With the arrival of AI just about everywhere, there has been some controversy in the graphic world. Some users don't like the idea of images being created based on existing artwork. It has raised a lot of questions about copyrights. But if we are going beyond the generation of images, AI can be a very useful tool for our digital scrapbook projects. One tool that is readily available is ChatGPT.
Where to access ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is available HERE. There are two plans: a free one and a paid one.
The free plan is only text-based so you can ask questions, describe a photo, request suggestions, etc. But everything has to be typed into the app, and the responses will also be in writing format. The paid plan, on the other hand, also allows you to upload an image or request one.
How can ChatGPT help?
When you create a scrapbook page, sometimes, you need some extra ideas. That is where ChatGPT can help you. If you have a theme in mind, you can ask for sub-themes. If you want a song title to accompany your photo, you can ask. You can even ask for a color palette to enhance your photo or a theme.
Consider ChatGPT as an assistant who can just think faster than you. It is not smarter than you but has more knowledge and can go through an almost infinite amount of data. This can yield some answers that you never thought of.
Let's go through some examples. I used this photo as a starting point for various prompts to ChatGPT.
It is not a fantastic photo but I found it cute. Let's see how ChatGPT can help me.
Color palette
My first prompt was "Would you be able to create a color palette to enhance a scrapbook page featuring this photo?" and it gave me this answer:
- Sky Blue: (156, 199, 232)
- Sandy Beige: (217, 194, 160)
- Ocean Teal: (92, 145, 172)
- Soft Green: (136, 180, 153)
- Warm Tan: (192, 165, 125)
To put these values in colors, I would get this palette:
That is pretty good, don't you think? You could ask for matching colors but you could also ask for something contrasting instead.
Title
Although some titles will be obvious for you if you are featuring a person or a location, you might want something different for other photos. With my photo, I could have just the name of the child, or where the photo was taken, but it seemed like it would be just boring. So I asked ChatGPT "For this same image, can you suggest 3 short titles?" and here are the answers:
- "Beachside Bliss" – Emphasizes the peaceful, joyful moments by the shore.
- "Tiny Toes in the Sand" – Captures the innocence and charm of a child enjoying the beach.
- "Sunny Days & Seaside Plays" – A playful title that reflects the warmth and fun of a beach day.
I only requested three, but I could have asked for more. Or if these don't suit me, I can request more. And since ChatGPT can generate many more possible titles, I can also be very specific. For example, I can ask that to include a particular word ("use the word 'wave'"), or a certain number of words or letters ("I want a two-word title" or "no more than 12 letters"). This could be useful if you have a certain number of banners to use, or a grid arrangement with limited spaces. I could be as picky as I want and I would get something to fit.
Phrases
Although titles are typically short, sometimes, something longer can work. If not for a title, you can use a longer phrase as a decorative element. I asked ChatGPT "If I wanted to associate some fun quotes or sayings, what could you suggest with that photo?" and here are the answers I got:
- "Sandy toes and sun-kissed nose." – Perfect for capturing the carefree spirit of beach days.
- "The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination, and brings eternal joy to the soul." – A sweet sentiment for a heartfelt layout.
- "Life's a beach, dig your toes in!" – Adds a playful, fun-loving touch.
- "Salty air, messy hair, and not a care." – Ideal for a page focusing on relaxed, natural beach moments.
- "Happiness comes in waves." – A simple, uplifting quote that resonates with the peaceful beach vibe.
- "Little hands, big dreams by the sea." – Great for reflecting a child's curiosity and wonder by the shore.
- "Collecting memories, one sandy footprint at a time." – Emphasizes the memory-making aspect of beach days.
- "The tans will fade, but the memories will last forever." – A lovely reminder of cherished summer moments.
These phrases could be used on tags, for journaling cards, as standalone wordart, or with word/phrase strips. Can you see the possibilities?
For fun, I asked something else: "can you find some song titles that would pair well with that image?" I personally don't have a very large repertoire of song titles in English since it is not my first language AND I am not musically inclined so I don't listen to music other than what is played on the radio (when I listen to the radio). So I was happy to see ChatGPT answer with these:
- "Under the Boardwalk" – The Drifters – Classic and nostalgic, perfect for a seaside setting.
- "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" – Israel Kamakawiwo'ole – This version has a gentle, dreamy vibe that matches a peaceful beach day.
- "Surfin' Safari" – The Beach Boys – Fun and playful, ideal for capturing the essence of a day by the sea.
- "Beyond the Sea" – Bobby Darin – Romantic and wistful, great for the open horizon and ocean scene.
- "Good Vibrations" – The Beach Boys – For those sunny, happy vibes by the water.
- "Here Comes the Sun" – The Beatles – Uplifting and timeless, perfect for a bright beach moment.
