Rosen Dukov is a graphic designer and digital artist, founder of Studio Deffecto, known for his work in visual storytelling and digital manipulations. His portfolio includes film posters, music album covers and book designs. Featured in international publications like Advanced Photoshop and Photoshop Creative. Dukov has received multiple awards and held international solo exhibitions, also a Getty exclusive contributor and Erasmus Ambassador. Since 2021, he has been teaching courses such as Photoshop and AI for Designers. In recent years, he has successfully integrated artificial intelligence into the creative process, emphasizing its importance for the future of visual arts.
How do you use AI day-to-day and what are your favorite tools recently?
It helps me go past the boring parts – routine selections, retouching, even early-stage idea sketching. When I cut out the technical noise, I have more space for what has soul. I use it to generate variations, structure thoughts, and sometimes even surprise myself with unexpected, eclectic combinations I wouldn’t have reached on my own.
Midjourney + Photoshop is a classic combo. I also use ChatGPT to structure texts, ideas and scripts fast. Runway and Google’s VEO have been a pleasant surprise for video, while Topaz saves hours when I need to bring low-res files/videos up to HD quality.
Has AI replaced anything you loved doing, or freed you up to do more of it?
It has made space, definitely. My hands are less in the pixels, my mind is deeper in the narrative. Yes, retouching used to be meditative, but it wasn’t the best part of the process. Now I get to return to the raw joy of creating, not just refining.
AI doesn’t decide why something looks the way it does – it just helps execute the how. That’s where I draw the line. I use it to generate visuals, but I decide what stays and what tells the story. The intuition, the eye, the emotional weight – that’s still human.
Can you share a client project where AI changed how you approached the creative process?
I was working on a sci-fi book cover where the client said, “Imagine human evolution in a concrete desert.” Instead of starting with sketches, I used AI to build quick visual moodboards – concepts, textures, color palettes. It unlocked directions we hadn’t even considered and helped us align faster.
The client literally said: “This is it! I don’t know how you got there so fast.”
Well, it wasn’t magic. It was strategic prompting, fast iteration, and instinct.
Do you talk to clients about your use of AI, or keep it behind the scenes?
Mostly behind the scenes. Clients want results, not explanations. But if someone’s curious, I’ll walk them through it. I explain that AI is just another tool in my arsenal – not some autopilot designer.
Which tools or workflows ended up being more powerful than you thought?
AI video tools like Google VEO, Kling and Runway opened a new world for me – I can create videos without touching After Effects or Blender. But the biggest surprise was how useful AI became for writing – project descriptions, bios, scenarios even naming. What used to take me days, now takes less than 10 minutes and three iterations.
We are working on a couple of AI agents, powered by n8n or Lovable – an Ancient Languages Translator, a Faceless AI Influencer and a few more. We’re developing custom scripts and AI masking tools that help us make consistent characters in different projects. If I’m pulling sources from five sources and at the end they look composite enough, this is a game changer for me.
How can designers stay relevant as AI evolves?
Learn visual thinking – not just prompt structure. AI can generate for you, but it can’t decide what’s beautiful, true or emotional. Learn how to communicate ideas clearly, even only through a prompt, if necessary. Prompting is a new kind of authorship.
How can marketers better collaborate with designers using AI?
Don’t fear the process – invent it. We are negotiating the future now, AI can generate quick tests and moodboards, so use that for dialogue. Instead of vague brief show references, build moodboards, collaborate visually. And don’t expect AI to magically hit gold alone.
How has AI changed your creative identity or style?
Ironically, I became more intentional. Now when AI can mimic every style, you start searching more deeply for your own internal voice. For me, that means less perfectionism and more risk. Back to what made me fall in love with design in the first place.
