56 images JUNE2026 TIPS & TECHNIQUES: AI IN THE ART ROOM AI might be in its infancy, but the artwork issues are as ancient as your favourite squeegee. Marshall Atkinson explains how to handle low-quality art situations with confidence If you’re getting AI-generated art from your customers, it’s probably coming over as 72dpi files at 1,024 pixels square. Because it looks good on their phone, they assume it is ready for print – but that’s not going to end well when we try to use it in production. Sure, you can stomp your feet in frustration at this wave of AI bombarding our industry…or you can build a process that will serve you better. Don’t react emotionally. React with process When your customer shoots over that AI-generated file, your internal voice might pipe up and say: “This won’t work.” “I hate AI files.” “This has too many colours.” “It’s too low resolution for what we need.” While all this might be true, getting angry doesn’t move the job forward. Art departments need discipline and process. The goal is not to judge the file emotionally. You want to view it as a task to be completed and move it through a defined process. Instead of reacting with an opinion, respond with a process. Instead of telling the client what is wrong, tell them what you are going to do. “We’ll optimise this for production.” This simple shift changes everything. It now positions your shop as the expert and keeps your team focused on solutions instead of problems. To do that consistently, you’ll need a threeitem process: an intake checklist, a resolution triage, and a decision tree. The intake checklist Every customer-supplied art file should undergo the same first step: a review using an intake checklist. Here’s a list to get you started: 1. What are the file's pixel dimensions? 2. What is the intended final print size? 3. Which production decoration method will we use? 4. What are the characteristics of the file? Photorealistic art, flat graphics, line art, or intricate detail? 5. Does this file require background removal? 6. Are there any edits or changes needed to the file beyond resolution adjustment? 7. Does this file meet the customer’s quality standards for the finished product? 8. Is the file appropriate for the requested production level? 9. Colour, size, spelling, and quality check. Anything obviously wrong? 10. What adjustments are needed to get this production ready? The purpose of the checklist review is to ensure consistency. This takes two minutes. Triage time Next comes the resolution triage, where you prep the file for customer approval and for production. After the review using the intake checklist, you know what needs to be changed to make the file work. Maybe you simply need to upscale the art and set the file resolution high enough that it will print without bitmapped edges. There may be file changes, misspellings, or unusual art file artifacts that need to be addressed. Treat this like a medical triage system: The same old problem www.images-magazine.com By explaining to the customer what needs to be done to optimise their art for production – here, adjusting the text and increasing the resolution to make it print-ready – you are setting your shop up as an expert
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