The Rise of AI Art, and the Future of Live Wedding Painting

Sometimes it feels like the social media trends rule us all. The fleeting trends of dances, songs, fashion or pop culture. It’s not news to anybody that the rising trend of AI has hit our modern society faster than we could have expected. ChatGPT, Meta, Google's AI overview on searches, integrated chatbots- it’s everywhere. We can all agree that we’ve only just begun to witness the capabilities that AI will transform the world we live in, and how we consume our media. Though its impacts have been greatly diverse in the positive, and the negative. I could go into the environmental impacts or the misuse of information. But I’m here specifically to talk about AI generated art, and how that affects human artists and their work. But even more specifically- the increasing love of Live Wedding (or event) Painting. Where are the human painters left when images are able to be created in a few clicks of a button or a half typed sentence? Especially when it comes to intimate, emotional spaces like weddings. As a live wedding painter- I find myself reflecting on a question that feels more relevant than ever: what does it mean for something to be truly art? Is it the end result- the image itself? Or is it the process, intention, and presence of connection?

What AI Can Do:

We know AI is increasingly powerful. It can produce images with speed, pattern and style replication, and idea generation. But that’s seemingly the entire point and basis for AI art- replication and generation. The goal of the generated image is to be a product. Which makes sense, given the standard of today is all about “quick production” or “fast content”. We see this in business, industry, social media and by extension- human expectations. More tasks are being delegated to software, upgrading systems to produce content faster than ever before. We want something fast and now, and then we forget about it. I can recognise that in the world of art, AI can be used for things like quick ideas, mockups or references, generating images we may never thought we’d see. Someone who struggles to draw is heart warmed by seeing their own Studio Ghibli version of themselves. I’m sure many artists have been somewhat inspired by AI images and their compositions or moods. The strength of AI art lies in its output. Rather than being about the journey, it’s about the result. There is an inevitable “skip over” of the decision making and reflections. By it’s nature- a machine- provides a product.

What AI Can’t Do:

When exploring what AI cannot- or perhaps should not- replace, I want to look at the broader culture of art itself. 

When we stand in front of masterpieces in a museum- centuries old oil paintings or sculpted works created by the hands of the masters- do we consider them as “products”? Are they simply marketing tools used to create foot traffic into the galleries? Unlikely. So what makes these works stand the test of time by our admiration? Would we ever see AI generated ‘art’ or images framed in galleries, gaining the same appreciation?
Forgive my personal bias- but I don’t think so- and I believe many would agree. Why is that? What makes a masterpiece a masterpiece? It’s not just about aesthetics. The humanity behind an artwork is something that cannot ever be replicated by AI. Perhaps AI can generate a similar image by gathering pixels and colour schemes. But the emotion, the era, the expression and individuality that a human-made work captures could never be the same. So a quick conclusion could be made here- where there is human made art- there is process.

Product vs Process

The end result may be all that matters to some- but for others- especially those who are creative by nature- the art goes deeper than the product. It lives in the process.

We can see the very nature of its creation in the brushstrokes. We closely observe the hours of work behind the decision making, trial and error, and the emotional presence of the creator.

Thousands of invisible decisions of colour mixing, form building, deciding when the paint isn’t transparent enough, or thick enough, to simplify the shapes or when to stop painting all together.

In the modern world we have social media to show us timelapses and Tiktoks of the process filmed by the artist. We get to see a glimpse into the process and hard work behind the artwork, and feel a part of the journey. This step isn’t inherently essential to appreciating the process, as we can still assess the decisions made by the artist by looking at their work. We may wonder- why did the artist make that choice? What lies in the intent? The connection generated between viewer and artist is- at its very core- human. This connection to the process is what separates human made art, from an artificial generation that lacks the sense of individual expression.

Authorship: Who is the creator of generated art?

