AI Art Basics for Beginners

How to figure out what to do as an AI Art beginner.

AI Art Basics for Beginners
Screenshot from Automatic1111 generating an image of Idun. A common interface to Stable Diffusion.

I recently got a question from someone venturing into the brave new world of making AI Art of women in skimpy outfits and nude or perhaps being even more naughty.

Before sending a private answer I realized "hey Vieregg, so many people have these kinds of struggles. Let me give an answer everyone can read."

Here is an excerpt from the letter I got, but this could have been written by anyone. Even myself two years ago. I think we have all had this experience early in our AI Art career:

Frankly, I've gotten terrible results so far with mutilated faces and limbs, horrible eyes, the list goes on. I can't even get straps connecting to the garter belt right, they are just in a wrong position or they have too many clasps.

While I am not into giving detailed guides on exactly how I work to everyone, I think giving general advice is good because many helped me that way and I want to return the favor to the next generation of AI Artists.