Face‑Swapping for Fun: A Peek Behind My Creative Curtain: A short, friendly blog from Malika Bourne Legacy

This post will be of interest to parents who question whether to purchase from any business that uses AI to create designs for children's clothes or illustrations for children's books. If that doesn't provoke any concern, how do you feel about Face-Swapping?

As much fun as AI face‑swapping can be for me, I know a lot of people feel unsure about it. Surveys show that about half to three‑quarters of adults are at least somewhat concerned about AI. But here’s the part most folks don’t realize: they already use AI every single day without thinking twice.

The image of the two humanoid-looking people is my son and me quite a few years back.

I’ve been having a blast in the last two years experimenting with face‑swapping tools — yes, the same kind of AI magic people use every day without even realizing it. And because I’m always open about my creative process, I wanted to share a little behind‑the‑scenes look at how I use these tools and why they’re not nearly as mysterious as they seem.

This entrepreneur is transparent about using AI as a tool in her creative process, and it bothers some people. It is my hope that this post offers some insight from a human being with artistic DNA to those who are curious about using AI not only for illustrations but also for the process of Face Swapping.

Right below is an image of Tuckle Wrenwic, a quiet hero who happens to be a gnome about half the height of my son above. Look closely, very closely... Hint: look at the eyes.

Yes, that is the handsome face of my son, a 6' 2" former lead guitarist with long blonde hair, a long-legged martial artist. How else could I use my 52-year-old as a model? How much money did I save when I asked if I could use his face and he agreed? 

I used to model for a professional photographer until I was 18-years-old. I know a little about professional modeling on the lower end of the scale. I also did some research on what you want to read; my findings are after the following question.

 

Now for the ubiquitous question: Is face‑swapping scary?

Not really. It’s just another creative tool — like filters, photo editors, or the “magic eraser” on your phone. (White-out in tech form.) Most people have already used AI without knowing it. If you’ve ever:

• cleaned up a photo with one tap

• used autocorrect

• searched for “photos of sunsets”

• removed red‑eye

• or let your phone sort pictures by face

…you’ve already used AI. It’s been quietly supporting AI use for years.

1.  Why I use face‑swapping

For me, it’s simple: it’s fun.

I love dropping my own face into silly, colorful backgrounds or historical scenes. It’s playful, harmless, and honestly? It sparks creativity. Sometimes a swapped face gives me a new idea for a character, a product, or a Pinterest pin. It’s like trying on costumes without needing a closet full of them.

And because I’m building a mythic, whimsical storefront world — Queen Malika the protagonist to Mother Nurture and her Dust Bunnies, to Tockle Wrenwic, the storyteller.  — these *tools help me explore ideas quickly and visually.

 

2. I don't have the budget to hire professional models. Small businesses rarely have the budget for much more than shoestrings.

Forgive me for using AI, but neither did my parents. I mean, they never paid a model for sample work. They used their own daughters for most portrait samples, or they made barters with real brides.

Here are the fascinating facts I promised...

⭐ Model Fees I Saved by Using My Son’s Face

Most small businesses use AI mock-up models due to budgetary concerns like paying themselves a wage.

When people ask, “Why use face‑swapping?” the answer is simple: because hiring a professional model is expensive, and using my son’s face (with his permission) keeps my characters personal, affordable, and rooted in family.

(No, I did not pay him to use his face. It's a family thing - like I don't get $50 an hour to be his private duty RN now that he is severely physically disabled. I provide nursing care at home because I have the skills and I love being near my son. That is the beauty of being able to operate a Mom & Pop old-fashioned business connected to one's home. This boutique is my second job, and I love both jobs.)

Understanding Mom-and-Pop Businesses and Investment Opportunities

Keeping It In the Family: How Mom & Pop Shops Are Enduring Cornerstones of the Community - NetChoice

Mom and Pop Shops Explained: How They Work, Examples, Pros and Cons - SuperMoney

Here’s what most people don’t realize:

• Freelance clothing models typically charge $55–$100 per hour.

• Agency‑signed models often cost $800–$1,500 per day, plus a 20% agency booking fee.

• Commercial catalog models can run $100–$400 per hour, or $1,500–$3,500 per day depending on usage rights.

These are the same types of models used for e-commerce and large department store listings, and catalog photography. That’s why so many e-commerce merchants end up using the same stock models — because hiring unique ones is simply out of reach for small creators. I am sorry that professional models are not getting the gigs they once had.

And you thought these stores were greedy?

The Role of Overhead in Business: Types and Management Strategies. The cost of doing business is passed on to the consumer. And consumers expected human models to display the clothes they might want to purchase. And professional models do not volunteer to work any more than private duty nurses expect a living wage.

The Great American Store Closure Tracker, 2026 Edition

More than 8,000 chain stores in the US closed up shop in 2025

What does the cost of doing big retail business have to do with Face Swapping and AI models?

By using my son’s face — a face I love, a face that carries our family’s story — I saved hundreds of dollars per character while keeping my artwork original, ethical, and true to my legacy‑based brand. For the cost of the apps and the time I spent improving my own skills, AI, including face swapping, allows me to pass on to you a reasonable price for my goods and services.

