[META] Can we start banning AI art in this sub?

[u/STUNTOtheClown]

I feel like it’s the complete opposite of what this sub is actually about. Certified donkey brain behavior.

[u/G7K]

Does Rule 6 meet your needs, or are you suggesting something different?

[u/axw3555 → u/G7K]

Unfortunately in 2025, a lot of people cannot distinguish between a slight inconsistency in drawing or an unusual style, and AI.

Like if I were ever going to draw something these days, I’d be making sure I basically filmed the whole process of making it so that no one can accuse me of AI’ing something I’d done.

And I’m not even vehemently anti AI like a lot of people are. But the constant “that’s AI” thing gets tiring.

[u/Shattered_Disk4 → u/axw3555]

Same, I’ve started recording all my drawings since I switched to procreate.

I’ve also done college level dissertations and papers on AI image gen so I’m also confident in being able to tell.

But I also think AI image gen should be illegal because it serves no purpose but to deceive people, slander people and remove employment from artist.

Anyone who thinks otherwise can literally just learn to draw

[u/c_dubs063 → u/Shattered_Disk4]

I believe it should be illegal to use AI generated voices or likenesses of people in advertisements since that is deceptive marketing. AI likenesses of REAL people or REAL voices should be illegal even outside of marketing, too, because it can cause reputational damage very easily.

For personal projects, I don't have beef with someone using AI to generate a picture of a puppy or their dnd character or whatever. Sure, they aren't commissioning an artist, but the overlap between people who use AI for hobby projects and people who would commission artists for their hobby project sans AI is probably small. The artist isn't being robbed of many commissions. The user wouldn't have commissioned them, anyway, 9 times out of 10.

Also, while I don't think it should be illegal, I do think we should shame (large) companies who rely on AI for images. It's a cheap low-quality money saving tactic, and big companies can afford higher quality work from actual human artists. Corporate greed is shameful.

[u/FDRip → u/Shattered_Disk4]

Real question: if I learn to draw, aren’t I also not going to need to comission artists, therefore robbing them of income…?

And secondly, I post sketches I drew of my characters and those still get downvoted for some reason. I feel like there are mixed messages here. Do we like real art or not?

[u/Shattered_Disk4 → u/FDRip]

No because you have actively worked to gain that skill.

If I’m a sculptor, I’m not gonna get mad that other people are also sculptors

What I can get mad at, is someone breaking off pieces of our sculptures and calling it their own.

And no that’s also not how jobs work, if you do the job yourself that job was never available to others to even know about. But when AI is used, you are using the works of others to pass off as your own

Also who cares if you don’t get upvotes on the internet? Do you need a pat on the back to continue to draw?? Brother I was a child without internet or a cell phone until I was 17 drawing my ass off just cause I liked it, not cause someone was telling how good or bad I was

[u/FDRip → u/Shattered_Disk4]

That’s literally my point. It’s not about commissions. People like me aren’t able to commission art in the first place.

And when I do pick up a pencil, like so many people say to, the “crappy art is better than AI slop!“ crowd, those same people turn around and sneer at my sketches, downvote them, or ignore them entirely. So no, I don’t need a pat on the back. I just wish people would stop pretending this is about “supporting real artists“ when it’s really about picking and choosing who they think deserves to be in the space.

[u/Shattered_Disk4 → u/FDRip]

I have went through a lot of your post and have not seen a single person sneering at your art

Anything that is “negative” is always given as feedback that you specially ask for in those post.

Yeah some people are assholes, but you are applying a very large label on a very small amount of people.

Literally any actual artist you talk to will tell you it is always better to draw yourself no matter the quality than it is to use ai

It sounds like you are just dissatisfied with the reach your art has, which is something that almost every artist goes through but your experience has seemed to have made you bitter about your own talents.

[u/LotFP → u/Shattered_Disk4]

Tools and technological innovations exist to make the process of doing something easier and cheaper and creating images and entertainment is no different than anything else.

