graphic design | Simcoemedia https://www.simcoe.co.uk Video, design and photography by Peter Simcoe Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:28:50 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/cropped-simcoe-logo3-32x32.png graphic design | Simcoemedia https://www.simcoe.co.uk 32 32 7 Ethical Issues for Creatives Using Generative AI https://www.simcoe.co.uk/7-ethical-issues-for-creatives-using-generative-ai/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=7-ethical-issues-for-creatives-using-generative-ai Thu, 21 May 2026 10:45:26 +0000 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/?p=4150

Should I use generative AI for client work?

Using AI for client work can be ethical, but the real questions are related to your response to the brief. The key questions are: Are you meeting the client’s expectations? Are you being honest about what they are paying for? Are you delivering work they can use without the risk of copyright claims? AI can be a useful component of the development process eg using ChatGPT to assist in video preproduction including planning and scriptwriting. Another example would be using Adobe Firefly to generate character ideas and background images for an animated presentation.

Questionable ethical behaviour occurs when AI is used to misrepresent time allocated to the project, provide misleading information about the originality of deliverables or expose the client to legal problems associated with copyright claims. Essentially, cutting corners by significantly reducing reliance on creative skills. It is also worth noting that existing AI tools do not offer a satisfactory ‘one click’ answer to a creative brief when compared to the refinement and sophistication of solutions produced by intelligently integrating AI into workflows.

Do I need to disclose AI use to clients?

Disclosing whether generative AI was used (and the level of use) in a creative process is a matter of judgement from an individual or creative team. Disclosure is recommended if the level of use may cause trust issues with the client or there are potential legal risks associated with copyright for example. Where these risks exist it is important to consider using AI generated by reputable companies with trust policies in place such as Adobe.

Effective use of AI tools involves knowledge and experience so, where AI plays a significant role, a creative team may wish to demonstrate to the client how AI has contributed to other projects. It is more respectable to have proactively demonstrated the use of AI and how it provides an edge over competitor’s solutions rather being forced to respond to clients questioning creative methods and processes.

Should I use AI models trained on copyright material?

Use of generative AI trained on copyright material is contested because what may be considered to be “legal” is not necessarily “fair”. Where creators did not consent to their work being used for training, claims of copyright infringement may be evident and valid. Other cases are harder to prove – either way many artists feel this undermines their livelihood. As a creative professional ethical risk can be reduced preferring models / tools that offer clearer licensing, opt-out mechanisms or training transparency. Note that creative software industry leaders Adobe have a comprehensive policy related to their training material and models whilst providing solid assurances from a copyright perspective.

It may not always be possible to fully audit training data, but it is possible to control how you use the tool. It could be useful to employ a reverse image search tool such as TinEye or by searching for similar images on Google Lens for additional reassurance. The best policy when considering the use of AI tools in creative media production is not to take unnecessary risks – without a solid licensing policy there is a degree of legal exposure. Where licensing policies are unclear, generative AI can be a useful source of inspiration similar to that of visiting an art gallery or browsing through a graphic design magazine.

Is it ethical to use artist names in prompts?

Generating AI content in the style of an existing artist can negatively impact your professional reputation, even if it is useful or desirable as part of the creative process. An artist or designers ‘style’ is about reputation, labour and identity which has often taken many years to establish. Using an artist’s name to get their signature look is like extracting value from their brand without permission or compensation. This can discredit you as a creative practitioner. A more appropriate approach would be to objectively describe a styles’ characteristics and allow the AI system to work its magic.

An example might be “high-contrast, monochrome, atmospheric, medium format photograph” (along with any additional prompt information regarding content) rather than “a photograph in the style of Anton Corbjin”. Alternatively, licensing artwork, photography or design work from reputable sources or even hiring the artist can resolve any ethically questionable activity. Remember, if the original training data has used copyright material, even if you prompt ethically there is a risk of significant similarity or ‘likeness’ leaving the creator open to potential legal problems.

Is AI replacing creative practitioners?

Ethical AI systems and their usage consider and recognise that creative ecosystems involve livelihoods. These tools should integrate into creative workflows by enhancing and streamlinin the work of creatives such as designers, video producers, photographers or character animators. They should be used to work smarter and more effectively whilst maintaining creative integrity, providing an edge over those who shun the technology altogether.

As previously discussed in this article, one-click solutions usually result in significant creative compromise. Where limited design input is required, such as the organisation of a simple table in a Word document, a one-click solution may have its use. For creatives, in the same way modern electronic calculators enhanced the mathematicians daily tasks, generative AI provides a tool that can stimulate ideas and streamline creative processes. That said, without careful management to avoid dependence, practitioners run the risk of gradually losing their creative edge.

What impact is AI having on the environment?

