Current standard
Tool policy
We classify features, not whole apps. Most drawing software now ships both ordinary tools and generative ones.
Using an app on this page doesn’t decide whether a work complies. What matters is which of its features went into the final illustration.
Prohibited
These generate visual content. If any of them went into the final artwork, it can’t be listed under this standard.
| Tool or feature | Why |
|---|---|
| AI inpainting | Generates expressive visual content. |
| AI outpainting | Generates expressive visual content. |
| AI-generated backgrounds | Generates expressive visual content. |
| AI-generated characters | Generates expressive visual content. |
| AI-generated colouring | Generates expressive visual content. |
| AI-generated composition drafts | Generates expressive visual content. |
| AI-generated line art | Generates expressive visual content. |
| AI-generated shading | Generates expressive visual content. |
| AI-generated textures | Generates expressive visual content. |
| Generative fill | Generates expressive visual content. |
| Generative upscaling | Generates expressive visual content. |
| Image-to-image generation | Generates expressive visual content. |
| Painting over AI-generated content | Generates expressive visual content. |
| Text-to-image generation | Generates expressive visual content. |
Allowed
Tools that change what the artist has already drawn without generating new content.
| Tool or feature | Why |
|---|---|
| Blur | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Brightness and contrast | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Compression | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Crop tools | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Curves | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Export tools | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| File conversion | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Grid tools | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Hue and saturation | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Layer organisation | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Levels | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Manual brush tools | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Manual colour adjustment | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Manual eraser tools | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Non-generative filters | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Non-generative vector tools | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Opacity adjustment | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Perspective guides | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Resizing | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Rotation | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Selection tools | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Sharpening | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Stroke stabilisation | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Symmetry guides | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Transform tools | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
| Undo and redo | Does not generate expressive visual content. |
Under review
Cases we haven’t decided yet. Machine learning is involved, but it isn’t clear whether new content is being generated.
| Tool or feature | Why |
|---|---|
| AI denoising | Machine learning is involved but no expressive visual content is created. Classification pending policy review. |
| AI-assisted background removal | Machine learning is involved but no expressive visual content is created. Classification pending policy review. |
| Automated colour suggestion | Machine learning is involved but no expressive visual content is created. Classification pending policy review. |
| Non-generative upscaling | Machine learning is involved but no expressive visual content is created. Classification pending policy review. |
Catalogued applications
Listed so you can say what you used. Being on this list says nothing about the app either way.
- Adobe Fresco
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Affinity Designer
- Affinity Photo
- Autodesk Sketchbook
- Clip Studio Paint
- GIMP
- Inkscape
- Krita
- Other Application
- Paintstorm Studio
- Procreate
- Rebelle
When this list changes, we publish a new version of the standard. Existing listings stay under the version they were declared under. Read the standard.