Who wouldn't want an AI Frank Frazetta to design their cover???

[R. R. Hunter]

I mean, honestly though
I've already started cleaning up the image but the one below is the original. Taking the "wings" off the castle, removing the floating star-thing above the tower, removing the clothing particles that are sticking out, and cleaning up that weird cone head shape. Overall though, would it be so bad to use AI generated art for a cover???

 

[Queshire]

Yes. Yes it would be.

 

[R. R. Hunter]

Yes. Yes it would be.

Wait, you mean you don't like Frazetta's art style? I mean, that's how art works. People only like what they like to like. But you don't like Frazetta????

 

[R. R. Hunter]

You have to be kidding me?

 

[pmmg]

Do you think if Frazetta was alive, he would like that?

 

[Queshire]

I don't like AI.

Well, no, I like AI. I just don't think that we're where we need to be as a society to account for widespread adoption of the technology.

 

[R. R. Hunter]

Do you think if Frazetta was alive, he would like that?

If I didn't mention his name, would it still be slightly offensive?

No, really, do you think someone could connect the cover to being inspired by Frazetta?
I don't think so, the first image does not have near enough detail as he puts into his art, and the second probably has too much detail and is not the right tone.

 

[Finchbearer]

Well this might make me an ignorant fool…but I don’t know who Frazetta is. I would say the second image is so much stronger by a country mile than the first one however.

 

[R. R. Hunter]

Well this might make me an ignorant fool…but I don’t know who Frazetta is. I would say the second image is so much stronger by a country mile than the first one however.

That's ok. I was born in Arkansas and I don't know what a country mile is Yeah, the second image is wild

 

[pmmg]

What am I supposed to do? Fight against AI to my grave? It is coming whether I like it or not.

Looks like a Frazetta cover to me. I recognize the style. Mr. Frazetta worked on his craft and honed his skill to be able to make that stuff. Many tried to copy, AI will get to a point of perfect copies. To me, it does feel like a blow to his art and his humanity.

But...its still back to us. What is our character, what are our values, and what are we willing to do?

For me, this is discounting. I would think less of someone so blatantly using AI for its shortcuts to art creation.

Maybe I will change on that in time. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so maybe Frazetta would be flattered.

I've worked hard on my craft. If AI can copy my voice and style without me, then why am I needed? And to me, it is all part of the production. The art i choose, the words I choose, the themes, the setting the events and characters. AI can go jump in a lake. I want to matter, not some code. I will afford that same benifit to Mr. Frazetta.

But you know, AI is new (and probably not really AI yet--but it will be). We will messily move through it and come out on the other end, and the world will adjust. Just be prepared not to matter.

I will not buy your AI work.

 

[pmmg]

Well this might make me an ignorant fool…but I don’t know who Frazetta is. I would say the second image is so much stronger by a country mile than the first one however.

You must have seen this?

 

[Finchbearer]

…no

The name made me think of Frank Zappa to be honest, and if Zappa was an artist, this looks like something he would have made…back to Frazetta, I googled him out of curiosity and understand a bit more about his work and style.

 

[pmmg]

Frank Frazetta - 20 artworks - illustration

Just did all the cover to all the pulp fiction of fantasy that anyone wanted on their wall Mostly all the Conan books, and many others. Too many to post, but so many I would recognize at a glance.

 

[pmmg]

I should add, that if you are using AI for cover art, and its not deliberatly copying someone elses style, I think I would have less of a problem with it. I am not sure how much less, but... mostly I probably would not know. If I was to feed my story in to AI and say make me a great cover, and it did...I would not so easily ignore that. So far, my efforts with AI have been more work than reward. But I am not focused on it. I think I would prefer it did not make the artist the unimportant part.

 

[Finchbearer]

Frank Frazetta - 20 artworks - illustration

Just did all the cover to all the pulp fiction of fantasy that anyone wanted on their wall Mostly all the Conan books, and many others. Too many to post, but so many I would recognize at a glance.

Honestly, I can appreciate it, but only for the era it was created in, and has a distinctly retro feel for me. If you would be considering this style for cover art today, then I would say this would fit into that retro category. There is definitely the market for it, but might marginalise your viewing potential.

 

[R. R. Hunter]

I will not buy your AI work.

I'm just being honest with myself here, but I'll be lucky if I can even get my family to buy this book if I publish it - with or without an AI cover lol
Of course I think I have a great story with believable characters, but I might not even make it off the runway. I don't want to sink thousands of dollars into editors, art, and marketing (maybe) if I can only get $27.35 in royalties over the book's lifetime. If it does work out, I have no issues going back and putting that money into the books.

 

[pmmg]

I'm just being honest with myself here, but I'll be lucky if I can even get my family to buy this book if I publish it - with or without an AI cover lol

Same here.

 

[Finchbearer]

the more I’ve looked into self publishing, (as in Amazon kindle) the more I think it can really empower writers to take control of their own success or even failures. Why wait for an agent when you can diy. That aside, love the creativity even if it is modified AI.

 

[Jason]

the more I’ve looked into self publishing, (as in Amazon kindle) the more I think it can really empower writers to take control of their own success or even failures. Why wait for an agent when you can diy. That aside, love the creativity even if it is modified AI.

I guess this will compete with or become part of the pre-made covers market. (I paid ~$70 after searching for a good enough fit.)

 

[Mad Swede]

the more I’ve looked into self publishing, (as in Amazon kindle) the more I think it can really empower writers to take control of their own success or even failures. Why wait for an agent when you can diy. That aside, love the creativity even if it is modified AI.

Well, self-publishing is a lot of work. Writing, editing, typesetting/formatting, cover, blurb. And then the sales pitches. The adverts. Etc. You have to put a lot of effort into being seen, because thats the only way to get people to notice your books. Only then do you stand a chance of selling enough to cover your costs.

With that written, even for a traditionally published author like me there is a great deal of effort involved in maintaining reader relations. Sure, my publisher does quite a lot but even the author has to do their bit, especially when starting out. Things like interviews, book signings, attending book fairs and conferences, a presence of some sort on social media (which needs keeping up to date!), answering e-mails. Only when you do all this do you have a chance of earning out your advance. And even then you probably won't earn enough from your writing to live on. I know I don't.