Using AI to Teach Color Theory: ChatGPT for Educators

This weekend, the creative and education communities have been buzzing with excitement over the release of OpenAI’s upgraded GPT-4o. The focus has especially been on its new image generation capabilities. Among the most notable improvements are sharper visual outputs, enhanced prompt understanding, and a long-awaited feature: the ability to display legible text in images.

A Game Changer: ChatGPT for Educators

For educators, this is going to be a game changer. I experienced this firsthand while finalizing a lecture on color theory. Specifically, I focused on value, hue, and chroma. Initially, I found a great reference image online that demonstrated the concept of hue. However, I couldn’t recall where I found it or its usage restrictions. Did it require attribution? Was it licensed for classroom use? Could I modify it?

Instead of spending hours digging through Google or stock photo libraries, I decided to try something new. I uploaded the image to ChatGPT-4o and asked it to recreate it using crayons. This visual ties perfectly into how I explain hue to my students. It’s similar to choosing a crayon from the box.

Refining the Image Creation Process

The first version wasn’t perfect. The crayons were oddly pointed on both ends, which didn’t pick the visual I wanted. I refined the prompt and received a much better result. Some letters appeared a bit wobbly, and the red-violet hue leaned too much toward red. However, overall, it worked.

It only took me a minute or two in Photoshop to tweak the color and clean up the text. The result was a fresh, custom-made image tailored to my lecture. I created this without needing to license, attribute, or worry about copyright issues.

First attempt: the prompt \"Can you create this image but using colored crayons (following the same hue structure) with the point of the crayon facing towards the middle.\" Image created using Chat GPT 40 image generator.

Second attempt: prompt \"Only one end of the crayon is pointed, make the point towards the center and the flat edge of the crayon on the outside.\" Image created using Chat GPT 40 image generator and modified.

Understanding the Ethics of AI-Generated Images

To be clear, I’m not “stealing” an idea here. A 12-color wheel is a standard educational concept used across design, art, and science classrooms. What I created was a personalized teaching tool. It visualizes a universal idea in my own way, utilizing visuals that align with how I teach.

ChatGPT for educators will be an essential tool. This is where I see genuine potential in AI tools like GPT-4o. They’re not here to replace artists or original thinkers. I firmly believe only artists can express human emotion, creativity, and individuality. However, when it comes to creating simple JPEGs for PowerPoints, slide decks, websites, or visual references—especially under tight deadlines—AI image generators can be incredibly helpful.

Questions for Consideration

Of course, a bigger conversation is happening here. As educators, how do we credit AI-generated visuals? Are we labeling them clearly in our materials? Is it fair to consider it our own work if we heavily modify or build upon them? Does “AI-generated with modifications by [Your Name]” strike the right balance?

I’ll explore that further in an upcoming post—especially as I test GPT-4o’s ability to handle anatomical and scientific illustrations, which are notoriously tricky for AI to master.

Conclusion: Engaging the Educational Community

In the meantime, I’m curious:

• Are you using AI-generated images in your classroom?

• Do you label them?

• How much editing do you do before calling it “yours”?

• Where do you draw the line between convenience and authorship?

  
  

Let’s talk about it.

Are you using AI-generated images in your classroom?

• Yes, as-is.
• Yes, but I modify them.
• No, AI undermines credibility.

Keywords: AIinEducation ChatGPT4o ColorTheory EdTechTools AIEthicsInArt