Making mazes with AI: Google Gemini

Gemini logo.

Making Maze Art with google gemini

You can access the website here. You must sign into your google account to use Gemini. There is not limit to the number of images you can generate. Each prompt returns 2 images with the option to generate more. For this exercise I chose the one closest to what I had asked for, or the most interesting.

My original testing took place in March 2023. Gemini (formerly Bard) just started this feature in Feb 2024 so it late to the party. Next week I will be going back and seeing how AI image generation has improved in a year:

Making Mazes with AI - one year later

But, next week is next week, let’s get to how Google performs:

Prompt 1 - Make a medium difficulty maze of the Eiffel Tower in black and white with arrows at the start and finish

Gemini - Eiffel Tower

That is the Eiffel Tower. There is a maze looking section and an arrow. Typically I do not get arrows, so this is an improvement.


Prompt 2 - Draw a medium difficulty large maze of the Empire State Building with the start and goal embedded in the structure

Gemini - ESB

Similar to the 1st maze but in a new style. Got the famous building correct. Looks like a maze but is not a maze.

Prompt 3 - Draw a difficult maze of the White House pixel art style

Gemini - The White House

Again, we have the right building. Wrong style. No Maze. But good job if I had written a different prompt.

Prompt 4 - Draw a difficult maze that looks like a drawing of a famous building in sketch style

Gemini - building maze

The top is a sketch of the very famous ______ building. The bottom is a hand drawn maze that actually is a maze, i mean if it had a start and goal !

Prompt 5 - Draw a maze in the style of doyoumaze.com of a skyscraper in NYC

Gemini - NYC skyscraper

Cool NYC image. I think I like the marble sky. No Maze, not my style, but at least it is cool !

Prompt 6 - Draw a maze in the style of Sean C Jackson of a scene from a large outdoor market

Gemini outdoor market

This has potential. Change the perspective and switch from watercolor to more comic and you’ve got it.

Prompt 7 - Make a maze of a slice of an orange in color

Gemini - orange slice maze

Sure.

Prompt 8 - Make a maze integrated on top of a photograph of a king sitting on his throne looking cantankerous beside his beautiful queen

Gemini error message

Weird. I didn’t ask for a specific king and queen. Any would do. If I ask for a plumber or bus driver is it blocked ? And, after I asked this…well you all saw the many stories !

Prompt 9 - Make a solvable maze that is very large and very difficult to solve because it is so complex

Gemini - maze from above

Looks like a hedge maze from above. Nice style.

Prompt 10 - Make a 3d render of a red and blue glossy cube maze

Gemini - red and blue cube structure

No.

How did Google Gemini do ? I think it was average. It has less structure than other text to image generators. You can ask for whatever you want (except people I guess). And there are no limits. But it also has no built in styles or adjustment buttons that are helpful with other AI image sites.

So this post comes many months after my initial AI review:

Comparison of 12 AI generating websites - Who did mazes the best ?

Would any of these Google Gemini images make the best of ? I think the first 2 would be considered. The orange slice (not the one you want to win) and maybe prompts 6/9. Still the overall is average. I still prefer my original picks.

Maze of the Week #117 - Bunny

Maze of the Week #117 celebrates Easter with a maze of a comic book Bunny.

Were you able to guess correctly based on my preview ? I think this was one of the easier ones !

Bunny Maze Preview

Here is the first version of the maze. I went with bright colors.

Bunny Maze

And the alternative version where I lightened everything but kept the same color scheme except for the nose.

Bunny Maze in pastel colors

Downloads are available in the comic book style maze section. Come back tomorrow to see what the comic book cover looks like !

Next weeks Maze Preview: What do you think the maze is ? I think we have another easy one !

Maze Preview

7 Labyrinths to Visit in Illinois

Did you know that Illinois is home to over 100 labyrinths ? I have selected 7 of the best that are accessible to the public, focusing on large population areas. If you are near one, stop by and take a meditative walk. If you want a full list of labyrinths in the state check out the Worldwide Labyrinth Finder.


Why visit a Labyrinth ?

Labyrinths are ancient and mysterious symbols that have been used for centuries for meditation, contemplation, and spiritual renewal. They are also a lot of fun to explore! If you're looking for a unique and challenging experience, walk a labyrinth with intention - it often leads to self-discovery. Personally, I like to walk labyrinths between dawn and sunrise or at sunset until dusk. You may not realize it, but there is probably a labyrinth near where you live. Today we explore…


7 Labyrinths to Visit in ILLINOIS

1. St. James Cathedral Labyrinth

I choose this 7 circuit Chartres style labyrinth because of it’s location in downtown Chicago. Located off of Huron St if you are in town for sightseeing you will be near this location at some point !

