A.I. Blog Post Fun Time

Last year I wrote a blog post about A.I. that dealt with how stable diffusion lead to claims of art theft. I’m really proud of that article and you should totally read it here. In short, I took a different stance than most of my peers and tried to approach the subject from a slightly less biased angle and looked at the idea of trying to encourage other artists to embrace A.I. or at the very least, try and find a way to live along side it.

Today I thought I’d put my money where my mouth is and make a post almost completely made by artificial intelligence. The images are all created by Dall–E 2 and the post is written by the controversial Chat GPT. Now I’ve messed around with Dall–E 2 before but this is my first time using Chat GPT. I figured the main reason I started this blog was to reflect how I have grown as a creative and as a father/uncle and how kids help foster creativity in adults. So it seemed apropos that I should ask Chat GPT to tackle that very same thing and then pepper in images from Dall–E 2 with the prompts like: “creatively stifled adult finding inspiration by drawing simple pictures with a child” and “a children's drawing of a busy, frustrated adult.” Here’s how it went:

Chat GPT: Hello! How can I help you?

Dave: Please write a blog post for my website https://www.davehulteendesign.com/blog

Chat GPT: Sure, I'll be happy to write a blog post for your website. What topic would you like me to write about?

Dave: Finding creative inspiration by drawing with children

Chat GPT: Great topic! Here's the blog post:

Finding Creative Inspiration by Drawing with Children

As adults, we often get caught up in the daily grind and struggle to find creative inspiration. Whether you’re a professional artist, graphic designer, or just someone who enjoys doodling in their free time, it’s important to find ways to stay inspired and motivated. That’s why drawing with children can be such a magical and fulfilling experience.

Children have a unique perspective on the world, and their imagination is boundless. They see things differently than we do, and their creativity is not yet limited by experience or practicality. When you draw with a child, you’re invited into their world, and you get to see things from their point of view. This can spark new ideas and perspectives, and help you see your craft in a whole new light.

But drawing with children is not just about finding inspiration. It’s also about connecting with them on a deeper level. Drawing is a form of communication, and when you draw with a child, you’re sharing a moment of creativity and expression. This can build trust and foster a deeper relationship, as you’re creating something together that is unique to your bond.

So, how do you go about drawing with children? Here are a few tips to get you started:

  1. Choose a simple subject: Pick a subject that’s easy to draw, such as an animal, a flower or a tree. Avoid complicated shapes or structures, as it may be too overwhelming for a child.

  2. Let the child take the lead: Allow the child to choose the subject, the materials, and to create the initial sketch. This will empower them and make it more fun for them.

  3. Encourage experimentation: Children love to experiment, so encourage their ideas and let them explore different colors and techniques. Be open to their suggestions and don’t be afraid to try new things yourself.

  4. Make it fun: Keep the session light and fun, without any pressure to create a masterpiece. Think of it as a playful exercise in creativity, not a high-stakes art project.

Drawing with children can be a truly rewarding experience. It allows you to tap into your own inner child, while connecting with a younger generation. It’s a chance to create something beautiful together and to inspire each other to keep on creating.

So next time you’re feeling stuck or in need of a fresh perspective, grab a piece of paper and some crayons, and draw with a child. You may be surprised at what you’ll learn, and the inspiration it may spark.

Okay, Dave here again, and aside from being a little bland? I gotta’ say I’m impressed! Especially the 4th tip to “keep things light and fun” and not think of it as “a high–stakes art project.” The Dall–E 2 images are also not too shabby! I especially love this one; look at that kid’s face! He’s so angry!

Dall–E 2 generated image

The reason I was really curious about trying this out was A: It seemed like an easy lay–up that would require minimal work on my end (meh, not so much), and B: I’ve been seeing lots of ads for A.I. writing blog posts. I wanted to dig just a little deeper and find out if this is wide–spread and the answer seems to be, Maybe?

