What are we losing if we make art with AI? — An Art Therapist’s perspective

🌈 Abstract

The article explores the author's perspective on the use of AI in art creation, discussing the advantages and drawbacks of incorporating AI-generated art into their creative process as an art therapist and visual book author.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Author's Artistic Process

1. What are the different mediums and techniques the author uses to create art?

• The author paints with acrylic paints on canvas, draws in spiral watercolor notebooks, and rips images from magazines and books to glue onto paper.
• The author also uses digital tools like Adobe and Canva for layout and poster design, but prefers physical art-making.

2. How does the author view the value of the art-making process versus the final product?

• As an art therapist, the author understands the importance of the process of making art, not just the end result.
• The author believes the process allows the mind to wander and reveals subconscious elements.

3. What was the author's initial reaction to using AI for art generation?

• The author was hesitant to try AI art generation at first, but eventually gave it a try after encouragement from a friend.
• The author found the AI-generated images interesting, but did not initially find much personal value in the process.

[02] Incorporating AI-Generated Art

1. How has the author used AI-generated art in their work?

• The author has used AI-generated images (from prompts based on a client's words) as part of art therapy sessions, finding the fresh insights helpful.
• The author has also used AI to generate art to pair with their own essays when they did not have the time or inspiration to create original artwork.

2. What are the author's thoughts on the ownership and attribution of AI-generated art?

• The author feels a sense of ownership over the AI-generated art, as it came from their prompts, but also acknowledges this is not the full truth.
• The author questions when people will stop declaring an image as AI-generated and simply consider it as art.

3. How does the author view the impact of AI on the art and illustration fields?

• The author believes AI will significantly impact the field of illustration, as authors may no longer need to rely on skilled visual artists.
• The author wonders about the "energy" of AI-generated art compared to art made by hand, and whether the energy is still present since the AI was trained on human-created art.

[03] The Future of Art-Making

1. What does the author foresee in terms of a "counterculture movement" around handmade art?

• The author believes there will be a counterculture movement of people emphasizing the process and experience of making art by hand, as a reaction to the rise of AI-generated art.
• However, the author expects this to be a minority movement, as the accessibility and convenience of AI-generated art will likely appeal to many.

2. How does the author view the potential benefits and drawbacks of AI-generated art for those with physical limitations or artistic insecurities?

• For those with physical limitations, the author acknowledges that AI could allow them to create and design in ways they may not have been able to otherwise.
• For those who feel limited in their artistic skills, AI can help bypass the necessary practice and time to generate art, though the author still has personal hesitations about this.

3. What is the author's overall perspective on the role of AI in art-making?

• The author does not want to limit others in their use of AI for art, recognizing that it may provide new creative outlets for some.
• However, the author also expresses concern about the potential loss of the benefits of the physical art-making process, such as its impact on the brain, body, and emotional/mental processing.