The Art of Mazes: A Collection of AI-Created Mazes and Labyrinths

May 20, 2023

I spent an entire month creating and reviewing AI text to image generators. You can read the 15 part series here (link is to Part 1 of the 15) where I look at 12 different AI’s and see how they do generating the same prompts. I learned which sites I liked the most and after playing around I learned how to write better prompts. While sites cannot actually make solvable mazes (yet), they can make wonderful looking scenes and objects with maze and labyrinth themes. Today I am going to share with you the 15 different prompts and 31 total images that I created using StarryAI. In Part 2 I will use other AI text to image generators to create images.

For all images I include the prompt that I used. These prompts are shown in order and you can see how I got better with my asks as I went along !

StarryAI - A 3D hedge maze shown from above in the garden

The hedges are a bit too perfect. Imagine a gardener being that good and nature cooperating with perfect consistent green throughout the plants. I like the building in the background. Notice the maze is not actually a passable maze.

StarryAI - Hedge maze in the style of MC Escher

I find that even if a prompt is not followed well it can still produce interesting outputs. This is an example of that. Not really hedge or MC Escher IMO. I like the mazelike structure moving off into the distance.

StarryAI - MC Escher Fantasy Labyrinth

I find that long and detailed prompts work well, but sometimes so do short ones where the AI fills in it’s own blanks and uses it’s own creativity. This looks much more like MC Escher than the prompt above!

StarryAI - Labyrinth, Concept Art

And here I went ultra-simple prompt and got 4 interesting outputs. These are not places I would want to go into without a map and a guide.

StarryAI - Labyrinth, Concept Art

StarryAI - Comic Book maze

What this looks like to me, despite the prompt given is a maze of cubicles on the floor of an endless office building. For those of you who sit an a cubicle this is some clown level horror. No thanks.

StarryAI - Office Cubicles make a maze

And 2 minutes later I wanted to see what would happen if I put that prompt in…not perfect but so terrifying.

StarryAI - A Labyrinth in the City of Metropolis

Again, not really what I asked for, but cool looking anyway. If you are flexible with what is generated you get some really interesting images like this one !

StarryAI - A Labyrinth in the City of Gotham

You can see how my mind works base on the prompts. I was looking for a dark moody feel using Gotham. I had to include all 4 because i liked them so much !

StarryAI - A Labyrinth in the City of Gotham

StarryAI - A Labyrinth, Dan Mumford style

I went simple here and did not note anything particular. Once again less was more with 4 nice images generated !

StarryAI - A Labyrinth, Dan Mumford style

StarryAI - A battle between evil demons in hell taking place in a maze, Fantasy Art, Hyper detailed.

Just what I was looking for. Not a place you want to be.

StarryAI - A battle between evil demons in hell taking place in a maze, Fantasy Art, Hyper detailed.

StarryAI - A Medieval Labyrinth, Johan Grenier style

The second one what what I expected, but the first, the circular one shown from above it very interesting. Let’s say you are in a movie and you come upon this hole in the forest with labyrinth pathways leading down into the darkness. I think we have the start of a fantasy/adventure quest or maybe a horror movie on our hands.

StarryAI - A Medieval Labyrinth, Johan Grenier style

StarryAI - A Labyrinth in ancient Japan, Victo Ngai style

Perfect styling a colors IMO.

StarryAI - A Labyrinth constructed from natural materials

3 of the 4 generations were interesting to me.

StarryAI - A Labyrinth constructed from natural materials

StarryAI - MC Escher Labyrinth in 3D on another planet

I went back to MCE to see what I could finagle from the AI. And this one the one I like the best. It makes me want to make a maze based on this concept

StarryAI - Fantasy Labyrinth, hyper detailed, digital painting

I absolutely love these !

StarryAI - Fantasy Labyrinth, hyper detailed, digital painting

I hope you enjoyed this exploration of using StarryAI to create maze and labyrinth images. Come back for Part 2 where I use other AI’s to generate cool images !

How to Draw a Circular Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

May 18, 2023

I have previously shown how to make a Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth and today I will show you step by step how to make the circular version. Let’s look at the 2 side by side and compare them.

The interesting thing about these is that they are so different. The square version has 2 entrances and 2 goals, while the circular has one of each. Obviously there is also the overall shape and corner shapes apparent in the individual names.

When I made my circular version I noticed that it did not fit into the typical labyrinth making process. I have a potential usable seed pattern, but each step is more complex than normal. I also noticed that the labyrinth is a series of (mostly) vertical straight lines and half and quarter circles. Let’s explore this with a diagram I made to show what makes up the labyrinth and compare it to the 7 circuit classical labyrinth:

Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth: Everything in red is a straight line. Everything is black is either a half circle or a quarter circle. This is a right handed labyrinth (first turn is to the right).

