‘It should simply be used as a tool to enhance the creativity’
Meet Leia Pucky, who has a degree in art who is now a well-established tattoo artist who has developed her own business for the last 10 years growing from strength to strength.
‘When people think of Artificial Intelligence, I don’t think that tattooing usually comes straight to mind and the reason that that I believe, it’s because when you think of tattooing you think of it as a very hands-on skill. It’s about being very creative and it’s about connecting with people. When people talk about AI, I think that they picture more tech like jobs. Jobs in offices, jobs with computers, ai replacing more desk work job. However, Ai has still found its way into my job as a tattoo artist, and it’s affected my job as a tattoo artist both in a positive and challenging way.’
It has affected how Leia runs her business. Mostly it effect’s how she does her design work, communicate with clients, run her diary and social media. However, it has not replaced any of her workload. Instead, it has enhanced it made her more time efficient. By having this tool, she can now focus more time on designing and drawing the actual tattoo.
‘AI has it pros and cons, however mostly positives. One of those being the fact it’s a really great creative tool that can be used especially when clients have a very vague vision of what they would like their designs to look like. Sometimes it helps when they want something meaningful, but they have no idea how to put it together. AI can quickly make visual references in different styles, variations, composition and that can help spark some inspiration in both me and my client.’
AI is changing her industry but is not replacing tattoo artists.
Leia believes that AI is empowering them by generating different creative options of their ideas so she can produce final designs faster. Improving and facilitating communications between her and the client providing an overall proficient service. It opens the door to access so many global styles and new creative possibilities.
Now with AI you can preview the designs on the client’s body ensuring that the client will be happy with their completed tattoo and placement
On the downside AI is challenging the industry by taking over originality and protecting culture, as well as that human influence tattoos used to have before AI which made tattooing so meaningful in the first place.
‘Tattoos are still about identity and expressing our emotions’
The biggest risk for AI being in the tattoo industry, is losing the soul of the craft. Tattoos are a personal expression of the individuals loves and interest and what is import. Even during the journey and process there is a creative bond between the client and the artist, which then enables their identity.
