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WhAt it means to be serIous about your art
2 years ago
General
Hello again everyone, I hope y'all have been fine!
Very recently I came across an artists journal and it got me to think about a couple of things I would like to bring up to you, because I consider them to be potentially very helpful.
Here are two quotes made by the aforementioned artist:
“My goal has never been to develop perfect painting and drawing skills. I think that's actually not something I'm even suited for.
My sole interest in art is to create things that I find beautiful and sexy.”
“Now, I understand that this type of tool is not allowed on FA. And since this character's creation involved AI, (...)”
NOTE: If you know who wrote this, you will not harass this person or go after them in any fashion, for such behavior would be inappropriate, uncalled for and gross misconduct!
~
Now... as you know, I and many of you too, are strictly against employing the AI tech for one reason or another or for all of them.
I must be honest and admit that I have grown rather quickly into an anti AI advocate both hard shell and hard core.
It seems that even those people with no malicious intentions whatsoever (like the artists I quoted) do not seem to understand the principle behind our arguments and concerns.
I bring up the fact that the data scrapers collect imagery and other things from unverifiable sources. I can also bring up how some people recommend only buying sketches from artists so an AI can do the rest of the job. Likewise I can mention how huge mainstreams artists are just being ignored and even mocked for not wanting their work to be included.
The companies providing these AI just charge forward, ignorant to those they are going to run over in the process, with on regard to any ethics.
My core principle in this is, that I find it questionable to support companies with such mannerisms, for in any other circumstance, people usually likewise would not give open or indifferent support to companies with a morally questionable modus operandi (such as products stemming from child labor or animal abuse or other mean with strong workers exploitation.)
Therefore I can not recommend using AI products before any sort of ethical code and code of conduct is establish, be it written in law or unwritten in society and I wish you could understand this, agree and act accordingly too, for this is in all our interest and not only self-serving.
~
Alright, I know I brought it up before, but for the sake of everyone understanding where I'm coming from, please keep reading on.
Most of you guys watching my FA account here came in after 2017. That is a bit of significance, because my freshmen years as an artist took place a long time before that, namely circa 2007 to 2012.
I became a freelancer with my art in early 2017, turning the hobby into profession. I had about 2700 watchers at the time; the amount had roughly doubled by 2020. That means most of you are probably not familiar with my early years and I want to tell you some anecdotes of mine and some lessons that I have learned, leading into why you have zero obligation or incentive to even consider using AI for art.
In late 2006 I had the image of Delilah flashing through my mind. I was 15 at the time and her appearance caused changes in my life, she gave me direction, this weird exotic magical entity that was so mysterious.
I decided to draw her so I wouldn't forget her face, in the process I fell over Fossil who had a character named Tyra; she looked eerily close to Delilah. In short: what Fossil did just came closest to what I had in my mind at the time.
Despite having established personal contact with Fossil, me taking too strong a reference to his work has caused a number of shit storms and me having been a stupid teenager certainly didn't help either.
Around 2008-9 I began to look around more actively, trying to find my own way and separating myself from the mindset that what Fossil had done was the right road map for me.
OK so... how is any of this relevant? You might be asking.
Well, even as a hobbyist I started looking for more in-depth knowledge other than trying to imitate artists that I liked, including more than just Fossil.
I came to the realization that I could only get the thing that I want if I understood the basics of how the tools work in the first place and here it comes:
It started to put me personally in the boss seat. It gave me agency over my own hand and I guess my own style started to form much more rapidly after the fact.
If I had taken an AI to “help” me, it would have been a short cut, robbing me of the opportunity to discover my preferences in how I want my art to actually look and the ideas coming along with it in later years. It would have robbed me of the knowledge I acquired otherwise.
Because... here is the thing: artists who already are experienced will know how to use AI in a manner that is not scam or any other term for shadiness you may come up with.
If I got my hands on an AI around 2010, you bet I would have considered using it as a shortcut. And why not, right? The image generation is not direct stealing and I can feed it only with selective files to avoid being too close to Fossil, all is well, right?
I can not blame any beginner artist for seeing the AI assistance as attractive. I can also not blame more experienced intermediate and professional artists for seeing it as useful for something.
What I can do though is relate to that, I have been there myself, up to my very neck.
Additionally, this includes a different aspect, I can likewise to any self-doubts you may have as an artist, we all have them, regardless of skill-level, I am by no means different.
