Art Breeder

 

Art Breeder is a
website that allows users to create unique images of people, animals, and
settings. A basic account is free. If you need to upload or download images, consider
a paid account. For $90 a year (or $9 a month), the Starter Breeder account will
sync with Google Drive, allow customizations, and give 80 uploads and 200
downloads. The next level, Advanced Breeder, adds the totals to 300 uploads and
800 downloads for $192 a year (or $19 a month). The final level, Champion
Breeder, gives unlimited up and downloads for $31 a month or $372 a year. Thanks to Tib for showing me this site!

To get started,
create an account. It’s free to start. Your first screen will show images that
others have recently constructed. You can browse these images for one that fits
your character or create your own. Be aware of copyright!

The easiest way
to learn the app is to use an already generated image. On the first splash
screen, choose a created image, either anime, cartoon, or actual photo. After
choosing an image, scroll up to see its origin. A family tree of sorts shows
how the user came to that image. Scroll down to see other manipulations.
Nothing working for you? No problem, you can customize even more.

Go back to the center
and click the green plus sign on the Breed button. Choose a new image to “mate”
with the current picture. The app will merge the two together. Press the Spawn
Multiple text to get three versions of your new creation. If you like one, click
the green check. The app saves the image, and you get another choice of the
mashup.

A menu on the right
has other ways to manipulate the picture. You can move the sliders in each
category—clothes, hair/eyes, facial hair, race, expression/emotion,
brightness/saturation, color, age/gender, and rotation. There are many ways to
modify the image. Click save at any point to keep a copy in your account.

You can also use
your own pics for more than just faces. If you click the green plus sign on the
right of the main screen, you can create images and videos or upload your own
photos. The app goes beyond people with the ability to merge and manipulate
animals, landscapes, and buildings. Create hybrid characters for your shifter
novels, avatars for your D&D campaign, or settings for your novel. (Psst,
you only get three uploads and five downloads with the free account.)

There are also
custom genes (traits) for all categories. You might start with a modern
building and manipulate it into a castle with towers. Or perhaps your simple
anime girl becomes a ferocious dragon with enormous eyes. The possibilities are
limitless.

The controls on
the app are pretty simple, with icons for tagging, up and downloading,
favoriting, and saving. We could do a three-block post on this app, but you all
get the picture—pun intended.

Note: give
yourself a time limit with this app. You might find yourself down the rabbit
hole if you don’t!