No, a Bot Didn’t Paint This

I painted the crystal canvas you see here today. There are process shots, including one with my paint-smeared hand holding the work outdoors, and a clean final image. An online checker still scored the final at 89 percent “AI generated.” It isn’t. It’s acrylic on canvas, layered by a human with a brush, not a prompt. We take progress shots for all of our artists to see the steps in creating a piece so we all get a similar output during a paint and sip session.

Why detectors get it wrong

AI detectors do not understand art. They match pixel patterns. Stylised lighting, phone compression, noise reduction and crisp edges can all mimic the patterns those tools associate with AI. That is why even major labs have retired their own detectors for low accuracy. Treat these scores as guesses, not evidence.

The big cases everyone knows

• Getty Images vs Stability AI highlights the unresolved fight over training data and provenance.
• Andersen, McKernan and Ortiz vs AI companies is the landmark artist class action about unauthorised training.
• Photographer Miles Astray’s flamingo photo won an AI category before judges learned it was a real photo. If a jury cannot tell, a one-click website will not save you.

The damage to artists

False “AI” labels erode trust, spook venues and buyers, and invite pile-ons. We have even had followers mock real session pieces as fake. The burden of proof should not sit on the artist every time they post.

A better way to verify

1. Look for process evidence. Progress shots, time-lapses, hand-in-frame photos and studio details are strong signals.

2. Examine materials. Canvas texture, dry-brush chatter and paint build around edges are physical artefacts.

3. Ask before accusing. A polite message beats a public takedown.

4. Treat detectors as opinion, not verdict. If used at all, they should be one weak signal among many.

5. Platforms need appeals that accept process proof and reverse bad labels quickly.

About this piece

Work in progress: outdoor photo with the canvas in hand, paint still wet.
Final image: finished crystal cluster with gold highlights and ripple reflections.
Detector score: 89 percent “AI.” Reality: human-made.

If you want proof, come paint with us. Watch the layers go on, hear the brushes scratch, see the colours shift in real light. That is something no detector can read.