A Story That Repeats: Art and Technology Have Always Been Allies
Thinking AI is the first crisis to hit the art world is forgetting how this has always gone. I’m not saying that from a place of superiority — I forgot it too, at first. But the truth is, every generation of artists has had its earthquake. And almost every time, what started as a threat ended up becoming a tool.
From photography to Photoshop: every era has its revolution
In the 19th century, photography arrived like a punch to the face for painters and illustrators. Why would anyone pay for an oil portrait when they could get a “perfect” image in seconds? Many thought it was the end of the craft.
But it wasn’t. Some artists adapted — using photos as references, or as part of their process. Others mixed mediums, others broke everything apart and started again. Photography didn’t kill art. It forced it to evolve.
I went through something similar myself when digital tools arrived. I remember discovering Photoshop and realising I could adjust a composition, fix small flaws, or test new effects without touching the canvas. At first it felt strange. Then it felt like freedom.
So what’s happening now with AI?
The same story. First comes fear. Then comes rejection. Then, slowly, integration. It’s the same with every new tool: airbrushes, digital painting, CGI, even cinema when it first emerged.
This isn’t the first time something has shaken the creative world. And if you’re still making art today, it means you’ve already lived through a few of these shifts.
We’ve seen this with our own tools
If you’ve been painting, designing or illustrating for decades, you know what I’m talking about. We moved from analog cameras to digital, from bulky scanners to drawing tablets with screens. From printed catalogues to Pinterest.
Now, instead of spending hours digging for the right visual reference, you can generate one in seconds with a well-written prompt.
Back in the ’90s, when I first started painting, everything was analog. I’d gather references by shooting film — 36 frames, carefully chosen. Developing was expensive and often disappointing. In 2000, I got my first digital camera and everything changed.
That felt like liberation.
AI is just the next step. A big one, yes — but on the same path.
The message is clear: adapt or fossilize
I don’t say that as a threat. I say it because I’ve lived it. Every time I resisted something new, I got left behind. Every time I gave it a shot — even if I hated it at first — I eventually found something that helped me grow.
Adapting doesn’t mean letting go of what you love. It means expanding the ways you can love it. The sensitivity is still yours. The eye is still yours. The tools just keep changing.
And this continues…
Next time, we’ll dig into something that always sparks debate:
Is AI-assisted art worth less? Does it lose authenticity? Does it feel fake?
I’ll talk about how effort and time have always shaped how we judge art — and how that’s starting to shift.