From Sketches to Soul: How Lumi Came to Life Through Art and AI

There was a time when I didn’t want to include artificial intelligence in my creative process. I thought it lacked soul. It felt like a shortcut—something that couldn't hold the emotional depth I pour into every piece. And for a while, I believed the quality just wasn’t there.

But the tools evolved. The landscape changed. And slowly, so did I.

A Light That Followed Me

When I was a child, I created a small character named Lumi. I drew him over and over in the corners of my notebooks. He had no story, no powers, no clear purpose. He was just there. A glowing, floating being with big eyes and soft energy. I didn’t realize it back then, but he was following me through time, through growth, through silence.

Years later, as I began developing my sci-fi comic The Last City, Lumi came back into my life. I decided it was time to truly give him space—not just in my memory, but in my art. I started by redesigning his look, rethinking his form, and redrawing him with intention.

Giving Lumi His First Life

To explore his motion and emotion, I used Procreate Dream to create a 2D animation of Lumi. That was the first time I saw him move. It was powerful. Something shifted. Lumi was no longer just a static childhood drawing—he was alive in a new way. But I wanted more.

That’s when I turned to AI—not out of necessity, but out of curiosity.

I asked artificial intelligence to help me imagine Lumi in 3D. The results blew me away. For the first time, I saw his body rendered with depth and light, like the floating being I had always pictured in my imagination.

Then I pushed it further: I generated animated videos of Lumi with AI tools. He wasn’t just moving—he was floating, reacting, turning toward the camera as if aware of the viewer. He had presence. Emotion. Energy.

“It would be a mistake not to use AI as a tool when it allows something from your imagination to finally breathe.”— Mad Lips 21

From Paper to Pixels

This article is more than just a reflection—it’s a presentation of Lumi’s evolution.

From hand-drawn sketches in the margins of my childhood notebooks

To a 2D animated version brought to life with Procreate Dream

Lumies from my drawing book, more than 20 years ago.

To revisit the lumi for my comic book, using Procreate and Procreate Dream for the animation.

Lumi created with Procreate and Procreate Dream for 2D animation

To AI-generated 3D image with some tweaks I did on Procreate for more glowing eyes.

Lumi was generated with AI under my creative direction.

And finally, the generation of videos using AI on different platforms.

Generated with LTX Studio

Generated with Runway

Generated with HeyGen

This is not a story I planned. It’s one I rediscovered, one that kept glowing quietly until I was ready to let it speak.

Lumi has never stopped existing. I simply hadn’t seen him this clearly—until now.

Why I Changed My Mind About AI

I used to fear that AI would strip the humanity out of art. But I’ve come to see it differently: AI isn’t replacing soul—it’s responding to it. When guided by intention, emotion, and a strong artistic vision, AI becomes a powerful tool. It helps bring what’s already inside us out into the world, faster, fuller, and sometimes in ways we never imagined.

Lumi is the proof.

And today, I’m proud to share his journey with you, not just as a character in a story, but as a part of mine.