🌿 Why This Matters to My Customers

Every dollar I save on model fees is a dollar I don’t have to pass on to you. It means:

• lower prices

• more unique characters

• more family‑rooted storytelling

• more creative freedom

And it means you’re getting designs that aren’t recycled from the same catalog models used by thousands of shops.

You’re getting something personal.

 

Transparency matters

I never hide the fact that I use AI. I aim to do a better job of labeling what I create as AI- involved. Not because I have to, but because I want my readers and customers to feel included in the process. Creativity isn’t a secret recipe — it’s a shared kitchen. But a tech device needs a human prompt to tell it what to do. The more skilled one is at prompting AI, the better the results.

Most people don’t realize this, but AI is already living quietly inside the apps on their phones — especially the fun ones.

⭐ Face‑swapping apps

These are the playful tools people use to:

• put their face into a movie scene

• try on a hairstyle

• swap faces with a friend

• or turn themselves into a cartoon

They’re everywhere — TikTok filters, Snapchat lenses, Instagram effects, and dozens of little apps in the app store. People use them every day without thinking, because they’re easy, fast, and fun.

Check this out: I wanted to have an image of me working at the computer. Taking selfies is not my expertise.

1. Big whoopee. The face-swapped image of me working at my desk isn't a scroll-stopper that tells you how creative I am.

 

What if I created a more interesting image and prompted the AI app to make it? Did you look at this image for 3 seconds or more?

 

Now, if I had family click a cell phone camera to make an authentic image of me working at home, then years into the future? I created an image from a prompt from my imagination? That did not look like me, so then I swapped my face- the same face that I used for Mother Nurture above.

You get to choose which image catches your eye more than the other one. Compare the colorful cartoon with the cute model next to my 85-year-old body in my AI face.

Here we have a lifestyle image of an entrepreneur working from home wearing my aged face. We have the products purchased wrapped as gifts prior to being slipped into some kind of mailer. And see how clever I was to keep Granny-snacks handy? That image below is how I might appear at 85-years old - because consumers want to know they are not being tricked.

Let's be honest- does this image capture your attention and urge you to click to see what this elderly woman is peddling online?

I am a consumer, and I don't like being conned. If my opinion matters, an image of myself ten years in the future is not going to inspire anyone to buy the t-shirts that creatively promote my published books. Would you agree or disagree with me?

If pictures say a thousand words... I think I can rest my case.

Authors need to be active on social media in order to promote their literary works.

In my lineup of books to get published this year, is the story of Johnathan Jellybean. I wrote it for my two oldest children to keep them occupied while my sprained ankle was propped up in 1980 or 1981. The reason I never got it published was that I can only do pencil sketches. The original crayon drawings were not publication-worthy. I need to hire a professional artist to illustrate. That fee, though well worth it, would most likely get the artist more profit than I would get in book sales at that time in history. Social Media was not even a thing - let alone AI.

After buying apps and applying my artistic/photographic skills for nearly two years, I can illustrate my own books. Above is an example of one of my AI storybook prompts.

I have read Facebook posts and watched YouTube videos with many artists and children's book writers baring their souls about artificial intelligence ruining their career path. Those concerns are legitimate concerns.

On that particular Facebook group, I can read the posts and comment as an outsider, but I will never be welcome to join that children's author group because I and ok with using AI to do my own illustrations. I respect their rules.

(Expect an announcement or 12 announcements... coming soon. I am going to self-publish with my own illustration created by using AI tools and offered for sale in my shop here.)

 

For those who believe AI is not OK, let's look a little closer...

AI is quietly built into the apps on their phones — the filters, the face‑swap tools, the “clean up” button in the photo gallery, even autocorrect. Kids use these tools to explore who they are becoming. They try on long hair, superhero costumes, or whatever “cool” look they’re experimenting with that week.

That’s actually connected to why I design boys’ shirts only up to about age seven. After that, boys start forming their own identities. They decide what matters to them — maybe it’s long hair like a guitarist, maybe it’s wearing all black, maybe it’s a certain style they saw online. AI tools simply give them more ways to explore those identities.

So when I use face‑swapping apps for fun, I’m transparent about it. Not because it’s scary, but because it helps people see AI as a creative tool, not a threat. It’s just another way I make magic out of everyday thing.

My hope is that by showing how I use these tools, families will feel comfortable picking out T-shirts or hoodies modeled by an AI model. You don’t need to be a tech expert. You just need curiosity and a sense of humor.

The heart of it all

AI doesn’t replace imagination. It just gives it new crayons.

I still sketch, write, dream, and build worlds the same way I always have — with intention, storytelling, and a little mischief. Face‑swapping is just one more way I make magic out of everyday tools.

If you’ve never tried it, you might be surprised at how fun it is. And if you’re already using AI without knowing it… Welcome to the club.

 

🛡️ Safety Note from Malika Bourne

AI apps and tech devices can be creative tools, but they are never a substitute for parenting, supervision, or human connection. Children — especially those with special needs — require balance, guidance, and real‑world interaction. My content celebrates imagination, not unlimited screen time. Please use all tech tools in moderation.

 

(For more details on why this entrepreneur seems to straddle the fence on the use of AI, you will want to read my upcoming No Non-cents Nanna blog, Would You Swap Your Face with a Stranger or a Relative?  Scheduled to publish around August 9th.)