I want to bring in the audience-aspect of it as well, because I witnessed directly the different approach some people are taking towards me.
I was told these things: I am a legend, I am a public figure with responsibility, I have been inspiring for a good bunch, I have a lot influence.
It is not my intention to further comment on these claims, but they show how perception can change over time if you stick to your guns and keep moving on.
Therefore, let me tell you that you only have to AIM at mastery and/ or perfection. It does not need to be your direct goal. In fact, making perfection your goal is more detrimental to the course, for perfection is nothing but a state of mind, that can not be achieved in physical reality.
Just aim at a good skill-level and outcome. This will empower you, it puts YOU in control. Nobody can take this away from you, nobody is going slander you for it.
The artist I quoted at the beginning seems very determined to keep using AI. They started out small, they are not inexperienced nor do they bad work. In fact, the progress they made over the years is admirable, their efforts recommendable to take example from.
When I personally need to have a dead on straight line or a clear cut and tight circle is required for something, then I use photoshops tools to help me out.
Regardless though, I still practice drawing circles and straight lines every time before I begin working on something, I made that my routine.
Being good or least familiar with these very basic things helps putting me in control over my craft, it helped big time becoming way more consistent with my style and it is something you can not directly make out in the art itself.
Folks on here and else-place started to praise and enjoy what I do after I entered this lane and kept going onwards. Something I clearly never heard was “real glad you could outsource X or Y so you didn't need to make it yourself”.
To finally close this, I think there are still more things I could bring up, but I have said those things before and besides, many of you are aware of a lot of this already.
I hope there is something in here that you can take away in good spirit.
~Trias
Very recently I came across an artists journal and it got me to think about a couple of things I would like to bring up to you, because I consider them to be potentially very helpful.
Here are two quotes made by the aforementioned artist:
“My goal has never been to develop perfect painting and drawing skills. I think that's actually not something I'm even suited for.
My sole interest in art is to create things that I find beautiful and sexy.”
“Now, I understand that this type of tool is not allowed on FA. And since this character's creation involved AI, (...)”
NOTE: If you know who wrote this, you will not harass this person or go after them in any fashion, for such behavior would be inappropriate, uncalled for and gross misconduct!
~
Now... as you know, I and many of you too, are strictly against employing the AI tech for one reason or another or for all of them.
I must be honest and admit that I have grown rather quickly into an anti AI advocate both hard shell and hard core.
It seems that even those people with no malicious intentions whatsoever (like the artists I quoted) do not seem to understand the principle behind our arguments and concerns.
I bring up the fact that the data scrapers collect imagery and other things from unverifiable sources. I can also bring up how some people recommend only buying sketches from artists so an AI can do the rest of the job. Likewise I can mention how huge mainstreams artists are just being ignored and even mocked for not wanting their work to be included.
The companies providing these AI just charge forward, ignorant to those they are going to run over in the process, with on regard to any ethics.
My core principle in this is, that I find it questionable to support companies with such mannerisms, for in any other circumstance, people usually likewise would not give open or indifferent support to companies with a morally questionable modus operandi (such as products stemming from child labor or animal abuse or other mean with strong workers exploitation.)
Therefore I can not recommend using AI products before any sort of ethical code and code of conduct is establish, be it written in law or unwritten in society and I wish you could understand this, agree and act accordingly too, for this is in all our interest and not only self-serving.
~
Alright, I know I brought it up before, but for the sake of everyone understanding where I'm coming from, please keep reading on.
Most of you guys watching my FA account here came in after 2017. That is a bit of significance, because my freshmen years as an artist took place a long time before that, namely circa 2007 to 2012.
I became a freelancer with my art in early 2017, turning the hobby into profession. I had about 2700 watchers at the time; the amount had roughly doubled by 2020. That means most of you are probably not familiar with my early years and I want to tell you some anecdotes of mine and some lessons that I have learned, leading into why you have zero obligation or incentive to even consider using AI for art.
In late 2006 I had the image of Delilah flashing through my mind. I was 15 at the time and her appearance caused changes in my life, she gave me direction, this weird exotic magical entity that was so mysterious.
I decided to draw her so I wouldn't forget her face, in the process I fell over Fossil who had a character named Tyra; she looked eerily close to Delilah. In short: what Fossil did just came closest to what I had in my mind at the time.
