I loved this! Thanks for sharing! You've given me some great art prompts not necessarily for my posts, but just for art when I don't know what to draw!
Of course! And thanks for posting! I want to see more anti-A.I. posts. Still see too many writers praising using A.I. in their writing too. Thanks for sharing!
Again, loving the direction you're taking with the publication. I like that more of your personality is shining through with each post you write. Great blissicle this time:)
I like the way you think, Jason! The gut reaction I've been having to AI for book covers and blog posts is that the content will be too generic and bland for me to spend time reading. Total gut reaction.
I believe there's something mystical about human art. The artist puts a little bit of their soul into the work, whatever it is, and somehow we all can connect with that bit of the soul that we cannot when it's machines all the way down.
Boy, did this hit between the eyes. While I've been guilty of using AI for only a couple of pieces, I try to use my own photos as much as possible. I believe that writers also contribute to readers' visual libraries with an illustration that shows something they've never seen before. Thus, the story or poem is more understandable on a visual level. However, Jason, you've given lots of ideas and leads to help me move beyond what I've been using. Collages, quirky photos, doodles, even diving back into drawing. OY! Thank you so much for this excellent article.
I'm glad this resonated with you! I wrote this not to call anyone out or scold anyone, but because I understand the pressure to find a suitable visual and that AI makes that so temptingly easy. I can't wait to see more of what you come up with!
I have tons of photos I've taken over the years and have even successfully used ancient photos of me from my scrapbooks. Gotta love cell phones. But collages and such. Now that's a challenge I'd like to play with as well as dragging out the old paints and pencils.
Love this Jason. It’s refreshing to see someone offering practical options and alternatives to AI. And good to remember that all creatives are potentially impacted by it, not only writers. Thanks!
We each have to decide where to draw the line on that. To me, it's an issue of power dynamics. If the NY Times somehow sees an illustration of mine and wants to use it in exchange or only a link, that's a hard no. The NYT has the budget and process to license art. However, if a creator with a few hundred or even a few thousand subscribers sees one of my illustrations that would be a good fit for something they are doing, I'm happy to let them use it only in exchange for a link. To me, that is not me working for exposure.
That's a form of collaboration, mutual aid, and community building. One link to their followers is unlikely to bring in any new readers for me. The value to me is in the relationship I have formed with a fellow creator. That relationship could lead to many wonderful things for us both.
The current economics are such that even a Substack with hundreds of paid subscribers is clearing less than $500 a month from that effort. Asking them to pay anything close to market rates for illustrations would be impossible. I'd much rather support a writer by letting them use my already-made illustrations instead of them using AI, or even instead of them using some stock-image service that will pay the artist on the other end a few pennies while making the corporate entity that licenses al the images that much richer.
For me, I am also only willing to do this with work I've already made and published, that's just sitting there. I would need to be paid to create something new or custom, because an artist has to eat.
I like the sentiment behind all of these ideas but I think we need to be careful not to put the pressure on artists to give away work in order to prevent people from using ai images.
I love these! I haven't yet stooped so low as to use AI art, but I do feel like I rely too much on free stock images for things like Substack and mailing list messages. This post will inspire me to branch out a little!
Fantastic ideas - thank you, Jason. I have sometimes wondered about sharing your haiku/art, but hadn’t dared to ask… I should know better! Love the listicle, too. 🙂
Thanks, Julia! I love it when people share my haiku comics! People reposting the artwork is one of the best ways for future readers to find out I exist
I loved this! Thanks for sharing! You've given me some great art prompts not necessarily for my posts, but just for art when I don't know what to draw!
Thanks for reading! I'm thrilled you found it useful! I can't wait to see what you end up drawing when you decide to use one of these ideas!
Of course! And thanks for posting! I want to see more anti-A.I. posts. Still see too many writers praising using A.I. in their writing too. Thanks for sharing!
Bravo! Great post. I shall be looking for a reason to cadge a frame from one of your comics!