It’s worth considering the way AI art is created. If you weren’t aware- AI generated images are built from hundreds and thousands of examples of existing work- without the artist's consent. Hayao Miyazaki- the creator of Studio Ghibli artworks- famously spends years hand drawing thousands of frames for the studios animations. His thoughts on utilising artificial intelligence in animation have been strongly opposed. Deeming it "utterly disgusting" and "an insult to life itself", never wishing to incorporate it into his work or the animation world at all. To witness his style being replicated in the millions by fans all over the world with a typed prompt, I’m certain would be practically violating.

As it is- these AI images cannot be copyrighted. While copyright may not be the first thing that comes to mind when defining great art, it does speak volumes about how we consider authorship and assign value to a creation.

What AI lacks is not just originality, but the presence. It cannot replicate the feelings of human storytelling through lived experience, or the sentimental value of love and care that goes into the intentional creation of an artwork. Who takes responsibility, or pride in how it is made? The human who has opened up their browser tab and typed in the prompt may feel that they have created something. Their intention may have meaning. Writing a prompt can certainly involve imagination. Perhaps they have described the image they want to create in a poetic way, but it’s several steps removed from actually developing the work. We can all have ideas for what would make a good book, or video game. But without developing it, have we actually created it? There is a vast difference between imagining, and creating.

The Rise of Live Painting

Okay- but what does this have to do with live wedding painting? 

At its core- live wedding painting has highlighted what art is really about. We’ve determined that art is not- or should not be considered some manufactured product. It is an artform in its truest sense. It is about the process.

Live painting puts the viewers front and center, witnessing the creation of physical art unfold in real time, in a very interactive and sentimental way. It reveals the years of practice and work that the artist has dedicated themselves to. How those smudgy shapes transform into trees, or how a few strokes of paint suddenly turn into a likeness of their closest friend- who has just experienced one of the biggest days of their life. Knowing that the artist cares deeply about what they are creating, and who they are creating it for, gives a sentimental value that cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence.

The rise in popularity of live wedding painting has shown that we still value the labour, love and soul of human-made art.

The future of AI vs human art:

I like to think of traditional art, or human made art as a quiet rebellion against AI generated imagery. Humans by nature are so creative and full of inspirational drive to make art, in varying forms. The joy and connection we feel to something that we have created could not be replicated. Speaking from personal experience- the entire essence of the artist inevitably becomes imbued within the artwork. Sure- some more than others. I’ve made experimental artworks that may not have stuck with me in terms of style and subject matter, but those that did? The artworks that show my technical improvement, that have something to say about my inner experience, or a narrative that others can relate to, that show hundreds of hours of meticulous labour- could never be likened to a typed prompt that generates faster than it takes to head up that mug of tea you forgot on the counter.
Taking it back to consumer experience- the heartfelt words and experience expressed by couples and guests when they see their personal painting- is deeply emotional. Take a look at any artists reviews or testimonials, and tell me this could ever be said about AI art. Who would they even say it to? The hundreds of thousands of artists around the world that the generator has built off of? Nope.
I have no doubt that AI images will always be used, for personal or promotional use. It may grow in ways none of us expect. If used correctly, ethically and eco-friendly- I’d be all for it.

Conclusion

Okay so maybe I’m biased. I am painter who has spent thousands of hours, years, money, blood sweat and tears - but most of all, love- into their craft. You may be able to tell I’m not a current fan of AI art as it exists currently.

Though out of curiosity, I bit the bullet and asked ChatGPT what their opinion was on this subject. What it told me was essentially an exact reflection of my own opinion, though perhaps more eloquently worded. I can’t help but wonder if another user who was not obviously a very passionate artist, were to ask the same question- would it provide an opposing perspective?

In a time when computer generated images become more common in our media, I find hope in the idea that physical handmade artwork and crafts will not be lost- but cherished all the more.

AI may be able to generate beautiful things for users quickly. But when assigning the task of a deeply emotional impression of memories- it’s hard to believe the same amount of love and care could be achieved with AI. I believe that love and presence, but most of all process, is the art itself.