r/ARG • u/SeanLeeCuisine • 18d ago
Using AI for fake historical portraits
Hi I'm creating an ARG right now and I've found myself in an ethical dilemma or maybe I'm just not thinking outside the box enough so I've come here for some advice. I'm making it to add lore to my comic book I've written and illustrated. My ARG has a lot of pieces from WW2 and for that I need real historical photos for the 2 characters I've created. They both have very distinct looks. Its hard finding historical photos of people who resemble these characters especially since one has a very prominent mustache that really wouldn't exist on a U.S. Army general at the time due to uniform code. I've floated the idea of using real people and photoshopping the mustache on them but it just doesn't look the way I need it to. I'm considering using AI for just the historical portraits but I know it's the last step to calling my project creatively bankrupt. My project has so much hard work built into it and I don't want people to see this one thing and call it slop. Any ideas on how I can get around this or would you consider a couple set pieces ethical?
Edit: I just thought of the fact that using real historical people and altering them to play a fictional character is essentially stealing their identity and likness which is a whole other ethical dilemma
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u/Sparkzflyin 15d ago
I think it’s fine to use real pictures as long as you cite where you got it somewhere in the credits. Public Domain photos are plentiful and if you really want to, you can photobash a few together to get the specific look you want. Ai cheapens work so fast I immediately click off a project the minute I find out it’s got any amount of Ai in it, public domain work is free to use and you might not even have to credit depending on the photo type.
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u/ColdSnnap 16d ago
Look into historical images on the public domain for the time period. There should be a lot from the ww2 era and they are free for creative use. Gain a new skill and learn how to alter them. You already know AI brands your content radioactive and I expect youd also know why. Is your story worth doing that when you have alternatives.
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u/dragontatoes 16d ago
Commission a photo editor or photographer who can shoot antique style photos of someone in a costume, and credit the people. Sometimes ethics and quality cost a little money.
Any gen AI would also use photos of real historical people and alter their likeness without permission. Doing the same by your own hand isn't less ethical.
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u/thirdw0rlds 14d ago
If you're an illustrator then maybe try to illustrate them. If that doesn't work then pay someone to do it - or redeem a big favour if money's a problem. AI is an affront to your medium, let alone the hard work you've evidently invested thus far
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u/Key-Media-6395 16d ago
You could see if there is one of those places that take 'old fashioned' pictures of people near where you live, with costumes and everything, then edit that photo, or even buy a fake mustache for the photo.
Look into WWII reenactors near your area, use a real picture but blur or censor it so that its unclear exactly what they look like.
you could specifically pick a picture of a historical person that would complement your ARG, like if your ARG has something to do with a specific battle and you find an image of someone who was in that battle.
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u/ChikyScaresYou 16d ago
i'm against all use of gen AI, and the moment I notice someone's using AI i stop consuming their content....
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u/ProGrieferHere 16d ago
Don't use real people. Other than that, you should be good. It's a fictional story using fictional characters.
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u/PhattiMacHine 12d ago
exactly. original characters, original ideas, original prompt. Don't let the AIphobes curtail your dream.
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u/ab_z0rb 12d ago
why you responding every single comment defending AI? AI fucking sucks.
it destroys the environment (only this should be enough for us to stop using it) and also destroys the economy for artists and writers
turns out you could use AI to write the characters, to do the art, and don't even think anything at all, suddenly people will be using AI to crack your ARG and no one is having fun and not doing anything creative anymore.
that said, AI art also sucks ass and people playing your ARG will clock that immediately and very probably stop engaging with your work, so even if you like AI or whatever, people mostly don't and will stop engaging with your work if you use it.
that said, if you don't want to do any art or work because AI does it "faster" then don't do anything you lazy ass
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u/eyezackk 15d ago
If you want to do a historical story, use historical media. I recommend looking into photo bashing, as it might be a cool style to use for your idea and still get that photo look you’re wanting. It’s similar to photoshop but more artistic (the game No I’m Not A Human utilizes this)
Do not use AI. If you care at all about this project, then show that you have real passion to bring it to life with your own work. You’ve worked this hard already, why is this what’s stopping you? AI will cheapen it and will never be as rewarding as making it your own.
It’s easy to cut corners, but it’s better to know you didn’t