AI as a Starting Point vs. Manual Craft: How Do You Balance the Two? Let's talk Harmonize

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

I’ve always loved doing things manually — compositing by hand, building shadows, fine-tuning colors. That craft is what makes my work uniquely mine.

Photoshop’s new Harmonize feature (powered by Adobe Firefly) has truly impressed me. One click can align colors, tones, and shadows across layers, giving me a strong head start. But for me, the story, the style, and the finishing touches still come from my manual process.

:sparkles: Even though I use AI, I love doing things manually — because that’s my craft.

👉 How about you? Do you see tools like Harmonize as an enhancer for your manual precision, or do you prefer to keep AI out of your workflow entirely?  

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

Curious to hear your take on AI tools Harmonize?

[Pakeeza_Safdar5914]

Harmonize is a helpful boost for consistency, but the creative vision still rests with the artist.

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

I agree !

[jackab_0242]

I really like how you put it ,AI as a strong head start, but the craft is still in your hands. I see tools like Harmonize as enhancers too: they clear away the repetitive adjustments so I can spend more time focusing on the creative choices that really define my style

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

exactly how I feel

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

thank you @jackab_0242

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

"the craft (honed over many decades) is still im my hands...

[jackrobbert]

I think AI works best as a kickstarter—it saves time and gives you a rough draft. But the human touch is what makes the final piece feel real and unique. For me, it’s about letting AI do the heavy lifting, then adding my own craft to harmonize everything.

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

totally agreed and I like the "kickstrarter" !

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

Thanks Jack ! i agree as kickstarter and an enabler for some cases!

[Trevor.Dennis]

Jane and I did Zoom group with Adobe NJ with Lisa Carney last year in which she talked about using Firefly and Generative Fill to dramatically speed up the artwork she does for the Hollywood movie and TV industry. She later did a session at MAX with Jesus Rameriz.  Jesus works with her and is apparently a wizard at creating and extending backgrounds (necessary because their artwork has to fit multiple formats and devices).  This really bought home the real world benefits of these Ai tools, and how you'd struggle to stay competitive if you ignored their time saving abilities.  They also talked about using the Ai to generate ideas.  If you follow Dave's SFTW I am sure you will suddenly get a new idea after seeing other people's uploads.  

This has become significantly more relevant with Google's Gemini 2.5 Flash.  Being able to describe the area you want to change rather than making complex selections can be a huge time saver, and the results are getting crazy good.  We still need to fine tune, and we will have to learn new skills like how to write effective promts.  People should at least try all the new tools before judging them or considering them cheating.  Then they can decide if they still want to be left behind.

https://www.adobe.com/max/2024/sessions/advanced-photoshop-techniques-from-two-hollywood-s6305.html

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

Love this !

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

Thanks Trevor this is great! Two of my fav presenters!

[davescm]

I like AI driven tools, they can be genuinely faster and more accurate than their non-AI counterparts, but I try and keep Generative AI out of my worksflow. Outside of the quality of the images, which can vary, the problems over copyright and ownership of images made with generative AI, it would seem that many commercial workflows prefer to keep away from it at present, as reflected in contract terms.
Then of course there is the 'soul', experience, and thinking behind an image. AI does not have that experience and soul and unless it ever starts to think like a human and draw on those experiences, it never will. Generative AI feels like commisioning someone, or something, to produce an image rather than picking up the tools and producing one. Typist vs artist?

Dave

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

I agree, thank you for your comments!

[ExUSA]

I do not and will not use Generative AI.

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

And that is perfectly fine!
Adobe Sensi has been in photoshop for a long time, and even selections these days are enhances by AI.  
All creative opinions welcome!

[ExUSA]

In general I'm an advocate of "make your own art." Collaborations are fine with permission and proper credit given. AI is great if its using MY artwork and not generating from who knows what other artist's (possibly stolen, possibly consensual use) creations.

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

completely agree. “Make your own art” is at the heart of this for me, too. That’s why I use tools like Harmonize only on my projects — it accelerates what I’m already building, but the vision, the style, and the choices remain mine. AI has value when it supports the artist, not when it replaces or borrows from others without credit.

[davescm]

Funnily enough I have used an AI generated background in the SFTW challenge I will post tomorrow. It was a quick way of making an out of focus image background to composite with a 3D render. In focus it was not brilliant but out of focus it was OK. I will be upfront though on how it was used, and this is definitely not commercial artwork.
Dave

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

I get it. ! Transparency is key, content credientials 

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

it's a choice but some tools increase efficiency 

[Jemmarie Bocalbos]

Lovely Video! And I love the point it makes.
Sometimes I wonder what I was doing before AI. Now I use AI as a co creator.
I can do more things for fun like photoshopping myself in "Time Travelling Photos" (And yes I know these can use further polish but this is fun!)

[Amybeth M. ACI G7]

Love these images!