Holoflow Studio is thrilled to present an interview with Lana Fomiceva, a visionary AI artist who has seamlessly transitioned from a successful corporate career to the dynamic world of AI art and digital creation. With over 15 years of experience in operations and project management at large international companies, Lana’s journey into the realm of AI artistry is as inspiring as it is innovative. 

In this interview, Lana shares insights into her creative process, ethical considerations in AI, and strategies for growing an engaged social media following. She also discusses her involvement in the upcoming GEN AI VISIONARIES Summit 2024 in Riga, Latvia, an event that promises to be a hub for AI enthusiasts and professionals. 

Join us as we delve into Lana Fomiceva’s fascinating journey, her artistic inspirations, and her vision for the future of AI and human collaboration. 

1. Please tell us about your educational and career background. 

I have worked as an operations and project management expert, with 15 years of experience at large international companies and global business services. I have managed departments of 100-200+ employees, mid-level managers, and specialists in hybrid and remote workplace setups, with budgets of €0.3M-€2M+. I am an expert in user experience design and practices, continuous improvement, change management, value creation and optimization, risk and compliance, training, and career development strategies.

2. What made you want to change your path?

After remarkable years in the corporate environment, it was time to bid farewell and embark on a fresh journey. My passion for quality, speed, creativity, and problem-solving has fueled my every step. With immense gratitude for the opportunities and experiences I’ve been given at my previous workplaces, I’ve begun to establish my own professional work style since the beginning of 2024. I am now consulting Corporate Businesses how to improve their processes utilizing prompt engineering. Also with Talent Development and Job Family re-design projects in the Global Services Industry, I am consulting HR Partners and Recruiters on workforce transformation, leveraging employee AI Literacy and awareness at the workplace, implementing GEN AI skill matrix for existing roles, and integrating new AI-driven roles in Operations and business units. Last but not least, I am an AI Artist and digital Creator Coaching new AI artists to generate images with AI, Web Page Designer, and Social Media Entrepreneur. I generate images and videos with text-to-image generators. I am an expert in Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, Dalle E, and Leonardo.

3. You exclusively create AI modern mountain huts and resorts on your IG account. Where do you get your inspiration from? 

My inspiration comes from the Swiss, Italian, and Austrian Alps (I have done 20 solo hikes since summer 2022). After hours and kilometers of hiking, when I finally reach the peak, it’s always rewarding to lay down, relax, and give my feet and body some respite after a day of walking with a backpack. Spending nights in mountain huts has been a cherished experience for me, especially because it allows me to witness breathtaking sunsets and sunrises. As I delved into AI Art and image generation, I decided to envision alpine mountain retreats with luxurious interior aesthetics. This is how I began creating ‘Mountain Spa Dream”. In the “You’re invited to” series, I write short and dreamy captions, to bring visitors an even more realistic sense of visiting “a place”. The huts’ shapes are inspired by various forms and objects, while the interiors boast opulent details. My favorite hiking locations – Zillertal Valley in South Tyrol (Austria), the Dolomites in the Trentino-Alto Adige region (Italy), and Grindelwald (Switzerland)—serve as the backdrop for my hyperrealistic images. Yet, the luxurious details aren’t just about aesthetics; they’re about creating an experience – a harmonious blend of nature, comfort, and indulgence. In my AI-generated mountain spa dreams, every moment is an escape to serenity.

4. For how long you’ve been sharing your work on IG? Are you satisfied with your account’s growth?

My first post was done on 15.02.2024 and 3 months later I gained 500 + followers. 

I am satisfied with the growth of my account. Over the past 3 months, I’ve seen a steady increase in followers, engagement, and overall reach. Consistently posting high-quality content and engaging with my audience has contributed to this positive trend.

5. What strategies do you use to grow and engage your audience?

To grow and engage my audience, I adhere to several principles that align with my personal values:

• Authenticity: I prioritize authenticity in my content. Rather than resorting to gimmicks or trends, I share experiences, thoughts, and emotions about the Alps, mountains, and hiking with a twist of luxury aesthetics. My audience appreciates the real me.

