new logo James Mulholland

21st Century Renaissance Man

The Cover Art

My art is a conversation with myself and the world around me; relying on my experiences and learning to create. AI is an invitation to question and reflect on those assumptions I have about me or it. This project begins with its cover and OpenAI's DALL·E2 providing me with a concept.

21st-Century Renaissance Man head image

When I asked DALL·E to create an album cover for a project entitled 21st Century Renaissance Man based on a 1960s progressive rock album style I was confused when I got a selfie back.

alternate 21st-Century Renaissance Man head image

Some of DALL·E's options did not resemble me at all. This option is reminiscent of the Corporate Industrialist Renaissance Man. It tempted me to do a protest concept but I needed to express the fun I was having.

21st-Century Renaissance Man with border image

One of my goals for this project was to truly incorporate DALL·E's ideas as in a true collaboration and when DALL·E's designs resembled books, I had no other option but to alter the format.

21st-Century Renaissance Man sketch/layout image

I was changing the design from an album cover to a book cover and to fully grasp the change, I needed to draft my layout on paper. I became deeply enchanted by the drawing, ultimately deciding to use it as a promo image and potentially for NFTs.

21st-Century Renaissance Man title image

To create the title for this cover, I utilized my toolbox, not the AI. The fonts I had chosen previously and wanted to present a graphic novel-esque style similar to the feel I was getting so far. Everything was close to what I wanted, but I felt it was punchy; too corporate!

21st-Century Renaissance Man taking a selfie in the Court of the Purple King

I wanted to bring this collaboration to an honest conclusion. I asked DALL·E for the 21st Century Man taking a selfie in the Court of the Purple King. That phrase pays homage to the original inspiration and it emulates how magical it felt working with DALL·E.

21st Century Renaissance Man Cover Art

21st-Century Renaissance Man Cover Art

Welcome to my digital life! A 21st century renaissance person is not just someone who can do a lot of things well - they can do those things with the help of artificial intelligence. By utilizing technology that has far-reaching implications, both artistic and practical, I hope to inspire others to see the greatness in their potential.

The story behind the 21st Century Renaissance Man