From Abstract to Clear:
The Process
1. The Origin: Channeling Depths
I have been an artist and a writer for nearly twenty years. For me, creativity wasn’t a career choice; it was a survival mechanism.
In my early 20s, my life changed. I had to largely walk away from the physical passions I loved – skateboarding, ice hockey, snowboarding – even though I continued as best I could to do all of such, eventually the symptoms of my condition took hold forcing me to step back. To manage the deep tensions and despair of living with severe Cataplexy, I turned to the page and the canvas. I taught myself to sketch and paint (mostly acrylics), finding a release in the process that my body could no longer provide in sport.
2. The Expansion: Extending the Range
I have never claimed my traditional art or writing was “top-tier professional.” I am self-taught. But I have always felt that my work possessed a unique style and depth – a specific clarity regarding the experience of Narcolepsy and other sleep disorders, specifically regarding the symptoms.
My traditional work often leaned heavily into the abstract. While abstract art is powerful, it can be difficult for others to interpret. When you are an advocate trying to explain a complex medical reality, “open to interpretation” isn’t always a good thing. I realized I needed a way to make my visions clearer, cleaner, and undeniable.
3. The Evolution: Bridging the Gap
This is why I have incorporated Google’s AI-assisted tools into my workflow for my independent advocacy work, including the creation of Leo’s Daily Normal.
I feel that these tools allow me to bridge the gap between an abstract manner of articulation and a more concrete visual on the page. They help me clean up the lines and refine the writing so that key points and story is not just felt, but understood.
I am not using these tools to avoid the work – not at all. I have spent two decades setting myself up to be better equipped to do even better work. I have found these tools are helpful with ensuring that the story of Narcolepsy and living with sleep disorders is told with a level of visual appeal and narrative clarity that resonates with the widest audience possible. It helps me to take my vision to a higher level – a level that may better meet the desires of the audiences, which has felt out of my reach, though now feels more achievable.
4. The Hands-On: Design/Build
I do not use the AI to learn but to help enhance and to specifically re-construct as I design and build what I create. For all that I create, I am bringing my perspective, expertise, breakdowns, insights, along with focusing on specific medical literature. Additionally, incorporating what I’ve learned from interactions with others in the community of their stories, experiences and perspective.
For Leo’s Daily Normal, I am not sitting back and watching the computer work; I am hunched over a tablet at my computer desk, behind multiple monitors, actively building every panel.
This process requires intense scrutiny:
- Crafting the Expression: I have to first conceptualize the scene, then coax the specific parts out of the tools – such as the nuanced look of “brain fog” or the sudden loss of muscle tone (Cataplexy). This often requires dozens of iterations to get the posture to reflect the medical reality.
- Building the Composition: I manually compose the scenes, moving elements around, adjusting the lighting, and fixing continuity errors/slop to ensure the world remains consistent.
- Refining the Narrative: I utilize tools to help refine the dialogue and tone, ensuring the text is legible, impactful, and clear.
Crucially, adding AI to my workflow is not a wholesale replacement of my drawing and painting skills. I am still painting, sketching, and making art in general. These tools are simply an addition to my toolbox – not a substitute for my creative foundation, but a new instrument alongside the brushes and pens I have used for decades.
5. The Myth of the Shortcut: The Actual Path
Some might assume that using AI is a way to bypass effort. The reality is that creating a single episode so far has demanded between 30 and 50 hours of focused labor which is similar to time spent without the tools – in the end achieving what feels like a more solid outcome.
The time I would have spent revising my drawings is now spent iterating, and polishing until the result matches the reality I want to express and the depths I want to touch upon. This process is not about speed; it is about conveying meaning. If a panel doesn’t clearly convey the weight of the experience, I start over. The vision – and the hours behind it – are entirely mine.
A Note on Transparency: I am fully aware that discussing the use of AI tools invites scrutiny and criticism in today’s climate. As someone who strives to be genuine, open-minded, and grounded, I am writing this post to be clear, upfront, and hiding nothing.
Disclaimer: As always, I am not a medical professional. Content related to Narcolepsy is based on lived experience and is for informational purposes only.
Spanish version
Japanese/ソロモン・ブリッグスによる日本語訳
Created by: Solomon Briggs
(aka Narcoplexic)
December 18th, 2025
Process © 2025 by Solomon Briggs is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
“You may use this tool for non-commercial purposes, but must credit Solomon Briggs.”