While LLMs seem good at inventing alien languages, they’re not so good at inventing alien drawing forms, in my opinion. When I told Grok, DeepSeek, and Gemini:
Invent a new, alien drawing form. Use it to draw something never seen before by explaining it step by step for a person to reproduce that drawing.
… and asked ChatGPT ImageGen to draw them, here are the results:



It’s surprising how similar the results are. Spirals with outward flows. Nodes at the edges. Attempts at complexity. Is that because the training data or process is similar?
Click on the headings below to see the full description of the art form.
Grok invented Zylothic Flow, inspired by the imagined art of a species from a liquid-metal planet
Let’s invent a new alien drawing form called "Zylothic Flow", inspired by the imagined art of a species from a liquid-metal planet. Zylothic Flow combines spiraling, mirrored symmetry with unpredictable, jagged interruptions, mimicking the flow of molten metal interrupted by crystalline growths. The result will feel otherworldly, fluid yet sharp, and unlike anything terrestrial. I’ll guide you step-by-step to create a drawing of a "Kryzalth", a fictional alien entity that’s part organism, part geological formation, using this Zylothic Flow technique.
Materials Needed:
- Paper (any size, but larger gives more room for detail)
- Pen or marker (black works best for contrast, but feel free to experiment)
- Optional: colored pencils or markers for accents
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: The Core Spiral
- Start near the center of your paper. Draw a loose, wobbly spiral about the size of a fist (roughly 3-4 inches across). Don’t make it perfect—let the lines waver slightly, as if it’s a liquid current spinning unevenly.
- Leave small gaps between the spiral loops (about 1/4 inch), as these will be filled later.
Step 2: Mirrored Extensions
- Pick two opposite points on the outermost loop of your spiral (e.g., top and bottom, or left and right). From each point, draw a long, curving line outward, like tendrils stretching away from the core. Make them roughly symmetrical but not identical—let one curve slightly more sharply or extend a bit longer.
- Each tendril should be about 5-6 inches long, tapering to a point as it ends.
Step 3: Jagged Interruptions
- Along each tendril, add 3-4 sharp, angular shapes breaking the smooth curve. These are the "crystalline growths." For each one:
- Draw a quick, zigzagging line (like a lightning bolt) cutting across the tendril, about 1 inch long.
- Connect the ends of the zigzag back to the tendril with short, straight lines, forming a rough triangle or trapezoid sticking out.
- Space these interruptions unevenly—one tendril might have two close together, while the other has them spread out.
Step 4: Spiral Fissures
- Return to the core spiral. In the gaps between the loops, draw thin, irregular lines radiating outward, like cracks or veins. Make them twist and branch slightly, but keep them shorter than the tendrils (1-2 inches long).
- Add a few tiny, jagged shapes (like miniature versions of the tendril interruptions) where these fissures end.
Step 5: Fluid Echoes
- Around the entire drawing, sketch faint, wavy lines that loosely follow the shapes you’ve made—like ripples or echoes in liquid. These should be incomplete, broken lines, not fully encircling anything. Think of them as the Kryzalth’s "energy wake."
- Keep them light and subtle, so they don’t overpower the main structure.
Step 6: Detailing the Kryzalth
- To make it feel alive, add a few organic touches:
- On one tendril, draw a cluster of small, overlapping ovals near the tip, like budding spores or eyes.
- In the center of the spiral, sketch a rough, asymmetrical shape (like a melted star) to suggest a core or heart.
- Optionally, use color: shade the spiral in metallic hues (silver, bronze) and the jagged growths in crystalline tones (blue, purple, or green).
What You’ve Created:
Your Kryzalth should look like a swirling, metallic entity with crystalline spikes jutting from its flowing form—a being that seems to shift between liquid and solid states. The Zylothic Flow technique gives it a sense of motion and alien vitality, as if it’s growing or pulsing on the page. No two Kryzalths will be exactly alike due to the organic imperfections and asymmetry built into the process.
Feel free to experiment—add more tendrils, exaggerate the jagged growths, or play with the spiral’s size. This is your glimpse into an alien artist’s mind! Let me know if you’d like to refine it further or try something else.