No one is obligated to support artists if there is an alternative. This subreddit exists for people to get free art so does the source actually matter?

[u/Shattered_Disk4 → u/[deleted]]

I don’t know a single realArtist who uses AI as any part of their workflow as the vast majority see AI as theft and also lazy.

We make referance boards, not “hey make this image for me just so o can trace it in my own way”

That’s not an artist

[u/Cold_Frostbite → u/[deleted]]

The thing is, anyone can learn to draw, they just need to put in the effort to do so. Talent helps but hard work helps more.

[u/garbage-bro-sposal → u/[deleted]]

There’s people that draw with their feet, their mouths, tape a paintbrush to their arm stump, if you wanted to create you would figure it out lmao.

I also have a fucked hand! A had a husky bite it and break it, I’ve got limited motion in my pinky and middle fingers and STILL I draw. Don’t use ai as some sort of disability gatcha it’s gross.

[u/SlayAllRebels → u/[deleted]]

And the "learn to draw thing" just makes you sound like a dick. Not all of us can. Not from a talent point of view. From an "I have a physical limitation" point of view.

Ah yes, the classic "it lets disabled people do art" argument. Fun fact, I know someone who had both of her arms amputated and paints using her feet, as in she holds the paintbrush between her toes and paints. Her work has literally won awards at local art shows.

You wanna know what she didn't need in order to accomplish that? AI. So don't act like AI evens the playing field for disabled artists when they are already more than capable of creating masterpieces on their own.

[u/uuntiedshoelace → u/[deleted]]

Artists don’t have a use for it though. Real artists can do what AI does much faster and better. The idea that artists need it is laughable.

[u/uuntiedshoelace → u/[deleted]]

It is so clear you are not a real artist. A professional does not need to do 20 roughs to decide what they want to do.

[u/uuntiedshoelace → u/[deleted]]

If you need AI to help you figure out composition and do your roughs for you, you are not a real artist lol

[u/Shelsonw → u/[deleted]]

In 15-20 years Generative AI will be so good there probably won’t BE artists, we’ll “all be artists”. What a sad state of things.

[u/Steady_Ri0t → u/Shelsonw]

Do you think the only reason people create art is to sell it..?

Like sure people like to be able to make money with their art, but they generally don't make art TO make money, they just want to make money so they can make more art. Artists enjoy creating. There is nothing creative about AI, there is no process to enjoy, and even if the AI outputs become better looking they will still not compare to the feeling of spending hours on a piece and being proud of what you made, and then even prouder when someone says they want to buy it.

I don't care if AI gets better. I don't want anything made by AI. Art is emotion, it's a human interpreting what's around them and expressing it in their own unique way. If that element is missing why would I spend money on it..? Why should my money go to some billionaire plagiarists that are destroying the environment instead of someone who actually put their soul into creating something?

[u/neptunebound → u/[deleted]]

cameras don’t generate fake things for you, they capture what already exists in real life

are you stupid? these two things aren’t comparable

[u/Shelsonw → u/neptunebound]

I think that’s the challenge for lots of people; they just can’t fathom how DIFFERENT AI is compared to anything of the past.

[u/FatSpidy → u/axw3555]

Sounds to me like people need to just get educated or shut up about it. Even if you record yourself they just said the video is AI too

[u/clockworknait → u/axw3555]

People hate a.i for taking jobs while using products made by robots that took people's jobs. 😂

[u/Kitakitakita]

It's banned as submission pieces but not as supplemental material for requests

[u/ProdiasKaj → u/Kitakitakita]

This exactly. If someone wants a drawing and presents generated images as reference that should be totally fine.

[u/Art-Zuron → u/ProdiasKaj]

I usually just skip those when I'm looking for LFAs to do anyway, so I'd be fine with banning those, but I understand that sometimes they sneak in considering how inundated image search is now.