Thanks! Let me know when you see something! I'm happy to send it over
Again, loving the direction you're taking with the publication. I like that more of your personality is shining through with each post you write. Great blissicle this time:)
Thank you! I working on even more zine-y looking content in the future!
A definite breath of fresh air from all the blood sucking AI in the world! This column is so inspiring. It’s like a get out of jail free card.
Thank you, Thomas! Anything I can do to beat back the AI vampires, I'm happy to do
I like the way you think, Jason! The gut reaction I've been having to AI for book covers and blog posts is that the content will be too generic and bland for me to spend time reading. Total gut reaction.
I believe there's something mystical about human art. The artist puts a little bit of their soul into the work, whatever it is, and somehow we all can connect with that bit of the soul that we cannot when it's machines all the way down.
Great post!!! Loved it!!!!
Thanks, Sue!
Boy, did this hit between the eyes. While I've been guilty of using AI for only a couple of pieces, I try to use my own photos as much as possible. I believe that writers also contribute to readers' visual libraries with an illustration that shows something they've never seen before. Thus, the story or poem is more understandable on a visual level. However, Jason, you've given lots of ideas and leads to help me move beyond what I've been using. Collages, quirky photos, doodles, even diving back into drawing. OY! Thank you so much for this excellent article.
I'm glad this resonated with you! I wrote this not to call anyone out or scold anyone, but because I understand the pressure to find a suitable visual and that AI makes that so temptingly easy. I can't wait to see more of what you come up with!
I have tons of photos I've taken over the years and have even successfully used ancient photos of me from my scrapbooks. Gotta love cell phones. But collages and such. Now that's a challenge I'd like to play with as well as dragging out the old paints and pencils.
Thank you.
My pleasure!
Love this Jason. It’s refreshing to see someone offering practical options and alternatives to AI. And good to remember that all creatives are potentially impacted by it, not only writers. Thanks!
Thanks, Sarah! We are all in the fight for our human souls together!
We certainly are!
Artist here, love the overall idea of the post but not a fan of suggesting that exposure is payment enough for artists. 🙏🏼
We each have to decide where to draw the line on that. To me, it's an issue of power dynamics. If the NY Times somehow sees an illustration of mine and wants to use it in exchange or only a link, that's a hard no. The NYT has the budget and process to license art. However, if a creator with a few hundred or even a few thousand subscribers sees one of my illustrations that would be a good fit for something they are doing, I'm happy to let them use it only in exchange for a link. To me, that is not me working for exposure.
That's a form of collaboration, mutual aid, and community building. One link to their followers is unlikely to bring in any new readers for me. The value to me is in the relationship I have formed with a fellow creator. That relationship could lead to many wonderful things for us both.
The current economics are such that even a Substack with hundreds of paid subscribers is clearing less than $500 a month from that effort. Asking them to pay anything close to market rates for illustrations would be impossible. I'd much rather support a writer by letting them use my already-made illustrations instead of them using AI, or even instead of them using some stock-image service that will pay the artist on the other end a few pennies while making the corporate entity that licenses al the images that much richer.
For me, I am also only willing to do this with work I've already made and published, that's just sitting there. I would need to be paid to create something new or custom, because an artist has to eat.
I like the sentiment behind all of these ideas but I think we need to be careful not to put the pressure on artists to give away work in order to prevent people from using ai images.
I've always believed in the mystical connection with human art.
I love these! I haven't yet stooped so low as to use AI art, but I do feel like I rely too much on free stock images for things like Substack and mailing list messages. This post will inspire me to branch out a little!
Great stuff - thank you.
This is so beautiful -- thank you.
My pleasure!
Fantastic ideas - thank you, Jason. I have sometimes wondered about sharing your haiku/art, but hadn’t dared to ask… I should know better! Love the listicle, too. 🙂
Thanks, Julia! I love it when people share my haiku comics! People reposting the artwork is one of the best ways for future readers to find out I exist