Above a super short video of the process to draw a traditional card. This one goes for a dear patron on patreon.com/yidneth and I'm completing a few others for them when I gather some peace to sit down and draw. These are raw quick sketches full of "human" imperfection, but sometimes the seed of ideas for bigger illustrations. But they're also a joy for me to send along letters. You know those romantic old fashioned things on paper you send to physical addresses for people to cherish :) And so I hope these two find appreciation along with words of gratitude.
By the way the little music snippet in the video is my "instrumental" song Ode to the Silence and you can listen the full version here:
Finding joy on traditional paper again
I used to paint a lot when young, in fact I never expected music to take over my illustrations. I enjoy both equally and they are sometimes entwined.
Digital or traditional?
I love both and most of my "finished" drawings are mixed media, I always draw and ink on paper though.
I'm still hoping to safe for an iPad to paint with procreate software as I have been told It's super intuitive. Somehow every time something comes up and I just cannot afford it so it's been like on hold quite a few times (as many other things of my obsolete gear hahah). But right now sketching again on paper with just regular pens it feels something solid and "real" and I'm falling in love with all over it again, though aware I need to dust cobwebs off my fingers, and maybe use some reading glasses (age is unforgiving). I love drawing and sketching always on traditional, even if then I scan the ideas and make digital paintings out of them, still I also paint them, it is just that I have "zoom" for my weary eyes hahah :) and control-Z (undo) for the mishaps when I hurry LOL. I really halted for a long time after a really bad sprain in my thumb that took years to heal (and I wonder if it's in my mind that I feel my pulse is not as steady but you can only "work it out" working as so they say) so now I keep a sketchpad by my side table :).
I do not put much planning in these, they're like automatic writing, no reference, no constraints, just a thought
This one has a few, not entirely symmetrical but made with joy in the spur of the moment just like you see in the video. From this point on, I would scan and sometimes paint or rework digitally.
I sometimes decide to paint traditional as well (watercolour, acrylics, oil)
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My thoughts about AI. Will it destroy artists?
I was giving a serious thought about giving a try as an illustrator (besides music) and maybe do some commissions but then all AI artist content exploded and everyone is sharing art created by the power of a click. I'm not voicing myself pro or against it, but it creates a "burn out" effect as people can effortlessly create what an artist takes hours or days to do, so it contributes to the illusion that it does not require effort. And somehow it has had the OPPOSITE effect, I've been finding joy on doodle on pieces of papers and these cards will be for my patrons, people that support my work and art at (https://patreon.com/yidneth) and people that still buy physical albums as a surprise. I have to trust in my unique vision, no matter how imperfect or HUMAN my art is.
You cannot stop progress. Of course there are some things in the foundation that have been done wrong, like Laion scanning all our artworks from deviant art (mine included) for training without the artists permission. And yes, it's going to take food off our plates. I can see also it could become a tool (not only for art) but also for special and visual effects and so many things. But I think the "artists" will find ways to "create" wether it is compositing elements (as if stock) or directing and assembling the little pieces. So far I'm glad to know that though imperfect, if all power in the world goes down... I can still portray on paper what's in my head. And if ever using AI as assistant I want to DIRECT what I create not to ACCEPT what it's given. Right now I think there is a lot of grey area, as I say, there were some unethical things being done and though we artists could now decline having been scanned, it had been trained anyway that way. So we'll see. I always say you cannot stop progress, but also, I believe in human effort. Hope it becomes a way to help rather than to obliterate creators. It's too soon and too revolutionary I know.
Me, despite all the burn out fantasy digital art has suffered, still want to save for that iPad and procreate to doodle and sketch on the go. I try not to think much about it, the same could happen for music, and writing...
and here just me and some examples of my art
So what are your thoughts? Are we artists doomed?
