At Pollitt & Partners, Creative Director Matt Shelley has been navigating the ever-evolving landscape of design for years. Now, with the proliferation of AI tools like Midjourney, the boundaries of creativity are being pushed in exciting new directions. But as Matt explains, the key to embracing this new technology lies in using it as a tool to complement, not replace, the human imagination that drives great design.
How we used AI to unlock creativity
When did you begin working with AI?
“I read about Midjourney maybe around four years ago, and it was this emerging tech, and I just thought, ‘this is something that I want to explore’, and when I first used it, I was bowled over by its capabilities, but maybe didn’t really understand how it might apply to my day to day job? How does it complement the creative process that we go through? How can we use it in a way that doesn’t undermine the value that we bring as humans? It was curiosity – then kind of working out how it might be useful.”
And how do you use it in your process?
“It’s really useful because it speeds up what at times used to be quite a long-winded process. When you’re given a brief, you could at times spend ages explaining your ideas or working out how to get a client to understand what’s in your head by finding supporting mood boards or photography – things that were the next best thing. Now with Midjourney, you can literally visualise anything. So there’s almost less compromise at that early stage when you’re trying to visualise a concept. And that concept might be very abstract. It might be very tenuous.
Mainly it’s been it’s just been like a colleague that can scamp things up. I mean, you used to sit with storyboard artists and they would draw as you spoke. It’s kind of like that, at the kind of mood boarding and visualisation stage, it’s just that really quick photorealism, which is easier for clients and easier for creatives and everybody to get behind and understand or see potential in an idea. It’s not necessarily always the idea that it’s not always the answer, but it might prove to you that the answer that you think you have is worth pursuing.
Mid Journey is good for conceptualising, and cinematic visuals, then Chat GPT image generation for me is better at specific tasks.
Striking the Balance – Creativity Meets Technology
While AI has proven invaluable for mood boarding and placeholder content, Matt stresses that it should never be a crutch. “You still need to have the idea. That’s critical. From an integrity and quality point of view, you’re not relying on AI to come up with a creative idea. You should be visually exploring what’s in your head – or even using it to discover interpretations of a design you weren’t initially thinking of.
“When I was at college David Carson and Tomato were big visual influences. I spent hours distorting images and text through fax machines, photocopiers and Dyesubs creating ‘happy accident’ design. You had little control over it, but you could curate it into something great. At times working with AI can be like that”
A commerical application
Pollitt & Partners used Midjourney for The Whiteley campaign, a luxury property development in London. The campaign aimed to “reawaken” The Whiteley’s status as a London icon, drawing on its classic architecture and statues that adorn the facade. AI helped bring this idea to life, enabling the team to visualise statues reimagined in modern, dynamic poses—something that, considering the scale of the installation, would have been too costly and time-consuming with traditional CGI methods. These were then edited, and blown up to 4 metres tall to fill the windows on the main Queensway thoroughfare
But the process wasn’t without its challenges. AI, as Matt explains, is far from perfect. “You have to curate the hell out of it. Ninety percent of what it generates isn’t quite right.” Whether it’s unnatural poses or a lack of resolution in faces, or visual inconsistencies – there’s still a lot of hands-on work required. Retouching, 3D mapping, and traditional design techniques all play a role in ensuring the final output meets the standards expected of a luxury brand like The Whiteley.”
Maintaining Integrity in a world of AI
One of Matt’s main concerns with the rise of AI in design is maintaining creative integrity. AI can generate endless iterations, but it can’t replicate the nuanced understanding of human emotions, cultural context, or humour that designers bring to the table.
“Not everyone agrees, but I currently believe you shouldn’t use AI to write your dissertation. There’s more going on in the brain when you think than just the end result. You’re learning the process of how your brain works, about yourself. Your strengths and weaknesses, your opinions, your specific view of the world. And the same goes for creative ideas. Personally I became a designer because of the joy of creating.”
Navigating Copyright in the Age of AI
It’s worth noting a critical concern surrounding AI – its ability to copy styles. “One of the things that made me more comfortable on [The Whiteley] project was that we were appropriating something like Michelangelo renaissance or Rodin’s Neoclassical sculptures—they’re just part of Western visual heritage.
“We fed own photography into Midjourney for use as visual prompts. For hands and other details, we tried photographing real hands and then getting the AI to render marble or stone equivalents of those images. The results however weren’t great, but at least the idea was explored.”
“I think what’s important is to be as aware of AI as you can be.
AI in Design
So, where does AI fit in the future of design? Matt is cautiously optimistic. Though while he sees the value in AI today, he’s aware that the landscape could change dramatically or there is a growing a backlash against its use. For now, the approach is to remain informed and open to AI’s possibilities, using it to complement a designer’s own creativity rather than replace it.
“I think what’s important is to be as aware of AI as you can be. People tend to view things as terrifying and I understand that. For now at least, AI may be a powerful tool, but the human touch, with its depth of understanding, nuance, and originality, remains irreplaceable in the world of design.
“I’m hoping working with AI won’t be a battle between humans and AI. Instead, it will be about finding the right balance, using AI to enhance the creative process while staying true to the values and integrity that make great design possible.
“But ultimately, it’s moving so fast that anything I say will be outdated very soon. That’s why trying to stay informed and constantly learning is so important.”