DeepSeek invented “Zyxian Spectral Weaving” that uses luminous tension strands
Alien Drawing Form: "Zyxian Spectral Weaving"
Concept:
In the Zyxian culture from the nebula of Vorth-7, art is not created with lines or shapes but with "luminous tension strands"—interwoven beams of colored energy that phase in and out of visibility. Instead of pens or brushes, Zyxian artists use "resonance prisms" to bend light into tangible, semi-solid threads that hover slightly above the surface. The resulting artwork is a 3D tapestry of glowing, shifting patterns, best viewed under ultraviolet light.
Drawing: "The Whispering Fractal Bloom"
An organic, pulsating flower-like structure made of overlapping spectral strands that hum at different frequencies.
Materials Needed:
- A sheet of "phase-reactive paper" (or black paper for contrast)
- UV-reactive markers (at least 3 colors)
- A steady hand and a willingness to "think in vibrations"
Steps to Reproduce:
- Activate the Prism (Marker):
- Hold your marker vertically—Zyxians believe art must "fall from the sky."
- Weave the Core Vibration (Central Strand):
- Draw a spiral starting from the center, but instead of a continuous line, use dashed strokes (each dash represents a "pulse" of energy).
- Alternate between two colors (e.g., blue and violet) to show harmonic dissonance.
- Fractal Petals (Radial Expansion):
- From the spiral, extend curved, branching strands like a mix of veins and lightning bolts.
- Each branch should split into three smaller strands after a short distance (Zyxian sacred number).
- Overlap some strands without touching—they should hover near each other, creating "light bridges."
- Pulsing Nodes (Energy Anchors):
- At each split point, draw a small, glowing circle (use a bright color like neon green).
- Around each circle, add tiny orbiting dots (like electrons) to show energy movement.
- Harmonic Shadows (Depth Illusion):
- With a faint color (e.g., pink), add transparent "echoes" of some strands slightly offset—these are "ghost vibrations" from parallel dimensions.
- Final Resonance (Activation):
- Shine UV light on the drawing. The overlapping colors will create new hues where they cross, mimicking Zyxian light fusion.
- Optional: Hum softly while viewing—Zyxians believe sound unlocks hidden layers.
Result:
Your "Whispering Fractal Bloom" should appear to float off the page, with strands that seem to vibrate when viewed from different angles. True Zyxian art is never static—turn the paper slowly to see new connections emerge!
Would you like to try a more complex form, like a "Dimensional Vortex Serpent" next?
Gemini invents “Probability Weaving”, mapping potential states and surrounding influences
Okay, let's invent an alien art form from the Xylar collective on Cygnus X-1's third planet, Xylos. Their perception includes sensitivity to subtle gravitational fluctuations and probability waves. Their art form, "Probability Weaving" (or 'Vth'lk'narr' in their tongue), doesn't just depict a static image, but rather maps the potential states and subtle influences surrounding an object or concept. It requires a specific mindset — focusing not just on what is, but what could be and what influences it subtly.
Humans can approximate this using standard drawing tools, focusing on the meaning behind the lines and colors.
The Art Form: Probability Weaving
- Core Concept: To represent an object/subject not as a fixed entity, but as a confluence of probabilities, influences, and potential states interacting.
- Key Elements:
- Core Manifestation: The most probable or current state of the subject.
- Potential Vectors: Lines indicating directions of likely change or future possibilities.
- Influence Nodes: Points or areas representing significant external forces (gravity, energy fields, other entities' potentials) acting on the subject.
- Resonance Fields: Areas of color or texture showing the interplay between potentials and influences.
- Medium (Xylar): Manipulated light and localized micro-gravity fields projected onto a magnetically contained plasma surface.
- Medium (Human Adaptation): Paper/digital canvas, pens/pencils/brushes of different colors and thicknesses.
The Subject: A "Chrono-Synclastic Nutrient Cyst"
This is something never seen before — imagine a biological construct found floating in the upper atmosphere of a gas giant. It doesn't "eat" in the traditional sense, but absorbs ambient temporal energy fluctuations, storing potential timelines as nutritive energy. Visually, it might resemble a semi-translucent, crystalline bladder filled with shifting, iridescent light patterns, constantly warping slightly.
