artificial intelligence

In the fast-paced world of digital art, creativity and innovation are key. But did you know there is an untapped reservoir of potential waiting for you in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? While the idea of using AI in art creation might sound futuristic, it’s a reality that’s here and now, and it’s transforming the way artists work. New AI tools can aid in everything from replacing entire backgrounds to adding tattoos or graffiti to your artwork. Best of all, the productivity benefits of using AI tools in art creation are incredible.

AI in art creation: An opportunity, not a threat

There’s a common misconception that AI is going to replace human creativity. However, this is far from the truth. AI won’t replace people. People who use AI will replace the people that don’t.

AI in art is not a replacement; it’s an enhancement, a tool that can help you reach new heights of creative expression. People who embrace AI are the ones who will take the lead in the art world. AI acts as a catalyst, feeding off human input and innovation to create something extraordinary.

Generative AI tools: Unleashing creative potential

Generative AI tools help you kickstart your creativity, achieve astonishing results, and even scale up those results to greater heights. Here are four key productivity benefits:

  1. Brainstorming and inspiration: AI’s ability to make connections and generate ideas can inspire you in ways you’ve never imagined. It’s a fantastic way to initiate the creative process or save unique results for future projects.

  2. Storyboarding and concept development: If you aren’t an artist but need to get an idea across to someone, AI can create a starting point to share and develop with a team or client. From there it can be used to build a visual framework or storyboard to create the final work.

  3. Creative editing: AI can assist you in creating intricate parts of an image that might be beyond manual creation. It allows artists to blend AI-generated elements into a masterpiece, all stitched together to perfection.

  4. Upsampling: Generative AI tools output small images, between 500 px and 1000 px. Modern upsampling tools, like the ones in our products, use AI to prevent pixelization when making the image larger. Now you can upsample images, without the blurry image loss, that can be used in different projects and printed on canvas, clothing, and other merchandise.

Introducing the Vision FX AI Plugin

Ready to harness the power of AI in your artwork? Alludo now offers Vision FX, an AI art generator plugin designed to transform ordinary photos into imaginative art pieces. Here’s why Vision FX is a game-changer:

  • Powerful AI-driven Functionality: Generate endless visual variations with no presets or templates. Every result is uniquely yours.

  • Easy and Intuitive: Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’ll find Vision FX’s interface user-friendly.

  • Private and Secure: With Vision FX, your images and data remain safe on your device.

  • Affordable: Enjoy endless creativity with a one-time purchase. No hidden costs.

  • Flexible and Customizable: Fine-tuning tools and before/after previews allow total creative control.

  • Accessible: It’s available as a plugin with popular software like Adobe Photoshop, Affinity, CorelDRAW®, and more.

AI in art creation is an uncharted frontier brimming with opportunities for artists looking to expand their horizons. The productivity benefits are immense, and the introduction of tools like Vision FX ensures that the AI-driven creativity revolution is within reach for everyone.

Discover a new dimension of creativity and transform your art now. With Vision FX, you’re not just following the trend; you’re leading it. Watch a live demo of how Vision FX works or learn how you can get started with the new AI plugin today.

Generative art takes on a new dimension with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI). As AI technology weaves its way into the art world, many are left pondering its implications on the artists and the creative process. But rather than seeing this as a threat, the savviest of creatives see an opportunity—a new toolset that can enhance their work, speed up their processes, and inspire novel styles and aesthetics.

Three leading-edge models—Stable Diffusion, Dall-E, and Mid-journey—epitomize the convergence of art and AI.

Stable Diffusion harnesses the potential of generative models and stochastic differential equations to produce art. It iteratively transforms random images into cohesive and visually impressive outputs, bridging the gap between human creativity and machine precision. This model empowers artists to create intricate artwork with unique visual patterns.

Dall-E, another model developed by OpenAI, is designed to generate images from textual descriptions. It takes a phrase and transforms it into a vivid image, even if the request involves impossible or highly imaginative scenarios. With Dall-E, artists can experiment with a new style or seek inspiration, using it to explore the farthest reaches of their creative minds.

However, the Mid-Journey model might hold the most intrigue for artists. Unlike other AI models that aim to generate a finished piece of artwork, Mid-Journey, as the name suggests, stops halfway. It gives the artist an in-progress artwork—a foundation upon which they can build. It’s an essential tool in the artist’s repertoire, not a replacement. It is a model that brings the promise of AI and human creativity into harmony, an ally to the artist rather than an adversary.