• Quality Over Quantity: I focus on creating high-quality content. Consistently delivering value to my followers is more important than chasing follower counts. I avoid the ‘follow for follow’ approach, as it often leads to empty engagement.

• Ethical Stance: I take a strong stance against deep fakes. Misleading or fabricated content harms trust and authenticity. I believe in promoting truthfulness and transparency.

• NFT Awareness: While NFTs have gained popularity, I remain cautious. I steer clear of supporting fake NFT buyers. Authenticity matters even in the digital art space.

In addition to the strategies mentioned earlier, I actively cultivate a positive and supportive community on my Instagram account:

• Kindness and Interaction: I believe in treating my followers with kindness. I respond to their comments, engage in conversations, and express genuine appreciation for their support. Building a sense of community fosters loyalty.

• Meaningful Comments: Rather than generic emojis, I leave thoughtful comments on others’ posts. Acknowledging their efforts and sharing specific feedback shows that I value their content.

• Showcasing AI Art: I regularly share my AI art creations on my profile. Not only does this showcase my talent, but it also introduces my audience to the fascinating world of artificial intelligence. It’s a win-win—I get to express my creativity, and my followers gain exposure to innovative art.

• Collaborations and Shoutouts: I collaborate with fellow creators, feature their work, and give shoutouts. By lifting others up, I create a positive ripple effect within the community.

6. What AI do you use? Can you walk us through your content creation process? 

I use Midjourney. But, I am also knowledgeable in other popular text-to-image generators.

It might be interesting for you to know, but I never know what I want in the end result. And at first, I thought – but what’s my problem? How do I unleash my creativity, if I don’t know what I want? So, I decided to implement a simple structure that works for me.

Now, welcome to my “Lab”:

Phase One – write simple prompt, including:

Type of object, color palette, which of 3 Alpine ranges will be in the background, aspect ratio, variation, which camera lens used for the object, keywords and descriptors, lighting (dramatic backlighting creates a silhouette), Camera (i.e. 35mm camera with slide film), backgrounds, art style (I use hyper-realistic), view (i.e landscape/ panoramic), seasons (i.e spring/ rainy), time of day (i.e early morning/noon/afternoon), etc.

4 pillars to have good result of first prompt: 

• Importance of Proper Grammar
• The Power of Specificity
• The Value of Simple Language
• Use Stylistic and Photographic Terms

Phase Two – Evolving Images

MJ creates images through an iterative process. I let it run through multiple cycles while I provide directing feedback for each iteration. This is the key to improving realism. I provide notes on specific elements that need refinement like lighting, perspective, depth of field, etc. Each cycle produces improved realism. After the image is evolved over ~2-5 iterations I usually stop due to satisfaction with the result.

Phase Three – Upscaling

Once I’ve evolved the image and am happy with the general style and content, I upscale it to increase resolution. 

You can then take this upscaled image and run it through MJ again with a prompt like “Photorealistic version of this 8k portrait” for further enhancements.

Phase Four – Post-Processing

As a final step, taking the image into a photo editing program for adjustments can add that last bit of photorealistic polish. Subtle changes to balance color, contrast, sharpness, noise, and gradients can make the image look more photographic. But I do this rarely, maybe in 10% of all my images. Because MJ delivers high-resolution and quality images in the first place. But I always add a watermark on my images to avoid them being stolen without credit to me.

7. As an AI digital creator, what are AI’s most crucial ethical issues today, and how do you propose we address them?

Navigating AI’s ethical landscape, I have noticed multifaceted issues. Here are my top attention points:

• Ethical consideration in implementing AI at workforce transformation
• Deepfakes
• Stealing AI Artist content and followers
• Cultural difference – including age and expertise gaps

My suggestion is to stay aligned with values, embrace open-mindedness, proactively learn, and be curious. Be persistent while facing challenges. Challenges are inevitable. Don’t halt when faced with ethical dilemmas. Iterate, refine and collaborate to find ethical pathways forward. And I love incredible community support. I also seek guidance from experts, peers, and interdisciplinary communities. Collective wisdom helps navigate complex ethical terrain.

