One more feeling.

In this post I want to share a couple of feelings and opinions regarding what’s been happening lately with the topic of AI and a few other things. Reading this is completely optional—I won’t be talking about any project, maybe a slight mention, but nothing important xD. More than anything, I want to share this because I don’t have friends who fully understand this situation xD.

First of all, I want to make a few important points clear to avoid misunderstandings:

• I’m neither against nor in favor of any social movement, anything related to artificial intelligence, politics, or similar topics.

• Normally, my stances or opinions are guided by a few phrases my father taught me, which I’ll share with you throughout this post.

• I have never used nor will I ever use AI for my work—neither for sounds, images, animations, etc. (I want to clarify this because I’ll mention something related to the use that I personally made of AI at one point).

• Many of the situations I’ve mentioned from my life or my journey in the art world are understood simply by applying common sense. I don’t follow strict rules or anything like that; it depends a lot on context.

• My native language is Spanish and I’m learning English, so I’ll be using a translator for this text since it’s far too important to leave it to my questionable level of English xD. Sorry if something isn’t clear.

• Spoiler: very, very long text.

Over these days, a 3D artist has drawn attention for using AI in some independent works, separate from what they usually do. I won’t mention their name—you know who it is (and as a curious fact, there are already more than four artists I actively followed who now use AI in their main works). And although everyone is free to do whatever they want with their content, the truth is that it’s depressing.

To give more context about my opinion on AI: I consider AI to be a tool to help people with simple tasks—but only that, a tool. Something that gives you a tiny push with very basic tasks, like translating, automating things based on algorithms you created yourself, etc. It’s not something that solves complex tasks or gives you results or “products,” as some people like to say. It’s usually used as an easy path—a path where you don’t have to think or make real physical effort—because “creating” is a very complex task that demands both physical and mental effort, which unfortunately many people avoid training. They sink into frustration when they don’t achieve what they want and choose an easy path, which they defend tooth and nail as a “miracle solution” for themselves.

But one thing is certain, and it’s one of the phrases my father gave me—a universal rule that cannot be altered no matter what you do: “What comes easy, goes easy.” And that’s the current situation with AI. It will give you easy results and fleeting satisfaction… but it will only be momentary. It’s not sustainable in the long run; it has no future—just like the people who depend entirely on it or use it minimally just to have a “formal product” for the masses.

That’s my general opinion on AI. I may miss some details, but as I said before, that’s where common sense comes in and how much you can take from this text. I’d even dare say this is reality, since you can deduce it from various patterns that have emerged from multiple cases.

Earlier I mentioned one artist who used AI, but they’re not the only one. Throughout my artistic journey, I’ve seen artists I truly admired from the bottom of my heart use AI to offer “formal products.” What do I mean by formal products? Any result they consider to be their main content for their audience. Not everything is for everyone, and it’s not fair to followers who are already used to a certain type of content—and who are there to see that specific content—to force or condition them to accept that the artist’s next work will be something generated with AI.

Personally, I even consider it an insult, because the “artist in question” assumes that everyone will automatically like artificial intelligence just because they see it as something miraculous—when the reality is that someone with a bit of common sense won’t want something made by a computer, something without value, without soul, without anything. Something you can print a thousand times. I know there’s the argument of “people just want quantity, they just want content no matter what.” Maybe—but at the end of the day, quantity is what bores people and stops generating emotions. It loses value as more is produced.

That doesn’t happen with real artists who create using their pencils, their hands, their instruments, and so on. You’re not just seeing another product—you’re seeing evolution, feeling, an idea, something that motivates you. And that’s what’s important.

And the stance of “the artist does whatever they want, so they can do anything assuming their audience will be satisfied” does NOT apply here. The artist must maintain constant communication with their audience, understand their opinions and feelings regarding proposed changes, and always see things from a follower’s perspective. Experimenting is valid, of course—but if you have a bit of common sense, you’ll know you shouldn’t experiment using your main core (for example, uploading AI content to my traditional work account). It’s not right to force people to like or see something they don’t want.

I admit that I used AI software to generate images in order to get a more accurate perspective of what those people who idolize AI boast so much about. I experimented with it because one of those 3D artists I followed and actively supported on Patreon told me that creating AI works requires effort and time—and that it also has value. The biggest stupidity I’ve ever heard in my life. It literally takes no more than ten damn minutes (sorry for the insult). I immediately uninstalled the program and stopped financially supporting that artist. Once again, I never published anything generated with AI—those images were 100% personal, used only as an experiment, saved in a folder I don’t even know where it is anymore xD.

AI is not the future. It’s not something you should adapt to or fear, because as I said before, it’s a reflection of many people’s frustration—a tool created by human hands that, just like humans, is not perfect. Adopting it blindly would be like adopting all the flaws of everyone who has used it.

An artist who publishes their works to share ideas has a certain responsibility toward their audience, because that audience finds refuge, pleasure, identity, creativity, etc., in that work. It’s selfish to adopt a stance where you force your audience to change their principles, judging them with whatever labels people invent to justify themselves and apply social pressure.

Conclusion and Notes About Makaro Kono

That’s how I feel about this whole AI situation and the artists who “deserted,” so to speak. The disappointment I feel toward those artists, I turn into strength to create my own works and move forward. I’m an artist who is fascinated by a specific theme (in my case, I create body inflation illustrations), and I always try to offer a wide variety of content for different tastes (blueberry expansion, belly, breast, and butt expansion, hourglass expansion, muscle growth, etc.).

Of course, I’ve also had ideas that have absolutely nothing to do with that—but I don’t relate those to the main focus of my primary account. As I said before: don’t experiment with your main core. I also always try to maintain values and principles with my audience so they feel welcomed, appreciated, and comfortable. I try to be communicative, transparent, honest, kind, loyal, empathetic, etc.

That said, I’m not someone you can fool easily. I’m usually very strict and serious with sensitive topics or negative behavior. If you insult my work, my people, my followers, or me, you’re banned instantly without discussion—unless there are very solid arguments. One thing is an insult, another is an argument; there’s no point in debating an insult.

I’m also very flexible. Let’s remember that originally I was only supposed to make one animation per month, and just because ONE person told me it was very expensive, I started making two animations—one for $5 and another for $10 (the funniest part is that person probably doesn’t even follow me anymore xD). That said, there will be changes to some rewards and other things next year—I’ll share the details when the time comes.

I want to share a few final thoughts with you. Creating is frustrating, exhausting, and difficult—but it’s truly beautiful to persist and see how you improve every day. What you feel when you see your progress and evolution is simply indescribable, in the best possible way. It’s a feeling that fills you with life and emotion.

Unfortunately, many of those values have been lost in most artists, and they create only out of obligation or without any passion, due to a lack of balance in their artistic journey. Many do it for money, which is completely understandable—realistically, at a certain age you have to put a monetary value on your time. Those bills don’t pay themselves xD.

Jokes aside, seeing those artists who use AI is basically seeing what would’ve happened if I had given in to frustration and justified my actions with “progress.” What if I had given up?

Let’s remember that I drew this:

and then I moved on to this:

And with that, I want to remind everyone—and you—that we can all be great artists regardless of our current level. Everyone has a future, but it comes at a cost. It’s hard, you’ll suffer, and more—but you have the capacity to endure it and become better.

Well, I think I’ve vented enough. I give you a big hug and a huge thank-you if you made it this far. Any questions, comments, complaints, clarifications, etc., are welcome—I’m very interested in knowing your perspectives :3. Even if you want to debate, you’re welcome as long as a minimum level of respect is maintained.

I wish you a wonderful afternoon (づ￣ 3￣)づ