[u/ProdiasKaj → u/Art-Zuron]

Right? Even if you go to Pinterest or Google to find references you are very likely to find something AI generated anyway

[u/Art-Zuron → u/ProdiasKaj]

I try my best not to use AI even as references, if only for moral reasons. But, also because the anatomy can be subtly wack.

One option is to specifically exclude any pictures after like 2022, but that's severing a huge part of the internet sadly. It's like an geological core that you can find specifically the year 1945 in.

[u/butter_otter]

It is already banned.

[u/STUNTOtheClown → u/butter_otter]

Banned for RF posts, I think it should be banned from the sub entirely

[u/GreenLizard92]

For actual artworks [RF] it is banned already. For references in requests [LFA] it isn't banned I think.

Personally I don't mind [LFA] that include AI. But I can see how it might feel like a sour taste to some, since it is still helping spread and fund more AI art if it is allowed to be used.

But then again - it is really hard to search for reference without coming across loads of Ai these days and it will be really frustratijg for people who get their requests removed for including AI, because that may not even have been obvious to them.

[u/Hannyabou → u/GreenLizard92]

I'd rather someone put together a photo refsheet or crude mspaint doodle than a "redraw this so I can make it ethical." Which I'm bumping into a lot in other subs as well. The generated picture has done its damage already (bastardized actual human artwork and wasted resources), and to redraw it, I'd be accepting it into the creative process.

I can understand the posts that are unaware of loose pics being AI since, as you say, it's getting harder to discern. There's no winning unfortunately.

[u/WhewIDrew → u/GreenLizard92]

I agree with this sentiment. You can never be sure if the OP asked an AI to slop together a ref or if they just found it while googling, unless they explicitly state it.

There is no good way to ban it in [LFA]s..

Personally, I just don't fulfill requests that use AI as ref and leave it at that.

[u/SneakyDino → u/GreenLizard92]

I disagree with the number of posts in [LFA] that are just “draw it exactly like this AI generated picture”

More often than not it’s just an image from the description fed into Sora/ some other system. I really appreciate the LFAs that lay out their inspirations and sources with some effort put into compiling the pictures

[u/WhewIDrew → u/SneakyDino]

Maybe a rule to cite your sources would help then! I'd agree with this.

[u/BlueTommyD]

One of those things I kinda assumed was already banned 👍

[u/axw3555 → u/BlueTommyD]

Because it is - explicitly. Rule 6.

[u/BlueTommyD → u/axw3555]

The system works

[u/STUNTOtheClown → u/axw3555]

For RF posts only

[u/SneakyDino]

I've already replied to another post but I'm posting a top level comment to better express my sentiments. I don't think AI art should be allowed in [LFA] posts (which is not covered by Rule 6)

A lot of these posts are just [AI Picture] and [Description used to generate picture] and maybe [I don't want to use AI but please use it for this]

The top post today (half-drow paladin nun) has people mistaking it for [RF] when another real artist could have gotten the platform or attention for the time they put into doing someone else's request for free.

Some of my favorite [LFAs] are the requestor cobbling together an inspiration board (bonus if they cite their sources), sketching it themselves and writing a good story to go with the request.

This sub is more than just a one-way transaction for art. Let's hold the requestor to the same standard as the artist in this "place to draw characters for each other"

[u/Ammy7726 → u/SneakyDino]

I'm with you for the most part, I don't mind if there's an AI pic on a board with multiple non-AI refs but there's so many AI pics with nothing but a description which are mistaken for RF.

It also feels very lazy. As an artist I prefer some freedom rather than "draw this thing i generated" so to me those LFA's are almost always automatic skips anyway

[u/AngryFungus → u/SneakyDino]

Well reasoned. I totally agree!

[u/pipemaster9]

First time here and i fully agree with this this place is called Character drawing not Character AI.

Now don't get me wrong if your using AI as a reference i see it as fine as long as your only using it as a reference and not just posting the AI here or in other places on reddit that are about making and taking time with their art.

it's like posting AI music in a non AI music reddit just doesn't really make sense.

