My Favorite AI Tools

Artificial intelligence has become one of the most transformative additions to the modern creative toolkit. Whether you’re an illustrator, writer, designer, crafter, or multi‑disciplinary artist, AI can help you work faster, explore more ideas, and expand your creative range without replacing your artistic voice. In my books Artists & AI: How Artists Can Use Artificial Intelligence to Elevate Their Craft and Careers (https://amzn.to/4te30e6), Artists & AI Workbook (https://amzn.to/4k8rOzV), The Artist’s AI Toolkit (https://amzn.to/49H9HiNyk), The Artist’s AI Toolkit Workbook (https://amzn.to/3NDci32), and The Collaborative Artist: Navigating the Crossroads of Creative Voice and AI (https://amzn.to/49ZHf91), I talk extensively about how to use AI intentionally, ethically, and creatively.

 

This article gathers my favorite AI tools for creative work—tools that support ideation, design, writing, video, audio, and workflow efficiency—while keeping the artist firmly in the driver’s seat.

 

 

ChatGPT is one of the most versatile creative tools available. It can help you brainstorm ideas, outline projects, refine artist statements, generate prompts, and even assist with creative problem‑solving. What makes it especially powerful is its ability to adapt to your tone and style when guided well.

 

Two points before I start: most AI requires payment these days. They don’t tend to be overly expensive, but the more you use, the more it costs. Second, these are my favorites, and most  used, right now. But new tools are coming out all the time (I will do my best to do updates) and I discover new (and not so new) AI apps all the time. So watch this space for more apps as I find them!

 

In The Artist’s AI Toolkit (https://amzn.to/49H9HiNyk), I walk through how to use ChatGPT for:

 

It’s not a replacement for your creativity—it’s a catalyst.

 

 

Midjourney is a favorite among visual artists because of its painterly, expressive aesthetic. It’s excellent for concept art, mood boards, color studies, and early‑stage ideation. Many artists use it to explore compositions before committing to a final piece.

 

In The Collaborative Artist (https://amzn.to/49ZHf91), I discuss how to use Midjourney without losing your voice by:

Midjourney shines when you treat it as a collaborator, not a shortcut.

 

 

Adobe Firefly integrates directly into Photoshop, Illustrator, and other Creative Cloud apps, making it ideal for artists who already work in Adobe’s ecosystem. It’s especially strong for:

In Artists & AI (https://amzn.to/4te30e6), I highlight Firefly as one of the most artist‑friendly tools because it’s trained on licensed content and built for professional workflows.

 

 

Canva’s AI tools are perfect for artists who create social media graphics, printables, marketing materials, or product mockups. Canva’s Magic Studio includes:

In Artists & AI Workbook (https://amzn.to/4k8rOzV), I include exercises that show how Canva AI can streamline branding, content creation, and product development for creative entrepreneurs.

 

 

Runway is one of the most powerful tools for AI video creation and editing. It’s ideal for artists who want to experiment with:

In The Artist’s AI Toolkit Workbook (https://amzn.to/3NDci32), I include hands‑on exercises that help artists use Runway to create short videos, animations, and mixed‑media projects.

 

 

Pika Labs specializes in AI video generation with a focus on cinematic movement and stylized animation. It’s excellent for:

 

Artists who work in illustration, comics, or storyboarding often find Pika Labs especially inspiring.

 

 

Descript is a powerful tool for audio and video editing. It’s perfect for artists who create:

Its text‑based editing system makes it easy to cut, rearrange, and polish content without needing advanced editing skills.

 

 

Notion AI is ideal for organizing creative projects, tracking ideas, managing deadlines, and building systems that support your artistic life. It can help you:

In Artists & AI (https://amzn.to/4te30e6), I talk about how AI‑assisted organization can free up mental space for deeper creative work.

 

 

While Procreate Dreams itself is not an AI tool, it integrates beautifully with AI‑generated references, storyboards, and concept art. Many artists use AI to generate:

Then they bring those references into Procreate Dreams to animate or refine them by hand. This hybrid workflow preserves artistic voice while expanding possibility.

 

 

These tools are excellent for artists who want more control over style, lighting, and composition. They offer:

They’re especially useful for illustrators, designers, and concept artists who want to explore variations quickly.

 

 

In all of my books, I emphasize the same core principle:

Your tools should support your creativity, not overshadow it.

 

When choosing AI tools, consider:

AI is most powerful when it amplifies your strengths and frees you from the tasks that slow you down.

 

 

AI is not here to replace artists. It’s here to expand what’s possible. When used intentionally, it becomes a collaborator that helps you explore more ideas, refine your craft, and bring your creative visions to life with greater ease and confidence.