AI (Artificial Intelligence) artwork has recently become popular. Some artists are using it. Some non-artists are using it. As of August 2022, 99% of the covers I've sold, whether premades or commissions, I created using digital paint and photo manipulation by way of photo stock images I purchase the rights to. Because AI images are not created by humans, they can't be copyrighted, which means if someone went through your Midjourney profile, for example, and wanted to steal art you created (extremely rare, but possible) and use it for something, there's nothing you can do about it. However, I do two things to stop this from ever happening with the covers I create:
1. I pay extra per month to keep my profile private so no one but me can see the images I've created. Normally, this would be where people can "steal" your images (again...rare but possible). Because I pay extra for the private feature, it is impossible for anyone to do this with images I create.
2. I never use just one image. I still use photo manipulation and paint when creating my covers, but I also use more than one (sometimes many more) images created in Midjourney for a cover. I never just grab a single image and slap a title on it. Any altered image created in AI is then copyrighted, whereas before it was not.
When a cover artist creates using photo stock images (which most cover artists do), the images they purchase are still available for any person to purchase and tweek how they see fit for their project. This is why we've all seen that same scary face or haunted house on more than one cover, but there's nothing that can be done about it. That's why it's important for a cover artist to tweek the images drastically from the original.
Essentially the same copyright problem that can arise with Midjourney and AI art can essentially happen with photo manipulation using stock images.
Because I'm an a author who prides himself on original and unique art for my own covers, I've done everything I can to make your cover, where I actually use AI, as original as possible and not available to the public.
1. I pay extra per month to keep my profile private so no one but me can see the images I've created. Normally, this would be where people can "steal" your images (again...rare but possible). Because I pay extra for the private feature, it is impossible for anyone to do this with images I create.
2. I never use just one image. I still use photo manipulation and paint when creating my covers, but I also use more than one (sometimes many more) images created in Midjourney for a cover. I never just grab a single image and slap a title on it. Any altered image created in AI is then copyrighted, whereas before it was not.
When a cover artist creates using photo stock images (which most cover artists do), the images they purchase are still available for any person to purchase and tweek how they see fit for their project. This is why we've all seen that same scary face or haunted house on more than one cover, but there's nothing that can be done about it. That's why it's important for a cover artist to tweek the images drastically from the original.
Essentially the same copyright problem that can arise with Midjourney and AI art can essentially happen with photo manipulation using stock images.
Because I'm an a author who prides himself on original and unique art for my own covers, I've done everything I can to make your cover, where I actually use AI, as original as possible and not available to the public.