Step 2

More about Step 2

What This Is

You are not using Deep Dream for preset “styles.”
You are using Deep Style to generate a filter layer, then recombining it manually so the AI can recognize edges more accurately on a second pass.

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The Process

1. Open Deep Style
• In Deep Dream Generator, select Deep Style
• Ignore the warning that it’s outdated — it still works for this method

2. Upload the Base Image
• Upload the image you want to modify
• Faces work best because the AI naturally detects eyes, mouths, and symmetry

3. Upload the “Style” Image (Your Filter)
• Upload your own texture or pattern
• Think of this as a filter, not a style:
• edge noise
• surface texture
• structured contrast

4. Skip Built-In Styles
• Ignore all default styles (Van Gogh, Renoir, graffiti, etc.)
• They don’t reinforce edges the AI can recognize and fail in this workflow

5. Adjust Settings
• Resolution: set as high as possible (this matters a lot)
• Style weight / scale: moderate
• Preserve colors: usually OFF

6. Generate
• Click Generate
• This result is not final — it is your filter layer

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Manual Recombination

7. Leave Deep Dream

Use an external editor with layers:
• ArtStudio (Apple)
• Paint.NET (PC, free)

8. Build the Filter Layer
• Open the original base image
• Place the Deep Dream result on a layer above it
• Adjust opacity and blend mode
• Mask or erase areas as needed

You are creating a custom filter.

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Second Pass

9. Run It Through Deep Style Again
• Take the composited image
• Run it through Deep Style using the same process

Why this works:
• The AI detects faces and edges
• Your filter layer creates edges it can now “see”
• Default styles fail because they don’t guide edge detection

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Optional Face Fix
• If faces distort:
• soften or erase the face area on the filter layer
• let the base image preserve facial structure

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Summary

This is not decoration.
You are constructing edges for the AI, then feeding them back so it can interpret the image more intelligently.