Remember, ethical AI isn’t a destination; it’s an ongoing journey.

It’s fascinating to witness the evolution of AI within our communities. Unlike previous waves of technological advancements, where skepticism often prevailed, AI is met with a refreshing openness and support. There’s a palpable shift in attitude – a collective recognition that AI isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a transformative force. As someone deeply invested in this field, I find this acceptance incredibly invigorating. It’s a sign that we’re collectively embracing the potential of AI, and I absolutely love it.

8. You are participating in a Generated AI event on June 11th, in Riga, Latvia. Can you tell us about the event?

On June 11, GEN AI VISIONAIRIES Summit 2024 will transform Riga in the heart of the Baltics. At the heart of the GEN AI Summit, is a CEE region community of VisionAIres – leaders, enthusiasts, experts, entrepreneurs, and digital artists who are passionate about AI. This community offers both virtual and physical spaces for members to network, crowdsource solutions, share best practices, and more. It’s not just another AI event; it’s a supportive ecosystem where members can collaborate and thrive.

I am event producer and panel discussion moderator, and my multifaceted role contributes to the success of the event by ensuring smooth organization, effective communication, and engaging content delivery. Yes, I love wearing “seven hats” 😀 

The event covers:

NEURAL NETWORKS / AI POWERED WEB APPS / AI LITERACY AT WORKPLACE / COGNITION / DATA DRIVEN INDUSTRIES / LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS APIS / DIGITAL REVOLUTION / FUTURE PROOF FOUNDATIONS / HOT SKILLS IN GEN AI / ETHICAL DEPLOYMENT OF AI / NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING / PROMPT ENGINEERING / AI ART & TEXT2IMAGE GENERATORS / WORKFORCE TRANSFORMATION

Ignite your passion for AI, and be part of the transformative journey shaping the tomorrow of technology.

9. Who can benefit from this event and how can people purchase tickets or learn more?

The GEN AI Summit CEE is a testament to this progress, bringing together the experts, brightest minds, enthusiasts, and entrepreneurs with a common goal: to upscale AI.

Set across a diverse array of enterprises and industries, the summit serves as a meeting ground for visionary leaders, technical pioneers, experts, and AI Artists, all united by their commitment to shape the tomorrow of AI. The summit boasts a formidable lineup of participants from CEOs and CTOs, shaping strategic decisions to technical experts, driving innovation in fields such as Procurement, Technology, HR, Education, and Business Service Operations. 

But what sets the GEN AI Summit CEE apart is not just networking opportunities but a catalyst for collaboration:

• CONNECT: Ignite Your AI Network.

• LEARN: Hear & Share Cutting-Edge Insights.

• EXPLORE: Unleash the Potential of AI.

Tickets are available here.

You can DM us to learn more at my LinkedIn account, GEN AI Summit’s LinkedIn account, or GEN AI Summit’s Instagram account.

10. What is one thing about AI and its possibilities that fascinates you the most?

What truly excites me is the potential for human-AI collaboration. We’re not in a competition; we’re in a creative partnership. Imagine an artist sketching the initial strokes of a portrait, and an AI enhancing it with intricate details. Or a writer crafting the plot of a novel, and an AI suggesting unexpected twists. This synergy between human intuition and AI’s computational prowess can lead to unprecedented breakthroughs in fields such as medicine, science, and design.

While machines don’t “feel” as we do, they can enhance our lives. Perhaps one day, we’ll witness a machine experiencing something akin to empathy—a digital echo of our humanity.

11. In your opinion, what does the future hold for AI?

AI will not replace humans’ powers, instead, it will amplify them. The future holds a harmonious blend of human imagination and AI-driven innovation, leading to a more imaginative and interconnected world. AI has immense potential, but responsible development, collaboration, and ethical considerations will shape its impact on society.

12. How can our audience know more about you and follow your work?

I am grateful and open to new professional connections and creative AI Art collaborations. Let’s connect on social media: here are my LinkedIn and my two AI art Instagram accounts Jelly Mountain Views, and Lana Lou.