Colorful paint on canvas, close-up with depth of field. Generated with Stable Diffusion.

What is "stable diffusion"?

Stable diffusion explained in simple terms.

Stable Diffusion is like creating a work of art with the help of a computer and data. Imagine you have a canvas full of random blobs of color - that's the starting point.

The Stable Diffusion method is reminiscent of the process of diffusion in nature. In diffusion, particles move from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration until a uniform distribution is achieved. Stable diffusion behaves in a similar way: a random collection of colour blobs gradually develops into an ordered, recognizable image.

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Colorful wooden building blocks as a symbol for the Stable Diffusion prompt

Prompts

Now the so-called "prompts" come into play. A prompt can be understood as an instruction or idea that you give the computer. It is comparable to saying: "I want a picture of a sunset on the beach". The computer takes this instruction and begins to arrange the random splashes of color on the canvas until the desired image gradually emerges.

The individual steps to an image generated with Stable Diffusion, here a wolf in the forest

How does the AI arrive at the desired result?

The artificial intelligence (AI) uses a special model called a "Generative Adversarial Network" (GAN) to determine whether the current image composition matches the desired outcome.

A GAN consists of two parts: the generator and the discriminator. The generator creates images, and the discriminator evaluates them. They work together like an artist and an art critic. The artist (the generator) produces a work of art, and the art critic (the discriminator) judges it.

The generator attempts to produce images that the discriminator cannot distinguish from real images, while the discriminator constantly tries to tell real images apart from generated ones. Over time, the generator improves its ability to create realistic images, and the discriminator improves its ability to recognize generated images.

When the generator creates an image that the discriminator can no longer distinguish from a real image, you can say that the generated image corresponds to the desired result.

Regarding Stable Diffusion and prompts: The prompt provides the instruction or goal for the generator. For example, if the prompt is "sunset on the beach," the generator will try to create an image that matches that description. The discriminator then assesses how well the generated image aligns with the prompt.

This ongoing process enables the AI to gradually produce realistic and detailed images that meet the desired outcome. It’s like a continuous dialogue between the generator and the discriminator, guided by the prompt. This process continues until the discriminator confirms that the generated image matches the prompt.

A wolf in the forest, the full moon in the background. Created with the help of Stable Diffusion

What’s so special about Stable Diffusion?

The Stable Diffusion method is remarkable in that it enables the generation of highly realistic and detailed images. It offers a high degree of control over the generation process, making it especially useful for applications where precision and detail are crucial, such as digital art, computer animation, and game development.

For this reason, 48DESIGN uses AI-based image generation almost daily. If you’d like to learn how to work with Stable Diffusion yourself or are planning a project in which you’d like to use AI-generated images, we’ll be happy to assist you! With our expertise, we can generate first-class images for you, too. Would you have guessed that the wolf in the image above was generated with the help of Stable Diffusion and isn’t a real photo? Simply get in touch with us.

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