The Impact of Technology on Art: A Heartfelt Exploration

And that, dear reader, is what we’re here to talk about: technology and its impact on art.

The Positive Side of Technology in Art

Technology has done many good things. It has saved lives, improved our meals, and made cycling up steep hills easier. Artists now have digital brushes that flow like water and magical undo buttons that whisper, “Try again, friend.”

At Pointelier, we use these digital tools every day. Tools like iPads, Wacom tablets, and pens that sense pressure and tilt. They allow us to draw on glass, which feels like paper. The screen lights up with strokes that move in harmony with our bodies. This is still guided by the same motor memory that comes from years of learning how to see.

The New Paradigm: Art Created by AI

But somewhere out there, a new kind of art-making has emerged—the kind where no one holds a pen at all.

With the right words—a clever prompt and a splash of adjectives—AI can conjure an image in seconds. For example, a golden retriever in a bowtie surfing in the Arctic? No problem. Or a half-mermaid, half-vizsla holding a glass of pinot noir at a candlelit dinner? Piece of cake.

These AI images were generated in mere seconds

It’s dazzling. It’s fast. Yet, for many, it’s unsettling.

Understanding the Emotional Disconnect of AI Art

Here’s the truth: AI doesn’t know what a dog smells like. It doesn’t understand that Sofie, my real, velvety-soft, hot-tempered vizsla, loves sweet potato with her meat. It has never cried over a painting of a beloved pet who has passed away. It has not paused mid-stroke because the light in the studio hit just right and made something feel holy.

Sofie loves sweet potato with her meat!

Is AI an artist? It can create art, but this raises deeper questions about consciousness and humanity. What we do know is that AI is a tool that borrows from the memories of countless other artists.

The Slippery Slope of Emotion and Deception

AI-generated images can look like art. They dazzle with detail, color, and composition. However, they can also deceive.

This is where it gets dangerous. The issue isn't that the images or the AI itself is “bad,” but rather how they’re being used. We risk manipulation by inauthentic individuals—like “group farmers” or “persona marketers”—who employ AI-generated art to evoke raw emotions for clicks, likes, and shares. For example, these "group farmers" often trick people on social media into believing a nonexistent pet has died or is celebrating a birthday.

Moreover, when art becomes mass-produced by machines, it loses the essence that makes it art in the first place: the person who made it.

The trembling hand. The memory. The love.

Ai generated image of digital tablet, brushes and watercolor paper

The Importance of Human-Made Art

At Pointelier, we create everything ourselves, by hand or on screen, with intention. We may use digital tools like drawing tablets and computer software, but the soul is still human. Every portrait is drawn with care. Each brush stroke or fur strand is guided by heart and hand.

We’re not anti-technology; we’re pro-human.

Art is more than pixels; it’s presence. It’s a quiet rebellion in an age of automation. It’s one-of-a-kind, like your dog, like you, and like the bond between the two of you.

When you support human-made art, you’re not merely buying a picture. You’re backing a heartbeat, a history, a hand that reaches across time and says, “I see you. I drew this for you.”

Multimedia human-made portrait of Sofie from our atelier

The Future of Art: A Blend of Heart and Technology

In conclusion, we must ask ourselves: Is it still art if a robot makes it?

Maybe. But it isn’t ours. Have a look at our gallery or find out more about us.

- Sam (and Sofie, who’s napping in a sunbeam)

🌊🐾✨