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Address:

65 E Huron St
Chicago, Illinois 60611

2. Garfield Park Conservatory Labyrinth

Garfield Park Conservatory Labyrinth

Garfield Park Labyrinth - J E Koonce - flickr

This outdoor 7 circuit grass labyrinth is open from 9AM-5PM. Plan your visit on their website, including this helpful map of the grounds so you know where the labyrinth is located.

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Address:

300 North Central Park Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60624

3. Aurora University Labyrinth

Made of brown and red concrete pavers, this 7 circuit labyrinth is 40 feet in diameter and was a gift from the class of 1967. You can learn more about the labyrinth here.

Location: Aurora, Illinois

Address:

347 S. Gladstone Ave.
Aurora, Illinois 60506-4892

4. Naperville Riverwalk Labyrinth

This Chartres style labyrinth has been entertaining locals since it was built in 1998. It was built by the company Labyrinths in Stone which has some great designs if you are looking to install your own labyrinth.

Location: Naperville, Illinois

Address:

Eagle and Jackson Streets, on the Riverwalk
Naperville, Illinois 60563

5. Womanspace Labyrinth

This 72 ft diameter Chartres-style labyrinth is made from limestone rock & aglime, and is open from dusk til dawn. The labyrinth was built in 2002 and they often have events for the labyrinth: here is an example from their website with a great picture of the labyrinth.

Location: Rockford, Illinois

Address:

3333 Maria Linden Drive
Rockford, Illinois 61114

6. Unitarian Universalist Church of Elgin Earth Wisdom Labyrinth

This 11 circuit Chartres style labyrinth was first built in 1997. It is open during daylight hours. From the website: “It is the largest permanent outdoor labyrinth in Illinois, spanning more than 94 feet in diameter, and winding inward for 1/3 a mile, and then outward again for 1/3 a mile. It is made up of more than 165 tons of stone and crushed limestone, and was moved by hand by the congregation from its original location. The labyrinth was dedicated in a ceremony during the Summer Solstice of 1997.”

Location: Elgin, Illinois

Address:

39W830 Highland Avenue
Elgin, Illinois 60123

7. Friends of Lakeview Prairie Labyrinth

This is one or the largest labyrinths you will find at 210 feet in diameter. It has it’s own website where you can see the labyrinth in different seasons and obviously you can watch it be made/cut into the grass in the video above.

Location: Macomb, Illinois

Address:

Lakeview Nature Center
Macomb, Illinois 61455

5 TIPS FOR VISITING A LABYRINTH

  1. Set an intention for your walk so you can walk with purpose. It could be prayer, reflection, meditation, contemplation, or openness.

  2. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, as you will be doing a lot of walking.

  3. Bring water with you, especially if you are visiting on a hot day.

  4. Take your time and enjoy the experience. There is no need to rush through a labyrinth.

  5. Be respectful of other visitors. This includes not making noise and being respectful if walking with other people.


5 BOOKS TO READ ABOUT LABYRINTH WALKING

I wrote a blog post reviewing the following 5 books, each that deals with walking labyrinths. You can check them out yourself at the Amazon links below or read this blog post: 5 Books about the Spiritual Aspect of Labyrinths to learn a little about what each book teaches.

  1. Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool by Dr. Lauren Artress 201 pages. AMZN

  2. Labyrinth : Your Path to Self-Discovery by Tony Christie 312 pages. AMZN

  3. Exploring the Labyrinth: A Guide For Healing and Spiritual Growth by Melissa Gayle West 209 pages AMZN

  4. Walking the Labyrinth: A Place to Pray and Seek God by Travis Scholl 240 pages AMZN

  5. Labyrinths from the Outside In: Walking to Spiritual Insight by Rev Dr Donna Schaper and Rev Dr Carole Ann Camp 187 pages AMZN

If you are interested in more spiritual labyrinth aspects I suggest the following websites:

  1. Lauren Artress website - For coaching, workshops and classes.

  2. Veriditas - The nonprofit labyrinth group founded by Lauren Artress

  3. Worldwide Labyrinth Finder - Find a labyrinth to walk near you, or while on vacation


I am a maze artist and have made a few mazes of places in Illinois:

Wrigley Field Sign Maze - Chicago

Chicago Theatre Sign Maze - Chicago

Spillway Lanes Sign Maze - Springfield

Don Carter Lanes Sign Maze - Rockford

Emo’s Dairy Mart Sign Maze - Peoria