This has long been one of my favorite designs, originally made for Project London, though never used. Combining the themes of improbable flying machines and small tightly delineated spaces with just a hint of realistic aircraft design, I can see how this tickles my fancy. But does the AI like it? Let's find out.
If you have comments or feedback, feel free to leave it here. If you'd like to commission a custom 3D model, I can help you with that. All prompts used with the Midjourney AI model.
My original Little Lifter image:
To start with I asked for a description and (with a small amount of gratification) got back "a yellow aircraft" and "a yellow motorcycle". So let's start with that, along with a few of the other descriptors.
Although I specified "--no wheels" the motorcycle seems to have required it in the third image.
Prompt:
a small yellow motorcycle aircraft with 1 engine and a domed windshield, realistic detail, dynamic energy flow, in the style of hyper-realistic sci-fi, realistic forms, aerospace themes --no wheels --niji 5 --ar 35:15 --q .65
Too much of the machinery is inside the cowling, so I added "exposed jet engine, exposed pipes". I love the head dislocation in image 2. "--no wheel wheels" seems to have worked.
Prompt:
a small yellow motorcycle aircraft with a domed windshield, realistic detail, dynamic energy flow, in the style of hyper-realistic sci-fi, realistic forms, aerospace themes, exposed jet engine, exposed pipes --no wheel wheels --niji 5 --ar 35:15 --q .65
Small didn't seem small enough, so I switched to "tiny". I also added some small wings.
Prompt:
a tiny yellow motorcycle aircraft with a domed windshield, realistic detail, dynamic energy flow, in the style of hyper-realistic sci-fi, realistic forms, aerospace themes, exposed jet engine, exposed pipes, small wings --no wheel wheels --niji 5 --ar 35:15 --q .65
Tried taking out most of the stylistic keywords, which seems to have not hurt at least.
Prompt:
a tiny yellow motorcycle aircraft with a domed windshield, in the style of hyper-realistic sci-fi, exposed jet engine, exposed pipes, small wings --no wheel wheels --niji 5 --ar 35:15 --q .65
Added back "close-up intensity, dynamic energy flow" which maybe helped. Number 4 here almost looks like a submarine
Prompt:
a tiny yellow motorcycle aircraft with a domed windshield, in the style of hyper-realistic sci-fi, exposed jet engine, exposed pipes, small wings, close-up intensity, dynamic energy flow --no wheel wheels --niji 5 --ar 35:15 --q .65
The engines are pretty small, so I changed it to "1 large exposed engine". This doesn't seem to have changed anything, but again it didn't hurt.
Prompt:
a tiny yellow motorcycle aircraft with a domed windshield, in the style of hyper-realistic sci-fi, 1 large exposed engine, exposed pipes, small wings, close-up intensity, dynamic energy flow --no wheel wheels --niji 5 --ar 35:15 --q .65
Maybe the problem is it's not cute enough? Let's try the "--style cute" parameter!
Prompt:
a tiny yellow motorcycle aircraft with a domed windshield, in the style of hyper-realistic sci-fi, 1 large exposed engine, exposed pipes, small wings, close-up intensity, dynamic energy flow --no wheel wheels --niji 5 --style cute --ar 35:15 --q .65
I think the top one here is my favorite.
Same, but with stylize up from 100 to 350. I don't know if this changed anything.
Prompt:
a tiny yellow motorcycle aircraft with a domed windshield, in the style of hyper-realistic sci-fi, 1 large exposed engine, exposed pipes, small wings, close-up intensity, dynamic energy flow --no wheel wheels --niji 5 --style cute --ar 35:15 --q .65 --s 350
Trying out the "--style expressive" mode
Prompt:
a tiny yellow motorcycle aircraft with a domed windshield, in the style of hyper-realistic sci-fi, 1 large exposed engine, exposed pipes, small wings, close-up intensity, dynamic energy flow --no wheel wheels --niji 5 --style expressive --ar 35:15 --q .65
And finally the same, but with quality and style turned up.
Prompt:
a tiny yellow motorcycle aircraft with a domed windshield, in the style of hyper-realistic sci-fi, 1 large exposed engine, exposed pipes, small wings, close-up intensity, dynamic energy flow --no wheel wheels --niji 5 --style expressive --ar 35:15 --q 1.25 --s 350
Kinda funny that the "domed windshield" in all but the first is not protecting the driver. In 2 it looks like it's over the cargo pod!