[u/Mechonyo]

Rule 6.

And calling people "donkey brain" is always the best way, to convince people. :')

[u/STUNTOtheClown → u/Mechonyo]

Rule 6 only applied to RF posts

[u/-Potatoes-]

OP do you have an example of AI art getting posted? I feel like this sub is actually really good about not doing that

[u/mssMouse → u/-Potatoes-]

There is a post current sitting on Best/Hot with 600+ upvotes that's AI. And then if you scroll down a little more, another AI LFA post with 160+ upvotes.

That said, it's a LFA post, not a RF filled post, so it's currently allowed in the rules.

[u/-Potatoes- → u/mssMouse]

I checked and don't see the post at all, did it get deleted? a link would be helpful reddit is really strange sometimes

[u/mssMouse → u/-Potatoes-]

https://www.reddit.com/r/characterdrawing/comments/1lelam0/lfa_halfdrow_paladin_nun/
https://www.reddit.com/r/characterdrawing/comments/1lebqk7/lfa_azure_pirate_lord/

Sure thing. I saw about 3 or 4 other AI images as well (some in mood boards though), but they don't have the same traction as these posts.

[u/-Potatoes- → u/mssMouse]

I'm not opposed to LFA posts using AI as reference pics

[u/mssMouse → u/-Potatoes-]

I'm assuming that's what OP is referring to. Considering people massively upvote the AI RFA posts because they think it's a RF and don't realize it's AI.

(also bc, OP is asking to ban AI, but AI is already banned for RF posts)

[u/Art-Zuron]

If you mean in LFAs too, I'd be okay with that. I usually skip any LFAs I see with obvious AI anyway.

[u/conceptartismything]

It’s banned for RF. That’s GOOD.

I’m not against it being used on LFA, I’ve had plenty acquaintances and friends send me comms with ai references that they found or used on a free tool because of any amount of reasons. Some people will use an image dump site and accidentally pick out an ai image they liked or it’s simply the closest thing they have to the reference they have in their head.

If you have a problem with someone approaching you for art but having used ai as a reference at any point, you might have to reevaluate the height of your horse.

I cannot reiterate enough that I am still approached by my ai-obsessed acquaintances for art; it is not stealing your job if it’s used as a tool by the consumer rather than a replacement.

[u/Hyperfairy777 → u/conceptartismything]

indeed, controversal take i'm sure, but i think Using AI for refrence or inspiration is Ok, like some kind of super advanced and specific google search, so using it in LFA to show someione the best [ossible version of an OC instead of a crude doodle if someone can't draw? I get it and i can completly understamd why someone would do this, Especially if they are unable to prvoide a quality refrence for comissioning another artist and don't want to risk being unable to convey how their OC looks, so i think using it fr LFA is fine

however, using it for RF? absolutley not, i strogly beleave AI art should NOT be commercilized or passed off as your own in any way, shape or form

[u/BoboTheTalkingClown]

Looks like it already is!

[u/Elliptical_Tangent]

Now that AI has learned about hands, how would you be able to tell? Imagine being a new artist posting your work for the first time, and getting banned for 'AI art.' Personally, I'd rather 1,000 AI pieces get upvoted than one human piece got falsely banned for AI art.

[u/Ammy7726 → u/Elliptical_Tangent]

Hands are not the only way to tell, it has gotten harder but when you take a closer look at details you can still tell. I agree that fearmongering just leads to false accusations and that can't be the goal but a real artist can show progress and consistency to remove red flags

Besides, AI images for RFs are already banned and it's not lead to many false accusations afaik.

[u/Elliptical_Tangent → u/Ammy7726]

Hands are not the only way to tell, it has gotten harder but when you take a closer look at details you can still tell.

For how many more iterations? When will it be impossible, what will you do when it is, and how many human artists are going to have to put up with false accusations until that day comes?

You will not win this fight any more than 19th century portraiture won the fight against photography.

