What should you choose for your creative needs? With the rise of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI: Artificial Intelligence), it is tempting to believe that machines can do anything. However, when it comes to producing art and illustration, human creativity remains unmatched. At least, that’s my opinion as an illustrator. So why does an illustrator add value, I hear you thinking. Both options have their own advantages and disadvantages.

The benefits of hiring an Illustrator versus AI artwork and why human creativity remains unmatched.

1. Unique creativity and originality:

Illustrators bring a unique perspective and creativity to the table. Their ability to integrate emotion, style and story into their work creates a unique and original final product. Unlike AI, which relies on algorithms and preset parameters, an illustrator can be spontaneous and innovative, resulting in art that is truly authentic.

Although AI is powerful in generating images, the work generated can resemble pre-existing creations. This makes it more difficult to be original and create a unique identity.

2. Human emotion and nuances:

An illustrator is able to capture human emotion and nuance in a way that AI has a harder time matching. The subtleties in expression, feeling and context that an illustrator can put into their work provide a depth and meaning that communicates to the audience on an emotional level.

Artworks created by AI can feel cold and mechanical, making it harder to create an emotional connection with the audience. In this, AI lacks the human touch and emotion that illustrators can provide. Moreover, they still have limitations in understanding context and subtle nuances.

3. Flexibility and adaptability:

Illustrators have the flexibility to adapt to the specific needs and desires of their clients. They can respond to feedback and changes in the project during the creative process, something AI cannot do in the same intuitive way. This ability to interact and adapt results in customized artwork that perfectly matches the client’s vision.

Of course, when working with an AI artist, this is also possible, but their work can still sometimes be unpredictable, producing unexpected results that are not desired. AI tools can be complex to use and often require specific knowledge of technologies, such as machine learning. This I also see is the strong growth of human “experts,” who claim to know everything about AI, prompts, etc.

4. Working quickly and efficiently:

Although illustrators can also work quickly and efficiently, this cannot beat the economies of scale of AI work. AI technology offers the ability to produce large amounts of work. Something that can be useful for creating a large amount of online ads, for example.

A collaboration between an illustrator and AI artist (or AI technology) can then work well. The original and conceptual (thinking) work starts with the illustrator, where AI can build on the products of large amounts of variations. AI is well able to recognize patterns in user preferences and leverage this into adjustments in the image that meet those preferences.

5. Artistic expertise and skills:

Illustrators bring artistic expertise and experience developed over the years. Their knowledge of color usage, composition, and artistic techniques creates high-quality and sophisticated artwork with impact.

Of course, AI technology is getting smarter and smarter and will continue to gain knowledge continuously, but technology alone is not blissful. A great example: anyone can take a picture with their phone these days, however, this does not make everyone a good and professional photographer.

Conclusion

While AI technologies are evolving rapidly and can be useful for certain tasks, the creative flair and human touch of an experienced illustrator remains very important. Illustrators can deliver unique, emotional and customized art that can have a deeper impact than AI-created artwork. However, it is essential to strike the right balance between technology and human creativity depending on the specific needs of each project.

Hiring an illustrator offers a unique opportunity to make a brand, story or project stand out with custom, authentic and creative artwork that leaves a lasting impression.

From my marketing and communications background, I can empathize very well with your problem statement, your target audience(s), etc. Since the year 2000, I have been involved in digital marketing. From campaigns, to web design and customer journeys.

In addition, I am a conceptual thinker. The advantage of conceptual thinking is that I’m good at making connections, thinking creatively, inventing new things and coming up with solutions. Want to know more? Read on under what I do or check out my portfolio