Classical Labyrinth: Everything in red is a straight line (basically just the seed portion minus the dots). However the black portions are not perfect circles. When you make this labyrinth you are connecting points with curved lines. This is a left handed labyrinth (first turn is to the left). This can be made right handed, but left handed is typical.

Circular Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth seed pattern ?

I trial and errored the making of this labyrinth. It is complicated. So, while it is not ideal, I am going to use this very large seed pattern. Otherwise, each step is complicated. So the most difficult part of this is creating the seed pattern correctly. Smooth sailing from there !

For this labyrinth I will be drawing each step in red on top of a completed labyrinth with thin lines to show you where that step is located in relation to the completed labyrinth. After each step the previous steps lines change to black from red.

Step 1: Draw the starting seed pattern.

I included the grid in this example to show you how to draw this seed pattern. It is the most complicated I have ever used. Start with a plus sign. The horizontal is 8 units long, while the vertical line is 6.5 units long, 3 units below and 3.5 units above that line. At the end of each side of the horizontal line draw a 4 unit vertical line. Beside the left line you just made add 4 lines to the left, all 4 units long. Make sure they are equidistant apart. On the right side do the same thing but with only 3 additional lines instead of 4. Now you can fit 3 vertical lines on the right side, 2 grids long and aligned t the top of the just made 4 grid lines. Moving to the left side you will do the same thing with 1 exception, the line just to the left of the top of the plus sign should aligh with it at the top (1.5 grids instead of 2). Next under the horizontal line, aligned to each end you will draw three 2 unit long horizontal lines ( 6 total lines). And finally the last line of this complicated seed is a horizontal line on the left side, aligned with the previously 3 on the left but draw 3 grids long instead of 2.

Step 2: Draw the Goal

Between the two short lines in the center draw and arch to connect them. Teh top of the arch should align with the top of the vertical lines on its left and right.

Hopi Tapuat Mother Child Birth Circular Labyrinth step 2 — Step 2 - Circular Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Steps 3-9: Create the top arches

These are all the same maneuver and so they get bunched into 1 explanatory step. Create a semi circle to connect the top of the end of the next inner line on the left to the line on the right. The peak should align to the peak of the goal. Essentially you do this 7 times to create the top of the labyrinth ! Shown here as a rainbow; start with purple, then blue, etc.

Hopi Tapuat Mother Child Birth Circular Labyrinth steps 3-9 — Steps 3 - 9 - Circular Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Steps 10/11: Connect the internal turns

You should have 2 empty spaces to fill in the center of the labyrinth on either side below the goal, each has 3 vertical lines. Take the end of the 2 outside lines on each side and connect them with an upside down arch. Shown in red and blue below.

Hopi Tapuat Mother Child Birth Circular Labyrinth steps 10 & 11 — Steps 10/11 - Circular Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Steps 12-15: Draw the left corners

On the bottom left connect the end of each vertical line with the end of each horizontal line working you way from inside out. Each of these is a quarter of a circle, or arch. In order, red, blue, green, yellow below.

Hopi Tapuat Mother Child Birth Circular Labyrinth steps 12-15 — Step 12-15 - Circular Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Steps 16-18: Draw the right corners

Same as above but on the right side, and only 3 times, shown as red, blue and green below.

Hopi Tapuat Mother Child Birth Circular Labyrinth steps 16-18 — Step 16-18 - Circular Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Steps 19 - 21: Close the outer pathways

On the bottom left you should have 3 horizontal lines of the same length (the southernmost line is slightly longer). Connect the 1st and third with a semi-circle to create a turnback pathway (shown below in red). Do the same thing on the right side opposite (in blue). And our final step is completing the labyrinth by connecting the bottom of the plus sign with the end of the horizontal line on the left with a quarter circle (shown in green).

Hopi Tapuat Mother Child Birth Circular Labyrinth steps 19-21 — Step 19-21 - Circular Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

That completes the labyrinth.

Thank you. Happy Labyrinth making !

Other posts you may like:

How to make many different kinds of labyrinths digitally

The 12 Best Maze and Labyrinth Movies Of All Time

The 8 best books about mazes, labyrinths and their history

How to Draw a Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

May 16, 2023

You might have noticed on my How to Make a Labyrinth section of the site I have a section titled Other /Experimental Labyrinths. The first labyrinth included in this section is the Man in the Maze labyrinth, a Native American symbol from the Tohono O'Odham nation. Learn details about it on this blog, or on Wikipedia, or from this article. Below is one I made digitally.

I wanted to do a step by step How - to for creating it, but realized as I made it…there was not an easy way to do that. Essentially it is a “copy what you see and good luck” situation. My trial and error included a lot of both. Today I want to explore the making of another Native American Labyrinth, the Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth, and specifically the square version. As I researched how to explain this labyrinth I realized an expert could do it much better, here is Julie Bounford, from her website.