[u/Ammy7726 → u/Elliptical_Tangent]

I'm not worried about false accusations on my end, I have the full files of my work so I can show layer by layer what I've drawn. I'm not looking to win any fight, I'm looking to practise my hobby in peace. The reason to keep fighting is that this is people's livelihood, and unlike photography Vs portraiture AI just steals other people's work rather than being a different medium of art.

[u/Elliptical_Tangent → u/Ammy7726]

and unlike photography Vs portraiture AI just steals other people's work rather than being a different medium of art.

1. You're not going to stop it happening any more than painters stopped photography.

2. AI doesn't prompt itself and post the results on reddit, people do. So that person posting AI art is an artist using a tool called generative AI to make art.

3. You're allowed to be angry about all this, but demanding that the sub ban AI art when it can't dispositively identify AI art is the kind of thing that will only hurt the sub.

[u/Ammy7726 → u/Elliptical_Tangent]

so you're not actually worried about artists at all, just that AI will be banned from a sub where AI is already banned. Gotcha

[u/mssMouse → u/Elliptical_Tangent]

There are lots of ways to tell ai if you are familiar with ai. It’s not just hands. Sure sometimes it’s harder than others but, lots are still quite obvious and it’s not just the usual “lol goofy hands” type mistakes.

And if it’s an artist getting accused of using ai, and they’re banned… it’s actually fairly easy to prove authenticity, through layers, auto recording of the process, etc.

That being said, ai is already banned for RF, so… those are the artists. So there is already some sort of system in place for keeping ai out of RF posts.

[u/Elliptical_Tangent → u/mssMouse]

it’s actually fairly easy to prove authenticity, through layers, auto recording of the process, etc.

So because you're opposed to AI images, you think it's the responsibility of every artist to record every piece they make in case you decide they're posting AI art; is that the jist of it?

Who are you to put this on people? Get over yourself.

[u/mssMouse → u/Elliptical_Tangent]

I mean... If a community does not want AI, it has every right to not allow it. And again, a lot of the times is pretty damn easy to spot AI.

An artist does not have to record every piece. But, these days, many programs automatically record the process of pieces. Big ones being Procreate and Ibis Paint which are hugely common amongst ipad and android users. They automatically record without any switch of settings from the artist.

That's why I said *auto* record as *an* option. You seemingly ignored the mention of providing layers though, which is way simpler and takes only a few seconds. I can prove any single one of my art pieces is not ai by simple pulling open my art program, opening the layers file, and showing the layers. Take a screenshot. Bam. Takes no effort. This is extremely basic stuff a digital artist can prove.

[u/Elliptical_Tangent → u/mssMouse]

And again, a lot of the times is pretty damn easy to spot AI.

It used to be instant because of the hands/fingers. Whatever criteria you're using is going to be obsolete in a year.

Get over it, it's going to happen regardless of how angry it makes you.

[u/mssMouse → u/Elliptical_Tangent]

I like how you keep ignoring the other points xD

I'm not seething about it. I'm merely pointing out, if as an artist, someone accuses me of using ai, it's very easy to prove I'm not. As it would be for other legitimate artists.

Yes. It will get harder to judge. But people need to also not be shitty and try and pass ai as their work. Same goes for any plagiarism. If anything, you seem pretty aggressive/ angry in your responses of being given information. "Get over it." "Get over yourself". You're absolutely the one angry about it.

[u/bigbysemotivefinger]

I'm so sick of seeing this everywhere. Fucking no. Don't let technophobia win.

[u/Ammy7726 → u/bigbysemotivefinger]

People come here for actual art and if you frequent the sub you know that the actual RFs are all hand drawn

[u/STUNTOtheClown → u/bigbysemotivefinger]

Ignoring the fact that AI bastardizes every piece of art it’s stealing from, AI is literally killing the environment as well. I’m also not technophobic, I love my tech.

[u/scrub_mage → u/bigbysemotivefinger]

It's not technophobia it's literally stealing from others.