Obviously, generative AI has an environmental impact simply by existing. For designers, video producers, and photographers, the main issue is not usually one single prompt, but the wider infrastructure behind it. The biggest impact comes from data centres because they use large amounts of electricity, water for cooling and hardware such as GPUs. Smaller jobs such as object removal, AI masking, captioning or generating a few low resolution images are usually less impactful because they rely on inference rather than training a model from scratch. However, repetitive image generation with large batches of variations, long AI video generation, high-resolution upscaling and custom model training create significant load.

There is an alternative view: generative AI can sometimes reduce environmental impact by cutting the travel associated with video production or photography as well as limiting printing or shipping. The counter-argument is that savings are cancelled out if AI leads to excessive experimentation or intensive cloud-based workflows. In conclusion, if creation processes create efficiency, generative AI is neither automatically good nor automatically bad for the environment. In reality generative AI is often a ‘hit-and-miss’ process with large numbers of unused generations.

What are the general principles of use?

A good baseline when planning, developing concepts and presenting creative work is honesty about AI content + checking consent in the training data + accountability for use. Be honest about what you did, seek consent where rights and confidentiality are involved, and remain accountable for the final output (including bias, harm, infringement risk, and quality).

Avoid emulating the work from other artists or designers. Do not generate lookalikes of real people without permission. Keep documentation or proof of your process and use licensed/permissioned inputs where possible eg Adobe Firefly. Ensure your input to the project is clear, tangible and measurable. Ultimately, if you feel uncomfortable explaining your workflow to the client, the audience or a peer you respect, that’s a sign you are likely not acting in an ethical manner.

Other Links

AI Slop Is Degrading Social Media Ecosystems
Why Every Freelancer Should Experiment With Generative AI
UNESCO Recommendations On Ethical AI Usage
Adobe’s Generative AI Course

The post 7 Ethical Issues for Creatives Using Generative AI first appeared on Simcoemedia.]]> 5 Useful Photoshop Features For Designers https://www.simcoe.co.uk/5-useful-photoshop-features-for-designers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-useful-photoshop-features-for-designers Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:20:28 +0000 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/?p=4086

Adobe Creative Cloud is acknowledged as industry standard software for creative designers across the globe as it features design essentials such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver and now packs a punch allowing users to access various generative AI technologies. This includes Adobe’s Firefly, Google’s Nano Banana and many more – enabling the creation of both images and generative AI video.

Photoshop is a crucial part of the designers toolkit and is often used to fine tune colour in photography ready for publication, create web design mockups, assemble composites for a product launch or produce storyboards for film and video. Here are 5 (relatively!) new tools you may not have tried within Photoshop designed to streamline workflows and open up new creative opportunities:

1. Generative Fill and Generative Expand

Why designers like this

The ability to quickly replace objects, expand an image vertically / horizontally or alter the colour of specific areas opens up new creative options and streamlines processes. It is possible to switch AI models depending on whether you need cleaner product-style results, more “illustrative” outputs, or different texture realism — all without leaving Photoshop.

Using Generative Fill And Expand

Select an area > Generative Fill in the Contextual Task Bar > pick an AI model.  For Generative Expand use the Crop tool > expand to required proportions then use Contextual Task Bar.

Note: Some models do use credits to generate results.

 
 
 
 

2. Harmonize For Fast Compositing

Why designers like this

Harmonize auto-matches color, lighting, and shadows when adding objects to a scene (best used with transparency). I rapidly makes these adjustments in seconds to ensure the final composited products, buildings or vehicles look like they were part of the original scene.

Using Harmonize

Place subject on a pixel layer > Select Harmonize from the Contextual Task Bar > select choose a variation from the available generations.

3. Generative Upscaling With Topaz Bloom

Why designers like this

Topaz have led the way in upscaling technologies for the last few years and Adobe’s integration of Generative Upscaling using Topaz upscaling algorithms enables users to enlarge images with ease. This feature is useful when rescuing small client assets (logos in a photo, old campaign images, cropped bits) to a more usable resolution.

Using Generative Upscale

Go to Image > Generative Upscale.

Note: There are currently maximum image scaling limits of 6144px. It is possible to select between Adobe’s Firefly upscaling and Topaz Bloom (generative AI) or Gigapixel (non-generative).

Useful Photoshop Features - Topaz Bloom

4. Object Selection And Remove Distractions

Why Designers Like This

Photoshop improved their selection tool by allowing processing of images in the cloud, resulting in a cleaner selection resulting in less refinement work when masking. This is a real time saver for designers. The have also created a new find distractions tool that will auto-detect wires / cables or background people allowing for fast scene cleanup.

Using Find Distractions

Use the Remove Tool > Top Menu Bar > Find Distractions

Menu Items in Photoshop

5. New Color & Vibrance Adjustment Layer

Why Designers Like This

It is a new feature that creates a non-destructive way to handle temperature / tint / vibrance / saturation control as a layer adjustment. This retains flexibility during the editing process where previously a commitment was required.