The power of Mid-Journey lies in its ability to alleviate creative blocks, to offer a fresh perspective or jumpstart the journey down an unforeseen creative path. It assists in automating complex or repetitive tasks, giving artists more time and mental energy to devote to their artistic expression. Importantly, it democratizes artistry, breaking down barriers to entry and encouraging a wider range of individuals to express their creativity.

As we venture further into 2023, industry leaders and artists alike need to closely observe this exciting intersection of technology and art. The possibilities are endless. Generative art opens uncharted territories of creativity, novel styles, and unprecedented collaborative processes. The integration of AI models such as Stable Diffusion, Dall-E, and especially Mid-Journey invites a new era of artistic expression, where humans and AI co-create in a symbiotic relationship.

Indeed, the introduction of AI into the world of digital art is not a threat—it’s a renaissance. A movement that respects the importance of the human touch in artistry while leveraging the immense potential of AI. In this exciting juncture, artists are not just artists; they are pioneers exploring a brave new world of creativity. Generative art, aided by AI, is becoming an important ally in their journey, breaking boundaries, challenging conventions, and fueling an extraordinary evolution in the world of art.

With the dawn of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a new and perhaps intimidating tool has entered the creative arena – generative art. It’s understandable why artists may be skeptical, viewing this emerging technology as a potential threat to the sanctity and integrity of human-made art. However, we need to consider the value generative art can bring to the table – from expediting the creative process to offering a unique palette of inspiration.

Generative art: A new partner in creativity

Generative art, a form of digital art where the output is produced by a set of rules or algorithms often involving AI, is changing the creative landscape. But rather than viewing it as a competitor, it can be seen as a co-creator that enhances and augments the artist’s capabilities.

Generative art is not about replacing the artist; instead, it’s about giving artists the freedom to explore new avenues of creativity and realize their visions in unique ways. The AI, with its algorithmic brush, paints in broad strokes, setting the groundwork. The artist then takes over, adding their unique perspective, refining the output, and transforming it into a piece that speaks to the audience.

Streamlining the artistic process

One of the most compelling reasons to integrate AI into your artistic process is its capacity to streamline workflows. For digital artists who regularly work on complex projects involving numerous layers and intricate designs, the time-saving aspect of generative art is invaluable.

Generative AI can produce a plethora of variations in a matter of seconds, effectively making the process of creating initial drafts and mockups more efficient. This rapid generation allows artists to quickly explore different avenues, without having to invest countless hours in initial design phases. More time can then be devoted to refining the chosen piece, enhancing details, and adding personal touches.

Bridging the gap between art and technology

Generative art also allows artists to expand their horizons, bridging the gap between art and technology. Through the use of AI, artists can push the boundaries of traditional art, creating pieces that reflect our evolving digital society.

This does not mean that generative art will devalue traditional art or make human creativity obsolete. In fact, it can create a fascinating blend of the human and machine, resulting in art that is an amalgamation of calculated randomness and artistic direction. It is a partnership where the human provides the creative spark and the AI helps in executing that vision, bringing an entirely new aesthetic to the art world.

Cultivating a fresh perspective

Artists have a long history of leveraging new tools, from the advent of photography to the use of digital tablets. AI and generative art are simply the latest additions to the artist’s toolbox. By exploring and integrating these tools into their creative process, artists can stay ahead of the curve and inspire new directions in art.

The key lies in reframing the perspective – generative art is not a threat but an opportunity. It’s a new lens through which to view and shape the world, a lens that can help you expedite your creative process, explore uncharted artistic territories, and craft pieces that are unique, mesmerizing, and truly representative of this digital age.

Generative art is not here to take away your work but to empower you. Embrace this technological ally, and you may find yourself creating art that exceeds not only your expectations but also those of your audience. Remember, at the heart of every piece of generative art, there is always an artist – and that artist is you.

As Chief Marketing officer at Alludo, I’m not a professional designer, but I consider myself a superfan—both of design and of designers. I have the good fortune to work with designers every day, and also represent the industry’s best design tools.

I was recently asked to talk about some of the design trends that will impact designers in 2023, and since part of my job is keeping my finger on the pulse of the design world, I had plenty to say. The content below appeared in the digital publication GRAPHICS PRO and I wanted to share it with you here.

Trend #1: Enhancing creativity with AI

In the digital world, artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming a normal part of the creative workflow—and in many cases, designers are already using AI in their software without even being aware of it.

With more creative software programs embracing AI, designers are now equipped with a powerful tool that enables them to work, ideate, and create better. AI helps to enhance design by boosting productivity. It helps people to break from their usual aesthetic, try a new style, and source new creative inspiration while also reducing tedious, manual tasks in the workflow.