Despite having established personal contact with Fossil, me taking too strong a reference to his work has caused a number of shit storms and me having been a stupid teenager certainly didn't help either.
Around 2008-9 I began to look around more actively, trying to find my own way and separating myself from the mindset that what Fossil had done was the right road map for me.
OK so... how is any of this relevant? You might be asking.
Well, even as a hobbyist I started looking for more in-depth knowledge other than trying to imitate artists that I liked, including more than just Fossil.
I came to the realization that I could only get the thing that I want if I understood the basics of how the tools work in the first place and here it comes:
It started to put me personally in the boss seat. It gave me agency over my own hand and I guess my own style started to form much more rapidly after the fact.
If I had taken an AI to “help” me, it would have been a short cut, robbing me of the opportunity to discover my preferences in how I want my art to actually look and the ideas coming along with it in later years. It would have robbed me of the knowledge I acquired otherwise.
Because... here is the thing: artists who already are experienced will know how to use AI in a manner that is not scam or any other term for shadiness you may come up with.
If I got my hands on an AI around 2010, you bet I would have considered using it as a shortcut. And why not, right? The image generation is not direct stealing and I can feed it only with selective files to avoid being too close to Fossil, all is well, right?
I can not blame any beginner artist for seeing the AI assistance as attractive. I can also not blame more experienced intermediate and professional artists for seeing it as useful for something.
What I can do though is relate to that, I have been there myself, up to my very neck.
Additionally, this includes a different aspect, I can likewise to any self-doubts you may have as an artist, we all have them, regardless of skill-level, I am by no means different.
I want to bring in the audience-aspect of it as well, because I witnessed directly the different approach some people are taking towards me.
I was told these things: I am a legend, I am a public figure with responsibility, I have been inspiring for a good bunch, I have a lot influence.
It is not my intention to further comment on these claims, but they show how perception can change over time if you stick to your guns and keep moving on.
Therefore, let me tell you that you only have to AIM at mastery and/ or perfection. It does not need to be your direct goal. In fact, making perfection your goal is more detrimental to the course, for perfection is nothing but a state of mind, that can not be achieved in physical reality.
Just aim at a good skill-level and outcome. This will empower you, it puts YOU in control. Nobody can take this away from you, nobody is going slander you for it.
The artist I quoted at the beginning seems very determined to keep using AI. They started out small, they are not inexperienced nor do they bad work. In fact, the progress they made over the years is admirable, their efforts recommendable to take example from.
When I personally need to have a dead on straight line or a clear cut and tight circle is required for something, then I use photoshops tools to help me out.
Regardless though, I still practice drawing circles and straight lines every time before I begin working on something, I made that my routine.
Being good or least familiar with these very basic things helps putting me in control over my craft, it helped big time becoming way more consistent with my style and it is something you can not directly make out in the art itself.
Folks on here and else-place started to praise and enjoy what I do after I entered this lane and kept going onwards. Something I clearly never heard was “real glad you could outsource X or Y so you didn't need to make it yourself”.
To finally close this, I think there are still more things I could bring up, but I have said those things before and besides, many of you are aware of a lot of this already.
I hope there is something in here that you can take away in good spirit.
~Trias
I do agree with you though with what you said in your journal, and I know where what you're quoting originated. I'm still overall against the use of AI, as there is still plenty of room for error in everything that goes on with its use, but thought I'd share my brief thoughts on that.
It can't be stated enough: if accessibility and responsible use AS WELL AS trustworthy business practices would have been at the forefront, I wouldn't have said what I did with this much passion and outright anger and the controversy wouldn't be what it is.
Suggesting this sort of implies that there is something the artist shouldn't be doing by themselves OR that they are better off for not having to engage with something, what it is that the AI is doing. If that is the case, I strongly believe that premise is wrong. Not having to do something does not automatically equal a better life.
On your example with composition, I have this to say: I heard the point of the AI being put to service for delivering reference material. There is something limiting in that. In the digitial age, the traditional way of gathering reference is checking the internet, books or the outdoors for fitting materials. If you commit to doing that, you're inherently open to seeing other things you might would have never considered otherwise. Looking in sometimes completely unrelated places can be a door-opener.
in short I have thoughts on how you could do it *ethtically*, but it still wouldn't be Artistically Sound
I also disagree that AI is a good assistance tool. To me it's like if you're a student tasked with solving a mathematical question, only for you to have a device like a calculator spit out the answer and you leave it at that. You don't know how the solution came to be, you haven't learned how to solve that problem by yourself. It defeats the purpose of you being tasked with something in the first place.
