09/16/2026
If youāve ever wondered how I come up with my designs for the Sphynx merchā¦.
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My cattery provides the inspiration š„°!
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My twins use their fancy iPads proās I invested in for digital art to help transform real pics to graphics & yes I use a little AI when needed!
I know thereās a LOT of debate surrounding AIāand trust me, I have concerns too. Iām not happy about its environmental impact, and I absolutely understand the concerns artists have about their work being used, copied, or devalued.
But I also think the conversation around AI has become a little more complicated than simply āAI = bad.ā
AI is already woven into so much of the technology we use every day. Have you done a Google search lately? Used a smartwatch, smart glasses, or a smart ring? Let your email filter spam? Used a virtual ātry-onā feature while shopping? Enjoyed recommendations from your favorite streaming service? AI is already part of our everyday livesāoften without us even thinking about it.
That doesnāt mean we shouldnāt question it. We absolutely should. But I believe the larger problems surrounding AI have to be addressed from the top down: how these systems are trained, how artists are protected and compensated, how much energy they consume, and how companies are allowed to use them.
So I also want to be transparent about how I use AI for Trippy Sphynx merch.
My designs donāt begin with me typing āmake me a Sphynx shirtā and selling whatever pops out.
They usually begin with my actual cats. I take real photographs of them, my daughters and I make edits and develop ideas, and then I use AI as another creative tool to help transform those elements into a finished piece of artwork and this isnāt always generative AI either sometimes itās photo editing apps because guess what? Thatās AI too. Thereās a human concept, real photography, editing, experimenting, and making changes until the design actually feels like Trippy Sphynx.
So yesāAI is part of my process. But so are my cats, my photography, my daughtersā creativity, my ideas, and a whole lot of human decision-making.
I donāt expect everyone to feel the same way about AI, and I respect that. I think transparency matters though, so Iād rather tell you exactly how I use it than pretend I donāt. š¤
Also, Iām sorry Mom for using your Cat for the spicy Halloween designšš«