Clarification Regarding AI Box Check for Manually Traced Illustrations

Forum|Forum|9 months ago
June 1, 2025
3 replies
239 views

I would like to ask for clarification regarding the requirement to check the "Generative AI" box when submitting vector illustrations.

I create my illustrations using manual hand tracing in Inkscape based on AI-generated images. However, the final artwork is completely recreated by hand, without using auto-trace or image tracing tools. Additionally, I often modify, simplify, or selectively exclude parts of the original (e.g., tracing only 4 out of 5 elements from a reference image, such as rainbow shapes or icons).

My questions are:

1. If I manually hand-trace an image that was originally AI-generated (but I redraw everything myself without using the original file or auto-trace), is it still necessary to check the generative AI box during submission?

2. If I manually trace only part of an AI-generated image (for example, 4 out of 5 icons) and fully rebuild it by hand, does this still count as AI-generated content that requires checking the AI box?

Troubleshooting

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

I do the same thing with watercolor & acrylic paints. I use the AI image as an inspiration piece for my own artwork.

There's nothing wrong with that. Technically, you're manually creating a NEW artwork. You own it.

Hope that helps.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

Abambo

Community Expert

This is a real tricky question. My standard answer to this is: If you doubt about what to do, tick the generative AI flag.

There are more considerations to look at:

If you manually trace a photo, and it is clear that the photo is the source of your tracing, you will need to have the authorization of the copyright owner. If you create something different and the photographer does not recognize his work by looking at your work, you created something new. All inbetween is grey zone.

By analogy: it would be the same with generative AI.

But looking at this from a practical point of view: we recognize generative AI from the typical errors that generative AI tends to introduce. You are not copying those, I suppose, so, a work inspired from generative AI is not a generative AI work, IMHO.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer