Heartsong Seraphine cosmetics: AI?
I'd like to point out the look of the new Heartsong Seraphine border icon and the 2 emotes of the same skin. Many reasons (listed below + notes on image) make me think that they have been AI-generated. Which is something making me reluctant to buy the full skin bundle once live, and here is why:
First of all, as a non-professional artist and as someone against generative AI, I understand the use of it in bigger companies to some extent. My issue with the icon and the 2 emotes is that it just feels extremely lazy. That "AI" look can be spotted from miles away simply by taking a closer look.
My notes with screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/0xi8sog
If we compare to the official Heartsong Seraphine splash art, we can say that the transparent blue-ish fabric around her neck is represented very differently with that black line in the middle. The nail polish is completely missing, the pink bow behind the hair is represented very differently in the 2 emotes (which are supposingly made to represent the exact same character with 2 different emotions), the face features don't really look like Seraphine's (also comparing to her other icons/emotes), and finally the silver element in the hair and on the chest is also represented differently from the splash art. I am sure there are more elements and comparisons I didn't think about that can be discussed.
I, personally, can't think of a valid justification for all those changes/missing elements, but a miscommunication between the concept art and the final design or between artists. I know that not everything should match perfectly, and I am aware that inconsistencies have happened before in other projects too. But like I said, this just feels lazy and not finished compared to anything else. Those cosmetics might just be small details, but considering that we have to pay for them (at least the border icon; not sure about the emotes), I think it is as important as the rest. I think that the hardest part of the work by coming up with the design, making the splash art and the in-game 3D model is done. So if we could rework or even remake those small elements, it would make a big difference!