How artificial intelligence is changing the visual arts: 5 practical applications for artists

Artificial intelligence is rapidly making its way into the creative world. For some, this sounds like a threat to "real" art – for others, it's a new tool in their arsenal. This article is aimed at all those who see AI not as a replacement, but as a support: for process improvement, experimentation, and the further development of their own style.

Upscaling images for print and web: Automatic quality improvement

Many artists face the same problem: the photos of their work for their portfolio or catalog are often less than ideal. The scan looks dull, the mobile phone photo is blurry – and if a work is to be printed in an oversized format, it becomes even more difficult.

This is where Image Upscaler in – an online tool that uses AI upscale images (2x, 4x, or even 8x) without any visible loss of quality. The tool automatically analyzes and enhances edges, details, and textures – a particularly valuable feature for anyone working with print or digital presentations.

Typical use cases for upscaling images

• Preparing your work for high-quality art prints on canvas, paper or poster material
• Optimize web presentation – larger, clearer works on your portfolio page or in your online shop without loading time problems
• AI-generated artworks need to be scaled to make them printable or social media-ready – many image generators only deliver low resolutions.

Whether for the physical art market or digital exhibitions: If you want to showcase your images professionally, targeted image upscaling with artificial intelligence is an effective first step.

Beyond image enhancement through upscaling, AI tools like ChatGPT and others can significantly improve a photographer's workflow. In the following video, photographer Timo Nausch explores how AI can be integrated into the photography workflow:

Sketch generation and composition ideas with AI

Inspiration isn't always readily available – but technology can help. Tools like Adobe Firefly allow users to generate images from text, saving time and effort when designing sketches and other graphics. 

Additionally, ask ChatGPT for a description of an Impressionist painting titled "Autumn in the Park." You can then paste this description into DALL·E or Leonardo AI and receive various visual suggestions that can serve as creative sketches.

For example: Ask ChatGPT for a description of an Impressionist painting with the theme "Autumn in the Park". You can then paste this description into DALL·E or Leonardo AI , for example, and receive various visual suggestions that can serve as creative sketches.

How to write a good prompt:

• Define style: “oil painting”, “watercolor”, “sketch”, etc.
• Specify the main motif: "lonely house", "stormy sky", "woman in a red coat"
• Incorporate mood: "melancholic", "calm", "dynamic"
• Add format options: "portrait", "landscape", "square"

Example: “A surreal oil painting of a violin floating above a tranquil lake at sunrise – in the style of René Magritte”.

The goal is not for AI to paint for you, but to help you discover new perspectives, try out variations, and overcome creative blocks.

Style transfers and color experiments with AI

AI can reinterpret your images in the style of famous artists or art movements. This is not only exciting, but also a practical tool for creative studies and finding your own style.

Tools like Prisma, DeepArt or ArtTransfer from Google Arts & Culture allow you to apply the style of Monet, Picasso or Hokusai to any photo or artwork.

What you can do with it:

• Create a series of stylized variations of an image
• Apply a consistent style across multiple works – for a cohesive portfolio
• Test color palettes before you pick up the canvas
• Preparing references for new projects
• Generate cover, poster or packaging designs

These tools are helpful for traditional female artists as well as for designers who work with visual concepts and want to view their work in new contexts.

For whom is this particularly useful?

• Young artists – for experimenting and learning quickly without high costs
• Female illustrators and digital artists – for generating references
• Anyone preparing work for competitions, exhibitions or portfolios – to improve image quality
• Traditionally trained artists – as a new extension of their technique

AI does not replace the artistic idea – it helps to enhance it

Artificial intelligence is a tool. In the hands of creatively thinking people, it is an amplifier of the artistic idea

This is the conclusion reached by Julian van Dieken and Roman Lipski from the Federal Government's Competence Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries in their analysis.

Artificial intelligence (AI) facilitates creative access for everyone by making complex tools usable even without specialized knowledge. This fosters diversity and innovation in art, but also raises questions about authorship and creativity. While AI is not creative in the classical sense, it influences creative processes, supports artists, and offers new sources of inspiration. In their short report, artists Julian van Dieken and Roman Lipski on the potential of AI as an artistic muse and a tool for innovation.

This leads me to the following conclusion:

AI doesn't replace the idea – it helps to amplify it. It doesn't take away your artistic identity, but enables you to work faster, see further, and create more deeply. Those who understand AI as a tool and not as a replacement gain a powerful assistant in the studio

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and Managing Director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor, and passionate blogger in the fields of art, design, and creativity since 2011. Graduated with a degree in web design from university (2008). Further developed creative techniques through courses in freehand drawing, expressive painting, and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market gained through years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with key players and institutions in the arts and culture sector.

www.kunstplaza.de