Using Colour And Vibrance Adjustment Layer

Layers panel > New Adjustment Layer > Color and vibrance

More About Generative AI

Why Every Freelancer Should Experiment With Generative AI
AI And The Future Of Media Production

Useful Photoshop Features For Designers
The post 5 Useful Photoshop Features For Designers first appeared on Simcoemedia.]]> Understanding Video and Image Prompts For Generative AI https://www.simcoe.co.uk/understanding-video-image-prompts-for-generative-ai/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=understanding-video-image-prompts-for-generative-ai Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:45:41 +0000 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/?p=4181

Writing Your Generative AI Prompt

Methods for writing generative AI prompts vary from platform to platform in terms of structure, style and tone. Different models respond more accurately to different kinds of input, levels of detail and different ways of presenting your requests. A prompt that works well for Firefly Image may not be the best way to approach Midjourney. In the same way, video tools such as Veo or Kling benefit from prompts that describe movement, camera behaviour, environment and mood rather than a static image alone. If you approach every model with the same sentence pattern, the results will vary wildly. Generative AI can be a little hit and miss at the best of times – so a solid input technique can improve efficiency and effectiveness dramatically.

Prompting Example

A straightforward example makes this clearer. Imagine you want to generate a moody futuristic scene of a man walking through a rain-soaked neon alley at night.

For Adobe Firefly Image, a prompt such as man walking through neon alley, rain, cinematic lighting, futuristic city, night fits a simple subject-led style.

For Midjourney, something shorter and more visually weighted may yield solid results, such as lone man, neon alley, rain, futuristic, cinematic, moody –ar 16:9.

For Veo, the same idea benefits from a more filmic structure: Cinematic live-action shot. A lone man in a long coat walks slowly through a rain-soaked neon alley at night. Low tracking camera, reflections on wet pavement, distant siren, soft electrical hum, tense atmosphere.

A Brief Guide To Prompting

Below is an outline of how the most popular generative AI tools available to consumers can generate the most effective prompts for their subject matter. As previously mentioned, the process is inherently a little bit random at the best of times but knowing how the systems work can get you closer to the results you wanted.

From Guide To Practical Tool

To make this process even easier to use in practice I created a prompt construction tool called Prompt Workbench at prompt.simcoe.co.uk. It is designed to guide users through the process rather than presenting a static article. The written guide explains the logic behind prompting, while the online tool helps apply it in a more practical and structured way.

Generative AI Prompt Guide

Generative AI Images

Adobe Firefly

For Adobe Firefly, write prompts in simple, direct language built around a clear subject plus descriptors and keywords. Adobe advises using at least three words, avoiding filler verbs like “generate” or “create,” and being specific rather than vague. The system responds well to clean wording rather than long rambling instructions.

Subject + Descriptors + Keywords + Style / Medium + Setting

Nano Banana 2

Build prompts around style, subject, setting, action, and composition, then add production details such as aspect ratio, output format, or exact text in quotation marks when needed. Nano Banana is especially useful when you want accurate text rendering, grounded real-world knowledge, diagrams and localised visuals.

Style + Subject + Setting + Action + Composition + Text / Output Constraints

Midjourney

Short and simple prompts usually work best. Brief prompts let Midjourney’s style engine do more of the creative filling-in. Be precise with words and define subject, medium, environment, lighting, color, and mood. Focus on what you do want, not what you do not want, then use parameters at the end of the prompt for things like aspect ratio and other controls.

Subject + Medium / Style + Environment + Lighting / Colour + Mood + Parameters

Flux

The most important elements should come first: main subject, key action, critical style, then essential context. Medium-length prompts are often the sweet spot, with longer prompts reserved for complex scenes. FLUX does not use negative prompts in the usual way, so describe the desired result positively. For photorealism, specify cameras, lenses, film stocks, and lighting.

Subject + Action + Style + Context

GPT Image

For GPT Image, the best method is structured prompting. OpenAI’s current guidance is to keep a consistent order and to include the intended use, such as ad, UI mockup, infographic, poster, or product image. For more complex jobs, split the prompt into labeled sections rather than one dense paragraph. Be explicit about framing, angle, lighting, layout, and text placement.

Background / Scene + Subject + Key Details + Constraints + Text / Layout

Generative AI Video

Adobe Firefly

Describe the camera perspective and movement first, then the character, what they are doing, where they are, and finally the mood or visual treatment. Camera angles matter Adobe warns that too many subjects can confuse the model, so it is usually better to keep the scene focused.

Shot Type Description + Character + Action + Location + Aesthetic

Google Veo

Veo 3 can generate dialogue and respond to explicit sound design cues, so prompts can describe what is heard. The best prompts usually establish the visual style and tone early, then build the world with sensory detail and clear character actions. Treat the prompt like a miniature director’s brief, not just a visual idea.

