How To Outpaint With DALL-E 2

DALL-E 2 is gaining popularity among digital artists. The powerful AI text-to-image generator allows artists to extend their imagination beyond their manual skills. You can see artwork created using it everywhere and all it takes is typing a creative command in the prompt. Many consider AI generators like DALL-E a future of digital art as they provide a robust, innovative tool.

As of September 2022, DALL-E 2 introduced a new “outpaint” feature that allows users to upload existing images and extend them beyond the borders. Here’s what you need to know about using the outpainting feature in DALL-E 2.

Outpainting Existing Images With DALL-E

DALL-E announced their new feature with an AI-enhanced photo of Johannes Vermeer’s classic artwork “Girl with a Pearl Earring.” The image featured the well-known portrait of a young woman but expanded to almost 20 times from its original size. In addition, the DALL-E-generated image placed the woman in a cluttered room that features knick-knacks, furniture, etc. – spot-on additions to the background that mimic the original’s painting style.

The new outpainting tool is the reverse of the inpainting tool. While inpainting’s purpose is to modify the source image only, outpainting extends the image’s style and tone over the original borders. The new tool analyzes sections of the source image and generates additional units while keeping the original style. Instead of filling in the blanks within the image, outpainting allows you to reveal “more” of the image.

DALL-E initially allowed users to stay within the 1024×1024 image aspect ratio limits. Since introducing outpainting, you can extend the original image to almost any size. This tool lets your creativity run free and generates additions to the source picture without limits. You can extend the content endlessly to build an entire scene from the existing image.

The AI built into the generator uses the source image’s existing visual style and elements. These include reflections, shadows, and textures, which the AI uses to maintain the image’s mood. If you add any new feature to the existing image, it will retain its original context.

If you need some assistance with using the outpainting feature on existing images in DALL-E 2, here’s a quick guide.

1. Open DALL-E 2 and go to the welcome screen.
2. Click the “Or upload an image to edit” button under the command prompt.
   
3. Upload the image you want to edit. Note that DALL-E will crop it into a square.
   
4. Use the erase tool to fine-tune around the edges of the original image.
   
5. Use the selection pane tool to add new generations to fill in the gaps. Ensure that your selection overlaps the source image so it can pick up style samples.
   
6. Go to the text prompt above the editing panel and type what you want to generate.
   
7. DALL-E will stamp a new image and smoothly blend it with the original.
   

Now that you have generated a new image, let’s discuss how to manage its variations. DALL-E allows you to toggle up to four alternatives to your textual prompt. Deciding which variant goes into the final image is entirely up to you. You can decide which image goes best with the source, as the editor automatically blends all four images.

The Generation Frame is a tool you use for stamping the AI-generated images to the source. When you issue a command, ensure that you provide enough context regarding the original picture. If you don’t give enough helpful context, the style of the new image may vary greatly from the source.

Here’s how to edit the AI-generated addition.

1. Once the AI generates the images, move the mouse over the “Generation Frame.”
   
2. Toggle the four variants by clicking the images’ left and right arrows.
   
3. When you decide which image you want to include, click “Accept.”
   

Repeat these steps as often as needed until you’re satisfied with the result. You’re allowed to make infinite additions to the original image. However, keep in mind that rendering large images can be a burden on your device’s memory and causes crashes.

Is DALL-E Real Art?

DALL-E is an AI-based digital visual generator that works by reading and translating natural language-based commands. But to some, the idea of AI-generated art threatens the concept of what art is. For others, it’s a perfect tool for creating stunning digital artwork, which allows you to expand your ideas almost infinitely.

So, the answer is – yes, DALL-E is real. The idea of an AI algorithm performing delicate human operations such as making art can be mind-blowing. However, DALL-E uses state-of-the-art technology and machine-learning models to develop incredible results. The artworks it produces often go beyond normal human painting skills.

The generator is widely cherished for its versatile ability to turn textual prompts into realistic visual experiments. While artificial intelligence can’t replace the human brain in terms of imagination, DALL-E is an example of how close it can get.

How To Landscape/Portrait Photos With OutPainting

The outpainting feature in DALL-E lets you enhance the concept of your landscape and portrait pictures. Using this tool lets you stitch together images to make one larger image and then “spice it up” with the help of AI. These images can become more expansive, like landscapes or narrow, like portraits. Both can be done using the same methods in the editor.

While DALL-E only lets you edit images with a square-shaped “Generation Frame,” you can extend the photo using the outpainting tool. Here are the steps to creating a landscape, portrait, or Instagram-story-sized image with this feature.

1. Download an output photo and import it into DALL-E.
2. Bring an image into the editing panel.
   
3. Drag it on one side of the canvas to create a transparent gap.
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4. Go to “Edit” and type what you want to appear in the provided gap.
   
5. Pick the image variant and adjust it to create a complete image.
   

DALL-E has a few limitations on how far you can go with extending the image. You are allowed to create picturesque murals and extensive panoramas. And it doesn’t matter if they’re vertically or horizontally aligned. DALL-E’s outpaint feature lets you format your images in both directions simultaneously. You can resize your landscapes and portraits into large squares

In addition, leaving a blank space in the image will enable you to experiment with separate descriptions in the generator’s prompt. But remember that DALL-E can load the browser memory and you may experience lags if you’re working with large images.

Expand Your Art Infinitely

Although DALL-E 2 already had immense potential, outpainting allows an artist to push the limits of digital artwork. All you need is to use your imagination and ideas for the surreal scenery you want to add to the original image. AI generators help artists go beyond their manual skills and make the most of their ideas.

The beauty of AI text-to-image generators lies in the endless possibilities digital art provides. DALL-E 2 is one of the best tools for creating AI art right now and offers truly stunning results.

What’s the most creative way you have used AI text-to-image generators? Share the experiences in the comments section below!