Abstract
Recent advances in artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC) have led to the rapid generation of high-quality images. AIGC has attracted the attention of commercial digital art asset creators. Traditional artist-led processes contrast with current AI tools that often reduce creators to passive roles. This study examines the integration of AI image generation into commercial digital art, emphasizing the importance of preserving creators’ creative autonomy. Our formative study (S1) involved interviews with commercial digital art creators, highlighting a need for greater control and transparency in AI-assisted painting. In response, we developed RealtimeGen, an integrated tool that merges human creativity with AI’s capabilities, allowing creators to intervene in the generative process. A user study (S2) comparing RealtimeGen with the popular AIGC tool Stable Diffusion was also carried out. The results showed its enhanced user experience and workflow compatibility. Our work contributes to understanding and improving AI-assisted painting workflows for commercial creators, offering them greater creative agency.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Zejian Li
Zejian Li is an assistant researcher at School of Software Technology, Zhejiang University. He obtained the Ph.D. degree from Zhejiang University in 2019. His research interests include image generation models and Human-AI cocreation.
Ying Zhang
Ying Zhang is a PhD student majoring in electronic information, from the School of Software, Zhejiang University. Her main research interests are in human-computer interaction and image generation.
Shengzhe Zhou
Shengzhe Zhou is a master’s student majoring in electronic information from the School of Software, Zhejiang University. His main research interest is image generation.
Qi Liu
Qi Liu is a PhD student majoring in electronic information, from the School of Software, Zhejiang University. Her main research interests are in human-computer interaction and image generation.
Jiesi Zhang
Jiesi Zhang is an industrial design engineering master’s student from the School of Software, Zhejiang University.
Haoran Xu
Haoran Xu is a master’s student majoring in computer science from the School of Computer Science and Technology of Zhejiang University.
Shuyao Chen
Shuyao Chen is an industrial design undergraduate from Zhejiang University.
Xiaoyu Chen
Xiaoyu Chen received Ph.D. degrees in Design Study from the College of Computer Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, in 2022. His research interests include emotional design, product design and human-computer interaction.
Lingyun Sun
Lingyun Sun is a professor at the College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University. He is the deputy director of International Design Institute of Zhejiang University. His research interests include human-computer interaction, creative intelligence, and information and interaction design.