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AI Comics as Art: Scientific Analysis of the Multimedia Content of AI Comics

in Education

Conference Paper · May 2023

DOI: 10.23919/MIPRO57284.2023.10159693

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 AI Comics as Art: Scientific Analysis of the
Multimedia Content of AI Comics in Education
PhD Krunoslav Bedi
School of Civil Engineering, Art and Craft Čakovec
Športska 1, HR-40000 Čakovec, Croatia
[email protected]

Abstract - This paper examines the advantages and routine tasks to producing creative texts, art, and music.
disadvantages of using AI comics as a tool for more effective Moreover, the use of artificial intelligence and machine
artistic expression among students. The paper includes a learning is currently the best method for collecting and
detailed description of the production of AI comics. In analyzing data and increases the efficiency of certain
addition to the visual, the study also focuses on drawing activities that require massive data processing, such as
skills and the presentation of AI comics as an active agent in weather forecasting, business analysis, face recognition,
media creation - not only with content, but also with a and others.
careful application of form features. This type of process
complements the working methodology that enhances The aim of this paper is to provide an informative
expertise, skills, and knowledge and promotes critical and discourse on current trends, technologies, and innovations
creative thinking in students. The collaborative processes in education that can utilize AI technology in their field,
often used in the educational process have been partially and to show how it can promote progress in the arts in
replaced by individualized work with AI comics. Of course, various fields in combination with multimedia
this does not relegate the learning outcomes to the technologies.
background, but rather incorporates them into the design.
In this way, students can develop a wide range of creative
activities specific to the medium of AI comics: narrative II. AI TEACHING IN CLASSROOM
construction (bridging the virtual world and reality),
temporality, space, synergy of text and drawing, New AI technologies and artificial intelligence
organizational skills, publishing, digitization, etc. In management languages are increasingly shaping the field
addition to the actual creation of the AI comic, learning of contemporary art, raising a number of questions about
about storytelling and project work brought students closer
the present and future of artistic creation. This new
to understanding the art of the AI comic.
collaboration between humans and machines is not only
Keywords: AI, AI comics, multimedia, education, democratizing artistic production, but also questioning its
art, design, creativity, artificial intelligence very essence: authorship, originality, and creativity in
education.
The implication that artificial intelligence will reduce
I. INTRODUCTION
the number of jobs for artists working today in fields such
as illustration, animation, and graphic design is
It is human nature to strive for innovation and overshadowed by the counter question - what is the value
effective adaptation. For as long as humans have existed, of this activity, and can teaching respond to the needs of
we have created new tools from our environment to better the labor market, given the historical lens of the post-
meet our needs. This has been a consistent trend in industrial revolution and the needs of the knowledge
human development over the centuries, and now it is market.
more than evident as we achieve better and more
interdependent connectivity with the advent of computer Modern educators have a variety of pedagogical
technology. The whole world is interconnected, concepts strategies to foster students' AI literacy through inquiry-
and ideas are shared instantly, and perspectives are based learning. The use of AI is an effective pedagogical
broader than ever - in an increasingly global society. This approach based on the exploration and improvement of
has enabled a renaissance of ideas and innovation in various language skills and technological achievements.
various fields, with creative people at the forefront of By reflecting on their experiences with AI creations,
advanced technologies aimed at improving humanity and students understand the importance of its application, but
its relationship with technology. also experience the immediate impact of AI in the
workplace and the ethics of its use through various
Among the significant concepts in modern society are learning activities.
artificial intelligence (AI) and its applicability to almost
all areas of life. The effectiveness of artificial intelligence Previous research [1], [2], [3], [4] has shown that
is increasing at an alarming rate. It can provide a simpler students can create a meaningful scenario and implement
solution to a wide range of tasks, from handling everyday appropriate new and modern solutions. Applying this

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 knowledge encourages students to solve real-world context, it is important to point out that a work of art is
problems and not just know concepts, but connect them. not created simply by putting pen to paper.
AI was often described as an anthropomorphic The potential awareness that behind everything there
technology that possesses cognitive qualities equivalent may be potential ethical problems in the use of artificial
to those of humans––a conception that notably resembles intelligence will certainly disappear with time and the
how AI is portrayed in the media. As a pedagogical definition of "standards" for its use.
implication, findings suggest that it would be valuable to
“demystify” AI by exploring its technical principles (i.e.,
the role of data) of the “human-like” AI solutions IV. COMIC
students encounter in their everyday lives. Artificial
intelligence (AI) competence is recognized as a new Comics as a media product are familiar to almost all
competence using comics as an example [5]. students. Using comics, children transfer an idea onto
paper (or another medium) and elaborate a variety of
The growing number of research initiatives and creative picture elements in the most appropriate way.
applications that emerge in the intersection of AI and art,
motivates to examine and discuss the creative and explorative Comics are examined as a teaching and learning
potentials of AI technologies in the context of art [6]. technique by combining media activities and art.
Comics use sequential images to convey the action
III. AI LITERACY and speech windows (speech bubbles) for character
dialog, as well as special captions to clarify and reinforce
Nowadays, the concept of digital literacy in the field the action. Comics are a multimodal medium; for
of artificial intelligence, which includes skills, example, a close-up of a tear can illustrate a character's
competencies, and abilities for its use, is increasingly emotions, or graphic elements can indicate danger, such
differentiated. as an explosion.

