Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about my artwork—specifically, whether my illustrations are AI-generated. While I completely understand the curiosity, I want to take a moment to explain my creative process and highlight the key differences between AI-generated images and digital illustrations created by human artists like myself.

My Process: A Blend of Tools, Experimentation, and Creativity

Creating an illustration like Timmy Parker and the Magic Toy Chest is not a one-click operation. It’s a time-consuming process filled with exploration, trial and error, and countless tiny decisions that shape the final image. I am still learning and improving my craft, but I love experimenting with different techniques and styles. Here’s a breakdown of how I work:

1. Sketching the Idea – I usually start with rough sketches, either directly in Procreate or Affinity Pro. This is where I decide on the composition, character poses, and overall scene layout. Sometimes, I do a few versions before settling on a concept that feels right.
2. Refining the Lines and Composition – Once I’m happy with the basic structure, I refine the lines and shapes, making adjustments as needed. This step ensures the final piece has strong visual storytelling and proper perspective.
3. Color Blocking and Texturing – Using tools like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, I apply base colors, layer in shadows and highlights, and add textures to bring depth and dimension to the illustration. This stage is crucial for setting the mood and making elements pop.
4. Detailing and Effects – I love experimenting with lighting, glows, and effects to create that vibrant, whimsical look. Sometimes, I spend hours tweaking colors and adding tiny details that enhance the final piece.
5. Final Edits in Canva – After exporting my image, I sometimes use Canva to crop, adjust contrast, and add text elements. It’s a great final touch for making sure everything looks polished.

How an Image Like This is Created Using Digital Apps and Software

One of the reasons I am able to create so many different styles of artwork is because of the wide variety of digital tools available. This flexibility allows me to choose the best artistic approach for each story I illustrate. For an illustration like Timmy Parker and the Magic Toy Chest, multiple digital tools and techniques come into play:

• Procreate/Affinity Pro for Initial Sketching: I begin by creating rough sketches to establish the character poses and layout. Layers allow me to refine the drawing step by step without losing earlier progress.
• Adobe Illustrator for Clean Linework and Shapes: Using vector tools, I refine the shapes and define crisp edges, ensuring that the composition remains balanced and scalable.
• Photoshop for Colors, Textures, and Special Effects: I paint in rich gradients, enhance the vibrancy, and use layer blending modes to add lighting effects, such as glowing highlights and atmospheric depth.
• Procreate for Brushwork and Finishing Details: I use custom brushes for textures, soft glows, and intricate hand-drawn details that bring the image to life.
• Canva for Typography and Final Adjustments: If the illustration requires text, I use Canva’s intuitive text tools to integrate typography seamlessly into the design.

How to Create a Complex Scene Like This Digitally

For intricate illustrations featuring multiple characters, detailed architecture, and dynamic lighting—such as a grand ballroom scene—digital artists follow these key steps:

1. Composition and Perspective Setup – The foundation of any complex scene starts with a strong composition. Digital artists use perspective grids and guides in Procreate or Photoshop to ensure proper depth and scale.
2. Rough Sketching and Blocking – Artists begin by sketching out the main elements, such as characters, chandeliers, and architectural features, using loose lines to establish the layout.
3. Refining Linework and Adding Details – Once satisfied with the basic structure, they refine line art, adjusting proportions, facial expressions, and intricate decor details.
4. Layering and Base Colors – Artists use multiple layers to separate characters, background elements, and lighting. They then apply base colors, ensuring contrast between different parts of the image.
5. Lighting and Atmosphere – Lighting effects, such as glowing chandeliers and dramatic highlights, are added using blending modes, opacity adjustments, and layer masks in Photoshop or Procreate.
6. Textures and Final Touches – Textures such as fabric patterns, gold embellishments, and reflective surfaces are painted manually or added using texture brushes.
7. Post-Processing for Cohesion – The final illustration is adjusted for color balance, sharpness, and contrast using editing tools in Photoshop, making the entire scene feel immersive and polished.

AI vs. Digital Illustration: What’s the Difference?

With AI-generated art becoming more common, many people assume digital artists rely on AI to create their work. While AI tools can be useful, there’s a distinct difference between AI-generated images and handcrafted digital illustrations:

• AI Art: AI image generators create artwork based on text prompts. The user describes what they want, and the AI produces an image based on patterns it has learned from existing datasets. The process is more about curation—adjusting prompts until the AI generates something close to the vision.
• Digital Illustration: This requires direct input from the artist at every stage. From sketching to rendering, every line, shape, and color choice is intentional. The final artwork is the result of personal skill, experience, and creativity—something AI can’t replicate with true artistic intent.

Limitations of AI Art

While AI-generated images can be visually striking, they have significant limitations, especially when it comes to creating intricate and dynamic compositions:

• Lack of True Composition and Intentionality – AI does not understand composition in the way human artists do. It often struggles with perspective, depth, and accurate character proportions, leading to awkward or unnatural results.
• Inconsistencies in Details – AI-generated art frequently produces errors in small details, such as mismatched facial features or distorted objects.
• Struggles with Narrative and Cohesion – AI lacks an artist’s ability to craft a compelling visual story. It cannot intentionally emphasize focal points or create meaningful character expressions.
• Over-Reliance on Pre-Existing Data – AI models generate images based on previously analyzed artwork, meaning they cannot truly create something novel. Instead, they remix and reassemble elements in ways that can sometimes look generic or uninspired.
• Challenges with Dynamic Posing and Lighting – AI often struggles to depict complex lighting effects and natural body movement, making it less effective for dynamic or action-packed scenes.

Why This Matters

Art is more than just an image—it’s an expression of emotion, style, and individuality. While AI can create visually impressive results, it doesn’t replace the artistic journey of problem-solving, storytelling, and personal touch that goes into digital illustration.

So, to everyone who asks: No, my artwork isn’t AI-generated. It’s hours (sometimes days!) of work, experimenting, and refining—powered by my own imagination, not an algorithm.

I hope this gives some insight into my process and the difference between AI and digital art. If you’re an artist, what’s your favorite part of the creative process? Let’s chat in the comments!