Real Art vs AI Art: Why supporting Human Artists Still Matters

A Shift in the Creative World

The art world is evolving fast. AI-generated artwork is now everywhere: in posters, social feeds and even galleries. The artwork being produced is ok-ish, mimicking style, form and texture. The fundamentals in which it cannot replicate is the mind, the experience and the intention of the artist.

As someone who draws detailed architectural artworks entirely by hand and using traditional tools, I would be blind not to notice the ever-apparent rise in AI images…and conversations questioning the place of AI in the Art world. I mean the debate of ‘what is art?’ has been ongoing forever and there is no real unified conclusive answer to that question so why would this question be any different? I believe now more than ever, it’s essential to understand why real human-made art still matters and why supporting living artists is more than just a purchase… it’s a choice. Because let’s be honest AI is used so much more now and it’s growing presence is only going to continue to rise in our everyday.

AI Can Imitate Form, But Not Thought

AI art tools are trained to simulate aesthetics. They copy visual patterns and mimic styles. What they lack is human insight and interpretation. My drawings are built on years of observing, researching, visiting historic landmarks, and plenty of practice.

When I draw the Trevi Fountain or the Paris Opera House, I’m not just capturing how it looks, I’m interpreting its soul. Exploring the history, symmetry, and storytelling. Every decision I make, each stroke, the tone, the shadowing is a choice based on experience, preference and knowledge.

AI can replicate structure. But it doesn’t stand before a building in silence, moved by its beauty, or driven to capture its soul and it cannot transfer that feeling to the viewer.

"TREVI FOUNTAIN, ROME"

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True Craft Takes Time and That’s Valuable

My artworks often take hundreds of hours, created with patience and intense precision. There is only one original which carries the full presence of artistic and creative energy, craftsmanship and collector value.

AI art can be generated in seconds. That might feel impressive, but what gets lost is meaning, intention, and real effort. The “shortcut” comes at the cost of what makes art meaningful in the first place.

The process of the time consuming practice. Drawing "60 Victoria Embankment, London."

Architecture Deserves to Be Understood, Not Just Rendered

Architectural illustration is not just about copying geometry. It’s about understanding the building or scene, the feeling it evokes, the proportions, symbolism, and design logic behind every structure. Drawing architecture by hand is an embracing of history. A way of honouring the ingenuity of those who built before us.

AI art can’t replicate that relationship. It doesn’t walk around buildings in awe, stand in front in stillness, frozen in admiration. It doesn’t spend hours obsessing over vanishing points or stonework patterns. Real artists do.

When you purchase from Max Kerly Artworks, you're supporting that deeper process and keeping true architectural storytelling alive.

Why Supporting Living Artists Matters

When you support a real artist, you're not just buying a print, you're helping sustain a practice, a studio, and a lifelong creative pursuit. You're enabling future work, exhibitions, commissions, and experimentation.

In contrast, AI art platforms often profit off anonymous data, exploit artist reference material without credit, and produce volume over substance. It’s fast, yes. But what does it build? What does it honour? And what would the future be like without human artists?

Collectors of my work aren’t just buying beautiful images, they’re preserving human creativity in an age where that’s becoming rare.

Where the hours are spent, turning blank pieces of paper into passionate soul infused artworks.

This Is a Conversation, Not a Battle

AI isn’t going away, there’s no doubt it can be extremely useful, even in creative industries. But as collectors, artists, and viewers, we have to ask: What kind of future do we want for art?

Do we want our walls, books, and cultural spaces filled with algorithmically-generated outputs, or works made with passion, patience and commitment?

Choosing Intention Over Imitation

At Max Kerly Artworks, every piece I create is hand-drawn, from the first sketch to the last detail. It’s a slow, disciplined process rooted in admiration for design, architecture, and skill. My hope is that when you choose to support real artists, you’re not just filling your space with art you’re making a statement about value, authenticity, and the future of creativity.

If you were buying an artwork does it matter to you if it was created by AI or not?

• Yes, I wouldn't buy it
• No, I would buy an AI artwork