Why I hate A.I.
The time has come to get the tattoo you’ve always wanted. You’ve done your research. You know what you want. You have the perfect space on your arm (you read my blog post about finding the perfect artist). One last step… go to ChatGPT and design it? Wait a second… that can’t be right!
Many people want to go to ShatGPT (let’s call it what it really is) to design their tattoo for a few reasons. They want to see exactly what it would look like to ease their anxiety (understandable). They want to help out the artist and design it for them (I get it). However, 9 times out of 10, generative AI produces nothing more than terrible, low quality AI slop.
AI doesn’t understand art. AI doesn’t understand composition. AI can’t draw better than me. The internet is FULL of quality tattoos and art to use as reference material, so why use something so god awful?
I don’t meant to sound so harsh, but this is something that I’m passionate about! That being said, here’re a few reasons why I hate AI and what to do instead.
1) It makes things easy
That’s true I guess. It makes things easy and efficient. But ease and efficiency does not equal quality. I like a bit of friction in my life. I like things to be a bit challenging. It makes the reward that much sweeter.
Using AI to instantly generate information or terrible tattoo designs is like going to the back of the text book to get the answers to the math questions you don’t understand. You have the “information” but you lack the “knowledge.” I don’t want to cheat my way through life.
The more I work at creating something, the better quality the outcome, as well as the potential for a super cool idea that I wouldn’t have come up with had it not been for that work.
2) It limits creativity
I’m an artist. I have been since the day I was born. I’m always trying to be creative in one form or fashion. In fact, I make a living and provide for my wife and myself due to my creativity. So what I fear most is having my creativity put into a box. If you ask for a buffalo with a mohawk, nose ring and sunglasses as a tattoo, I guarantee you that I am going to draw a custom tattoo that can not be found on the internet! (This is actually a tattoo that I was fortunate enough to do a couple of months ago and believe me, it was amazing)
Anytime someone wants a tattoo and they’ve already gone to ShatGPT to design it, I immediately feel like my creativity is being strangled. How am I ever supposed to draw something when they already “know” what it’s supposed to look like? I feel like I am being set up for failure from the get go.
3) It sets up unrealistic expectations
Back to number 1, AI doesn’t understand tattooing. It creates an image that is in no way tattoo-able. It designs 10 pounds of shit for a 5 pound sack. When I set out to draw a tattoo, I take into consideration the size of the tattoo, the location on the body, composition, the age of the client, the quality of the skin, the style of the tattoo, how the tattoo is going to age, and on and and on. AI can’t do that.
If I was someone getting my first tattoo and I was unaware of any of these things, I would be guaranteed to be let down by the final product. When someone leaves my shop, I want them to have a tattoo that they are proud of that day and for years down the road.
So what do we do?
This has sounded a little harsh so far, so let’s lighten the mood a bit. When you’re ready to book that appointment, find some photos of actual tattoos or art and send them my way. Also, tell me what all you’d like in your tattoo. You know… the same way you’d tell ShatGPT! Heck, I’ve had people bring in a crude sketch with stick figures to show me what they want and you know what, it was perfect! I’m easy to work with and I will do whatever I can to bring your vision to life. I WANT to give you the tattoo you’ve always dreamt about. I want you walking out of the shop on cloud nine, not being able to wait to show it off to everyone, from the checker at the store to your entire Facebook feed.
Getting a tattoo takes a lot of trust plus an open mind. The best tattoos I’ve done have been when I was given ample room for creativity, while still staying within the clients parameters, but also, clients that have had an open mind and do not already have an unrealistic expectation of what they want their tattoo to look like.
Let’s keep art art and keep AI far away from it.
If you’ve made it this far and think “yea.. I want him to tattoo me” then head here and shoot me an email! I’d love to work with you and see what kind of magic we can make.
Cory McMahon
