Why Scotty's Cartoons will always be hand-drawn- Even in the age of AI

Over recent years, we’re hearing more and more about AI. There’s even panic of it “taking over” from us mortal humans! Maybe we’ve watched too many films about robots wiping out humans, or maybe there’s something to the theory that AI could replace some jobs. Whatever your view, it’s clear that we will be seeing more of it for a while, but I believe that AI will never replace human art.

Here’s 8 reasons why Scotty’s Cartoons Art will always be hand-drawn…

1. Emotional connection is essential… AI can’t capture personality, or understand empathy  or emotional context. It doesn’t experience passion for what it does. When I learn about your dog, I pay close attention to your feelings about them. I’m passionate about dogs, and express my passion through my art. AI simply can’t do this. it imitates patterns, often relying on repeated styles and visual formulas, making it a very cold formulaic result rather than an emotional one with soul, which is what my clients are seeking.

   
   

2. Ethical Considerations… Ethical concerns exist around how AI art is trained. Many AI systems learn from artists’ work without consent or credit. By creating art by hand, I ensure everything is original and ethically made.

   
   

3. AI images are generated; Artwork is crafted…. Every single action that I take in creating your artwork is a conscious decision. Sometimes planned, sometimes spontaneous as the mood takes me. It’s often about what FEELS right for each piece, which is what makes art a creative process.  AI can’t feel, and therefore will never be able to develop creative judgement.

   
   

4. Every piece of my artwork is unique…. AI uses templates and reuses patterns. My process for each piece of artwork starts with questions helping me get to know your dog, moves on to me drawing sketches and creating spreadsheets to enter the information and decide on the best possible scene for your dog, then I start drawing. Beginning with very rough sketches and building up to final artwork, then colour, shading and highlights. Each stage is meticulously crafted and completely custom.

   
   

5. Experience Matters … Artists grow and evolve — AI simply regenerates. Each piece I draw builds on my experience, experimentation, and creative journey, making it richer and more personal over time. Hand-drawn work reflects years of practice and experience. Each stroke carries the skill and understanding developed over time — something AI cannot accumulate or evolve.

   
   

6. Storytelling in Art…AI doesn’t  understand storytelling within an image. I deliberately choose poses, expressions, and compositions to tell the story of your pet’s personality and your bond. I bring together multiple elements through a detailed process, to get your art just right. AI generates the image within seconds, leaving out essential elements and nuances. The first image below, is a cartoon portrait that I did for a client of their beautiful brown and white spaniel. The second image is AI generated of the same dog. Notice the following... - The markings on the AI generated dog are generic and not accurate. - The AI dog is licking chocolate icecream! (Followed by a vets visit!)

   - Although it's pleasing to the eye, the background was almost identical when I asked it to create another one.

   - The client was UK based, and the AI image showed palm trees. Although palm trees are present in some areas like cornwall, it's not a common UK tree.

   - The AI image is lacking the props and personal items that make my portraits so appealing and custom to each client.

   
   

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     A portrait of a happy spaniel on the beach

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     An AI image of a spaniel on the beach

7. Personal, Not Processed…Commissioned art should feel personal, not processed. Each cartoon I create is made with care and connection, ensuring it’s more than just an image — it’s a keepsake.

   
   

8. Attention to Detail…We’ve all seen the AI generated images of dogs with 5 legs, or an extra nose! Apparently this is called an "AI-oopsie!" Although funny, this would never happen with an artist! Human mistakes are made, of course, but a human artist would never make such an enormous mistake as miscalculating how many legs a dog has! I suspect this point may improve with time and development, but it just highlights how a human eye and judgement is invaluable.
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   

You may be surprised to learn that I do use AI… but NEVER for my art work. I think it has it’s place, and I personally find it really helpful in brainstorming for things like social media content planning on days that my brain is on strike. Even then, I only use for the initial brainstorming to get myself off the starting blocks with ideas, and then always write my own content. I find it a helpful tool for some applications, but I always keep it firmly away from my drawing.

In summary, I love using AI as a brainstorming tool, but your artwork deserves human hands, human eyes, and human care. That’s why every Scotty’s Cartoon is always hand-drawn — full of personality, compassion and buckets full of personalised TLC. 

If you'd like a 100% hand-drawn, custom crafted piece of artwork, please get in touch. I'd love to hear from you. You can message me HERE

If you'd like to read a review from Dotty4Paws about Kate's experience in commissioning me to draw a cartoon of her 3 gorgeous dogs, you can do so HERE