From our very first Christmas Card 40 years ago through today, we have always tried to keep up with technology. In the early days, the very idea of using a computer to create graphics was new. Today that’s old hat, and “AI” is all the rage.  We took a look at using AI last year, but weren’t happy with the results so we used conventional photography methods instead. This year we took the leap and are happy with the result.

Most people had hear of ChatGPT, from OpenAI. They offer a variety of products for different purposes. We used DALL-E, which generated images in various styles based on “prompts,” similar to what is used to ask Chat to provide information. The prompts can be quite detailed and complex.

DALL-E was used to create two different images: the main image on the front of the card and the inside image of a Puffin peeking around the corner. Here is the prompt for the inside image:

“A puffin curiously peeking around the corner of a house, with a wintery night sky filled with stars and faint northern lights. The puffin, detailed with its black and white feathers and bright orange beak, looks inquisitive as it peers from the corner. The snowy landscape enhances the magical and festive atmosphere, while the house casts a shadow, creating a cozy, playful feel. Santa is not in his sleigh, but the sleigh is in the background.”

The images were the start for the card, but some additional tech was needed to finish the job. All the editing and assembly was done using my new M4 MacBook Pro 14. Photoshop was used to refine the images, and remove some errors. The background used inside the card was licensed from Adobe Stock images. The front, inside, and back of the card were composed separately using Adobe Illustrator.The finished card elements were put together  with Mimeo and send to them for printing.