles - and AI is not creative. However, mastering all existing "human craftsmanship and science" it is such a powerful system. Well, sometimes it can be hugely disappointing still.
So when I paint my little men I want to remain with human creativity. That's why I spend my time - a recreatinal and creative hobby. For instance, I purchased figures from Franznap and from Francesco 42nd Black Watch recently. In my opinion these remain largly unbeaten by AI in their own beauty.
Many thanks again, Steve, for your demonstration; and I really like it.
Many greetings
Michael

[steve_pickstock]

Hello Steve,
it is very interesting and impressive how you managed to get your personal figure. This means you could do all kind of stances and create all well-proportioned figures you could possibly desire.
My personal attitude to AI is somewhat torn apart . Clearly, I see the power and possibilities - which are endless - but then I also feel a huge threat. Working in a big company I am in constant contact. In some way we work and train the beast so that it can - one day - replace us. Actually, I still have some creative roles - and AI is not creative. However, mastering all existing "human craftsmanship and science" it is such a powerful system. Well, sometimes it can be hugely disappointing still.
So when I paint my little men I want to remain with human creativity. That's why I spend my time - a recreatinal and creative hobby. For instance, I purchased figures from Franznap and from Francesco 42nd Black Watch recently. In my opinion these remain largly unbeaten by AI in their own beauty.
Many thanks again, Steve, for your demonstration; and I really like it.
Many greetings
Michael

Many greetings to you to sir, and merry Christmas as well.

I understand what you are saying.

Many years ago I worked on the leading edge of AI - as it was at that time, for a British Mobile Phone service provider. The AI was designed to be on the company's website and it would answer simple questions for customers - how do I find out what my bill is? Can I take my phone abroad? How much is an SMS? The sort of thing that human advisers get all day everyday and to be honest don't need. It was clunky and basic - I mean REALLY REALLY basic - a huge spread sheet with all the answers on and the 'AI' would recognise the question and provide the answer needed.

It was fun, and a great way to expand my music knowledge - I would be all day working on correcting mis-answers and basically priming the system with my head phones on. We also had some laughs from reading some of the questions.
The system was genuinely designed to lighten the human load, with it being so basic there were things it couldn't answer (and I suppose we are still seeing that in things like Grok and ChatGPT, they have failings even now with all of the effort that has gone into them).

So with that background I can see that AI has its uses but also its limitations.

However you make an important point about the human aspect of AI figures and being involved in the process.

I've tried sculpting figures before - I'm not very good at it, but AI allows me to create poses (as you've said) and really what is the difference between what I have done for myself and someone like Games Workshop or Linear A producing figures using software and 3D printing? The human side is manipulating the AI to get what you want - it doesn't always do what you ask, and then there's the painting.

I also think it's important that we talk about this between us and understand how we feel about it. I'm not trying to convert anyone to my way of thinking, just sharing my experiences for people to comment on.

[steve_pickstock]

An update on the Mini-me project.
Just before Christmas I had an invite to and play in a game recreating the 3rd Battle of Nantwich from January 1644. When I said I wouldn't be able to make it, one of the players - an ex member of our regiment - asked if I would let him have one of my Mini-Me figures to add to his forces, so that I could be there symbologically (? not sure that's actually a word, but you get the idea.)

Sent him a copy, a long with suggestions on what to do with it.




What he sent back in return blew my mind!


My friend asked a friend of his to do the sculpting (way better than anything I could do) and Steve painted it - but considering the origins of this, and how good it looks, I was genuinely thrilled to see it.



The game was last Sunday and they actually played 3 games - a Royalist loss in each case. We (the Royalists), we doing well, until we weren't and we lost all three games. I think the key to this was that someone put me in command - I'm a good sergeant, a half decent company commander and a rubbish general.

I'm behind the foot regiment in the middle distance towards the left hand side.

[sberry]

This is so fancy, having a figure that represents you. And an excellently painted one!
But does the missus even know that you are exposing yourself to the dangers of the battlefield?

[steve_pickstock]

She does. I took her to my her first re-enactment in 1980.
She stopped going on the field many years ago, and it was probably a good idea as she was quite blood thirsty. She prefers to take pictures. She took the picture that started this all off.

A picture of me and Mrs P from the early 80s when we were a lot slimmer.


And a figure from the Red Box Musketeers that she inspired.

[Santi Pérez]

Your friend did a fantastic job painting your mini-me, Steve. Just as amazing as the one you did transforming that lady from the court of Louis XIII and his musketeers into the Mrs. Pickstock mini-me.

Santi.

[MABO]

I would like to second that. Excellent figures with a very individual touch!