According to an August 2022 article on Story Chief Insights, Dayana Mayfield writes that search engines like Google tend to be negatively biased towards A.I. written posts because they are very derivative, don’t represent a brands specific voice, and can produce false information. Now most bloggers who do use A.I. use a service called Jasper which allows for more control and uses a more intuitive A.I. Jasper also boasts that major companies like IBM, iHeart Media, and Harper Collins use their services, which lead me to believe this may be more ubiquitous than I assumed, but finding exact figures is understandably hard to determine. That being said, most media outlets feel A.I. is better used by assisting writing rather than replacing—a consensus that seems to be echoed by graphic designers the world over as well.

I personally write because it’s therapeutic rather than being content driven; my three month hiatus is proof–positive of that. However, as I’ve said before, I do see the benefits of A.I. and try to stay open–minded while being responsible. I mean look at these A.I. generated pictures of a black cat I had Dall–E 2 create! Are they good? Meh. Are they entertaining? Absolutely.

Please follow me on Instagram and Twitter and thanks for stopping by! Please let me know your thoughts on A.I. and how it contributed to this article.

My Blogs One Year Anniversary

Just a little more than a year ago, I had read that search engines (Google in particular), love when a website is active and will move that site way up when it comes to searches. At that time, my name would link to either my Instagram or a few ToughPigs articles, but my website didn’t even list. It was at that moment I wondered why I was paying so much money for a site that was—at best—a resume placeholder that literally no one could see. I set out to be more proactive which was a job in and of itself. A year later however and I’m so proud and pleased with how this world of analytics and recognition have come along.

The best part is how keeping this blog up has helped me improve my ability to network. For starters, I learned a lot of valuable lessons on how to connect with others, and a lot of those lessons came through trial and error. In the long run though, it gave me opportunities to reconnect with old friends, introduce a lot of how I operate to new ones, and feature the work and ideas of a lot of super talented people. I’d like to take today to show off some of my favorite things that have happened on here over the last year.

So Much Talent!

Getting to interact with so many talented people has been the most fun by far. I won’t go into lengthy details, but simply present this cast of wonderful human beings who were kind enough to be a part of my journey.

Mike Barreiro

Danny Beckwith

Doug Berry

Nick Bondra

Mike Boon

Jonathan Brangwynne

Jamie Carroll

Will Carroll

Maria Chamra

Thank you again to all of these amazing humans! GO CHECK THEM OUT!!!

Some Freelance I’ve Done

Aside from just having another place to spotlight my work, I’ve enjoyed sharing my process with freelance I’ve done for clients like Matt Vogel or the work I’ve done for my full-time job at The Salvation Army. And of course, I’ll always take the opportunity to show off everything that was done for ToughPigs The Great Muppet Mural.

Personal Lessons

Writing a blog has also been cathartic. I’ve been able to share things that’s I’ve always felt very strongly about and wanted to tell. Coping with passive–aggressive clients and defining myself as an illustrator were two things in particular I’ve wanted to talk about for ages.

Real things people have actually said to me

One of the more exciting aspects for me was having my point of view completely refocused like when I asked if it was even necessary to be creative in order to be a good graphic designer or if being pigeonholed into drawing Muppets was a bad thing.

I’ve also really enjoyed looking at my career through a more personal lens in regards to how much my daughter continues to inspire me, the work that I do, and how that easily spreads across my professional and family life and how rewarding it all is.

Randomness

My blog has also provided me with so many creative challenges and new ways to try things I’ve always wanted to do. I’m itching to do more artist games like I did with Will Carroll and Noah Ginex (more of these are on the way too!). I had a blast trying to find every instance of Kermit I’ve ever drawn. I also dug deep to try my hand at redrawing my old illustrations too! All of these things were creative exercises that helped me learn and grow in so many wonderful ways.

My Favorites

For me, my favorite articles deal with talking about my family and being silly. Of everything I’ve written however, my post about Stock Image Sites is the one I’m most proud of. If you want to support me and this foray into writing, I would love if you read it. I’m super proud of that one.

If you’ve been a reader for even one article, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I have so many more posts I can’t wait to share with you! Please follow me on Instagram and Twitter and check back here on Fridays for more creative thinking!