ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Steve McDonald Bridges Traditional Illustration and AI Art

artist · 2026-08-06

Steve McDonald, an acclaimed Canadian illustrator and a co-founder of Drawnonward, is innovatively merging traditional illustration techniques with AI-driven art. He completed his studies at the Ontario College of Art & Design in 1992 and dedicated 20 years to Drawnonward, gaining recognition through two CBC documentaries and the Genie-nominated film "Seven Painters, Seven Places." Between 2015 and 2017, he produced more than 350 illustrations for the "Fantastic" coloring book series by Chronicle Books, which became a global bestseller in over 30 nations. His artwork has been featured in prominent publications such as The Guardian and The New York Times. McDonald actively supports creator rights, teaches illustration and AI, and critiques the culture of wealth and celebrity.

Key facts

  • Steve McDonald is an award-winning Canadian illustrator and founding member of Drawnonward.
  • He graduated from Ontario College of Art & Design in 1992.
  • Drawnonward's work was featured in two CBC documentaries and the Genie-nominated film 'Seven Painters, Seven Places'.
  • Between 2015 and 2017, he created over 350 drawings for Chronicle Books' 'Fantastic' coloring book series.
  • Fantastic Cities sold over half a million copies and is considered one of the first modern adult coloring books.
  • His work has been featured in The Guardian, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Architectural Digest, and CBS Sunday Morning.
  • He blends custom diffusion models, Midjourney rendering, and hand-painted Photoshop work.
  • He is a Pixar guest instructor and runs illustration and AI-image-crafting courses.
  • He describes himself as 'pro-artist' rather than simply pro-AI, emphasizing consent, credit, and compensation.

Entities

Artists

  • Steve McDonald
  • Moebius
  • Hayao Miyazaki
  • Norman Rockwell
  • Frank Frazetta

Institutions

  • Drawnonward
  • Chronicle Books
  • Ontario College of Art & Design
  • CBC
  • Pixar
  • The Guardian
  • The New York Times
  • The Atlantic
  • Architectural Digest
  • CBS Sunday Morning

Locations

  • Canada

Sources