My first and probably only article
Dear Civitai Community,
This article is for you. Or rather, for those of you who've asked me more than once whether I could share a few tips on how all of this actually works.
I've finally decided to write an article. Not least because my husband's article honestly blew me away, and I'd like to take that as an excuse to let you peek behind the curtain a little.
I often get asked where I find my inspiration. And honestly, it comes from so many places that I'd need a really long list to cover it all.
I'll give it a try anyway:
Besides all the wonderful inspiration I find right here on the site, there are photo books, postcards, posters (bookstores, and even just book titles, are often incredibly inspiring to me), movie scenes, and sometimes even things I dream about and write down afterwards so I don't forget them.
Then there's my own photo collection from places I've visited. Sometimes it's a simple scene in a shop, sometimes something I stumble across on a walk.
I look for beauty. The things that make me dream. And I'm well aware that beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. But that's exactly the point: beauty can be found anywhere.
When I first started, I remixed images 1:1 and posted them, too. That is totally fine and a good starting point!
(PS: You won't find those images on my page anymore. At one point I turned my back on Civitai for more than half a year and decided to delete all my images.)
At some point I started slowly changing the prompts. At the same time, I went looking for images whose style I loved but whose actual subject I didn't care for. So I took my own prompt, combined the two, and just like that, I had an image in my own style that I liked.
Sometimes it really is that simple, and that's exactly how I still do it today most of the time.
I often take my prompt and try it with different LoRAs until I'm happy with it.
And yes, since I took such a long break, there are some older images I still love so much that I post them again, even though they can't be recreated in that form anymore.
Of course, at first I wasn't sure whether I should even upload my old images again. By the time I came back, there were already countless copies of them floating around, plus, newer models like Krea make much more detailed and beautiful images than back in the ages with SDXL 1.0
But I'm just staying true to myself on this one.
And yes, I also love getting inspired by great artists here and borrowing an element or some from them. Why not? That's what this platform is for, right?
After all, that's how I got started myself. And if someone uses my images as inspiration today, I think that's a lovely thing. Inspiration isn't a one-way street.
I get so much warmth and kindness from the community here on Civitai that it keeps me going, again and again. And I really want to thank all of you for that.
So here are my most valuable tips for you:
1. YOU DECIDE WHAT MAKES THE CUT
Often I need to make many attempts to get the right image that is perfect. Delete what is not good enough, never post them!
Only ever post the very best out of all the versions you've generated. Narrowing things down first really matters.
People like quality images, and they follow accounts that post quality. Be that person.
2. NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO GO UP RIGHT AWAY
If you love several versions of something you've made, just save the others and post them later, unless they are a series that tell a story.
After all, it's not the same people online every day, and nobody sees everything.
Do not post more than one (or two) of the same image variation at once. Few things bore me and everyone one else more than seeing the same image 5 to 20 times on the site. (By the way, I hide people who do that, every time, so my feed doesn't get spammed.)
Besides, I think it's completely pointless, because your potential likes get spread across several nearly identical images instead of landing on one which is your personal favorite. And that is needed to go up the rankings, get more followers, get more views, get more likes - well you get the cycle.
3. VARIETY IS KING
At least for me.
I spend almost more time thinking about what to post and in what order than actually making my images.
Why?
Because I just love seeing different subjects, styles, and colors one after another. I genuinely enjoy scrolling through my own gallery, precisely because of that variety.
It's a bit like social media (where, by the way, my follower count is an absolute joke): the more varied your page is, the longer people stick around and maybe check out a few more of your images.
Of course, I'm not saying you can't be successful if you specialize in something.
If someone wants to make nothing but cat pictures in every pose imaginable: feel free!
Personally, though, I'd still recommend mixing things up a bit so your fan base doesn't stay too small.
And why am I giving away what's actually my most valuable tip?
Because in the beginning, there was only one thought on my mind: I'm just going to share my daydreams. Images I like. Things that move me or that I find beautiful. My husband even told me "you will not get many followers unless you post nudes" - how wrong he was :-D
I simply post what I like. Nothing more.
And over time, that's exactly what shaped the way I put my gallery together.
4. THE LIKES
Like your own images! I know quite some people frown upon this, but the sorting order is by "Most Reactions", and yours count in there as well.
And I mean: Hey, you create the image, so you like your image, right?
If you only give them the thumbs up and the heart or all four, this is up to you.
But beware - use multiple accounts to your like content and your account will get banned for leadboard manipulation - and rightfully so!
5. STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF
By now I can recognize some artists' work almost blindfolded, because their style is just so distinctive. And I think that's really great.
There's no right or wrong here, as far as I'm concerned.
For me, staying true to myself means I like lots of different styles and still have a look that's all my own.
You definitely won't find horror, dark creatures, furries, porn, or maids on my page.
Instead, there are lots of Asian influences, landscapes, melancholic images, portraits, animals, canoes... and yet there's always something surprising, something new in the mix.
And last but not least...
Maybe this is actually my most important tip, even though it doesn't really fit into a how-to: ENJOY WHAT YOU`RE DOING!
If you force youself generating and posting you will just burn out at some point. It happened to me, it happened to my husband. Only spend your time on it when you actually want to.
Experiment, tweak things, toss them out, start over. Let yourself be inspired without constantly comparing yourself to others. Sometimes, I don`t look days on other images, I am posting what I like. And above all, make images that you like, not just ones you think will get as many likes as possible.
Of course, I'm happy about every like and every kind comment, too. Who isn't? But at the end of the day, I want to open my gallery and think: Yep, that's me. That's my imagination, my little dream worlds, my way of seeing things.
And if that inspires one or two of you along the way, then that's a really lovely thing.
I hope this little look at how I work has given you a few ideas. These aren't golden rules, just my personal experience and what works for me.
Stay curious, stay creative, and above all: stay true to yourselves!
Now that I spoiled my secrets: I also can learn from you. Where do you all get your inspiration from? Tell me in the comments!
And if you’re curious about which article actually inspired me to write this one (likely my first and only article), then check out this link—written for me by the love of my life:
https://civitai.com/articles/37180/hail-to-ladyluminous-queen-of-civitai
With love,
lady_luminous