The first use of the term "Artificial Intelligence In doing so, students form qualitative judgments when
Literacy" was in the work of Burgsteiner et al. [7] and selecting a topic and an appropriate method for
Kandlhofer et al. [8] refers to the ability to understand the conveying information.
fundamental knowledge and concepts behind AI-driven Comics are an entertaining and familiar medium for
technologies. Along with knowledge and ethical use of storytellers and readers. Today, however, this type of
AI, AI literacy serves as a set of competencies that enable visualization medium is underutilized as a medium of
individuals to critically evaluate AI technologies and expression.
effectively communicate and collaborate with artificial
intelligence [9]. Comics can be seen as a central medium in the
accelerated 'convergence culture" that sits between
Artificial intelligence (AI) is similar to traditional traditional literature and film. Adaptations of novels,
literacy, such as digital literacy, and should become a poems, and even songs have become an important part of
new literacy skill in response to this new era of the so-called 'graphic novel' or 'graphic literature' [12].
intelligence [10].
On first sight, coming with a definition for “AI arts” V. CREATION OF COMICS
does not sound hard. AI (an abbreviation for the term
Artificial Intelligence) refers to computers being able to
In addition to the visual, it also deals with drawing
perform many human-like cognitive tasks, such as
skills and the presentation of comics as an active process
playing games of chess and Go, recognizing content in
of media creation - not only with content, but also with
images, translating between languages, selecting best
careful application of formal features. Often,
candidates in a job search based on their CVs, and so on.
collaborative processes in the educational process are
This is how AI has been traditionally understood, and we
partially replaced by individualized work on comics.
can extend this concept to the arts. Following this logic,
This, of course, does not relegate learning outcomes to
“AI arts” would refer to humans programing computers
the background. On the contrary, this type of process
to create with a significant degree of autonomy new
complements the work methodology that enhances
artifacts or experiences that professional members of the
subject knowledge, skills and knowledge, and critical and
art world recognize as belonging to “contemporary art“
creative thinking. Design is undoubtedly integrated into
[11].
the learning outcomes.
AI is becoming an essential technological skill, and
Students developed a wide range of creative activities
teachers should equip students with modern skills to live
specific to the comic book medium: narrative
and work with, and the use of AI should definitely begin
construction, temporality, space, text/drawing/synergy,
at the secondary level. Therefore, it is appropriate to think
organizational skills, publishing, digitization, etc.
about working with AI and applying such pedagogy in
secondary education. As AI has become one of the most The constant use of existing knowledge (experiences,
important technological skills of the 21st century, history, facts) and the creation of their own narratives
teachers must inevitably incorporate AI into students' made it possible to build a bridge between the virtual
education and foster their thinking to train them for the world and reality.
world in which they will live, learn, and work. In this

MIPRO 2023/CE 807

 Besides the actual creation, learning storytelling and VIII. PRESENTATION OF THE COMIC
project work brought students closer to the art of comics.

VI. OBJECTIVES

The goal of developing comics in digital and physical

media is to broaden children's horizons to familiarize
them with different aspects of pictorial elements and to
achieve further generalization and generalization of
concepts and ideas that can be transferred to "paper."
After receiving the task, the process was initiated in
the following way:

1. elaboration of the idea and content

2. focus on the way of implementation
3. conceptual sketch of the media content
4. drawing on the computer and design of the cover
5. printing (if necessary)
6. analysis of the content
This process specified the way in which comics create
meaning. The evolution of the creation of the comic was
presented in the following steps: Moment, Frame, Image,
Word, and Flow.

VII. WORKING METHODS

Pupils/students used sequential images to represent

actions and processes, speech bubbles (in our example
there were none, only text) to represent dialog between
characters, and/or text headings to provide additional
detail and explanation. By drawing comics, they had a
more detailed elaboration of the illustration and activities
than is the case when processing only one image.
Sequential-temporal procedures were used in the
description of attitudes and emotions. The AI comic was
created on the website https://www.craiyon.com/ in the
form of the former DALL-E Mini.
Taking into account prior knowledge about comics,
we can distinguish four basic steps of recognizing
activities:
• drawing activities,
• examination of technical procedures,
• layout of the drawing and
• emotions and attitudes.

In this way, qualitative overviews were made by

category and an acceptable method of transferring
information was found using other programs for digital
processing (supplementing the image generated by the AI
with text).

Figure 1. AI comics

808 MIPRO 2023/CE

 IX. CONCLUSION

Artificial intelligence image creation technology is

currently gaining traction in a wide variety of
scientific, professional, and artistic circles. AI enables
artists to inspire and increase the creative lane, i.e., it
combines personal self-expression and collective
exploration. AI encourages artists to expand and
enrich expressive possibilities through innovative
digital art.
If we are to take AI image creation seriously, we
must create a standard for citing our credentials.
Much like writing a scientific paper, a cited
page/author is necessary to legitimize the work.
The answer is not to stop technological progress.
Instead, we need to improve the way we integrate it
into our world now.

REFERENCE

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