Jean-Baptiste Monge is a beloved fantasy artist.
Stuart has carried a number of Monge books over the years.
More
about Monge on his website: https://www.jbmonge.com/illustration
And in this interview: http://characterdesignnotes.blogspot.com/2010/12/interview-with-jean-baptiste-monge-part.html
In mid-September, Monge sent out an email --- in both English and his native French -- to colleagues and fans. He detailed his current Kickstarter project to fund a book. And he shared this poignant assessment of the impact of AI image generating on his life and work.
….
the sudden and uncontrolled advent of generative AI and the massive,
unauthorized use of my name in prompts, like other authors, on platforms
dedicated to AI have created for us a real form of parasitism. This quickly had
a significant and truly negative impact on our business and our sales by
drowning us more and more in an endless stream of images. (Generative AI) not
only feeds on our work but also now competes directly with us. In addition, my
position and my strong commitment alongside other artists and friends to demand
fair regulation of AI systems in favor of artists has also reduced my
visibility on social networks. (This has) made communication with my followers
and friends much more difficult. (If) the term shadow-ban doesn't mean anything
to you on social networks I can tell you that in any case it is not a myth.
Artists are having their souls hollowed out by generative AI. This term makes more sense to me than “AI Art.” I’m not in the camp that feels comfortable with the moniker “AI Art." Art implies some human experience and creative expression. Generative AI isn’t creative – it’s just copies for convenience. It requires scraping copyright protected artWORK off the internet -- without credit, compensation, or an "opt out" option for the artists who own the images -- to build the datasets that allow it to function. It’s the most egregious form of art theft.
Monge’s distinctive art style has made him a favorite of fans and peers. His unique style brings a fresh interpretation to the familiar subject matter of fantasy art. These defining attributes take years of study and practice to achieve. Imagine having a style and brand you have built for years regurgitated back at you endlessly online. No wonder artists are exhausted.
The best way to fight the despair
is with awareness. Education. Advocacy. And Action!
If
you love the artists you follow – fight for them. Support what sustains you.
More blog posts on generative AI:
http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2023/09/copyright-trademark-and-ai-image.html
http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2023/08/deciphering-ai-images-clues-to-look-for.html
http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2023/08/articles-on-ai-and-image-scraping-83123.html
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Here is the email by Monge …
My dear friends -- Margo and I are very excited to let you know that our book project: Celtic Faeries - The Secret Kingdom is finally LIVE on Kickstarter!! To stay informed about the progress of the campaign, follow us side by side and why not find out more about the rewards and benefits we offer, you can visit
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/goblinsway/celtic-faeries-the-secret-kingdomSince our first Kickstarter Campaign in 2016, the edition of a deluxe and expanded English version of my best seller Celtic Faeries from 2007 has been a great success, touching and inspiring thousands of readers around the world. …Since our return to France in 2021, (I) have continued with my wife Margo to restart our online store which promotes and sell all my self-publishing work as an artist, books and related products (Shop on Etsy), since by changing (our location back to France) we had no other choice than to practically start everything again from scratch.
Today is our D-day, undoubtedly the most important day for us since 2016 and after months of hard preparation we are finally launching the edition, for the first time, of the expanded version in French of my book Celtic Faeries. We also decided to take the opportunity to reissue at the same time the English version of the same book as well as most of the book works (now out of print) that we have published since the creation in 2012 of our small self-publishing house. However, to achieve and make this rather ambitious project a reality, we need your support. This launch is a very strong moment for us but also, I must be admitted, a terrifying moment (traumas die hard...!!!) so we hope to see you and feel you at our side during these Next 28 days! Your support, whether through a pledge, sharing the campaign with your network or simply spreading the news, would mean a lot to us. Every contribution, no matter how small, will help us complete this project and overcome the obstacles we face as independent artists.
Why do or redo crowdfunding? some of you are no doubt wondering… Well, it’s not a simple choice, it’s above all a necessity for us. One of the main challenges we face as independent creators is the lack of access to traditional lines of credit through banking organizations. Although we have been back in France for more than two years now, we have not been able to raise the necessary funds to continue this project by conventional means. Crowdfunding is therefore still one of the best options in our situation and a viable solution for all those who, like us, are forgotten or neglected by bankers. This new Kickstarter, this participatory fundraising is an immense challenge for us but it also holds enormous potential to reach a wider audience and to broaden our reach and find new readers. By supporting this campaign through the means of your choice, you will contribute to the realization of an extraordinary project and to provide a unique literary experience to French-speaking readers who have already been impatiently waiting for too long for this French deluxe version of Celtic Faeries. and finally find our books on our store and during conventions under our favorite label Goblin's WAY.
If financing is a recurring concern for any independent artist, I also take advantage of this letter to draw your attention to another worrying problem that we, as creatives, are now directly confronted with, image-generative AI platforms. Of course, there is not an ounce of generative AI behind our project and it is a 100% human project where the artist is at the heart of his creation (an ethical, responsible and respectful project).
However, the sudden and uncontrolled advent of generative AI and the massive, unauthorized use of my name in prompts, like other authors, on platforms dedicated to AI have created for us a real form of parasitism. This quickly had a significant and truly negative impact on our business and our sales by drowning us more and more in an endless stream of images. Flot which not only feeds on our work but also now competes directly with us. In addition, my position and my strong commitment alongside other artists and friends to demand fair regulation of AI systems in favor of artists has also reduced my visibility on social networks and made communication with my followers and friends much more difficult, if the term shadow-ban doesn't mean anything to you on social networks I can tell you that in any case it is not a myth.
This unforeseen circumstance, completely out of our control, made us emphasize and realize the importance of rallying our friends and supporters around us during this crucial period, even beyond simple networking. Your support is therefore essential to us and it is thanks to you and your will that we will be able to carry out this project by showing that we, the artists, made of flesh and blood, and all those who support us, are more than ever a strong group united by wonderful and caring values.
So please share this link with anyone who may be interested in supporting our cause. Margo and I thank you in advance with all our hearts for taking this request very seriously. Together, we can make the difference and put this book that I had so much pleasure creating into the hands of happy readers, the hands of those who still dream and who will understand, I am sure, all the goodwill of this project, the wonderful charm of its Illustrations, the humor and poetry of its texts, and all the love that Margo and I put into this wonderful object. Join the people who have already shown us their wonderful support and whose stories we will share throughout this campaign. We believe with passion in our lucky star!
With all our gratitude,
Jean-Baptiste & Margo Monge
Ps: If you have any questions or need further information, do not hesitate to contact us
https://www.etsy.com/shop/JBMONGE
facebook.com/jeanbaptiste.monge
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