Illustration in the Age of AI

It wasn’t long ago when image generation became accessible to the public, with the release of tools like DALL-E in 2021. This development has impacted everyone, but it has had a particularly significant effect on illustrators who must now adapt to the rapidly evolving digital landscape shaped by Al technologies. Like any new technology, Al brings both advantages and complexities. With my project, I aim to raise awareness and facilitate dialogue among illustrators about the benefits and risks of using Al image generation, empowering them to navigate its impact responsibly.

ELEMENTS

My Bachelor Thesis journey is composed of several key elements: a solid foundation of extensive research, insights from Svenska Tecknare, an in-depth exploration of Al image generation where I worked closely with tools like DALL-E 3 and Adobe Firefly, and the transformation of an Al-generated image into a physical painting. All of these components are thoughtfully presented in a comprehensive booklet that reflects my findings. As a final vital step, I discussed my findings with illustrators to gain further insights and perspectives.

WORKING WITH AI

My collaboration with Al involved generating an image that depicts both a Utopian and Dystopian future where Al plays a central role. This part of my project was crucial in helping me understand how this powerful and somewhat unsettling technology operates. I learned that it can enhance creativity by offering new ideas, useful feedback and speeding up workflows. However, it also revealed significant challenges, such as Al’s struggle with complex prompts, the risk of homogenization, and environmental and ethical concerns. All of these discoveries are elaborated on and examined in the booklet.

“According to a study by Hugging Face (2023) the 124 image generations I created within ChatGPT alone consumed approximately 360 kWh and this doesn’t include the 102 generations within Photoshop that were made. To put this into perspective, an average household refrigerator uses 602 kWh per year” (Sotelo, 2022)

PAINTING

Building on my exploration of Al, I decided to bridge the gap between digital and traditional illustrations by transforming the Al-generated image of Utopian and Dystopian futures into a painting on canvas. This experiment was crucial in questioning whether traditional artistic practices still hold value in an Al-driven world. By translating the digital into the physical, I sought to explore and highlight the ongoing relevance of human creativity and traditional skill, leaving open the question of how these two approaches can coexist and complement each other in the context of modern illustration.

THE POWER IS OURS

My project, “Illustration in the Age of Al, invites you to embark on a journey of discovery by immersing yourself in my booklet, which offers extensive insight into the topic. It also encourages you to partake in discussions about the impact of Al technologies on the field of illustration. By combining education with open dialogue, we can foster meaningful change. While it is inevitable that Al will play a huge role in the creative industry, it is in our hands to guide this technology towards a positive integration. The power to define this new era is ours, so let’s shape it with a sense of integrity that only humans can provide.

References

Luccioni, A. S., Jernite, Y., & Strubell, E. (November 2023). Power Hungry Processing: Watts Driving the Cost of AI Deployment? ArXiv preprint. Hugging Face. Retrieved from https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.16863

Sotelo, G. (November 2022). The 6 best energy-efficient refrigerators: From compact to luxe, we found the best fridges to cut pollution and save money. Treehugger. Retrieved from https:/ /www.treehugger.com/energy-efficient-refrigerators-5193342