- "Walkin' on Sunshine" – Katrina and the Waves – Energetic and joyful, fitting for a child playing in the sun.
- "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" – Otis Redding – Relaxed and reflective, great for capturing quiet moments by the water.
- "Catch a Wave" – The Beach Boys – Another Beach Boys classic that’s perfect for ocean scenes.
- "Island in the Sun" – Weezer – Modern and feel-good, ideal for sunny and carefree beach days.
I could use those as titles as elements or maybe get the lyrics to use as a faint background.
Font
Aren't we all drowning in a large collection of fonts? Which one to choose? Or if we don't have many, which ones could we find and download? I asked ChatGPT "Can you suggest a few fonts that would be particularly suitable with that photo?" and here are the answers:
- Pacifico – This cursive font has a relaxed, handwritten feel that mirrors the casual nature of a beach setting. Great for titles like "Beachside Bliss."
- Lobster – A bold, rounded script with playful curves, giving a bit of a retro, seaside café vibe. It adds personality while keeping readability.
- Shadows Into Light – A light, handwritten font that’s both whimsical and approachable, ideal for subtitles or smaller journaling text. It pairs well with both script and sans-serif titles.
- Playfair Display – This classic serif font has a sophisticated elegance without feeling overly formal, perfect if you’re going for a gentle, nostalgic touch on your page.
- Raleway – A clean, modern sans-serif font that’s both versatile and light. It works well for any main text, balancing well with more decorative fonts like scripts.
- Great Vibes – A beautiful, flowing script that looks both romantic and playful, perfect for adding a soft touch to quotes or titles.
- Quicksand – This rounded sans-serif font is clean and modern but has a soft, approachable edge, making it a great fit for captions and journaling in scrapbook layouts.
I wish it had a sample of each of those fonts but with a little help from Google, it was easy to find those fonts:
And of course, if you don't have those fonts, you might have something similar. At least, the suggestions are interesting and a great starting point.
Decorative elements
Some themes are quite easy to associate with elements to decorate it. Halloween photos will go well with ghosts, bats, and tombstones. However, it could be interesting to get other ideas quickly instead of scratching our heads. I asked ChatGPT "From that starting image, suggest 10 decorative elements that can be used on a digital scrapbook page." I was expecting the typical list of items like seashells, fish, and pail and bucket, but the results were interestingly different:
- Sun Hat Icon – A mini illustration or cutout of a sun hat similar to the one in the photo, perfect for adding a playful, summery touch.
- Beach Sand Texture Overlay – A subtle sand-texture background or overlay that can add realism and depth to the page.
- Waves Border – A wavy border or ribbon along the edge, representing ocean waves to frame the photo.
- Seashell Clusters – Small clusters of seashells, such as scallops and starfish, to scatter around the page as embellishments.
- Footprints in the Sand – A small trail of footprints, either as a corner element or along the bottom, echoing the sandy beach setting.
- Tropical Flower Accent – Add in hibiscus or frangipani flowers to bring in a touch of tropical color and softness.
- Beach Umbrella Icon – A small beach umbrella icon or cutout to add a bit of shade and coastal relaxation.
- Pebble Scatter – Small pebbles or stones, either realistic or drawn, scattered around the page to give a natural look.
- Starfish Embellishment – A starfish, either as a large decorative element in one corner or as a series of smaller accents.
- Polaroid-style Frames – Use frames that mimic Polaroid photos to give a nostalgic feel, especially if you want to add additional smaller images on the same page.
Wow! Although these suggestions are not necessarily things I never would have thought of, they were provided much faster than I could imagine. Of course, I won't necessarily use all those ideas, but I have enough to pick and choose!
Pattern
Let's dig deeper. Can ChatGPT suggest patterns for a particular project? How good would those suggestions be? I was curious because it seems less straightforward and getting more "creative". I just asked "Can you suggest a few patterns that would go well with that photo?", and I got a list of interesting ideas:
- Soft Waves Pattern – Light, wavy lines in shades of ocean teal and sky blue to echo the movement of water. This could be subtle, like a gentle ripple effect, or more pronounced, depending on the mood you want.
- Polka Dots in Sandy Beige and Sky Blue – A classic polka dot pattern using sandy beige dots on a sky blue background (or vice versa), mimicking the beach and sky elements.
- Sunburst Rays – Thin, radial lines in sandy beige radiating outward like sunlight, giving a warm, summery feel. This pattern could go in the background behind photos or as a border.
- Mini Starfish and Seashell Repeat – Small, hand-drawn starfish and seashell icons in ocean teal and warm tan scattered across a soft background, perfect for a playful beach vibe.
- Diagonal Stripes in Sky Blue and Ocean Teal – Simple, wide diagonal stripes in these two colors, resembling beach towels or umbrellas, for a clean, structured look.
