From Tent Life to AI Art: An Interview with Sylverdali

DDG: Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your background? What led you to discover AI art and start creating on Deep Dream Generator?

Sylverdali:

I've worn many hats over the years. Some still sit comfortably, while others I've flicked off to the four winds without a second thought. At heart, I'm a hobby artist, shaped as much by experience as by imagination. From an early age, art became my refuge — my escape, my constant, and my way of making sense of a world that rarely stood still. In the midst of uncertainty, creativity offered freedom, expression, and a place to belong.

I live Down Under in Sydney, Australia — truly the best spot on the map to call home. I lived in the Blue Mountains, in Katoomba, where I spent the first year of my life, before our family moved into the country, settling for a time in the central west of New South Wales.

My father worked as a fettler on the railways, a life that meant constant movement. We travelled from town to town, living in government-issued army tents until I was eleven years old. It was a tough existence. As the firstborn of six children, responsibility arrived early in my childhood, but I also found time for the freedom to daydream and be adventurous. Life was raw and demanding at times — living off the land, enduring harsh conditions, and learning resilience the hard way. Money was always tight and schooling was often disrupted, but those challenges made me who I am.

DDG: Do you remember your first experience with AI-generated art? What stood out to you at the time?

Sylverdali:

I never truly grasped painting, but sketching with pencil and a fine black pen has always been my passion. Black and white surreal imagery played a significant role in my early artwork, shaping how I saw form, contrast, and emotion. Colour, however, always eluded me. Even at school, I would carefully draw an image, then attempt to paint it, only to watch it fall apart the moment colour was applied.

In 2008, I discovered computers. I am completely self-taught — this marked my first real introduction to computer-generated art and colour. For the first time, I could use a mouse to draw and explore art within a three-dimensional space — what a concept. I began experimenting with fractal programs, then moved on to 3D digital art software around 2010.

In 2015–2016, I discovered DDG by pure accident while surfing the internet looking at artworks to inspire me. I found DDG, it asked me to create, so I hit the generate button and that was it. The speed and results that DDG created an image at the time were just extraordinary — a new form of art was created for me to explore, opening the door to a whole new journey of discovery. The wow factor blew my mind, even though DDG was in its infancy at the time. I haven't looked back since. Sadly, my hand-drawn artwork has fallen behind in recent years — AI got me hook, line, and sinker.

DDG: In your opinion, is AI-generated art real art? Why or why not?

Sylverdali:

In my opinion, AI-generated art is real art, though in a different way. From a technical standpoint, AI lacks emotion; it doesn't feel or express anything on its own. It simply responds to a prompt. The human element is me. What gives an image life is what I choose to input, guide, and shape. Without that direction, nothing meaningful emerges.

AI works by drawing from existing images to generate new visual variations and interpretations. That has led me to question whether I am truly creating art or merely imitating it. I've come to realise that both can exist at the same time. Art has always evolved through reinterpretation, influence, and transformation, and in that sense, AI-generated work still belongs within the realm of art.

I have no issue working with AI. For me, it has been a revelation. Colour, which once felt inaccessible, suddenly came alive and opened an entirely new world of possibility — but I am still influenced by and enjoy black and white art also. My only challenge now is deciding which direction to take next with my next prompt and deciding which image I like best. I often generate several images before choosing what I make public within the DDG community.

DDG: As someone who creates with AI tools, do you consider yourself an artist? Has AI changed how you see your creative identity?

Sylverdali:

Yes, I am an artist and I do consider my creative identity intact. I feel all the more enriched and grounded in my creativity. I try to generate a wide range of imagery, so my style remains eclectic, surreal, and hopefully engaging. DDG has come a long way since 2015, and I've grown alongside it as each new version became more sophisticated. I embraced the changes and learned from them. Writing prompts and sharing work has been genuinely rewarding.

DDG: How do you think about authenticity and authorship when it comes to AI-assisted art?

Sylverdali:

For me, authenticity in AI-assisted art comes from intent and direction. The AI is a tool, not the author — it doesn't make choices or express meaning on its own. Authorship belongs to the person guiding the process: the ideas they bring, the prompts they shape, and the decisions they make about what to keep, refine, or discard. When those choices reflect personal experience, curiosity, and creative judgment, the work remains authentic, even if the medium is new.

The old saying goes that art is in the eye of the beholder — or perhaps beauty — but either way, it's a deeply personal thing. I've seen powerful art made by hand and powerful art generated with AI, and often the line between the two is very blurred. I like to think that artists such as Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and many others would have embraced AI as a tool to enrich their work if it had existed in their time.

AI is here now and continuing to grow — the genie is well and truly out of the bottle. Since programmers began developing AI-based art systems, the field has expanded rapidly, and I only see it getting bigger. DDG has a large and active community, and the volume of incredible dreams and images being shared is genuinely astonishing.

DDG: Can you describe your creative process on DDG, from the initial idea to the final image?

Sylverdali:

My creative process on DDG begins with a clear idea of what I want to see in an image. I translate that idea into a prompt, then continue refining it and experimenting until the image aligns with my vision. It's an iterative process — each result informs the next adjustment.

For me, it's the wow factor. When I generate a new image, many factors influence the outcome, including prompts, emotion, colour, texture, style, contrast, pattern, realism, surreal elements, and the overall viewer appeal, to name a few. Each refinement brings the image closer to what I'm aiming for. If I managed to capture all of that in a single image, I'd consider myself very lucky.

Being descriptive with a prompt is so important. I used to rely on image-to-text, which I do still use sometimes, but I find pure text prompting far more rewarding. The possibilities feel endless once you start exploring — it quickly becomes clear that the sky isn't the limit. You are only limited by your own creative thought processes to get the perfect image; AI will do the rest.

DDG: Which DDG features or capabilities have been the most important or inspiring for your work?

Sylverdali:

The Models and AI Tools are a constant in my creative art bag. The "Try It" button and upscale, in particular, are a real innovation. Seeing others evolve prompts, reinterpret ideas, and generate new images inspired by my work is incredibly satisfying. The newer AI editor tools, along with everything else now available, have been a massive boost for creative momentum and exploration.

DDG: What motivates you to keep creating, especially during periods when inspiration is low?

Sylverdali:

I've had many periods when inspiration and creative energy run low. When that happens, I often revisit some of my older dreams or prompts and rework them into something new. Sometimes it's a single image or an earlier idea that reignites the spark. Other times, it's something small — just enough to trigger the brain into forming a fresh prompt. The DDG community also inspires me through their art and prompts.

Life experiences also play a role in inspiring me. Observations, memories, and moments from everyday life often find their way back into my work in unexpected ways. In the end, though, what motivates me most is the moment I press the generate button and see what emerges. That sense of discovery is what keeps me going — it's surprisingly addictive.

DDG: To conclude, would you like to share one of your favourite images and tell us why it is special to you?

Sylverdali:

"Daydreaming" — this image is the child within me, drawing on dreams, hopes, and aspirations of calmness and serenity, without the humdrum and chaos of everyday living.