The Tattoo Industry's Love-Hate Relationship with AI: A Balanced Perspective
By Sophie Cridland
Weymouth, South of England
The tattoo industry is at a fascinating crossroads, where artificial intelligence (AI) is both a blessing and a curse. Kerry Gilbert, the owner of Tattoo Morningstar in Weymouth, offers a nuanced perspective on this topic. She acknowledges that AI can be a time-saving tool, but it also presents unique challenges for tattoo artists.
On the one hand, AI-generated tattoo designs can be a convenient and creative starting point for customers. However, Gilbert highlights a critical issue: "AI tattoo designs created by customers are always vigorously looked over because it likes to add extra things like fingers or toes or miss them out and it takes time to redesign."
This is where the controversy arises. While AI can provide a wealth of ideas, it often requires significant human input to refine and customize the designs for individual clients. Ben Gorman, a principal academic in computer science at Bournemouth University, explains the difference in AI's approach compared to human artists. He notes, "AI programmes like Chat GPT do not work like artists who have human reasoning."
Sacha, a regular customer at Tattoo Morningstar, has experienced both the benefits and drawbacks of AI-designed tattoos. She shares, "I don't know how many tattoos I have got, there are too many, they are everywhere. The ones on both of my legs and thighs are AI-designed and they are little characters. Quite often I'll come and have a flash tattoo on my half-hour lunch break."
The issue of scale is a significant one. Many clients request designs that are too large for the intended body part, leading to redrawing and potential dissatisfaction. Gilbert explains, "Customers want a tattoo done at six or seven inches, and you have to say, well actually that needs to be done at more like 15 to 20 inches. It's because ink spreads over time, so the lines become thicker and it'll end up being a blob if a tattoo isn't done at a reasonable size."
Furthermore, AI struggles with certain elements like dates and script, requiring careful proofreading to ensure accuracy. Gorman adds, "A lot of people think that AI works through how we would understand human reasoning, but it doesn't. If you ask an artist to paint a picture of a dog, they are going to take all of their knowledge and generate a wonderful picture of a dog. AI works differently as it is trained on thousands of text images, so when you put in your prompt, it's trying to statistically determine what you want the image to be. The more accurate your prompt is, the better your outcome."
Despite these challenges, there are positive aspects to AI integration in the tattoo industry. It can save time for artists, allowing them to create more detailed pieces and fit more appointments into their day. Gilbert shares an example of their charity-focused studio, where AI-generated designs are used to create smaller, affordable tattoos with proceeds going to Dorset Mind. "Those designs are made using AI and it's just about sitting and playing with the prompts so sometimes you can simplify it or make it more detailed. It does take about six or seven prompts to get it right though."
Gorman believes that the solution lies in educating more people about AI and encouraging its integration in the tattoo industry. He states, "The human element is still in there as the artistry in the tattooist's case is doing it on the skin. Generally, the art is just one aspect of the job, and they will actually be able to spend more time doing that, which is more impactful."
In conclusion, the tattoo industry's relationship with AI is complex. While it offers time-saving benefits and creative inspiration, it also presents challenges in customization, scale, and accuracy. As the technology evolves, finding the right balance between AI assistance and human artistry will be crucial for tattoo artists and their clients alike. So, what do you think? Do you see AI as a helpful tool or a potential pitfall for the tattoo industry? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
