Some thoughts on Ai Art from a Human Artist
Some thoughts On AI art
First of all, I really hate this topic. Just thinking about it fills me with Existential Dread. Does that sounds dramatic? Good, because it feels dramatic.
Let me first say, that I am not here to talk about all ‘artificial intelligence’ but mostly just the kind that is trained on the non-consensual use of authors and illustrators creative works.
I’m talking about the kind that is used to create written or visual Art.
A few points I have been mulling over for a while now:
Generative AI is Theft
Both Image Generators and Large Language Models (such as ChatGPT) have been trained on authors and illustrators work without their consent. In my opinion, it’s art theft and has led to multiple ongoing lawsuits claiming copyright infringement.
There are still NO LAWS protecting artists, authors and their creative and intellectual property from being harvested by AI. This just absolutely blows mind that our legislation (in the United States) STILL has not caught up with the current times.
And it is incredibly disheartening that websites, social media apps, creative tools etc., are opting artists and authors in to having their creative works used to train their own AI models without their consent. And in almost all of these cases there is NO option to opt out (for people in the United States - some other countries actually do REQUIRE an opt out option).
It is infuriating.
Generative AI is Wasteful
I don’t know how many people are aware, but running AI is INCREDIBLY wasteful and unsustainable. It uses a ton of energy, requires loads of labor and requires constant input in order to keep itself from consuming it’s own output causing it to start spewing complete gibberish.
I was reading that just a 20ish question encounter with ChatGPT amounts to dumping 500ml of fresh water down the drain.
Generative AI Sucks
Maybe saying “AI Sucks” isn’t very high-brow of me but it feels like the truest way to describe how art generated by AI feels. There is no depth, there is no soul, there is no story. AI art feels dead in every sense of the word. Every author and artist brings a whole cornucopia of life to the work that they create such as:
Their own skills they have labored over perfecting
Their own life story and background which led to and influenced what they create
Their own unique sense of taste and how things work or don’t work together
A message, a meaning, an idea that resonates with them and they want to share with the world.
Don’t we consume art as a window into someone else’s soul? Their inner process. To marvel in our shared humanity and unique experiences? To wonder at what a human being is capable of creating?
I cannot imagine that one day we will be visiting museums such as the Louvre to stare at and appreciate images that were created by a soulless robot. Doesn’t that just feel…dead?
Generative AI is devaluing the work of Living Human Artists Who we Care About
I don’t feel like I need to add anything to this point. Let’s take care of our artists and creative thinkers. We need them.
That Being Said…
There is a very cool movement created by artist Beth Spencer who runs a group called the “Introvert Drawing Club” (love!) where she created a button which says “created with human intelligence” and encouraged other artists to draw it in their own style and share with the hashtag #HiBadge2024
I learned about her idea via a post by Mike Lowery who has also created his own badge and encouraged others to do likewise.
So I made my own and plan to start including it when I post my art online. If you are an artist ANYWHERE in your journey maybe you could try creating your own badge and joining the Human Intelligence Movement! You can see mine here: 👇🏻
Made With Human Intelligence Illustrated Badge by Amber Payne of The Primrose Corner
Some other Thoughts on AI that I found helpful:
Artist Kyle T. Webster described AI HERE in a very digestible way.
Artist Mike Lowery’s thoughts on AI HERE. He does a great job of keeping things light with a bit of humor.
A Forbes Article interviewing artist Beth Spencer on the Human Intelligence Movement.
Penguin Random House is blocking using their books for AI training.
An encouraging update on the progress of Artist’s copyright cases against AI Here
Side note, this post was written by me (a living and breathing person!) without the use of Ai.
#createdwithhumanintelligence 🙃
With Love,
Amber of The Primrose Corner
New Distribution Partner + a New Collection 🌼
Such exciting news to share this week. When we moved to Germany I had to shut down The Primrose Corner Storefront. When Lauren reached out to me and asked if she could become a distribution partner if felt like Fate!
The Primrose Corner has Now teamed up with Lauren from @laurenphelpsdesigns to be able to continue to offer my artwork and products. Lauren has been an amazing creator and business owner in the Planner Community for years and I am so SO excited to make this announcement! My first collection just released TODAY: theSunflower collection. Perfect for the transition from summer into autumn. You can find the new collection here: https://www.laurenphelpsdesigns.com/pages/the-primrose-corner
New Sunflower Journaling Sticker Collection By The Primrose Corner
These stickers are going to be so stunning in a notebook, planner or journal. I can't wait to see how you use them. Thank you so much for all of your support over theyears, of my artwork and products. I am so excited to be able to have my art in your hands again!
With Love,
Amber
New Art, New Home, New Beginnings
This Summer was both the longest and Shortest summer of my life. we were so incredibly busy between the kids getting out of school, packing up and shipping our entire life, visiting all the family before we left the country for years, shutting down the store and making arrangements with a new distribution partner (!?), prepping the dogs for their first international flight, getting all of our documents in order for a new country… The list just goes on and on.
Update: We Moved!…
Regensberg Germany Cathedral
On July 31st we boarded a plane with 9 Suitcases, Three Carryons, 6 backpacks and two dogs and flew to Frankfurt, Germany where it was pouring rain. (rain…what a concept! Living in the desert we haven’t seen real rain in ages). WE were promptly loaded into shuttles and driven 3 hours to our new home in Bavaria, Germany. Yesterday I filmed a little house tour of our new home so look for that over on YouTube!
Things have been just as busy on this end as they were in the days leading up to the big move. We’ve been trying to get our house in order, we received a small shipment of our things (about 8 boxes of stuff). But haven’t heard a thing about the rest of our furniture and other items arrival. we’ve made multiple trips to ikea, bought a new kitchen table (which I am absolutely in love with and is currently being used as my work desk!), I’ve designed and formatted an entirely new sticker collection to release with my new distribution partner: Lauren Phelps Designs! (So exciting but I will go into more detail about that later). got all of the kids registered for school which just started this week. we’re still figuring out where everything is and what our options are as far as grocery stores, diy stores, restaurants, clothes, etc. It’s been a journey.
New Art
despite the chaos of this summer I did have time to make some new art, a lot of which I have had no time to share on social media. so here is a long overdue art update, of some of the things I’ve been up to this summer:
First this gorgeous Children’s Book Illustration I did for my portfolio. I absolutely love this girl and her Duckling companions. I am very tempted to write my own story for them:
Following the leader: A Children's Picture Book Illustration featuring a girl and her duckling crew.
Next I did this very editorial Art piece of a woman pouring tea but her hair is like a rain cloud and the teacups are all houses being rained on. I’ve never done something quite like this but I actually really enjoyed the outcome. I could picture it accompanying a magazine article:
Rainy Teacups by The Primrose Corner
Next I illustrated a room featuring reading (my favorite activity). I was also illustrating this piece for my Kid’s Book art portfolio and I love the mood to it. Just before summer started I wrapped up a class taught by the Artist Beatrice blue (one of my favorites!) on color and Light - and I learned so much!
Nighttime Reads
Another Children’s book illustration was born shortly after taking that class. I can practically feel the magic coming out of this forest:
Let's explore the woods after school - Children's StoryBook Illustration
I also finished the last fox painting for my seasonal foxes series. This was the winter Fox and It turnout so beautiful! Unfortunately I was an idiot and didn’t scan it into my computer before the movers came and packed up our household goods so this is the only photo I have of it. I can’t wait for our stuff to get here so I can get this sleeping fox edited on the computer into a format that’s printable. It was my goal from the beginning to be able to turn this four piece series into art prints. Alas, I am now at the mercy of the cargo ship transporting our stuff across the Atlantic Ocean!
Winter Fox gouache Painting
There is more art and more life updates but this is all I have time for at present! I am hoping to be able to share more on instagram now that we are getting more settled. I’ll see you In the next Blog Post!
Artfully Yours,
Amber 🫶
(P.S. A photo of the new Dining Table I’m so in love with, It’s so pretty!)
New Dining Table