While big changes and innovation are often met with skepticism, the scope for innovative, creative possibilities that AI brings to the design world is endless. This is an exciting space that savvy industry leaders will need to watch closely in 2023.

Trend #2: Bringing together the feelings and the facts

Designers today have access to huge amounts of data, equipping them with a better understanding of the performance of their work with measurable results. Insights into customer behavior inform the design process, leading to more data-driven decisions; however, this focus on data does not mean that designs today lack human empathy and creativity.

To create compelling work, designers must strike a balance between data-driven and intuition-led design. They need to be experts in understanding human behavior, know when it’s best to lean on the data, and when they should trust their instincts, think outside the box, and take creative risks.

To create great designs and foster strong connections with customers, designers must not only embrace this data-driven world but also learn how to balance analytics with their own intuition and creative judgment.

Trend #3: Driving creative collaboration

The way people work has completely transformed. Today, people work in a mix of remote, hybrid, and in-person environments. For years, leaders believed that in-person work yielded greater collaboration and that creativity happened within the bounds of the traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday work structure. We’re now seeing that this isn’t the case. Designers can collaborate, be creative, and drive innovation anytime and from anywhere—whether that’s from a coffee shop or the couch at 2 a.m.

There’s been an influx of design tools that allow for remote collaboration, enabling people to connect with teams and clients regardless of location. This ability to seamlessly create from anywhere will only become increasingly important as more people lean into new ways of working. Empowering people with the freedom and flexibility to work how, when, and where they want leads to better productivity and more opportunities for creativity.

Trend #4: Prioritizing accessible web design

In the U.S., 26% of adults are living with one or more disabilities. This means that millions of people do not have adequate access to information, services, and products because many websites’ designs inadvertently exclude them.

In 2023, we expect to see more of an effort to optimize web accessibility. Making design more accessible can be the use of visuals that represent race, gender, and orientation diversity, but it also takes into account things like typography and font size, subtitles in videos, high contrast visuals, and using clear and concise copy. When accessibility is prioritized, people with mobility, cognition, hearing, and vision impairments are better able to perceive, understand, navigate, and be full participants in our digital world.

The future of graphic design

The way we work and create is always evolving. It’s an exciting time for the digital design space, as we can expect to see major shifts around AI, data analytics, creative collaboration, and accessibility in the coming year.

As SVP of Technology at Alludo, I’m often asked about what technology trends I see coming down the pipeline. I recently shared new predictions with Italian publication BitMAT and wanted to highlight them here as well.

Trend #1: Investment in technology will be a requirement, not a “nice-to-have”

With the economic downturn, companies are looking for ways to tighten budgets. Technology should not be a place to compromise in 2023. Smart investments in technology can make companies significantly more economically efficient, doing more with fewer resources.

In 2023, companies will be called up on to ramp up their technological equipment—both to remain competitive in an increasingly complex and demanding market, and also to cope with the exponential increase in costs and constraints related to issues like sustainability and productivity.

Trend #2: True hybrid cloud is the way forward

In 2023 and beyond, enterprises will finally start planning for a true hybrid cloud. To that end, we’ll see a push toward integrating cloud services and legacy infrastructure teams. However, skills shortages will continue to be a challenge. Employees who have the skills to build serverless and cloud-native infrastructures are very rare, and companies will have to squeeze their budgets to attract and retain this type of top talent. 

Trend #3: Green computing for a sustainable future

More and more businesses—especially midsized to upper-midsized—will significantly accelerate their cloud adoption investments to securely and efficiently manage both next-gen and legacy applications. This is especially important as the threat of the global energy crisis and economic downturn continues, and companies increasingly focus on their carbon footprints.

While the cloud isn’t perfect in terms of sustainability, it’s greener than traditional data centers. And with more and more companies moving workloads to the cloud, cloud providers can continue to invest in renewable energy sources to enable environmentally friendly cloud-native applications. 

Trend #4: Tackling talent shortage through automation and long-term investments

As skills shortages continue to dominate the labor market globally, companies will adapt to augment and automate repetitive tasks. This automation will also feed into a trend toward qualifying and enhancing existing talent to focus on higher value-added activities. This is going to become crucial in an increasingly resource-strapped and highly competitive labor market.

Automation isn’t the only path forward. Companies will also have to make long-term investments to train and nurture talent that has yet to enter the labor market, with the aim of enriching the ecosystem.