Style / Tone + Subject / Character + Setting + Action + Camera Direction + Audio / Dialogue

Kling

Kling simplifies this even further into Subject + Movement, which means the still image already carries most of the visual information and the prompt should focus mainly on motion. Good Kling prompts are concrete, cinematic, and observable: describe what is moving, how the camera behaves, what the environment is, and what kind of light defines the shot.

Subject + Movement + Scene + Camera Language + Lighting

Runway

Start simple, add detail strategically, and use positive, concrete language. Runway separates prompts into visual components and motion components. For text-to-video, describe what we see and how it behaves. For image-to-video, the prompt should focus mostly on motion, camera work, timing, direction, and temporal progression.

Camera / Shot + Subject + Motion / Action + Environment + Temporal Progression

Dream Machine

Prompt as if you are describing the shot naturally to another person. It also encourages iterative refinement using built-in tools such as Modify, Styles, Character Reference, Visual Reference, Camera Motion, Extend, Keyframes, and Loop. A strong workflow is to begin with a broad idea, then make specific changes step by step instead of overloading one prompt.

Subject + Action + Setting + Style / Mood + Camera Motion + Refinement

Similar Topics

Effective Use Of Generative AI In Creative Media Processes
7 Ethical Issues For Creatives Using Generative AI
AI Slop Is Degrading Social Media Ecosystems

Official Video Guidelines

Kling
Google Veo
Luma Labs (Dream Machine)
Adobe Firefly
Runway

Image Prompt Summary

Firefly Image: Subject + Descriptors + Keywords
Nano Banana 2: Style + Subject + Setting + Composition
Midjourney: Subject + Style + Environment + Parameters
FLUX: Subject + Action + Style + Context
GPT Image: Scene + Subject + Details + Constraints

Firefly Video: Shot Type + Character + Action + Location + Aesthetic
Veo: Style + Subject + Setting + Action + Camera + Audio
Kling: Subject + Movement + Scene + Camera + Lighting
Runway: Camera + Subject + Motion + Environment + Progression
Dream Machine: Subject + Action + Setting + Mood + Camera + Refinement

The post Understanding Video and Image Prompts For Generative AI first appeared on Simcoemedia.]]> Effective Use Of Generative AI In Creative Media Processes https://www.simcoe.co.uk/generative-ai-in-creative-processes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=generative-ai-in-creative-processes Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:50:33 +0000 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/?p=4043

Until recently, creative media production services relied solely upon more traditional tools of the trade such as high-end PCs, cameras, tripods, lighting rigs and audio capture equipment. During the last 2-3 years Artificial Intelligence (AI) has slowly integrated into industry standard software tools such as Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite, providing new opportunities for content generation, refinement and streamlining of workflows and creative experimentation across various media.

Here are a few ways AI can add value to your video, audio and graphic design work (note that many of the links provided require subscriptions or the purchase of credits).

1. Storyboarding and Creative Visual Exploration

If your work includes concept development, environment design, animation or live action as a graphic designer, photographer or video producer, AI has the potential to become a useful tool when producing concepts, exploring styles and testing motion sequences. Storyboarding can be manually intensive when conveying narrative through detailed drawings, animation and even live action video clips. With some fairly basic groundwork to maximise effective use of AI technologies, such as the use of clearly defined sketches and focused text prompts, it is possible to generate:

  • Atmospheres and mood boards illustrating a theme
  • Environmental concepts and detail
  • Lighting tests
  • Colour palettes
  • Character styles and clothing samples
  • Sophisticated animation or video sequences

Most importantly, AI lets you “audition” ideas at a pace that was previously not possible. This does not replace the need for traditional media production skills – it simply speeds up the process of discovery and refinement.

Harmonise in Photoshop
Adobe Firefly Moodboards
Luma Labs Modify features

2. Editing and Post-Production Assistance

Video and film editors understand how edits make or break the pacing, emotion and overall feel of video production including the use of sound, colour palette, special effects and camera angle. AI technologies will not replace human decision and intervention any time soon. Efforts to completely automate creative processes using AI tend to decend into cliché, lack nuance and create with limited finesse – therefore human intervention and direction will remain for the foreseeable future. However, there are some useful AI editing tools added to software such as Adobe’s Premier Pro that aim to streamline the editing process with time saving features that enable AI to:

  • Detect scenes within footage
  • Search within footage by describing what you are looking for
  • Extend footage using generative AI
  • Create automatic captioning or transcription
  • Enhance audio to improve clarity and remove background noise
  • Colour correct footage with greater accuracy
  • Remix the length of music in a video to fit the entire clip

These features are not revolutionary but quietly save hours, especially if you are a one-person production studio juggling multiple roles or rescuing footage from visual or audio issues during the capture process.

Adobe Premier Pro new AI features
Da Vinci Resolve new AI features

3. Sound Effects, Atmospheric Ambience and Score Creation

Score creation using tools such as Suno.com or Udio.com provide some of the most interesting and accessible methods for creating AI generated media content – they are easy to try out but also, with some practice, useful for creating unique soundtracks for your documentary or film production without the need for expensive royalty agreements.

With AI tools you can easily generate:

  • Ambient drones and pads
  • Industrial textures
  • Lo-fi soundscapes
  • Tension-building atmospheres
  • Clean voiceovers (if you don’t have access to talent)

This is huge leap forward in media production because, unlike traditional audio libraries, you are not limited by the content and style someone else has recorded. You can shape the sound to the style of your world through text prompts, by uploading a simple melody guide created by a single instrument or even a sound effect simulated by the sound of your voice.

Suno.com AI Music Creator
Udio.com AI Music Creator
Adobe Firefly’s Sound Effects feature
Adobe Podcast (cleaning voice audio)

Losing Your Creative Voice

Many designers are reluctant to use AI tools as part of their workflow because they feel it threatens their craft or devalues their skills. The real challenge and craft is keeping your voice at the centre of the work. Anyone can press a button and generate something using the tools described in this article but remaining in control

The best use of generative AI is as reference material, a thinking partner, a way to test ideas or potentially as a filler when resources are thin but always returning to your own judgement, taste, and aesthetic. AI should not provide a style in itself, it should amplify and focus the one you already have.

AI should become part of the creative foundation — not a novelty. A tool or an assistant when brainstorming concepts, experimenting visually, gathering atmospheric references, refining early sequences and developing the “feel” of a piece.

Ultimately, AI never completely replaces the need for human creativity.
It extends it.

Find out more about AI related topics on this site:
AI and The Future Of Media Production
Why Every Freelancer Should Experiment With Generative AI

The post Effective Use Of Generative AI In Creative Media Processes first appeared on Simcoemedia.]]> YouTube Channels For Creative Professionals https://www.simcoe.co.uk/youtube-channels-for-creative-professionals/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=youtube-channels-for-creative-professionals Sun, 21 Sep 2025 09:00:49 +0000 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/?p=3617

YouTube is a valuable learning platform for creative media producers. Whether you are starting a career in graphic design, an experienced motion graphics professional or a filmmaker looking to explore the potential of AI, YouTube offers tutorials, opinion and advice from industry professionals. One of the key advantages of YouTube is the rapid response of content creators to emerging technologies such as Generative AI, delivering the type of immediacy and detail that help creatives stay ahead of the curve. Many  professionals within the fields of design, video and photography freely share their expertise, offering tutorials, behind-the-scenes insights, and industry trends—all accessible from a single video platform. There is such a wealth of useful content on YouTube that compiling useful videos would generate an almost endless list. This article aims to provide a short list with example of the best YouTube channels that every creative media professional should consider in their development journey.

Graphic Design

Satori Graphics offers high-quality tutorials focused on graphic design basics, current industry trends and creative styles. With so many different subjects from logo design to colour theory to Adobe software hints and tips, there is something for all professionals in the industry. Other notable channels include The Futur and Will Paterson.

Motion Design

Ben Marriott produces high-quality Adobe After Effects tutorials for his YouTube channel. These are designed to help motion designers master animation techniques. He covers the fundamentals of motion design in an easy-to-understand manner as well as advanced techniques. Other useful channels to explore include Evan Abrams and School of Motion.

Generative AI

Curious Refuge presents the latest news and updates from the world of AI, predominantly the use of Generative AI in video production and photography, including the use of Midjourney, Runway, Kaiber and Luma Labs Dream Machine to name a few. For a more broad coverage of Generative AI see Matt Wolfe. Theoretically Media is also worth a look.

UI/UX and Web Design

Flux Academy is a resource for web designers and UX/UI designers. The channel covers software from Figma to Framer to Adobe Illustrator as well as design techniques, hints and tips and web design trends. DesignCourse covers similar topics whilst providing a unique take on learning software, developing techniques and understanding design trends.

Traditional Animation

Toniko Pantoja’s channel provides a wealth of knowledge and experience from the founder of Brushtail Works Studios. He provides guidance and assistance for animators looking to develop and establish their animation style whilst also highlighting common challenges. A useful companion to this channel is Draw Like A Sir which focusses upon drawing characters.

Film Making

Watching videos from the Standard Story Company is both entertaining in terms of delivery and informative. Topics include videos on writing compelling stories, finding locations for your next shoot or producing short films within a specific genre. StudioBinder is another channel worth exploring, particularly for its ‘Advanced Filmmaking Techniques’ series.

Photography

Whilst it is possible to find videos on the basics of digital photography, many photography channels lean towards individual expression, style and advanced techniques. Mango Street provides a useful array of topics including editing in Adobe Lightroom, creating images with your iPhone and lighting techniques. The Photographic Eye is also worth a look.

Character Animator

Finally, lets take a look at Adobe’s Character Animator software with Okay Samurai’s detailed guide. This channel provides a wealth of inspirational examples, guidance and tutorials on how to get the best from Adobe Character Animator along with a few other Adobe software hints and tips. See Simcoemedia’s Character Animator music video.

The post YouTube Channels For Creative Professionals first appeared on Simcoemedia.]]> Why Every Freelancer Should Experiment With Generative AI https://www.simcoe.co.uk/why-every-freelancer-should-experiment-with-generative-ai/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-every-freelancer-should-experiment-with-generative-ai Sun, 29 Jun 2025 09:30:47 +0000 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/?p=3609

If you’re a freelancer working as a photographer, graphic designer or video production, you’ve probably noticed how AI is rapidly being integrated into the software used by creative industries such as Adobe Firefly. Whether you see it as a useful tool or a threat to creativity, one thing is clear: ignoring it is not an option. Here are a few reasons why experimenting with generative AI is an important component of a media producers toolkit:

1. Staying Ahead Of The Competition

Freelancers who integrate AI into their workflow are likely to find ways of working more efficiently and effectively. AI-assisted video editing, AI-generated design elements or advanced photography editing using generative AI  have the potential to provide an edge over those still doing everything manually. For those who remain sceptical and resist the changes AI is bring to the industry, there remain many misconceptions about the technology and understanding it might assist others is a useful experience.

2. Expanding Creative Possibilities

AI will not replace creativity—it is a useful companion for enhancing it. Tools like Runway Gen-3, Magnific AI and Midjourney can rapidly generate ideas, styles and effects which both accelerate concept development and inspire creative processes. Experimenting with these tools allow content creators to rapidly produce a wide variety of concepts, translate audio content to different languages, accurately rotoscope with minimal intervention and deliver many other services that were previously time consuming and costly.

3. Increasing Productivity Without Increasing Costs

Freelancing means balancing creative work with business management. AI can automate time-consuming tasks —background removal, creating a seamless nadir and zenith on a 360 photograph, rapid colour grading and colour matching, scriptwriting assistance. These time saving activities allow freelancers to take on more business without sacrificing quality.

4. Attracting More Clients

Businesses are actively pursuing opportunities to implement their own AI efficiencies and therefore a freelancer integrating AI into their own work in an intelligent manner will stand out from the crowd. By showcasing  quality AI-enhanced work in your portfolio, you position yourself as an innovative professional who understands the importance of using this technology to maintain an edge over your competitors.

5. Future-Proofing Your Career

AI will not replace freelancers, but those using AI will have an increasing advantage over those that do not. Learning AI tools now prepares you for industry changes and fosters discernment as to their appropriate application – the more experience you have, the greater understanding of effective AI integration. You do not have to completely change your workflow overnight – by starting small it is possible to gain understanding of the potential and limitations. Maybe try some generative AI text-to-image experiments in Adobe Firefly for example.

 Freelancers who understand effective uses of AI technologies will thrive. Those who ignore it risk falling behind. Ultimately, experimentation with AI tools cost relatively little but not experimenting with AI could cost you projects.

Relevant Articles

The post Why Every Freelancer Should Experiment With Generative AI first appeared on Simcoemedia.]]> Toyota Motor Manufacturing Environment Month PC Lock Screen https://www.simcoe.co.uk/toyota-motor-manufacturing-environment-month-pc-lock-screen/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=toyota-motor-manufacturing-environment-month-pc-lock-screen Sat, 06 Jul 2024 12:49:47 +0000 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/?p=3219
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Environment Month
Toyota Hybrid Engine Toyota Motor on white

Designing A Lock Screen

Toyota Motor Manufacturing challenged Simcoemedia to create a computer lock screen that would appear on all PCs on startup / login at their Deeside and Burnaston plants during July’s ‘Environment Month’. Several designs were submitted. The chosen solution was based on the shape of a hybrid engine design. It was developed with the assistance of generative AI tools to create the mountains, streams, forests and ocean found in a natural ecosystem. As you can see in the comparison image above, several key components of the hybrid engine can be clearly identified, providing visual cues regarding the orientation and structure of the engine which is useful to those less familiar with it.

The post Toyota Motor Manufacturing Environment Month PC Lock Screen first appeared on Simcoemedia.]]> Spatial Multimedia Design Gallery https://www.simcoe.co.uk/spatial-io-multimedia-design-gallery/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=spatial-io-multimedia-design-gallery Sun, 27 Aug 2023 13:00:30 +0000 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/?p=1987
Simcoemedia's Spatial Gallery

About Spatial IO

Spatial is a desktop, mobile and virtual reality compatible platform designed to help brands, game designers and media producers build and share spaces containing interactive content. The type of media you may find in design galleries on Spatial include photography, 3D models, videos and graphic design. In addition, spaces can be converted to NFTs and then rented or sold to other hosts. The platform also provides the Creators Toolkit allowing users to integrate Unity 3D functionality and it is possible to link to your SketchFab account where models can be dropped into Spatial spaces with ease.

Spatial was founded by Anand Agarawala and Jinha Lee. They describe themselves and their employees as 3D design and metaverse experts based in New York and San Francisco. Check out their website and explore some of the spaces at www.spatial.io.

Simcoemedia Photograpy Gallery

The Simcoemedia Design Gallery was created within Spatial to demonstrate a variety of media including graphic design such as album cover artwork, video production, virtual reality such as Tilt Brush experiments, books (such as Freelancers Handbook) and photography from around the world. These are some of the key projects completed during the 21 years of creative industries freelancing.

One of the most useful features of Spatial is the ability to view content within VR (such as Meta Quest2), a mobile phone (via the Spatial app) and desktop via the website at www.spatial.io. This enables the gallery to be viewed by a wide variety of audiences, though you will need to sign up for a free account.

The post Spatial Multimedia Design Gallery first appeared on Simcoemedia.]]> Airbus A350F Freighter Design Competition https://www.simcoe.co.uk/airbus-a350f-freighter-design-competition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=airbus-a350f-freighter-design-competition Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:00:06 +0000 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/?p=1697
Airbus A350F Livery Competition submission by Peter Simcoe

Airbus have launched their new A350F freighter aircraft which includes the integration of new materials technology and engine design. These advances in design and engineering will provide up to 40% greater efficiency in terms of fuel burn and carbon emissions when compared to existing freighters in use today. On 3 October 2022 they launched a worldwide livery design competition open to everyone and approximately 4000 entries were submitted. The results were announced on 15 March 2023 and the image above depicts my submission (as Simcoemedia).

Key Features

The design focuses upon the Airbus A350F freighter improvements in fuel burn and carbon emissions. Following several iterations exploring colour, texture, shape of the artwork, I settled upon the sweeping curves, flowers and text as seen above. The key features of my design are:

  • Focus upon environmental considerations and green agenda eg reduced fuel burn and CO2 emissions
  • Gerbera Flowers connect to environmental themes as they represent closeness to nature and peace in some cultures
  • A series of thin lines at front and back flow over the top of the plane symmetrically on both sides
  • ‘Polar Bear’ nose paint to follow the Airbus BelugaXL’s animal theme and connecting with environmental themes
  • Original artwork and design (except for the use of iStockphoto vector image of flowers #585304130)

Design Challenges

Designing a livery for an aircraft such as the Airbus A350F is challenging as there are a variety of strict guidelines to follow in terms of non-editable and paint only (low detail) areas. There are also licensing and resolution considerations when stock images are used. These have a significant impact on the approach to this kind of design problem. In addition, in a similar way to a logo, the design should be clear, attractive and visually ‘make sense’ at distance and up close.

Some of the early designs were colourful with shapes and textures attractive at close range but at a distance looked confusing, lacked clarity and demonstrated just how tricky this process would be. The A350F livery was developed over a few creative sessions during a two week period, where each exploration of ideas created solutions to different parts of the final submission.

The final submitted design combines themes of nature and technology with use of white space to both ensure the livery guidelines are adhered to and emphasise the colour of key elements.

The post Airbus A350F Freighter Design Competition first appeared on Simcoemedia.]]> Amazon KDP Book Publishing https://www.simcoe.co.uk/publishing-books-amazon-kdp-kindle/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=publishing-books-amazon-kdp-kindle Thu, 05 Jan 2023 11:00:10 +0000 https://www.simcoe.co.uk/?p=1558

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is the service provided by Amazon for content creators publishing paperback and hardback books as well as Kindle eBooks. Both fiction and non-fiction books can be published on the platform. The service is accessed via the KDP website at https://kdp.amazon.com where publications, earnings and online advertising information is presented in a clear and concise manner. KDP is a great platform for writers in terms of accessibility and freedom – a chance to distribute your content via a sophisticated, reputable website without the complexity of agents, negotiation or editors. However, the quality in terms of accuracy of information (in the case of non-fiction), grammar, spelling and structure are, for the most part, in the hands of the author and promoting your work can be challenging.

One of the key advantages of KDP is that it uses a Print-on-Demand (PoD) delivery system. Paperback and Hardback books are ordered online, printed at the nearest Amazon KDP facility and delivered as part of the cost to the reader. This means that, once the author has published the book Amazon does the rest of the work for you. The cost of printing is deducted from the royalty payout depending on the size, number of pages and paper quality. Royalty options for book sales vary depending upon the format and overall price. However, typical royalties for paperbacks are 60% and the calculation is as follows (royalty rate x list price) – printing costs = royalty. For example (0.60 x £26.00) – £6.33 = £9.27. See the KDP website for more about eBook pricing and paperback pricing.

Publishing

There are a variety of methods for preparing your manuscript for publication. The two most common are to use Kindle Create, Amazon’s free book creation software or upload a PDF. In terms of ease of use, Kindle Create automatically generates an upload package compatible with KDP’s technical requirements whereas PDFs require a much greater degree of technical knowledge to ensure that they are:

  • The right size for print (including bleed if required) or Kindle screens
  • The correct version of PDF with all transparency flattened and fonts included
  • Adjusted using Kindle Create and Kindle Previewer to ensure eBooks function correctly
  • Do not exceed the file upload limit (650Mb limit according to KDP documentation)

Creating PDFs

PDF is short for Portable Document File (ISO 32000) and is a format that effectively and efficiently combines text, vector graphics and bitmaps. The quality of text and vector graphics (shapes defined by mathematical calculations rather than individual pixels) are preserved whilst bitmaps (such as photographs) can be compressed in a variety of ways for faster delivery over the internet or remain uncompressed (retaining maximum quality) where large file size is not an issue. In addition, a PDF can contain forms, annotations, 3D objects, video and other data formats.

Exporting a PDF from a Desktop Publishing (DTP) application such as Adobe’s InDesign is one of the best ways to create a book with a professional layout but also requires more effort and skill, whereas Kindle Create offers an easier route to ‘press’ with design capability akin to that of Microsoft Word. Below are examples of pages created with Adobe InDesign and uploaded in PDF format as part of the Freelancer’s Handbook.

ISBN

Every paperback or hardback book published requires an 13 digit ISBN – this is an International Standard Book Number. Kindle Direct Publishing will provide a free ISBN for both your paperback and hardback books. It is possible to add an ISBN number to your Kindle eBook but it is not a requirement. Your ISBN is used to log and document the title of your publication and is only intended for monographic use, not photography or music. Note that they are also not used for academic journals or magazines unless the magazine issue is printed as a book rather than a periodical.

Creating Covers

The Kindle Direct Publishing website provides basic tools and a library of stock images to create cover designs. However, it is possible to generate designs with DTP (InDesign) or artwork creation tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to create artwork, providing greater flexibility. The KDP system will add the ISBN and barcode to the book automatically once the uploaded cover file has been validated. Below are some examples – on the left, created with Adobe InDesign and on the right, created with KDP cover designer.

Disclaimers

It is possible to find yourself at the centre of a lawsuit or find your content distributed online without consequence unless a disclaimer is clearly defined at in the opening pages of your book. Fiction usually requires a disclaimer highlighting that any similarity to actual events or characters depicted in the book is not intentional. A non-fiction disclaimer usually focusses on the quality of content and advice contained within. One frequently asked question regarding the publication process is ‘where can I find examples of wording for a disclaimer?‘. A quick search for ‘book disclaimer templates’ on the internet will reveal numerous sites with examples including Kindlepreneur.com. By cross referencings several templates it is possible to optimise your own wording. Alternatively, contact a lawyer to assist you with your disclaimer.

Below is the disclaimer in the Freelancer’s Handbook:

Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

The information in this book is not designed to replace detailed information on legal aspects of running a business or provide health and safety training. As with any activity involving electronic recording equipment and accessories, using these in public and private locations poses some inherent risk. The author and publisher advise readers to take full responsibility for their safety and apply both common sense as well as an understanding of the safety risks involved in any given circumstance, to both themselves and others around them. Before practicing the skills described in this book, be sure that your equipment is well maintained and ensure you adhere to appropriate laws related to both safety and privacy.

The images printed in this book have been used with kind permission of the copyright owner and are credited where appropriate. The inclusion of these images does not constitute endorsement or approval. Website screenshots have been included under a ‘fair use’ policy as they promote and highlight important sources of content for creative industries professionals.

– Freelancer’s Handbook by Peter Simcoe, Simcoemedia.

Summary

So is it worth releasing your material on Kindle Direct Publishing? If you are seeking to get a publishing deal for your material then you need to pursue a different course of action. If you are wishing to self publish (and likely give up the chance of any deal) then KDP remains a strong contender as a one stop publishing shop with reasonable financial return for your efforts. Kindle Create software is provided to assist you if you are not familiar with DTP packages and the initial financial outlay is only your time. Print-on-Demand and worldwide distribution via Amazon provides reliable and cost effective method of delivery for paperbacks or hardbacks and Kindle format delivery fees are dependent upon file size. It is also possible to set up paid adverts displaying your book when potential readers are searching the Amazon bookstore.

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