Let's talk about visual style

Hello, friends.

Today I'd like to talk a little about the visuals. I'm spoiled with your feedback on the storylines or how the bots play (thanks!), but what about the avatars?

Also, several people over last weeks have asked me in private messages how I generated this or that image.

Today I'd like to give you an insight into my visual process (maybe this will be useful for those who make bots too and will answer questions in more detail for everyone at once).

So, lets go!

Perchance

Perchance is an old and incredibly distinguished staple. I generated quite a few avatars for my old bots in it using the oil painting preset. It handles portraits really well. It's infinite (if bit slow) on rolls. Free. Lots of styles. Full NSFW.

But there are also downsides: very low resolution, fingers, disjointed details, the impossibility of normal point regeneration-correction, schizophrenia with complex compositions. Well, and rather monotonous faces if you not actively fight it.

Outdated on itself, Perchance remains a powerful tool when combined with Imagine thing in Grok - it allows you to heal some problems and increase resolution.

(me when bots gets more then 2 k generations)

Gemini (Nano Banana)

Mixed bag.

It's (in the pro version) an excellent post-processor/editor, capable of continuing the work of other generators in the same style. I use it for final polishing, increasing resolution, recoloring, adding small details, etc.

Good at combining stuff together.

BUT as a pure generator (especially for women), I don't like it. Non-pro too simplistic and samey on faces. Pro bit wasteful to roll on tries, tho can hit some styles well with good reference.

+ Nano is quite a PRUDE (even by my relatively non-goony standards).

Reference works!

Sometimes it sucks even in pro form, giving you some bland generic stuff.

(unused one for Feudal bot)

Crucially (especially for historical settings), it works well with reference. I make castles, for example, by feeding up the blueprints/sketches/plans. It does a great job.

Decent with scenery too (as long not over complicated).

Grok - Watercolor + Imagine

There was a time when I really liked watercolors in Grok;