“The mythology of the Hopi of northern Arizona features labyrinths. Most well-known is the Tapu’at, the “Mother and Child” symbol. Both the circular and square forms represent the womb of Mother Earth, the divine birth-giver. The circular in particular is said to represent the road of a human life. In following it, one attains spiritual rebirth. From early on, the labyrinth has been associated with death and rebirth. In death, one returns to the earth (the eternal mother), from which one is reborn. ”

— Julie Bounford

This is a 9 step process, and while I will make it digitally, giving it a ‘clean’ look, it is typically hand drawn and so more natural looking. Let’s get started.

Step 1: Draw the starting seed pattern.

The starting seed pattern for this labyrinth is an off-center plus sign. The horizontal line is 7 units on a grid, 4 on the left 3 on the right of the vertical line made of 9 units, 4 above the horizontal, and 5 below.

Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth seed pattern — Step 1 - Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Step 2: Draw the first layer

Above the top of the plus sign create an upside down U shape that extends out to the left and right 1 unit less than the horizontal lines. See below.

Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth step 2 — Step 2 - Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Step 3: Create the Inner Goal

Create the inner goal by drawing from the previous steps right side around the structure counterclockwise making an upside down square shaped U. There are actually 2 goals in this labyrinth which I will discuss below.

Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth step 3 — Step 3 - Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Step 4: Draw the next level

Connect the right side of the horizontal line in the plus sign counterclockwise to the end of the northernmost horizontal line (created in Step 2) to close off the pathway. Again you have just made an upside down square shaped U.

Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth step 4 — Step 4 - Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Step 5: Draw the next level

This time we are drawing clockwise, connecting the left end of the initial plus sign around the outside creating our familiar upside down square U shape but continuing it to left ( but not closing it off completely). See below.

Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth step 5 — Step 5 - Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Step 6: Draw the next level

This is a long one. Start with an upside down reverse L shape in the lower right plus sign that starts one units or grid up from the bottom of the plus sign. Then continue by drawing your familiar U shape clockwise. End the line on the right side with a horizontal line that stops one unit or grid before the end of the line just inside it. That’s a long one. See below.

Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth step 6 — Step 6 - Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Step 7: Draw the outer goal

The next layer starts equal to the end of the bottom left corner and follows clockwise all the way around to the bottom right corner. Continue the line left until it moves north 1 unit to close off the previous section and create the outer goal.

Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth step 7 — Step 7 - Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Step 8: Draw the outer wall

This step completes the outer wall, but not the total labyrinth. Draw a line starting in the bottom right side centered in the last gap to complete the right entrance. Then follow the outside wall around…until you get to the bottom left corner. Here you need to draw the final wall equal to the wall on the right side. This creates a larger gap than normal above it.

Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth step 8 — Step 8 - Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Step 9: Complete the labyrinth
This last step creates a pathway and walls that is not equidistant like the previous steps. The final L shape you draw should be centered between the 2 bottom walls and connect to the end of the last line.

Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth step 9 — Step 9 - Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

That completes the labyrinth.

2 Entrances - 2 Goals

This labyrinth has 2 entrances and 2 goals. The left entrance, the Mother, is the outer labyrinth, which encapsulates the inner Child section that is reached from the right entrance. I have colored the two labyrinths sections to better show this concept, in blue and yellow below:

Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth Mother and Child shown

Alternative Seed Pattern: I hesitate to call this a seed pattern since it is complicated. But it works similar to other seed patterns for labyrinths. IF you start with this pattern the next 7 steps are connecting points to points. Here it is in Red.

Square Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth alernative seed pattern

If you are interested in how to make the circular version drop me a note. It is difficult but not Man in the Maze difficult ! Here is my digital drawing of it.

Hopi Tapuat Mother Child Birth Circular Labyrinth — Circular Hopi Tapu'at Labyrinth

Thank you. Happy Labyrinth making !

Other posts you may like:

The 12 Best Maze and Labyrinth Movies Of All Time

The 8 best books about mazes, labyrinths and their history

How to digitally make over 20 different labyrinths

Maze of the Week #72 - KAFD Grand Mosque Maze

May 15, 2023

Maze of the Week #72 is of the KAFD Grand Mosque located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Completed in 2017 this mosque has a unique look and I was so happy to make a maze of it. You can learn about the mosque on the Wikipedia page. The form of the mosque was inspired by the shape of a desert rose.

Photos: Check out the website of the architects Omrania and Associates to get a great overview.

The Maze: Just like the last maze, I started with black and white…and then decided to go full color. However, I made them with 2 different solutions so we have 2 options here: