Collaborators, Not Competitors: Embracing the Future of Artmaking
Sunday nights were movie nights at home, fueled by Dad’s love for action-packed adventures. With over thirty channels at our disposal, he’d zap around until finding a cinematic gem that met his strict criteria: guns, kicks, and preferably PG-13 (thankfully, that rating didn’t exist yet!). One fateful Sunday, the name Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared on screen, followed by the clanking metal and iconic industrial soundtrack of “TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY.” This sci-fi masterpiece became my instant favorite, sparking a lifelong fascination with futuristic worlds and a vague notion of what an “artificial intelligence” might be. Little did I know, years later, AI would ignite a completely different kind of spark within me: artistic creation.
While my career revolved around the precise world of 3D modelling, I always lacked the confidence to draw freely. This became a significant hurdle during my game design studies, where visualising characters and worlds felt crucial. My talented friend, Wallok , bless his artistic soul, became my artistic wingman, translating my ideas into captivating visuals.
Enter Midjourney, September 2022. This magical tool promised to translate text into images. YouTube tutorials became my rabbit hole, each click deeper revealing the vast potential of this “new thing.” My story, brewing for years, finally had a chance to be visually expressed. From a swirling dust cloud, a galaxy emerged, its vibrant hues and cosmic dance exceeding anything my imagination could conjure alone.
From that point on, my fascination with AI art has only skyrocketed. As a storyteller, it’s given me the ability to accompany my narratives with evocative visuals, immersing myself deeper into the worlds I’m crafting. Each iteration of the models demands new prompting techniques, methods, and processes, keeping the learning curve exciting. With every update, I’ve refined the design of my characters, locations, and creatures, allowing me to truly sink into the stories themselves.
This technology has unlocked an artistic side I never knew existed. What started as exploration transformed into an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Composition, color theory, photography, camera angles, and art styles — I devoured them all, discovering a vast landscape of artistic expression. This journey also introduced me to incredible artists and illustrators like world famous Moebius, and talented creators like Dorian Cott, opening my eyes to the beauty and depth of traditional art.
In the process, I’ve come to understand the complex implications of AI art in the artistic world. While it’s a powerful tool that sparks creativity and streamlines communication with fellow creators, it shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for traditional forms. Ultimately, art is about individual expression, be it through writing, drawing, sculpting, or any other medium. No machine can replicate the intention and soul poured into lines traced by a human hand.
AI image generators aren’t just tools, they’re collaborators who conjure fantastical worlds and ignite the imagination. For storytellers like us, it empowers us to share the worlds within our heads, validate our concepts, and bring them to life in ways never before possible. But let’s not forget the irreplaceable human touch — the essence of what makes art truly meaningful.
Have you experimented with AI art tools like Midjourney or DALL-E? Share your creative journey and how these technologies have impacted your artistic expression in the comments below.
