Sketches over software: Why Soberon Studio doubles down on human craft
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - Soberon Studio, a case goods and architectural interior design brand known for old-world craftsmanship and maximalist interiors, isn't using AI to steer its creative process. The team has drawn a clear line: efficiency can be automated, but taste, feel, and authorship stay human. Their medium of choice is still the sketchbook.
"We have always looked at AI for efficiency, like project management," said Paola Martinez, associate creative director at Soberon Studio. Flipping open the sketchbook she calls the heart of their operation, she added, "True craftsmanship cannot be automated. Part of our essence is we collaborate with clients and do sketches that have that level of detail. All the AI images are starting to look and feel the same."
Martinez is blunt about the risk: lean too hard on prompts and your work blends into the feed. The studio prefers to let clients see the idea take shape by hand-line work, shading, scale, and choices that reflect a designer's eye, not an algorithm's median guess.
Owner and founder Eduardo Martinez Soberon isn't anti-tech; he's specific about where AI helps. "We use it a little bit. When we already have a picture or a design, AI can help us instead of taking photos. You can place products in a nice environment and create an extremely realistic product," he said.
What creatives can use right now
- Keep AI in the back office. Use it for project management, research summaries, notes, and ops. Protect your style from sameness.
- Lead with low-fidelity, high-intent sketches. People buy the idea before they buy the render. Invite clients into the process early.
- Use AI for staging and scenarios. Drop your piece into believable environments to test lighting, materials, and scale before a photoshoot.
- Build a personal library. Your own textures, typographic systems, and color studies keep your work distinct.
A workable balance: human-first, AI-assisted
Soberon's stance isn't nostalgia; it's brand control. Hand work sets the voice, AI handles the boring parts. There's data to support this split-teams report meaningful productivity gains using AI for operational tasks, not as the source of taste or style. For a broad view, see the latest industry survey on AI and productivity from McKinsey (external link).
If you're refining your workflow without outsourcing your eye, curated training can help you pick the right use cases and skip the noise. Explore role-based resources here: Complete AI Training: Courses by Job.
The business case for staying hand-built
For studios selling custom work, the sketch is proof of authorship. It's also part of the client experience-seeing the idea evolve creates buy-in and justifies premium pricing. That's hard to fake with a template.
"We sell handcrafted furniture," Martinez said. "Our hand touch and our human eye is a big part of our process and the end result."
The takeaway for creatives: keep your core process human. Use AI where it saves time, not where it erases your voice.
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