AI Generated “Art” – Is this the End of Artists??

Hello Everyone!

Welcome back everyone and we have to talk about the crazy new world we live in. AI Art Generators are popping up all over the place and the art world is now forever changed.

The real question is, “Will this be the end of illustrators?” If not, then how will the new art world operate? As we know, if you wanted a conceptual design whipped up out of thin air, a well trained artist/illustrator was your only solution…until now!

AI generators can now mock up a plethora of ideas very quickly and if you know how to use them, pretty nice results pop out. This can quickly seem like a replacement for artists and unfortunately some markets have already been negatively impacted over this new technology.

I am going to venture out on a limb here and say that although this will take away from some high paying jobs on the market this will not be the end of artists/illustrators. I have been wrong before so bear with me.

Conceptual design teams will see a reduction of staff and the need for storyboards and commercial artists will decrease. I wouldn’t believe that they would eliminate them entirely since some businesses and clients do enjoy actual humans in their pipeline.

Let’s face it, we are humans after all and some of us fight technology more than others. So, you may just need to find other like minded less tech savvy types to continue working with. The oldschoolers!

I’m not saying that is going to be easy to do but this is the nature of any business in today’s world. Jobs are eliminated every day and it’s how we bounce back that makes us successful over time.

The landscape has always changed. In fact, it’s really the only one true constant in life and in business. Yes folks, art is a business!

Just in my brief life of 47 years ( a professional artist for 22 of them. ) here is what I have witnessed in a nutshell as computers became more powerful.

• The Internet arose and it was going to destroy the need for libraries.
• Digital Printing was invented and it would replace custom paint jobs.
• Drawing Tablets were invented and it would destroy traditional art.
• 3D Programs arose and would destroy the need for special effects.
• Digital Painting in Photoshop arose and would destroy portrait art.
• 3D Printers arose and would destroy the need for sculptors.

I am sure there are many more more examples but what I can say about what I experienced is that many of these jobs were forever changed but not entirely eliminated.

I can speak to the ones I witnessed first hand. So let’s talk about the custom graphics market. I owned a sign and graphics shop for 15 years and worked for another company for another 7 years. I know the market well.

When the vinyl cutters hit the market all the custom painters were in trouble. Now someone with little art ability and some vector templates could cut out a sticker and avoid all that beautiful but expensive paint work.

It also didn’t impact their resale value as much on the vehicle and it was even quicker to produce. You can imagine a lot of unhappy custom painters at that time. Some quit and some rolled up their sleeves and started learning softwares like Flexi-Sign.

Some of them were able to adapt to the new technology and new landscape of the market. They even used the new technology to make patterns for their custom paint work. They integrated the technology and kept moving forward.

Over time you also realize that not everyone was going to quit loving custom paint or that they were even the same customers to begin with. Some people like quick, easy, and cheap and others like high end, custom, and don’t mind paying for it.

I see a similar possibility here. Who do you think would do better utilizing AI software anyways? Your clients or you, an artist? They may have a brief or script but that doesn’t mean they understand what makes great art.

To do that you need to know a thing or two about composition, color theory, camera angles, focal points, rendering styles, and all sorts of other terminology and principles that we have spent a lifetime learning about.

Sorry, just typing words or prompts isn’t going to immediately replace all of that. I’m not saying they can’t get a pretty cool looking image in a matter of moments, because they can!

What AI cannot do right now and cannot do as well without a creative person using it, is come up with a very specific complex ideas. It may get major things rights but then it starts to unravel at the seams.

Currently it cannot do logos, lettering, complex rendering like cross hatching, proper figure drawing ( try action poses with multiple characters ), complex suit designs, and even the proper amount of fingers. Will the AI art generators get this right, soon? Sure it will. Does that matter? Nope!

Here’s why. You will still need an artist to orchestrate all these new found conceptual designs. Just because this software can pump out a mix between Batman and Superman and take from someone else’s style of paint work doesn’t mean you can develop the next hot comic or video game.

These quick mashup images can help start the creative process but they can’t bring it to a proper finished level like a professional illustrator can. The more complex the story becomes and the more variables that are introduced, the more you begin to see why creative professionals are still needed.

