I'm Unsure How I Feel About This AI Version of My Artwork

It probably goes without saying that the cover images for this blog post were created using AI — specifically, ChatGPT's new image modelling tools. And honestly? I'm still undecided on how I feel about the art style. Indifferent, maybe. Or more accurately, I am torn. It's a tool built for speed, and right now, it's helping me get ideas out faster while I focus on what I want to, which is the creation of ideas and working on my writing.

Some friends have told me they really like the aesthetic of these blog images. Others have said it doesn’t feel like "me" or that it doesn't match my usual aesthetic they have come to associate me with. Fair enough. But I’m treating this blog and portfolio like an agile project, prioritising function and momentum over perfection.

If I were creating these covers manually in Photoshop, I know myself well enough to know I'd spend way too long tweaking them, trying to align with some elusive "brand" standard. For now, the AI-generated visuals serve their purpose. I’ve tested different styles, tried throwing it all kinds of prompts, but this one - the clayesque, 3D tactile look - is the only thing that felt consistently decent.

Maybe later down the line, I’ll land on a stronger visual direction. But for now the writing and exploration takes priority.

And earlier today, curiosity got the better of me. I sat down to do some writing, but I also had an itch to progress one of the many WIP pieces of art. So I ran a test to try and do both. I wanted to see how well the new GPT model would interpret some of my more abstract, surreal works. The ones with mixed media, hand-drawn details, and some emotional connection to my artistic side.. aah the dilemma..

I hesitated initially. Like most artists, I have concerns around sharing intellectual property with generative AI. Especially when it can recreate something like a Studio Ghibli scene in a couple of seconds. That raises ethical flags, no doubt about it. But for the sake of understanding what this thing can do – and because the visual style for this blog is still in motion, I decided to do the research.

So here they are: side-by-side comparisons of some of my original pieces (or WIPs), and the ChatGPT-modelled versions.

There’s something fun about them, if that is the word. They kind of remind me of Wallace and Gromit and that handmade clay stop-motion styling I loved as a kid.

And now I’m wondering... could I build a whole 3D universe like this? Something like Mario Galaxy? A surreal, 3D world that extends from this blog of notions into something bigger?

The deeper feelings I have about all of this.. I’m mostly just shocked by how fast it’s moving. Rather spooked really… And also thrilled. Its a weird balance.