This is not something I hide. My artworks are always 100% hand-painted. I paint from photos (with permission), my own digital sketches, and AI generated elements … often I mix all three into my desired reference. I use the iPad app Procreate extensively to get what I want before I start painting.

But the AI reference - what images were they trained on? Were the artists fairly compensated?

I don't have a problem with this. Yes, the role of AI in art and our daily lives is an ethical minefield. But the reality is that it is a now ubiquitous tool for inspiration, recreation, research, and work. I believe Jim is using it ethically and with transparency. And his paintings are stunning.