Artistic Innovation w/ AI | NYC Tech Events - GarysGuide

COMING UP

Artistic Innovation w/ AI

With David Lobser (Founder, Light Clinic), Aysu Unal (Design Technologist).

	NYU Tandon @ The Yard, Mc Donough Ave, Brooklyn
	Jul 19 (Sat) , 2025 @ 10:00 AM
	$500

DETAILS

Across two full days you'll move from a tour of today's most powerful AI image platforms to building your own Stable Diffusion + ComfyUI pipeline. Day 1 demystifies the AI landscape while drilling effective prompt-engineering strategies for storyboards, concept decks, prototypes, & stock imagery. Day 2 dives deeper: you'll install Stable Diffusion locally or in the cloud, master ComfyUI's node graph, & automate advanced image manipulations. Hands-on labs throughout ensure you leave with a repeatable workflow & a portfolio of AI-generated visuals.

For more workshops like this, visit Tandon at The Yard's 2025 Summer Workshops page.

Who Is This For
Designers, artists, architects seeking AI for ideation or client decks
Creative technologists & coders wanting node-based, reproducible pipelines
Marketers, producers, educators needing fast, royalty-free imagery
Anyone comfortable with basic computer skills & curious about text-to-image tools (no coding required, though a little JavaScript/Python literacy helps)

Materials
Laptop (Windows, macOS, or Linux) with 16 GB RAM recommended
GPU (NVIDIA 6 GB VRAM +) optional for local Stable Diffusion
Pre-created images or mood boards welcome for experimentation

Workshop Schedule (Two Days, 10 AM - 5 PM each)
Day 1 - Overview of AI Image Tools & Basic Prompt Engineering
This course provides an overview of the most relevant AI tools currently available in the market & an in-depth exploration of prompt engineering techniques. Participants will learn how to strategically control the image-making process to generate reference material, decks, stock photos, architectural & product prototype explorations, storyboards, & more. We will explore various AI tools & how they can be combined, as well as how LLMs can assist the process. This high-level, introductory workshop will give participants the background & confidence to explore further.

10:00 - 10:15

Welcome & Setup

Introductions, goals, account sign-ins for cloud tools

10:15 - 11:15

Survey of AI Image Platforms

Compare Midjourney, DALLE 3, Stable Diffusion (& variants), Runway; pricing, strengths, legal notes

11:15 - 12:15

Prompt Engineering 101

Anatomy of a prompt; style, subject, lighting, camera, negative prompts; asserting control

12:15 - 12:30

Break

12:30 - 1:30

Mood boards & reference

Strategies to produce reference boards, stock photo sets, visual metaphors

1:30 - 2:30

Special Topics

Covering the latest news & developments & things to keep an eye on.

2:30 - 2:45

Break

2:45 - 3:45

Mini-Project Sprint

Build a concept deck using multiple AI tools which will include mood boards, reference, styleframes, storyboards, product/architectural concepts, etc.

3:45 - 4:00

Wrap-Up Day 1

Share results, outline Day 2 requirements (installers, GPU checks)

Day 2 - Intermediate AI Image Making with Node-Based Tools
Open-source image generation tools offer significant advantages over online platforms: complete creative control with custom models & complex workflows, privacy since your data never leaves your computer, cost efficiency for heavy users who aren't limited by credits or subscriptions, immunity from platform changes or shutdowns, access to cutting-edge community developments, & deeper technical understanding that improves your skills. While they require more initial setup, these tools provide the flexibility, reliability, & advanced capabilities that serious creators need for professional work.

This intermediate workshop explores the integration of Stable Diffusion with ComfyUI, an open-source graphical user interface (GUI) designed to enhance & streamline the image generation process. Participants will gain a basic understanding of the ComfyUI environment, which facilitates sophisticated image manipulation, model management, & workflow automation. The course will cover both cloud-based & local setups, providing students with the necessary skills to operate Stable Diffusion efficiently within various computing environments. Through hands-on exercises & detailed demonstrations, this course will equip participants with the technical expertise required to effectively leverage Stable Diffusion for a wide range of creative applications.

This class assumes participants have a basic understanding of how text-to-image, image-to-image, & basic prompting techniques work which is covered on the first day of the course.

10:00 - 10:15

Recap & Environment Check
Verify local / cloud SD installs; launch ComfyUI

10:15 - 11:15

ComfyUI Basics
A brief tour of common nodes. What is a node graph, how does it work. Comfy UI manager. Accessing the community.

11:15 - 12:15

Node-Based Image Pipelines
Build text-to-image & image-to-image graphs.

12:15 - 12:30

Break

12:30 - 1:30

Advanced Techniques
Control net, IP adapters, differential diffusion.

1:30 - 2:30

Advanced techniques 2
Model training. API.

2:30 - 2:45

Break

2:45 - 3:45

Studio Time
Choose a challenge & attempt to create something.

3:45 - 4:00

Showcase & Closing
Group demos, Q&A, next steps, resources

Outcomes
By the end of the workshop you will:

Navigate today's AI image ecosystem & pick the right tool for the task.
Craft precise prompts to steer style, composition, & fidelity.
Combine multiple AI services-and LLMs-to accelerate concept generation.
Install & operate Stable Diffusion locally or in the cloud.
Design node-based workflows in ComfyUI for repeatable, high-quality outputs.
Produce a portfolio-ready storyboard, prototype deck, or interactive generator.

Presenters
David Lobser is a creative technologist & immersive media specialist focusing on AI applications within therapeutic XR environments. As founder of Light Clinic, he served as director of generative content for a healthcare startup utilizing a sophisticated node-based system for creating complex content with large language models, generating over 1,000 hours of personalized meditation experiences. His R&D work explores AI-assisted video game creation, merging procedural design principles with generative AI capabilities. Lobser has taught AI workshops at prestigious institutions including NYU & Harvard (light.clinic/aiwhisperer/), sharing his technical expertise in Unity/C#, WebGL, & shader programming. His technically sophisticated approach combines AI with biometric tracking in projects like MindStream/Eunoe, creating responsive therapeutic environments that adapt to users' physiological states. Through collaborations with medical researchers at Penn Health & Johns Hopkins, Lobser continues pioneering the application of AI technologies to create deeply personalized immersive experiences that bridge cutting-edge technical innovation with evidence-based mental wellness applications.

Aysu Unal is a New York-based architect, artist, & design technologist whose work explores the intersection of spatial design, emerging technologies, & storytelling. With a background in architecture from UCLA, she has been at the forefront of integrating XR into experiential design. At Gensler, she served as a Design Technology Specialist, leading the integration of immersive tools & digital workflows within architectural practice. Aysu organizes monthly XR gatherings in New York, teaches AI-driven design workshops at NYU, CCNY, & architecture firms, & creates interactive experiences that merge spatial computing, sensory engagement, & narrative experimentation. She adapts AI tools into spatial design for virtual environments & leverages them as collaborative instruments in physical, in-person activation spaces.