Tapestry design in an era of AI

There is much talk these days about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially within the creative industries, where a growing debate about the use of AI often becomes heated if not litigious. AI has the potential to enhance idea generation and content creation. But it also raises questions about copyright, ownership, and potential bias.

For many years I have used digital image manipulation tools (initially Photoshop and currently Gimp) as part of the process to convert photos I have taken into 'weavable' designs. These tools have also enabled me to create cartoons more easily and, because they are in a digital format, they have resulted in a library of reference points without the space-consuming storage requirements of non-digital products.  Why have I gone this route? Quite simply, because I find my attempts in the use of sketch books and other human-generated creative activities both difficult and disappointing in their outcomes.

But, although very useful and hugely creative, these digital software are not AI-based tools - they are limited to the manipulation of an already existing image. In May 2023, I started to 'play about' with AI tools to support the development of design ideas for tapestry works. With these, you enter into the software a series of words or phrases and it generates images which can then be further developed through the use of more text.

So far, I have created three works using AI tools: top left 'Dancer', bottom left to right 'Dancing the Reds' and 'Winter Trees'.  For me, the huge attraction of the AI tool is its ability to interpret text as an image - the one I am using at the moment is called Midjourney. I find this a very comfortable 'fit' since my initial ideas for tapestry designs are usually based on words rather than an image.

The skill with using AI is in formulating the correct words or phrases to generate the images and I find there is always a process of taking an AI generated image and then developing it further, through sampling or further manipulation on Gimp, until it becomes a weavable image.

The downside of this approach is that I do not have those wonderful sketchbooks, which are so often artworks in their own right, documenting the design process. For me, the design journey is through a few words in my head and a lot of JPGs on my laptop. But I find myself excited by the AI-supported outcomes so far - I see them as more energetic and more engaging than my usual, more representative tapestry designs - and I enjoy weaving them! So I shall certainly be exploring the possibilities of AI more.

Dancing the Reds.  49cm x 50cm	Winter Trees. 40cm x 40cm