- Net or Lattice Pattern – A loose net or lattice pattern in a sandy beige or warm tan, reminiscent of fishing nets or beach decor. This pattern would add texture and a nautical touch.
- Textured Pebble Pattern – Small, rounded pebble shapes in various tones of sandy beige and soft green. The look could be natural, like stones on the shore, or stylized for a fun, organic feel.
- Chevron Waves – Chevron or zigzag lines in ocean teal and sky blue that mimic the motion of waves. This pattern can add a modern yet beachy look.
- Tiny Footprints Pattern – Little footprints in a staggered, subtle pattern, perhaps in soft green or warm tan. This adds a playful and personal touch that echoes the beach setting.
- Palm Leaf or Tropical Foliage Outline – Delicate outlines of palm leaves or tropical foliage in soft green on a sandy beige background. This pattern brings a relaxed, vacation feel without overwhelming the page.
Those descriptions are quite interesting. Again, it serves as a starting point and using the tools I have, I can create my own seamless pattern with the colors I want. But can I ask for more? Do I dare asking? I did. "Could you generate thumbnails of such patterns?" I was surprised by the result:
These patterns are NOT seamless and could not be used as is on a background, but they give some interesting ideas. The generation of images and patterns is only available on paid plans too, so you might or might not have access to it.
Can it create a whole page?
As I was exploring the possibilities of ChatGPT starting with a single photo, I wondered if it could create a whole page. I could see it had the capabilities to generate a great color palette, find possible titles and sub-titles, suggest decorative elements and patterns. Could it put all that together? I asked "Using the photo provided, the color palette you suggested, a title from what you suggested, and a sub-title too, what could you do?" This time around I needed to revise my prompts because it used a variation of the photo and not the starting photo. I am not sure if it has to do with the copyright issue they don't want to face, but I needed to ask to replace the photo with a black placeholder. And here is what I got:
I was a bit surprised by the rectangular format but at the same time, the main parts are within a square shape. Would I use this page and put my photo in the black placeholder? If I am in a time crunch, maybe. But otherwise, I can see a lot of interesting ideas that I can now replicate in my own layout. I could even start with this layout and scraplift it.
Adjust your prompts
When working with any AI tool, prompts are crucial. As "smart" as they can be, they still cannot read your mind. The terminology you use might differ from what it "thinks". When I asked for a "template", I got a "quick-page". They are not wrong, but they use the same word meaning something different. If you don't get what you expected, refine your prompt. Interestingly, ChatGPT is not going to get annoyed if you are asking for 20 consecutive revisions, unlike a real assistant!
What else can you ask?
ChatGPT (and most other AI tool) can also help you writing the journaling, summarizing it, correcting it, even translating it if you need to. If you want a certain number of words that start with the same letter for a project, or words that rhyme, you can ask. Do you want words that start with all the letters from a name (to make an acrostiche)? You can ask ChatGPT.
Occasionally, someone could also ask for program-specific instructions to achieve a certain effect. However, I have tested it, and it does not seem to be that knowledgeable of how to use PaintShop Pro. You can still ask. I find it will often give instructions that might work for Photoshop, but tools or commands that don't exist in PSP. If you have such questions, you might have a better answer if you ask in the forum!
If you have already created a layout and would like some feedback, you can upload it and ChatGPT can give you an analysis of what you did (and I find it is usually quite flattering) and some additional suggestions for changes or add-ons. Remember that ChatGPT might have a very different style than your and surely a different vision than you. However, it is still like asking an assistant for an opinion; you might disagree!
Of course, if you have access to ChatGPT, you can also ask questions and get suggestions for a wide variety of topics not replated to scrapbooking: recipe ideas, gardening tips, gift suggestions, even some mechanical tutorials. Of course, ChatGPT is not always 100% accurate so don't ever consider asking recommendations for medical advice (or PSP advice)! You will likely find that ChatGPT might replace some of your browser searches too.
You can also ask ChatGPT to compose text, whether it is a grant proposal, a media release, or a blog post (yes, I COULD have asked it to write this blog post, but I didn't). You can upload a written document and ask for a summary, a list of important points, or even generate questions for a quiz. You can ask it to re-write a text to lengthen it, or shorten it, even translate it. I use it regularly now for the Letters from the North Pole as I need one "regular" English version, one shorter version for "low grade" readers, and one version in French. It saves me so much time every month!
AI for the future
AI is evolving very rapidly. Despite the controvery surrounding copyrights when it comes to image generation, there is a lot more that you can use this tool for. I don't think it will replace your creativity, but it can help jumpstart it. Go ahead, and play with it. Even on the free plan, you can have a fun assistant to help you.
1 thought on “Featured Resource – ChatGPT”
Al can do almost everything. I dislike his actions, when he ‘paints’ like Monet or VanGogh. But here when Al suggests what I may/can use /what texture, what words/title/song/ it’s OK:)