The Ocn Interview

A conversation with AI Artist Ocn, aka @OcnRivals on X

INTERVIEW CONDUCTED ON APRIL 10, 2024

ALL IMAGES BY OCN ARE GENERATED WITH MIDJOURNEY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE

When I first encountered Ocn's work on X, I was immediately captivated by his unique style. Ocn primarily focuses on medieval scenes and faceless subjects, using muted hues and a delightful grain to enhance his imagery. His art exudes a beautiful melancholy (as he himself states later in the interview—and which I absolutely love); his carefully selected pieces offering a glimpse into the past, inviting us to admire them patiently and soak in their beauty. I am honored and grateful to have him join us for this interview.

Let’s discover him together.

Ocn’s distinctive style

Without getting too personal, can you tell us a bit about yourself?:

I'm a man who has just turned 30; I work in international trade, first in the cosmetics sector and now in production management at an automotive group plant. I'm absolutely passionate about sports, especially rugby, soccer, and calisthenics. When I'm not training, I spend time with friends or doing other activities, such as listening to music, going to the cinema, etc.

I'd say I'm a curious person. I like learning and studying lots of different subjects, meeting new people, and so on.

Could you please tell us which country you live in?:

I live in the South West of France. It's a region I'm very attached to.

What led you to begin working with AI imagery?:

It was curiosity that led me to discover AI imaging. As a film enthusiast and lover of new stories, I wanted to see if it was possible to create images that matched the scenes I imagined.

What AI tools do you use?:

I'm currently using Midjourney, which I really like. I started with Dall-E 3 and Bing, which are also very good tools, but the themes I'm working on suit me better with Midjourney. I find it quite comprehensive and enjoy exploring the different settings and versions of Midjourney, which don't all respond in the same way, depending on the description.

I rework my images, adjusting noise, light tones, contrast, focus points, etc, etc., but sometimes it's not necessary.

What inspires you?:

Medieval times and the Roman Empire inspire me a lot. I like to imagine past history, ancient times, and bygone eras.

To this, I sometimes like to add a touch of fantasy. My greatest inspiration, and my favorite artist in this domain, is Frank Frazetta.

Untitled

(One of @revelinai’s favorite images by Ocn)

In which other medium, if any, do you practice art?:

I love analog photography. The visuals I like are simple, raw. I like a clean photo, without big details, in a perfect frame, in the style of Wes Anderson's visuals, for example.

I've also left this for a while due to lack of time and space, but I really like war game tabletop construction, like Warhammer or Lord Of The Rings.

Would you consider AI-generated art true art?:

Yes, I consider it art. There's a creative approach and a real desire for the person using this tool to recreate what they imagine as best they can.

The result will depend on their ability to visualize mentally, to imagine with originality, and, of course, their mastery of the tool.

Please share one or a few of your favorite images with us.:

I’ll share four.

Ocn’s four favorite images

Do you title your AI-generated art? If you do, what inspires you to come up with these titles?:

I used to give titles based on the feeling I wanted to bring out in the image.

Now I don't, as my images are generally quite melancholic. Or at least I try to make them so.

When do you tend to be the most productive, and do you work in long sessions or short bursts?:

I tend to be more productive in the morning and evening. Sometimes I do big sessions, but it's like with music, sometimes the notes don't come out the way you want them to.

So, it's not necessarily on the biggest sessions that I'm productive but rather on the small ones where I have a theme, a very clear scene with a style, and a good format.

What type of prompts do you prefer: text or AI-generated descriptions through fed images?:

100% text.

I don't necessarily have an image base for what I like. I can be inspired by an image or photo, but I want to transcribe it in my own words.

When prompting with text, do you write simple text-based prompts or complex ones?:

Generally quite complex and complete texts.

The trick is then to guess which aspect the AI will emphasize when generating the image. You need to learn how to turn your sentences around, and how to place your keywords in the right places.

Do you think text-based prompts should be shared within the AI art community?:

Yes, why not? Personally, I don't see much value in reading other people's prompts when they publish their images, but why not?

I feel it takes a bit of the magic out of the image. The prompt is part of the image; the artist has his own image style, but he also has his own prompt style.

What is the most unconventional method you have used to create an image?:

Sometimes, I've used the /describe function, then added formats, painters, etc., to the prompt.

I've used the base, such as the background for example, and changed the action in the middle of the image.

This is one way of proceeding, and the result will be completely different from the original image.

How many images you have generated using AI technology?:

I'd say over 10,000, I don't really know, haha.

Please share your X (Twitter) handle with us.:

@OcnRivals

Tell us a bit about your X handle and X username.:

"Ocn" was one of my very first online pseudonyms when I was a teenager. It simply stands for "Ocean". I stopped using it years ago but thought it would be fun to use it again to share my images. "Rivals" comes from the name of the team my best friend and I used to play online games.

How many X followers do you currently have?:

Currently 222 followers.

How many X accounts do you currently follow?:

And I'm currently following 78 accounts.

How long have you been on X (Twitter)?:

I created this account in November 2023 and really started being active in February/March 2024.

Before that, I followed what other people were doing, but I didn't post much.

Is there any other online platform where we can view all of your previous work apart from X?:

Nope. This X account is the only archive I have.

In this world of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), are you currently selling your digital art on any platform? If so, which platform are you using?:

No, I'm not selling anything. It's about sharing and helping each other by recognizing each other and sharing tips and tools.

For the moment, at least, I'm not selling anything.

Are you selling tangible AI-generated artwork, such as high-quality prints like Giclée prints?:

No, but I'd love to print some that I really like!

Maybe later, for the moment I'm not doing any.

Could you suggest some AI artists you like that we could follow?:

Those are really cool people; this is only a very small part. I don't follow many accounts, but everything I follow is worth a visit; you can check it out!

Is there anything else you would like to add or share with the AI community?:

I don't talk much on X, but I wanted to say that the AI community is just amazing. X is full of people who are stressed, sad, mean, etc. But the AI community is just the opposite. I've come across nothing but kind people who don't give a damn about how many followers you have, how good you are in AI tools, how many images you've generated, etc.

Everyone greets each other; everyone encourages each other, and everyone congratulates each other. Don't change, you're great!

More fantastic imagery from Ocn

Follow him @OcnRivals