How to use Adobe Firefly in your concept art workflow

If you're read the hype and need to know how to use Adobe Firefly, then you've come to the right place. This is the latest generative AI but it's a little different; being made by Adobe, Firefly will eventually be integrated into all of the Creative Cloud apps, including Photoshop.

Adobe Firefly is different from other generative AI like Midjourney because it doesn't need a ton of fancy computers and huge amounts of data to create its images. Instead, it uses the Adobe stock library, which is like vast stock collection of pictures, as its source for images. Read my feature, Adobe Firefly explained - everything you need to know to learn more.

It’s been about a year of uncertainty in creativity with the rise of MidJourney and Stable Diffusion as the main contenders in the volatile world of AI generated art, but in March Adobe launched the public beta of Firefly. It has been seen as a possible ethical solution to the AI-generated art movement and how it can be push forward positively in the future in a much more comfortable and creative environment. 

How to use Adobe Firefly the right way

I have created two images using Adobe Firefly in my workflow. One, above, of Castle Grayskull for Masters of the Universe and one of an armoured female warrior (in the tutorial below). Both images are combinations of 3D renders, composting with Photoshop and using Adobe Firefly for adding extra detail and imaginative sections to enhance the artwork.

The feeling amongst a lot of the anxious pro artist community is that Midjourney (especially V5) Is detrimental to the entertainment creative industry. (Read how the ArtStation homepage was taken over by protesting artists.) I have experimented with Midjourney and found it has a very finished feel, with very little effort int the prompts through the discord app.

Unfortunately this has bred a lot of ignorance with some pasting new AI work with the notion of “I Made this!!!”, which of course is heart-breaking for the artists whose work has been in part stolen or derived from to create these images.

As I teach concept art in university in Ireland, I felt it was important to play with and understand the nature of this new imaging system. What I have discovered is, it is better to prompt for parts you need to build an overall image rather than attempting to have Adobe Firefly build the entire image for you, for example I found it currently isn't good at rendering human faces. 

In this following tutorial I will demonstrate how I have integrated Adobe Firefly into my workflow with other applications such as Photoshop, ZBrush and Procreate. Please note, all images created are for personal use only at this time.

By using Adobe Firefly and finding a way to work this generative AI software into my workflow I am now more confident there's a place and use for this new technology, but there are things to consider.

I think it’s important to remember that Adobe Firefly, like Adobe's other AI model Sensei, which powers Photoshop's functions, such as Select Subject or Remove Background, is intended to enhance our creative process.

There is a lot of negativity surrounding the 'scraping the barrel' and art theft involved in the data mining of MidJourney and Stable Diffusion but Adobe Firefly is a little different, read our story from 'Firefly at OFFF' for Adobe's case on ethical AI use. Read more in out AI art generator comparison feature for an overview of all the best AI art generators around at the moment.

At the end of the day the human creative factor and decision making is what will win out for me. No generative AI app can understand the creative passion and emotion that drives our always evolving skillsets.