I think we will overcome the challenges. Just like in music I love to have my "own voice" with art I like to have my own "mind" so we'll see in time how we'll adapt or even learn how to incorporate these tools. Meanwhile I'll still enjoy doodling, and learning, and failing at hands time and time again, and sometimes coming up with something I'm proud of :)
By the way, my two physical albums are both illustrated by me. There are still some copies at https://yidneth.com I know this is all like becoming obsolete
Also as always should you wish to support here are all my links
I will upvote every reply with meaningful feedback and "proof of reading"
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALS TO SUPPORT
- https://beacons.ai/yidneth (landing page with most links together)
- https://yidneth.com (official site)
- https://patreon.com/yidneth (this card is for one of them)
- https://priscillahernandez.com/shop (Buy my CDs, art)
- https://blog.priscillahernandez.com
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Priscilla Hernandez
singer-songwriter & illustrator
http://yidneth.com
Love your illustration and the way you used white ink on color paper.
You are right, we can't stop progress, and I think IA will help artists. I still like to creat my arts from sketch, but sometimes generative images give us a jump start.
Art always evolved and we still have space for all kind of arts... cute, morden, retro, etc...
The human appreciation that will direct future.
Thank you so much. I took a long pause a few years ago due to a thumb sprain and I am slowly regaining my confidence. I halted an illustrated project in 2016 snd want to retrain a little before giving it a final push. But with ai yes at the beginning it was discouraging and thrilling but you cannot stop progress, i think artists will be the ones creating domething unique out of it but there is a risk prople forget how much effort it takes. I think also some regulations are in use because people have been rendering things with brands snd people likeness or works from others. I even saw an AI that copies your voice,honestly as a singer I have not granted pemission to that. It is all new and vertiginous we will see in time
glad your thumb is better now. hope to see more arts from you.
yeah, IA is scarry, helpful and we know that the use by humans can be the issue.
use for good or for bad? and we know we will have both, that's why I think is scarry.
i pretend to use it to assist me and only for good.
have a great weekend friend!
I don't think artists like you are doomed. AI can make pretty pictures, and they may end up taking a lot of the commercial work away, but art has a soul and only someone with a soul can create art.
I think it does a good job at mimicking but results are impressive and this is just the beginning. I also make digital fantasy art (but painting myself) i take weeks against seconds so yes, been saving for an ipad to work as an artist and just like with music we will fave the challenges as they come
While I find some of the AI fascinating, there's something missing from the content. It's like it's missing "soul" or some other essential thing to make it really attractive.
I'm really not a fan of AI content, on the whole... I believe we need to use our brains and hands creatively on our own, not by pushing buttons and getting instant results.
I think that the same people make photocomposition prople will generate stocks and compose unique pieces hopefully weaving something or their own, or for inspo as it dies nice colour palettes. We will see in time. I find pleasure in creating what i see in my minds eye anyway
Really lovely @yidneth I usually start my digital art on paper and with pencil pen before going digital anyway, but this year I've been feeling the urge to do more final pieces in the 'real world' (whatever that phrase means anymore lol)
My opinion on the new ai art is that really, it'll become a tool for we artists. There was fear of photography at one point in much the same way, so we shall see. I think ultimately organic life will always win out, so AI is a novelty at present but will most likely settle into normal life in time as a tool we use like computers and mobile phones, but who can say.
I think that as long as people do not claim to have painted "the conventional way" the dame there is a difference between photomanipu lation, or collages. Why not instead of using stocks? But I feel there is a need also of regulation because people are generating brands and likeness and it's all too early and too vertiginous, and it is very unsure how it's going to be regulated in the near future and how it might even affect to the images that have been created so far. We will see.
I also felt the urge to return to paper and I have heard this from other artists as well. So you're not alone
Wonderful artwork! I hope you're doing well @yidneth, long time no chat!
I have been right here. Slow and steady poster. I'm not on discord much anymore though I keep my server.
IA cannot destroy true artists like yourself. I see it as a tool, not a replacement. At least for now. Like digital painting is a tool too.. Maybe in the future, IA will replace not only artists but all humans. it's just evolution. Don't worry, that's in the distant future. Like... a couple of years maybe xD.
Please draw more!!!!
Lol... Oops. Just a year or two? Let's make the best of them, then ❤️❤️❤️
It is hard not to feel both enthralled snd threatened by it. I actually do not fear AI but human misuse of it.
Ps. Luv u
What a incredibely beautiful art!
Thank you so much for the stop I am mostly known because of my music but I am intended to paint and draw more as I used to. ❤️❤️