Also, you have realize the world is a massive place. If you don’t wan’t to play ball with the AI market, you simply don’t have to. There are plenty of people that think just like you and the internet makes it super easy to connect with them and continue creating art however you like.

I teach online art courses and I would never thought that would even be a thing. Here I am connecting with students all over the world. I also make custom brush packs for different art programs. Something else I never thought I would be doing.

My point is this, keep your mind open to change and open to new possibilities. Sometimes, we need to just stop focusing on the doors that are closing and look around a bit more to see the new ones that are opening.

Why Continue Creating Art if AI Will Only Get Better?

Let me ask you this. Why do you create art in the first place? Is it to make boat loads of money? Do you do it because you love it? Do you create art because it’s the only thing you believe you can do well?

These are all valid questions. Well, maybe not the boat loads of money part. We all have to make a good living for our families and that is a noble thing to do. I can’t think of a better way to do it then using our skills and creativity as artists.

You can still make money as an artist in today’s world because there are people out there that want to connect with YOU as a creative human being. AI cannot replace that or even come close.

I love good visuals. I have seen some amazing AI images but they create no sense of aw and wonder for me because I know what they are. If the images were created by an artist, I would be impressed and want know more them and follow their work.

That is why you should keep going. Art is about expression and human connections. AI art generators can mimic these things but it cannot replace two very primal survival instincts that we all have, the need for human relationships and acceptance.

Your art style is also something that the computer cannot invent, it can only mashup and take from others. You are a constantly evolving creative human being. Who knows what imaginative works you will do 5 years from now. Please don’t make the mistake of taking that from the world or yourself.

Another aspect to shrinking markets that most people fail to see is that you can actually charge more. Not for run of the mill type work obviously but for high end specialty work. Since the market will be flooded with AI art, true art will only skyrocket in value.

There are lots of people that go out of their way to pay more because they want the best. You just have to learn to market yourself a bit better and find those clients.

Besides, if you truly love it then why quit. If your goal is to make money then realize, there have never been more opportunities than there is right now. Here are just a couple that I can think of off the top of my head-

Original Art – Drawing or Paintings

Art Videos or Art Courses ( Click to check out my Youtube! )

Art Mentorship

Custom Brushes ( Check out a new set I made here! )

Templates and Patterns

Etsy Store

Arts and Crafts Shows

Comic Shows ( Sell signed prints by a REAL artist! )

Caricatures at Parties

Custom Painting

Tattoos or Just Drawing them for Clients.

Murals and Airbrushing of Any Kind

I could think of more but hopefully you get the idea. Keep in mind though, none of these work if you don’t believe in yourself and keep grinding even when things are bad. Especially when things are bad!

Sales will always go up and down in any business. It’s how you push forward in the uncertain times that makes you unstoppable.

Your art and you are a brand. You have to keep putting the work out there and sharing your message or your audience will get bored and find another interesting human. You don’t have to post daily to grow your art business but in today’s world of short attention spans it sure it wouldn’t hurt!

One More Good Reason to Keep Going!

I honestly think that there are some real strong aspects to all this that we won’t fully see until the smoke has settled a bit. You have always consider the pendulum effect.

Some markets will suffer and some will grow exponentially. Just be ready to pivot and take advantage of the possibilities.

My opinion….

One part of the industry that I think will grow is the independent creators sector. Why do I say this? Well, lots of amazing creative professionals are going to be looking for additional work. Hopefully they see the opportunity to create their own IP’s and get out from the thumbs of the gatekeepers in other industries.

Why keep working for big companies that slowly pay less and less. Invest in your own ideas and yourself. Grow your brand and when you release that new creative product you’ll be amazed by how many people support you.

Think about ( and STUDY!! ) all the amazing projects that get funded every day on Indiegogo.com and Kickstarter.com

People love supporting creative individuals that are passionate about what they do. Why? Because we love to be inspired!

Again, something that AI Art Generators cannot do. It cannot create that next amazing character that goes on to become a comic, a video game, a block buster movie, and then finally a refrigerator magnet!

Stay strong fellow artists. The night is always darkest before the dawn!

-Robert

Here is a video I made on the subject of AI Generated Art –