Can generative AI be used to help an artist set up a composition or concept for an illustration?
I’ve been experimenting over the past number of months with various generative AI tools and trying to sort out my own feelings and thoughts regarding Generative AI. I used Adobe Firefly as the Generative AI target here. I’m aware of the current controversy that has gone on regarding Adobe CC and AI. That is not the focus of this post. If you’d like to learn more about that you can read about it here on The Verge.
My goal with this project was to see if Adobe Firefly could produce an image of a character based on my previously completed image. Specifically, could Firefly create an image of a younger version of the painting I did of Bayle Domon from the Wheel of Time in the same style as my original painting.
Below you can see the prompt I used in Firefly and the results it produced referencing my older painting as a style guideline.
PROMPT USED IN FIREFLY: A younger male version of the person in this style reference image, brown shoulder length hair blowing in the wind, bright blue eyes, patchy partially grown dark facial hair, red cheeks, big smile, Stocky build, short neck, loose oil painting. (1:1)
These generated images were ok. But they didn’t feel like the same character. So I chose one of them, brought it into photoshop and made adjustments using the liquify tool. I then used the generative fill tool in Photoshop to change the jacket on the character. Once I was content with the starting point which you can see below. I brought it into Adobe Fresco on my iPad and painted over it using the Live Oil Brushes. These brushes are a staple tool I use when I paint in Fresco.
Finally, you see below the results of my experiment. The image on the left I painted a year ago, the image on the right is the collaboration between myself and Firefly.
Firefly is built on a more ethical generative art model, offering compensation to the contributors to the stock photo library they’ve used to train the firefly AI with. I find this appealing and a good start toward responsible use of the toolsets.
I will say Adobe Firefly gave me a good starting point. Like a creative springboard. All the underpainting was done for me basically. This was a massive time shortcut. I can see how, in the context of a creative studio, this could be a great tool for project requiring large amounts of creative assets.
CHALLENGES
Firefly isn’t smart enough yet to match my style precisely. It does a decent approximation. It still requires work on the part of the creative to find a good starting point through prompt generation and then making artistic choices. The process requires a keen eye and practice akin to that of an art director or creative director to determine a good path forward.
BENEFIT
For me, a seasoned illustrator and painter, this is good enough. It certainly cut down some time in this process. Using Adobe Firefly simplified the creation of the final piece from a time perspective.
PHILOSOPHY
As an artist at heart, I don’t really like the process. I can see the benefits as far as time savings, however, from a philosophical perspective it is robbing me of the “good work” of chipping away at the beginning stages of the painting. These early stages are hard, frustrating and honestly the decision made during the early stages of a piece are what define an artists compositional choices.
THE GOAL
For me, I am trying to understand the benefits, drawbacks, ethical questions and capabilities of generative AI in the context of a craft based workflow. I will continue to explore. This particular exercise was interesting but left me in a dichotomous mind frame. I want more AI capability and I want to shun AI in my practice so I can get the benefit of the struggle.
My gut tells me that creatives will eventually need to adapt as we have with the advent of other creative technologies such as photography and computer art.
For now, I am continuing to explore tool sets and create my own art. I share more about my painting process on my patreon if you’re curious. You can join to get exclusive content and support me there.
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