As for this not being impressive, like you mentioned. If you ask somebody "what is 75 + 25?" and that person pulls out their phone, punching into the calculator and then says "100" you wouldn't be very impressed by what that person did either.
first of all, i'm against stealing art, i never paid for it because it was the first version of dalle mini. I had used it because i wanted to see the crazy things that the AI can do, i see in it some class of dadaism art made by the simplest random machine. It was all good until they update the AI and then the results were less random, more exact, and i stopped using the AI. I think that the AI can inspire artists to learn how to make his own style, but now with all the training and AI models more exact, it only feels void.
i don't want to copy anyone else style, i want to see something never seen before
that's what make me sad about the use of AI, its not for experimenting anymore, it's only for copying styles.
there are plenty of artists that copy styles from other artists, and nobody sees that as something bad, but i think it would be better if, instead of copying other's style, we develop our style.
we are wasting a great potential only for mantaining an status on what is good art and bad art, instead of giving our meaning to the art, we make it to the media using colours that somebody one day decided that it means what him decided. And then we are surprised of the easy that is to the AI to copy simple patrons like "color psychology".
What I mean is that the art must be human again, and not only an algorythm of instructions used by some elitist artists
I would say the merits or lack there of of AI technology certainly is one debate; but as you and I likewise brought up, there is a huge issue with how the companies are approaching the subject and how they go about it. In my opinion that is highly reflected in those people who passionately defend the technology. The examples of prominent artists being stolen from are plenty.
Well, as you noticed, I am a longwinded person and I do know what to say. The problem though is that the people who should be listening and take us seriously are doing the opposite.
In a way, I guess one could say, this is similar to the societies pre world war one, where everyone just naively thought that progress will always make everyones life better, which was proven dramatically wrong in the process. Perhaps that lesson needs to be taught several times over before it finally sinks in.
Nevertheless. I see alot of cool IA art specially on Deviantart. But there is something that IA art lacks and I can't really pinpoint what... Perhaps a trait? In your case when I see an art of you I can pinpoint your style. I think "Oh, this was made by Trias!" Same with standing artists like... Libertades, Badgerben (Yiffer) Gideon, etc.
When I see regular art I "feel" like there is a story behind said art, said style, said character. Like the ones you mention on this journal. That's cool. But about IA art. Despite looking quite cool, almost none of these triggers these feelings on me. I really don't know why.
My personal theory is that any character that an artist draws consistently (like an OC or a variation of one) has some sort of "energy" inprinted on it which at some degree we can feel despite just seeing a pixel collection.
I do believe that AI art can achieve the same thing, but so far I haven't saw that on an IA artist. Perhaps because they just care about uploading art fast without spending too much energy on said character's lore and feelings?
Perhaps it's because AI art it's still too chaotic despite Stable Diffusion's Controlnet and all these attempts? I don't know. And I DO want to figure it out. And your post and thoughts gives me alot of insight about the subject. Thank you alot for that!
A. This ultimately has been my stance on AI as well and what I've been trying to get across. It can, and SHOULD, be used as a means to better yourself, not just a relative shortcut for little Timmy to get a passing A+ for doing jack-squat (True story btw). Thank you for seeing that, for starters.
B. I can't help but be reminded of Mayuri Kurotsuchi from Bleach's entire speech on perfection. It's more towards science, but it MORE than relates here:
“The perfect being, huh? There is no such thing as perfect in this world. That may sound cliché, but it’s the truth. The average person admires perfection and seeks to obtain it. But, what’s the point of achieving perfection? There is none. Nothing. Not a single thing. I loathe perfection! If something is perfect, then there is nothing left. There is no room for imagination. No place left for a person to gain additional knowledge or abilities. Do you know what that means? For scientists such as ourselves, perfection only brings despair. It is our job to create things more wonderful than anything before them, but never to obtain perfection. A scientist must be a person who finds ecstasy while suffering from that antimony. In short, the moment that foolishness left your mouth and reached my ears, you had already lost. Of course, that’s assuming you are a scientist”