AIBU that I am upset over a tattoo design?

[Lemonypaintpots]

Hello,

sorry this is a little long so please bear with me!

Backstory- I am currently doing an illustration degree, as a mature student and the rise of AI was right around my first year. It is well known that AI has stolen many artworks that are published online to feed into their generators and AI is a big threat to illustrators. My husband and I have had many conversations about AI and he knows my views and knows I do NOT want my work put into any of these. I am a quiet and introverted person, and I don’t generally show my work much to anyone but I am gradually building up more confidence. I have loved art and drawing all my life and by no means new to it,

Moving on to the tattoo- He specifically asked if he could do one of my drawings- and requested a few alterations, which I did. He seemed very happy with the design, and booked in to get it done. I was having a small tattoo done as well so we booked to share a time slot.

Well yesterday was tattoo day. I checked again with him in the morning that he was happy with the design. He said he was, and that he was going to have a small alteration- to add my name into it. As there is a space where this could work, I thought nothing more of it, as I know the tattooist could easily incorporate it.

We got to the studio and began filling out the forms. Whilst he was filling his out, the tattooist asked which design he was going for- mine or the AI. This was news to me and I wondered what was going on. He immediately said, the AI one and asked my opinion. The tattooist showed me the screen with the AI image. I was mortified. I was completely put on the spot, and on the screen was this image with the same items as my drawing, but completely different style. It was very obvious it was AI, the positions had all changed as well, and he could see my reaction wasn’t positive. He tried to explain himself, saying that mine wasn’t very clear so he ran it through AI to sharpen it up. But It’s a completely different image. I just said, well it’s your tattoo so go for whatever you are happy with.

I went off to have mine done, silently furious he put my work into AI, and so embarrassed- that he told me he wanted my design- was it not good enough? I was also embarrassed that he put me on the spot, and that my name was going to be put in the middle of an AI image after hours of hard work making a design.

Later on he showed me, and honestly, It looks AI. When we got home, I expressed my views about AI again, and asked why he did it. He genuinely didn’t expect my reaction, and claimed he forgot to tell me that he ran it through, that he wanted the elements to be different proportions, and sees this AI image as my design. It only has the same objects in- it looks nothing like my style or design at all. Bear in mind I asked several times if there were any changes to be made, and he kept saying no. I explained how I felt, why it bothers me etc. We both hate confrontation, so he just shut down conversation about it and nothing more has been mentioned about tattoos at all. I noticed he has chosen to keep it covered up since. He seems to genuinely not understand my reaction, and I am just so embarrassed that he chose AI, embarrassed that my name is in the middle of it when it’s not my work, and most of all I am disappointed that he hid this all from me until the moment- he clearly knew my opinion and we have never hid things from each other. It’s not like I didn’t ask if there were any further alterations either! It has completely put me off finishing my degree, if my own husband cannot even support me over AI-

So AIBU?

Never my illustration stuff- just a very small line of products that I am not very good at photographing in a flattering way that is totally disconnected from my illustration- anything of any value to me or anything of anyone else’s I wouldn’t put near an AI generator.

Unreasonable for not wanting to finish yoyr degree yes
Being pissed off and reminded of it every time you look at him not.
However his body his choice

I'm guessing he had your name inked on as a memory of you not a signature of your work.

I think it's gross that he used AI. It's embarrassing. Make AI cringe. It's insulting to the creative process. The concept of having your illustration tattooed onto his body is lovely, it's saying he wants a part of you with him always, it's saying he recognises your skill and finds your work aesthetically pleasing. Even if he'd not used AI and this was 20 years ago and instead he got another person to change your design, that would've been hurtful but to use AI when he knows full well the threat it's brought to creative freelancers and is very often objectively ugly, is mind boggling.

He should be embarrassed. You should have spoken up even though you were on the spot at the tattoo place. My major take away is that you have big communication issues. It doesn't have to be an argument to share your opinions, thoughts and feelings on anything. "I love that you want my name in there but this AI slop is not my design and I'm hurt that you'd choose this. If you don't like my design, that's fine, but you've not asked for any changes to it."

Exactly. Bit disingenuous isn't it?

People use “AI” for things that aren’t AI … but Kudos to the software firms, who are just repacking graphic design software (that has been around for a long time my) as “AI”.

Tattoo designers (and others) have been using software to scan images in, edit them, and print them into transfers for the last 20 years.

The point of a degree is that you are expanding your thinking and your skillset. And you need to broaden your horizons. I finished my art degree in 2018 as a mature student so I was confronted with the raise of AI very soon after. I pivoted with my work and I have a growing small business combining my art skills with 3D design. I see a massive shift back to handmade work and hand-drawn design and illustration precisely because of the oversaturation of AI. People pay a lot more for human art. But I also use AI for other aspects of my business and incorporating it into my workflow for non-creative tasks which freed up a lot of my time to focus on my art.

He knew my feelings which is why he didn’t tell me until it was pretty much too late. He knows I don’t speak up, especially when put on the spot. I struggle massively with social anxiety, and he used that against me. It’s his body so he can do what he likes and it’s not my choice what he chooses to tattoo- hence why in the moment, I said to him it’s his tattoo so get what he wants- but it works both ways, and that was my work and he didn’t respect my choice to keep that artwork away from AI.
as mentioned in my other comments, I know AI has its uses and as I am on a degree it will be coming up in the course. The hatred is not AI itself- it’s how other peoples work has been taken/used against their wishes to run it and how people are using it to make these-quite frankly- terrible and often inaccurate ‘designs’ mashed up from stolen decent artworks all to save £££ ‘s or speed up a process that’s taken artists years to build. It’s the same for many other creatives out there- authors, and more. It is destroying creativity and It’s not something I wish to contribute any of my artworks of any value to, and he knew that.
I understand many artists like to use AI in their work- fab- good for them! It’s not the approach I take personally- that’s just my style.
I am fully aware that if I do establish a career in illustration, works will inevitably end up in AI generators and such- if someone pays me for a design, that design will be theirs to do with as they wish - be it change it, put it into AI, dispose of it or keep it, But to have my personal works ran through AI in my own home against my wishes- well I just expected better from him to be honest.

I feel for him and you. I think your skills go over his head. Imagine if this was the same story but about music - perhaps you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference but a skilled musician would immediately spot it. He doesn’t realise what he’s done.

"John - you knew I don't like AI tattoo designs. I'm going to design a tattoo with my name on it and you're going to get exactly that, otherwise it's over"

By uploading your work into the tool, hasnt he also signed away your ownership of the original design? Your design is now going to be utilised by the AI tool in its repository of materials for all of its future. And the modified AI version as intellectual property is owned by whoever owns the tool? I’d be furious. It’s not just morals, it’s the commercially ignorant aspect of what he’s done.

Uhh what? Have you not read a single thing in this thread?

I have a relative who is very narcissistic and that pattern of interaction is very familiar. Forgetting or failing to understand something when it doesn’t suit their agenda anymore.

It’s really bewildering when you first encounter it, because you’re searching through old conversations, knowing that you’ve talked about this, knowing that they know your stance on an issue. And then you’re trying to explain and being met with incomprehension, and it’s like being in the twilight zone.

Is there a bit of a pattern here @Lemonypaintpots by any chance? I could easily be over- projecting because of my own experience. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there was more gaslighting in this relationship.

I imagine he used a free (ie not licensed) GPT to upload your drawing, in which case you have lost control of its usage …

Yes, this ^

Yes exactly, there is so much more to AI than people realise. So many think it’s harmless dropping in an image here and there. Unless someone is happy to have absolutely no rights over an image that is/was 100% their own, they really shouldn’t be uploading! Especially not other peoples work!

Do you think she needs to sit him down and explain all this to him?

Tattoo designers (and others) have been using software to scan images in, edit them, and print them into transfers for the last 20 years.

That's not really the same as generative AI, though. Editing something with an editing programme and printing it on to a transfer is a very different exercise from asking ChatGPT to come up with a tattoo design from scratch, or to use other people's work to make something different.

It's equivalent to the difference between writing an essay and then running it through a SPAG check or Hemingway, and asking ChatGPT to write an essay for you or to rewrite someone else's essay to make it look like yours.

OP, absolutely YANBU to be annoyed about the use of AI to generate a design (and I only use tattoo artists who draw their initial designs by hand). I'm a writer and the use of AI to generate copy outrages me on a daily basis. Most people, when I explain to them why that is, absolutely get it, and the ones who don't are invariably arseholes. But YABU to consider not finishing your degree because of this.

What are the elements? Is it like you drew a ship and a tree as part of a bigger image and he's snipped those out and stuck them in with some other stuff?

I am inclined to agree with you OP, I think it's hurtful on a personal level and insulting and damaging professionally.

I hope you are happy with your tattoo! Did you design it? As someone with zero creativity I would love to have any ideas - don't give up OP.

I went off to have mine done, silently furious he put my work into AI, and so embarrassed- that he told me he wanted my design- was it not good enough?

Well no it wasn't because he told you that yours wasn't very clear so he ran it through AI to sharpen it up 🤷‍♂️

You're sounding very precious here.

As an illustrator myself I am not threatened by AI. It clearly looks computer generated so why should I feel threatened by it. It’s nowhere near the same quality as professional illustrator.

Quitting your degree because your husband made a choice you don't like is a major overreaction.

You should have refused to have your design submitted to whatever AI the studio is using. Does this mean you lost the rights to your work?

I do agree that many people don't understand the gigantic theft of intellectual property and artistic work that went into training AI. That you explained all this and said how you feel to your husband and asked multiple times if he was ok with the design but then he chose to use AI, I'd be upset, but he still has the right to choose what he it's on his body. But he didn't have the right to your work, you allowed him to use it and now you've possibly lost the rights. His tattoo won't be the unique gift of your art you gave him and I see why you're upset about that.

I get it. It's upsetting in two ways. First, you handcrafted something for him with care, love and expertise. And he threw it away in favour of something a bot made. That in itself is hurtful and upsetting. But, as someone whose job is also massively impacted by AI, it must hurt that even the one closest to you has chosen the machine over the artist. I don't think someone who hasn't experienced the threat of AI and its effect on artists and creators could truly get this. That said, your relationship is (hopefully) bigger than this and your degree is too. It's ok to feel upset and annoyed, but don't let it overwhelm you.

I understand why you feel hurt, and annoyed with your DH, but I can’t see why on earth that would make you not want to finish your degree. That’s a completely different issue.

I used to work with designers and they all say a variation of theres no place for egos when producing designs for others and if creatives get upset if someone doesnt fully like what theyve produced for the person, then they are in the wrong job.

Quitting your degree over this is pretty childish and dramatic.