Artist reveals how AI image generation boosted traditional drawing skills
Using AI to explore compositions and lighting made this artist a better drawer.
In a candid Reddit post, an artist (u/Qabalan_Vince) challenges the common narrative that AI image generation will replace traditional drawing. After four years of drawing—starting with traditional media, moving to digital, and then a year ago exploring AI out of curiosity—they expected to use the technology a few times and move on. Instead, AI became a valuable part of their creative workflow.
The key insight: AI generation made them a better drawer. By instantly visualizing compositions, lighting setups, or color palettes, they could explore ideas rapidly before committing hours to a hand-drawn piece. The artist uses AI to get unstuck, to see what might be possible, and then still draws the final piece themselves because that remains the part they enjoy most. They emphasize that AI and drawing are different activities that scratch different parts of the brain—fast and expansive versus slow and specific—and that both are useful without one replacing the other.
- After a year of using AI image generation, the artist found it improved their traditional drawing skills through rapid exploration of composition and lighting.
- AI serves as an instant visualization tool to get unstuck and see new possibilities, but the final artwork is still hand-drawn.
- The artist rejects the replacement narrative, noting AI and drawing are different activities that serve different creative needs.
Why It Matters
Artists can leverage AI as a complementary tool to enhance traditional skills, not as a threat.