🎨 AI Copycats & Packaging: What Happened to My Art and Why It Matters
In the growing world of cannabis culture, visuals matter. Our packaging, branding, and artwork aren’t just decorations — they’re stories, identities, and communities in visual form. That’s why I take serious pride in my hand-drawn designs. And it’s also why I’m speaking up today.
📸 THE IMAGE IN QUESTION
If you’ve seen the side-by-side (which I posted on Instagram), here’s the deal:
- Left: My original design — hand-drawn, intentionally styled, created by me for a client who wanted something bold, fun, and unique.
- Right: An AI-generated copy — pushed through some algorithm that spat out a watered-down remix of my exact concept. Same character pose. Same color scheme. Same blunt. Same red jacket. Same layout. Just less soul.
I want to be clear: The client I designed this for is not responsible for what happened. It was their printer who submitted the art to AI and repurposed it without consent or credit. But regardless of who did it, the law is still being broken — and so is creative trust.
⚖️ What Copyright Laws Are Being Broken?
Let’s break this down, because a lot of people genuinely don’t understand that creative work is protected from the moment it’s made — even without registration.
Under UK Law (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988) and U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 of the U.S. Code):
🎨 Original artwork is automatically protected when it’s created. There’s no need to register for protection to apply.
🔁 Creating a derivative work (like this AI imitation) without the original creator’s permission is still copyright infringement — even if it’s not a direct trace.
💼 You cannot sell, distribute, or reprint a design that’s recognisably based on someone else’s copyrighted work — even if it’s been “changed” by AI.
So What’s a Derivative Work?
A “derivative work” is something that’s clearly based on or adapted from an original. The art on the right in my post didn’t happen in a vacuum — it was clearly generated from my original, recognisable composition, character pose, outfit, and mood.
🤖 What About AI? Isn’t That a Gray Area?
AI doesn’t make you immune from copyright infringement.
In fact, if you use AI to generate something based on a real person’s copyrighted work, you’re responsible for how that art is used — not the machine. Think of AI like a tool: if you use a photocopier to copy someone’s book, you still committed the act.
And legally speaking, courts are getting more serious about AI being used to create unauthorized derivative works.
💬 Why This Matters for the Cannabis Community
We’ve worked hard to build a culture that’s about expression, authenticity, and rebellion with intention. When we let machines copy real artists — or worse, when we allow that theft to pass unchecked — we cheapen everything this space stands for.
If you’re a brand, a grower, or a designer in the cannabis space:
Invest in real art. Don’t cut corners with AI clones.
Hire artists. Respect their vision. Don’t train machines on stolen work and call it inspiration.
🚀 What’s Next?
I’m reintroducing myself and my work under ASKMOLS, with a renewed focus on:
Creating original, hand-drawn cannabis branding
💚 Supporting ethical, independent creators
📢 Educating the community on protecting our visual culture
If you want to work with someone who creates from the ground up — with soul, with legality, and with passion — I’m here. Let’s build something real.
And if you’re a creator reading this who’s been copied by AI:
You’re not paranoid. You’re not overreacting. You’re protected — and your work deserves credit.
LINK TO MY WORK & CONTACT:
👉 [Your Website or Portfolio Link]
👉 DM for commission or collab info
#ASKMOLS #CannabisArt #CopyrightInfringement #StopArtTheft #CreativeRights #SupportArtists #NoAITheft #HandDrawnNotStolen