"Art Just Needs to be Yours" - Aaron Blaise and Why Generative AI Will Never Replace Art Created and Inspired By Lived, Human Experience

Aaron Blaise.

Aaron Blaise, acclaimed animator and director of Brother Bear, released a video on his Art of Aaron Blaise YouTube channel sharing his thoughts on AI generative art and animation and why AI can't actually compete with lived, human experience. Specifically why it can't compete with YOUR lived human experience.

I think he makes some really great points that echo my own thinking and reflect why I didn't even blink at the implications of AI generative art when it first started becoming a thing. Watch his video below.

Speaking to the video, Aaron talks about the process of being immersed in the creation of art, why that experience is important, and why that can never be replaced by a machine. He goes so far as to say he will always hand draw his animation because that personal act of doing, of creating, is what connects him to the work.

To me I think it's all relative and individual preference. I find hand drawing animation tedious. If I could get a machine to exactly animate something for me I would. It's why I lean toward puppet rig animation over hand drawn. It's still my art, I just don't have to draw every frame.

For me it's about realizing an idea as quickly as possible. Which is not to say I want my art to just appear without effort. I believe in the journey too. I just don't want something to take so long that it's never realized or I abandon it. Anything that keeps it moving is helpful.

I also like that AI can allow an idea to begin forming rapidly where as, in the past you may have put that idea to one side, for later, and maybe never got back to it.

The bottom line is, even before AI art came along, everyone who wants to develop a career in art has always had to compete with other artists, with literally thousands of them being better at art (likely in your own opinion) than what you can produce. But that didn't, and shouldn't stop you.

No one, not a machine, not even Aaron Blaise, can produce your art, based on your lived experience.

Whether you use AI or not as part of your art practice. It's your vision and perspective that is the real value.

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