Over the past few months since digital art generated by artificial intelligence (AI) services have been launched onto the masses, we’ve seen an abundance of amazing images that humans may never have created themselves.
Many of these generated images have been inspired by original art styles like classic expressionism and romanticism, or more modern manga. And some have even gone further, like the new AI-generated QR code art that not only are stunning to look at, but are also functional.
That’s why in this blog post, we’re going to take a closer look at how to make QR code AI art with Stable Diffusion, so that you can get creative and productive at the same time.
Amping Up QR Codes with AI Art
Since AI image generators have hit the scene, all kinds of amazing artworks has been created, both by tech enthusiasts, as well as working artists themselves. So, it shouldn’t come as much of a shock to find out that those who are pushing the boundaries of AI have unlocked a new style of art form — AI QR code art.
The fact that our world has become more interconnected is one of the reasons why QR codes have become so pervasive. Just enter any new coffee shop or restaurant these days, and you’ll have to use a QR code just to see what’s on the menu.
The fact that our world has become more interconnected is one of the reasons why QR codes have become so pervasive. Just enter any new coffee shop or restaurant these days, and you’ll have to use a QR code just to see what’s on the menu.
But your normal QR code looks quite dull, at the very least. So, with AI art generators allowing for the possibility of transcending the practical purpose of QR codes into something that mesmerizes the viewer, and is still functional to boot, it means there’s now a whole other medium for artists to consider producing.
Therefore, we can now also thank AI for the incredible tools that will allow us to transform boring black-and-white QR codes into stunning pieces of art, which will also get your imagination juices flowing, and boost your aesthetic creativity.
The OG QR Code Artist
Once upon a time, there was a Redditor (of course!) named r/nhcia, who shared some anime-inspired QR code designs that they had created using Stable Diffusion. And to the surprise of many other Redditors, they were also fully functional.
Once upon a time, there was a Redditor (of course!) named r/nhcia, who shared some anime-inspired QR code designs that they had created using Stable Diffusion. And to the surprise of many other Redditors, they were also fully functional.
Needless to say, the other Redditors absolutely loved what they saw, exclaiming that it was “insane” that they actually all worked. One commented,”This is art… This means something. The fact that it works makes it genius. I feel like I’m looking at the start of a new generation in art… The blending of formats, of expectations, is just amazing.”
How To Make QR Code AI Art With Stable Diffusion: Step By Step
So, now we’re going to take you through the steps that will empower you to unlock the huge potential of QR codes as a new artistic expression.
In our examples, we created our QR code AI art by using Stable Diffusion, which has a neural network model for controlling the AI. All of these QR codes work, at least on an IPhone.
Here’s an overview of the process:
1. Generate QR Code:
First, you’ll need access to a QR code generator or library, in order to generate a basic QR code pattern that encodes the desired information you want to include, such as a URL or text message. This will serve as the foundation for your AI art.
We chose to use Canva as a platform to create our QR code, and used our own site AiForFolks.com as the URL reference, so that it would link to our homepage.
Make sure that you save your QR code as a .PNG file.
2. Download ControlNet
In order to create your QR code using generative AI techniques, you’ll need to download and install one of the available Stable Diffusion ControlNet models available from the Stable Diffusion website.
Stable Diffusion ControlNet is a neural network model that allows for the controlling of the AI image generator.
3. Open ControlNet
Once you’ve opened the ControlNet application, import your QR code into the software, and then set the parameters to control the complexity and style of your image. After that, you can add your text prompt to generate the image.
4. Save And Repeat
Once your QR code AI art has been generated, remember to save it. You can repeat the process all over again to create some amazing QR code AI art. Fine-tuning your QR code AI art is a process that will need some patience as you experiment with different styles and techniques, while keeping the integrity of the QR code.
5. Test Your QR Code
Sometimes the Stable Diffusion AI art process destroys the integrity of your QR code, and while it will look cool, it will no longer work as a QR code.
Be sure to test your QR code AI generated art after you’ve saved it, to make sure that it is valid and can be read and scannable by QR code readers and smartphone cameras. Ideally, test with multiple cameras with different hardware, or multiple QR code readers.
5. Share Your QR Code
The fun of QR code AI art is that you can share it with others, either digitally or in physical form.
You can also display it in online platforms where people can appreciate the artistic fusion of the ubiquitous QR code and AI image generation techniques.
Our QR Code AI Art Examples
So, now it’s time to share our aiforfolks.com QR code AI art. For our first one, we gave Stable Diffusion a prompt of:
cat in the hat
With negative prompts of:
disfigured, low quality, blurry
And this was the result:
Our next prompt was:
baby orangutan, steampunk, clouds
And here’s what we got:
For our final QR code, we got the AI to follow this prompt:
grecian statues
We also included this negative prompt:
blurry
Here is the result:
When we played around with raising the strength value, and conditioning scale of this image, here’s what we ended up with:
And even more amazingly, they all work, which just goes to show the infinite amount of possibilities that can now be given to the once humble QR code when you add some AI generated artistry to it.
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that even when you know how to create QR code AI art with Stable Diffusion, it will still take some focus to fully utilize the technical skills of the generative AI.
This means that being familiar with AI frameworks, programming languages, and image manipulation tools will be beneficial in implementing the steps outlined above. So, if you’re a newbie to all of this, beware!
AI QR code art generation conquers the visual limitations of traditional QR codes, which not only allows for artists and tech heads to play around with their artistic expressions, but even gives companies the chance to integrate their brand identity into QR code art to create more visually appealing codes, and give their customers a more immersive experience.
Using AI to create QR code art is opening up new possibilities that may not have been easily achievable through traditional artistic methods. This fusion of emerging technology and digital artistry means QR codes that serve both functional purposes, such as linking to websites or providing information, and as visually captivating pieces of art in their own right.
