Apocrypha: Human by Design

For the EnvatoChallenge, I wanted to explore a different relationship between AI and creativity.

I created Apocrypha, a collectible card universe where every artifact begins as an AI-assisted concept but only becomes part of the archive through human taste, creative direction, and design.

Instead of asking AI to create finished pieces, I used Envato as the main creative toolkit throughout the entire project. I explored its stock image and video library to build moodboards, collect textures, study compositions, and define the visual language of the world. I also used Envato AI to generate concepts for characters, artifacts, and environments, then refined, combined, and reworked them into a cohesive universe. Some of the concepts were even manually painted over to push them beyond the original AI output.

Alongside the cards, I designed ArchiveOS, a living creative bible where I organize collections, lore, references, prompts, and every creative decision behind the project. It became the place where the entire world of Apocrypha could grow consistently.

The biggest creative decision wasn't generating images. It was deciding what deserved to exist. Knowing when an idea felt wrong, when an artwork needed more work, when a concept should evolve, or when it should be discarded completely. AI gave me possibilities, but every final artifact exists because of human judgment.

I'd love to hear what you think about this approach to AI-assisted worldbuilding.

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Currently designing and building a custom web app for a friend that works as an alternative to platforms like PhotoShelter and SmugMug.

It’s becoming easier for people to replace expensive monthly tools with products built specifically around their own workflow, features, and business needs.

Need something custom built for the way you work? Let’s talk.

A photographer-specific alternative to PhotoShelter makes a lot of sense, those platforms feel bloated if you only need galleries and client proofing. Are you building the storage/CDN piece yourself or wiring up something like S3 behind it?