An Understanding of Mediums

Artificial Intelligence. It seems to be popping up everywhere we look. If we want answers to the mundane things that randomly pop into our heads, we simply ask our phones and VIOLA! ANSWERS! How tall was Mr. Rogers? When was the donut invented? Who was the actor inside of the Wookie suit in Star Wars? Where did the word FART come from?

Artificial intelligence has the answers.

Sadly, there are some serious, real-world side effects. One of the most obvious is the reality that AI will replace MANY human beings soon. If you work in a computer-related office position, I would be VERY nervous if I were you.

Another real-world side effect is the impact AI is having on the world of art. It has infiltrated music, books, and the visual arts. Without going into a long, winded tirade, I would just like to say that the impact it is having on artists in general is quite significant. Thanks to AI, people with literally NO ARTISTIC ABILITIES can generate hi resolution images that look like a true master created them. Simply type words into a command prompt and the algorithm sends back images to fit the typed key words. Suddenly everybody seems as talented as Van Gogh, Dali, or Michelangelo.

What does this mean to those who do not understand the medium? How does this shape the perceptions of viewers? AI generated imagery is a digital medium. Does that mean that ALL digitally created imagery falls into the same category as AI? For those who lack an understanding of digital art, it probably does. AI devalues everything that actual artists strive to achieve, which brings me to why I am writing this in the first place.

I am a digital artist.

For many years I have been confronted by the lack of understanding many people have for digital art. Long before AI generated imagery reared its ugly head, there was the mistaken belief that digital art requires very little from the person creating it. Point. Click. BOOM. Art.

Rather than trailing off on another long, winded tirade, I will simply say that digital art is no different than any other creative medium. There are different levels of skills, abilities, and innovative approaches to the creation of any art form. Some digital artists are at the beginning of their journey to become talented artists. Others have spent years on end striving to be the best that they can be at what they are doing.

That is where I come in. Since 1999, I have been creating digitally. I have several programs that I use, all of which have required years of hard work to master. Nothing that I do is a simple matter of point and click. My artwork requires a tremendous amount of planning. Everything that I create is done with painstaking thought and effort. I have spent thousands of hours over the years trying to create my very own visual style. I am proud of those efforts. For better or worse, I am unique.

When I begin an image, the slate is clean, no different than an empty canvas. I spend many hours on every creation. My work is a product of vision, effort, and devotion. For this reason, I feel compelled to explain why not all digital art is created equally. For the people who do not understand the difference between AI generated imagery and actual digital art, the explanation is simple. To be an actual artist, you have to work at it. You have to spend the time honing your craft. You have to put your talent and vision into what you are doing.

AI requires none of that. It is a clever technology to be sure, but it is not art. The technology allows a user to simply type a few words and a computer algorithm will generate hi resolution imagery on command. Think of it like a TV dinner. If you buy a TV dinner that has five courses, then put it in the oven for a few minutes, does that make you a chef? Nope. It does not.

I would encourage anybody to do a bit of research into what these image generators are actually doing, just as I have. Just a little bit of research could go a long way towards understanding the difference between AI and actual digital art.

It really is an understanding of mediums.

-John Alexander (aka SirJohn)