Drawing the Chrono-Synclastic Nutrient Cyst using Probability Weaving (Human Adaptation)
You Will Need:
- A drawing surface (paper or digital canvas).
- Multiple colors (pens, pencils, or digital brushes). Let's assign meanings:
- Black (or Dark Grey): Core Manifestation (Current state) – Use a medium thickness line.
- Blue: Future Potential Vectors (Likely changes) – Use thin, sharp lines.
- Red: Past Influence Traces (Residual states/origins) – Use slightly thicker, softer, perhaps dashed lines.
- Yellow: External Influence Nodes (Ambient energy/gravity) – Represented by dots or small starbursts.
- Green: Resonance Fields (Interaction zones) – Use soft shading or light cross-hatching.
- White (or lightest color/eraser): High Probability/Energy Focus – Used for highlights or core points within the Manifestation.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Establish the Core Manifestation (Black/Dark Grey):
- Lightly sketch a central, amorphous shape — like a slightly deflated, irregular balloon or a complex amoeba. It should look somewhat unstable.
- Go over this shape with your Black (or Dark Grey) medium line. Don't make the outline perfectly smooth; introduce slight warps, bulges, and indentations. This represents its current, most probable form. It should feel somewhat translucent, so don't fill it in solidly yet.
- Trace Past Influences (Red):
- Using the Red (thicker, softer/dashed line), draw lines that seem to emerge from or underlie parts of the Black core shape.
- These lines might suggest simpler, previous shapes from which the current form evolved, or trails indicating where it came from. Maybe one or two dashed Red lines trail off the page, indicating its deeper history. They should touch or slightly overlap the Black line.
- Project Future Potentials (Blue):
- Using the Blue (thin, sharp lines), draw lines extending outward from the Black core.
- These represent likely future states. Some lines might indicate growth or expansion (pointing away from bulges), others might suggest shrinkage or splitting (pointing inwards slightly or towards indentations). Have several Blue lines, showing multiple possibilities. They start at the Black line and radiate outwards.
- Place External Influence Nodes (Yellow):
- Think about what might be affecting the Cyst. Ambient temporal currents? Gravitational eddies? Proximity to other Cysts?
- Place several Yellow dots or small starbursts around the main shape, but not touching it directly (unless an influence is very direct). The density or size of the Yellow nodes can indicate the strength of the influence.
- Illustrate Resonance Fields (Green):
- Now, look for areas where different lines interact or where Influence Nodes are close to the Core Manifestation or Potential Vectors.
- Use soft Green shading or light cross-hatching in these areas:
- Where Red (past) and Black (present) overlap significantly.
- Where Blue (future) lines point towards Yellow (influence) nodes.
- In the space between a dense cluster of Yellow nodes and the Black core.
- Where multiple Blue lines originate close together, suggesting a focal point of change.
- The Green represents the effect of these interactions — a field of temporal stress, energy absorption, or potential shifting.
- Define High Probability/Energy Focus (White/Lightest Color):
- Inside the Black Core Manifestation, identify one or two points that seem like centers of activity — perhaps where many Red/Blue lines converge, or a particularly prominent bulge.
- Use White or your lightest color (or an eraser for subtractive drawing) to create bright spots or highlights at these points. This represents the most energized or most probable focal points within the Cyst's current state. You can also add faint white highlights along the sharpest edges of the Black core to enhance the crystalline/translucent feel.
- Refine and Interpret:
- Look at your drawing. It shouldn't look like a simple object. It should appear as a dynamic map of forces and possibilities centered on a fluctuating core. The interplay of lines and colors tells the story of the Chrono-Synclastic Nutrient Cyst's existence — its history echoing (Red), its present form wavering (Black/White), its potential futures branching (Blue), all subject to external pressures (Yellow) creating zones of interaction (Green).
You have now drawn something never seen before, using an alien art technique focused on probability and influence rather than static representation! The final image should feel complex, slightly unstable, and layered with meaning.
(I tried getting Gemini 2.0 Flash Image Generation to draw these. It couldn’t follow the detailed instructions. It seems much better with photos and photo editing than abstract art.)