Ever thought of using AI to help with your artwork?

This is a bit of a weird one.

You may have realised by now that I'm very much against AI as a substitute for artists making art using their own hands and eyes.

However it occurred to me earlier this week that maybe there is some scope for AI in art.

I first wrote about AI and painting back in May 2023 in this post - which is still a recommended read (see more at the end of this post)

RECOMMENDED: Duane Keiser on AI and Painting
Duane Keiser has been writing recently on his blog about the advent of AI and whether it is a serious rival to painting 'for real'.

Would you use AI to help with your "hand and eye" art? 

Anyway, first here's what I said on Facebook - by way of this query......

Ever thought of using AI to help with your artwork?

This was my explanation for the post

So…… Would you be interested to give it a try?
Or is this a complete anathema for you?

The question is a thought which occurred to me while listening to “The Rest is Entertainment” podcast (very educational surprisingly!) - and they were discussing how the first AI model has now appeared in Vogue!!

Or as Conde Nast put it “NOT in the editorial content” (i.e. it was an advert)

They then went on to discuss how much time and budget eg retailers would save commissioning AI models….

Who remembers the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize in 2017 when one of the portraits selected was 100% computer generated i.e. android!!!
Read Breach of rules - Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2017

This is the question which appeared on the YouTube version of Q&A Edition of The Rest is Entertainment "Was Vogue Wrong To Publish A Fake Model?"

and this is the video followed by the questions asked.

he has a point!

If you'd like to hear what Richard Osman made of it watch the following video.

Beyond it is the discussion on my Facebook Page

So what about my question?

I had some great responses to my original question (in the yellow box up top) on Facebook

Mel Cooper-Powell Artist
As my main day job is graphic design, I come up against ai all the time. It’s a great tool in the box of creativity as long as it is used well and doesn’t take over from the human element.

I can entirely understand why AI might be used in graphic design or illustration. It just saves so much time.

But you still cannot produce quality output without some quality input from a human being.

A particularly interesting response came from Gail Reid - and this is the painting she made which she is referencing in relation to one of the people in the painting.

Raft of the Medusa by Gail Reid - on the right

Gail Reid Artist ·
I used AI to generate references for the humanoid robot in the Raft Of The Medusa. Anna Davey-Mitchell has it on her lap. She researches AI influencers and robots, and did a fantastic tedx talk on how they are undermining women. Anna couldn't bring an actual robot from her lab for insurance reaaons. So I decided if I was going to criticise AI, it would be better to do so having used it. You can see the references I generated here https://www.gailreidartist.com/people-portfolio/raft-of-the-medusa#references 

I came away more able to appreciate its power, possibility, and limitations. Just got a monthly subscription to AI Midjourney then cancelled after using it.

(Anna is the person in blue bottom left of the painting holding the robotic model)

Then we had a botanical artist with a husband who works in high end AI animation - with a great response!

Sue McHugh
I think it's a very thought-provoking question to ask right now to be honest. It really is a hot topic given how quickly AI is progressing and how good it has become almost overnight. I work across both spaces, as I am a botanicl artist and my husband is in film, now using high0end AI animation across a lot of his work. I guess the question might be for me, how much of the human back-story behind a portrait is important? I think it is highly important but at the same time I am really intrigued by some of the really interesting output from AI models x

to which my response was

Making A Mark
Sue McHugh that’s where I think it might very interesting. In effect you can create the whole of the back story too within the image.
Plus you would be capable of creating the image to be painted from in its entirety - so scope to be entirely original across two media.  

Or maybe not????

to which her response was

Sue McHugh
yes, I totally agree, the incredible power of it is that at your fingertips you have the ability to style and 'photo shoot' you can imagine and then some! I am not a portrait painter but I have played around with some botanical imagery and if nothing else it can throw up some ideas for compositions, lighting etc which I wouldn't have thought of, a sort of visual storyboard. If you wanted something in particular to try as an example, let me know and I can see what it comes up with x

What I found in particular to be absolutely fascinating was that all the people who responded were WOMEN and those who have tried using different methods for developing artwork.

Comments are closed on this blog because of pesky spammers so my conversations about topics tend to take place on Facebook - or face to face if you get the chance!

If you would like to join in and continue the dialogue this is the link to my Facebook Post

In the meantime, here was the Google AI response to my query about Duane Keiser and AI - plus some links to additional posts

Here's a more detailed look at Duane Keiser's work and perspective on AI:

Experimentation with AI:
Keiser uses AI image generators not just to create art, but also to analyze and understand the capabilities and limitations of these tools.

"Avocado Turing Test":
This test, where Keiser uses Midjourney to recreate his signature "Water and Avocado" painting, highlights the potential of AI to mimic artistic styles.

"The Woman in the White Dress":
In his article "The Woman in the White Dress," Keiser explores the capabilities of AI image generators and their potential to produce realistic images, even with imperfections according to his blog.

AI vs Cezanne
The purpose of the following exercise is to see whether AI can notice, or be instructed to notice, Cezanne's unique and deceptively simple stylistic rhythms.

On Painting and Algorithms
The following is an essay I wrote around 2010 about painting and computers. I stumbled across it recently as I was looking through my notes

AI and Copyright:
Keiser has explored the legal and ethical questions surrounding AI-generated art and copyright, noting that while AI develops the image, the end user is often considered the author.

AI vs. Human Artists:
Keiser acknowledges the advancements in AI art but also points out its quirks and limitations, particularly when rendering humans. He discusses the potential for AI to surpass traditional art forms in certain areas, but also emphasizes the unique qualities of human expression.

Historical Context:
Keiser draws parallels between AI and the historical impact of photography on painting, suggesting that AI is another tool that artists can use and adapt to.

Beyond the Hype:
Keiser is critical of the initial "game-changing" hype surrounding AI art and encourages a more nuanced understanding of its capabilities and limitations.