AI Art and Copyright: Why Responsible Creation Matters

 

 

There’s a lot of confusion out there about how AI art is made and even more misinformation about copyright. One of the most common myths is that AI “steals” images from online artists to create new work. As someone who’s been creating with AI tools for years, I want to clear that up.

Let’s start with the basics.
AI generators don’t “grab” copyrighted images and copy them. They’re trained on massive datasets to learn patterns, styles, and visual language just like a human artist studies thousands of works to develop their own technique. But the newer, responsible AI tools don’t allow you to upload a copyrighted image and ask the model to replicate it. That’s a violation of copyright law, and the platforms know it.

I’ve tested this firsthand. If you try to feed a copyrighted image into a modern AI generator and ask it to “make one like this,” it will either block the request or return something generic. These systems are designed to avoid infringement. And if AI art were truly stealing, we’d be seeing lawsuits and takedowns everywhere. But we’re not because responsible creators lead the process with care.

So where do the “cheap AI images” come from?
Some creators use bulk generators to produce thousands of images with little refinement. These packs are often sold for pennies, and yes they flood the market. But that’s not the fault of the tool. That’s a choice made by the user. And just like with stock photography or vector bundles, quality varies. One person’s “crap” might be another’s treasure. Customers connect with emotion, story, and style not just technique.

I’ve been creating digital art since 2008.
After a head injury, painting with a mouse was part of my therapy. It was hard. The results weren’t perfect. But people still bought that art. Because it meant something. And that’s the truth of art whether it’s made with a brush, a mouse, or an AI tool.

The customer should always have the right to choose.
And creators should have the right to be seen. That’s why I speak up not to argue, but to protect the legitimacy of my process and the visibility of my voice.

If you’re a fellow creator, I encourage you to lead with clarity. Tag your work. Disclose your tools. And trust that your process when guided by care and integrity will always matter.  

Image Disclaimer:
All images featured in this post are original AI-assisted artworks created by Susang6. Each piece reflects her unique styling, emotional calibration, and studio standards. To view these images in larger format and higher resolution, please visit her studio here.

Cookie Exchange Red or White T-Shirt

 

If you are someone who enjoys baking and exchanging cookies with your friends and family then you will love either of these AI created T-shirts.  Both are made from cotton and are perfect for church, ladies club or home cookie exchange parties.

Both are Zazzle made tees that were created from a watercolor AI generated image of retro women baking Christmas cookies.  You can see that the women both have on colorful holiday aprons that were fashionable in the 1940’s.   The   kitchen background is decorated with holiday garland and a decorated Christmas Tree which lends for a festive cookie exchange image design. 

Personalize women’s basic cotton jersey V-neck t-shirt with your cookie exchange information or other text.  Both image and text can be customized as it is a template design.   There is no extra charge for the personalization.

 

If you prefer another color rather than the classic Christmas red know that there are a variety of colors to choose from. There are also different style tees, such as a crew, long sleeve, sweatshirt and more.  Pick the style shirt that fits your needs  and wear to your Christmas cookie exchange.

The V-neck style tee has contoured side seams for a feminine fit.  The manufacture states that the fit is true to size and that it is preshrunk. 

The women’s basic crew neck t-shirt is a relaxed fit and is made from 100% cotton. 

AI Generated Images/Artwork

 AI-generated images are popping up all over.  I have seen them on social media, and at online stores.  Many of my designer friends are hooked on creating images using artificial intelligence.  The AI images are very popular as they can look like a painting, or pencil drawing by using styles, prompts, and settings. AI images are unique and realistic. Basically, they are whatever your imagination desires

 

Here are a few of my favorite AI-created images by ChrisTina Shaskus

AI created Dahlia Flower  

AI created a boat on the water  

AIcreated panda bear 

Realistic AI Created Sasquatch  

 

I have been watching as my friends created AI images but I was slow to try the computer to create my own images.  Many people love AI-generated images but others do not.  They think it’s a no-brainer to create an image with text.  

 I learned firsthand that there is a trick to it.   You have to add text to create an image.  Whatever you imagine can be a work of art as long as you add the right words.  It's not as easy as it sounds because the text you use must align with whatever you are thinking.

Like anything else when it comes to creating AI-generated images it is trial and error.  You can always change your words until you get the image that you want.