AI is undoubtedly a topic of intense debate in various realms right now and the art world is no exception. As AI technology keeps getting more advanced, questions about its impact on traditional art forms such as painting, sculpture and the like also arise.
Critics might argue that AI first and foremost could diminish the role of human creativity, replacing artists with algorithms. However, an alternative perspective also emerges — can AI be an effective tool for artists in traditional art fields? What if AI could give artists more freedom to create complex bodies of work with a much smaller budget and less overall time restraint, both a common and limiting fact in the everyday lives and creative process of artists?
So, in this article we’ll put the scathing criticism aside and focus in the other direction. Let’s take a close look at how AI-powered software can assist artists by sparking inspiration, refine techniques, automate tasks and perhaps enrich the artistic work in the so-called traditional art forms.
Harnessing AI for creative inspiration
Painters can utilize AI tools to collect new ideas and enhance their creative process. By using AI, one can access vast datasets of images, artworks and patterns. These models can analyze and generate unique visual compositions and colour palettes. They could even suggest subject matter, providing fresh perspectives and inspiration for new artworks.
In animation and filmmaking, AI can be a very valuable source. Animators can employ AI to analyze vast amounts of both still and motion data, but also to assist in discovering new techniques, styles or narrative approaches.
For sculptors working on public installations, AI offers an effective and easy approach to sketching and visualizing their pieces in specific locations. By integrating AI into the process, sculptors can use AI software to simulate how their sculptures could appear in various environments with more ease, enabling them to assess scale, composition and visual impact with greater precision.
How AI tools can enhance efficiency for artists
Artists can also use AI-powered tools to streamline their workflow and enhance efficiency. By automating repetitive tasks, they can allocate more time and energy towards the core aspects of their creative process instead. The extremely time consuming work of creating animations for example, is considerably lowered with the help of AI editing software.
For all visual artists, AI-based software can assist in various ways. Tools that offer automated colour palette generation can save time when selecting and experimenting with different colour combinations.
Image editing software incorporating AI in their toolboxes can assist in digital image editing in many ways. Simplifying processes like resizing objects, working with layers and cropping, or generally enhancing images with much more ease and less need of technical skills to name a few.
AI-powered editing tools can enhance big batches of images with automatic adjustments, reducing the time spent on manual retouching. Certain AI tools can also analyze and categorize large collections of photos based on visual attributes, making it easier for photographers to organize and select the best shots.
Sculptors or artists working with site specific installations can benefit from AI-assisted tools as well. For instance, 3D scanning combined with AI enables accurate measurements, facilitating the creation of complex sculptures.
But let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of things and actually give some examples of tools that can do work mentioned above.
- ArtBreeder. Allows artists to merge different art styles by applying characteristics and aesthetics from reference images to create new artwork.
- Runway ML. A full AI-powered video and image editing software that simplifies the video editing and allows you to create videos, effects and animations with much less effort than in traditional editing software.
- Gigapixel AI (Topaz Labs). This AI-powered software specializes in upscaling images while preserving details and sharpness. It’s beneficial for photographers and digital artists who want to enlarge their images without sacrificing quality.
- PhotoPrism. A photography organization and curation tool that uses AI to automatically analyze and categorize images based on visual attributes. It simplifies the process of sorting and selecting photos, helping photographers manage their collections more efficiently.
- Luma AI. A 3D sculpting software that combines AI algorithms with digital sculpting tools. It offers features that optimize the topology of 3D models, saving time for anyone working with site specific objects.
- Adobe Photoshop. The popular image editing software nowadays offers various AI-powered features like automated cropping, content-aware fills and intelligent upscaling. These features help creators save a lot of time and effort in the editing processes.
- Adobe Firefly. One of the latest additions in Adobe’s toolbox. Firefly is a generative AI that can convert natural language prompts into images. It’s one of many on the market right now, but since it’s been trained solely on legal and ethical sources, it has an output clear for usage for commercial purposes.
ChatGPT-4
So over to the AI tool that has been on almost everyone’s lips for a while: Open AI’s flagship tool ChatGPT-4. This is also a model that can be a valuable resource for artists, offering assistance in various aspects of research and artistic exploration. Artists can utilize ChatGPT to delve into art history, gather references and gain insights into different artistic movements and techniques. By integrating AI tools like ChatGPT-4 into their research process, artists can definitely enhance their knowledge about many subjects in the field of art.
GPT-4, the latest language model for the ChatGPT AI chatbot, also brings significant improvements over its predecessor when it comes to researching fact-related information.
OpenAI claims that GPT-4 can process up to 25 000 words at a time, eight times more than the original GPT-3 model. It is designed to understand nuanced instructions, requests, and questions more effectively, making it a valuable tool for gathering accurate and comprehensive information.
Moreover, GPT-4 is trained to be much harder to fool and less likely to generate falsehoods or unuseful responses. It can be utilized by artists for various research purposes related to traditional art.
- Art history and references. ChatGPT-4 can provide artists with information about art movements, specific artists, historical context and art techniques. It can offer insights on different influential artworks, serving as a quick reference tool for artists looking to expand their knowledge.
- Material and technique exploration. Artists can use ChatGPT-4 to learn more about specific materials, their properties and appropriate techniques for various art forms. For instance, painters can seek advice on different colour pigments, brushes or mediums suitable for a particular style or desired effect.
- Inspiration and idea generation. ChatGPT-4 can act as a creative collaborator, engaging in conversations with artists to brainstorm ideas, suggest concepts or even offer unique perspectives on different artistic challenges.
- Art market analysis. Artists can use ChatGPT to gather information about current art trends, pricing and market analysis. It can assist in understanding market demand, identifying potential collectors or galleries and gaining insights into the business side of the art industry.
Future perspectives
In conclusion, integration of AI into traditional art forms certainly has the potential to facilitate the creative process and assist the artistic work. AI-powered tools can offer artists new sources of inspiration, aid in refining techniques and automate repetitive tasks. Ultimately this will increase efficiency and free up more time for the activity of creating as such.
But as AI becomes more integrated into artistic processes, ethical considerations have of course already arised. Artists will need to navigate issues such as intellectual property and transparency in AI-generated art.
It is important to view AI as a tool that complements and augments human creativity, rather than replacing it. Then embracing AI it can become a collaborative partner that makes it possible for artists to push the boundaries of their artistic work and discover new avenues of expression.
Looking at the future, one can anticipate even more advanced AI technologies and tools specifically designed for traditional art fields. AI algorithms will continue to evolve, offering enhanced abilities in analyzing, generating and simulating artistic elements.
Ellika Sjöstrand
Founder and curator Leap gallery