Why Professional Illustrators Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Artificial Intelligence

January 2023
Tools and Resources
in 2 minutes
Charlie Martin

As an artist, it’s natural to be hesitant when it comes to new technologies, especially those that have the potential to disrupt your profession. Artificial intelligence (AI) has garnered a lot of attention in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why. From self-driving cars to personalized product recommendations, AI has already begun to change the way we live and work.

But as an artist, you might be wondering how AI will affect your profession. Will AI be able to create art that is on par with human artists? Will it make your job obsolete?

The short answer is no. While AI has made great strides in certain areas, it still has a long way to go before it can fully replicate the creativity and nuance of human artists. In fact, many artists are already using AI tools to enhance their work and streamline their creative process.

Here are a few reasons why artists shouldn’t be scared of AI and how to use AI tools proactively as a professional illustrator:

#1 AI can’t replace human creativity

One of the main concerns about AI is that it will eventually be able to create art that is indistinguishable from human-created art. While AI has made some impressive strides in this area, it still has a long way to go before it can fully replicate the creativity and nuance of human artists.

For example, an AI algorithm called GAN (Generative Adversarial Network) was used to create an AI-generated portrait that was auctioned off at Christie’s for $1532,500. While the portrait was impressive, it was still clearly created by an AI and lacked the depth and complexity of human-created art. As art critic Ben Davis points out, “the portrait still doesn’t really capture the essence of a human face in the way that a painting by a human artist does.”

AI algorithms are limited by the data they are trained on. While they can create impressive works of art based on this data, they lack the ability to think outside the box and come up with truly original ideas.

Furthermore, the art world values authenticity and individuality, and it’s unlikely that AI-generated art will ever be able to capture these qualities in the same way that human-created art does.

#2 AI can be a valuable tool for artists

While AI may not be able to replace human artists, it can still be a valuable tool for artists. There are a number of AI tools available that can help artists streamline their workflow, such as:

  • AI-powered design assistants, like Adobe’s Project DeepMatch, which can help artists generate ideas and create rough drafts of designs.
  • AI-powered coloring tools, like Colormind, which can save artists time by automating the coloring process.
  • AI-powered image generation tools, like DALL-E, which can help artists create photorealistic images faster than they could with traditional techniques.

By using AI tools to handle some of the more tedious aspects of the creative process, artists can free up time and energy to focus on the more creative and rewarding aspects of their work.

#3 AI can open up new opportunities for artists

AI can also open up new opportunities for artists. For example, AI-generated art can be used in areas where traditional art may not be practical, such as in video games or virtual reality experiences.

In addition, AI can help artists reach a wider audience by allowing them to create and sell digital copies of their work. This can be especially beneficial for artists who may not have the resources to produce and distribute physical copies of their work. For example, artists can use platforms like Skribbl to sell their digital art online.

Skribbl | Royalty Free, High-Quality Illustrations for Design Projects

Enrich your next design project, and support human artistry, with Skribbl's growing collection of royalty-free, hand-drawn illustrations.

Have a question? Send your email to info@weareskribbl.com

Skribbl in Numbers

No. of artists: 77
No. of illustrations: 2,966

Skribbl Ltd © 2024. All rights reserved. Company Number: 13572679

Built with Gusto