- T R A D I T I O N V S T E C H N O L O G Y -
HOW FAR IS TOO FAR?
I have always wanted to create art like the great classic painters. But I couldn’t seem to use the paintbrush how I envisioned it to be equipped. I can’t seem to extract what’s in my mind and portray it onto the canvas.
But what I have is other skills. Digital skills. Skills that have advanced alongside with technology.
But what I have is other skills. Digital skills. Skills that have advanced alongside with technology.
As technology has progressed it’s birthed both a new style of art and a new way to look at that art too.
It’s revolutionary - but is it still art? Can tradition evolve alongside technology?
Where is the line between man and machine and were those lines designed to be crossed?
Is it still art if it’s not created within the boundaries and restrictions of what we label ‘art’,
or is the whole point of art that it’s boundaryless? What happens when we then introduce artificial intelligence into the artworld as the next step in its evolution?
It’s revolutionary - but is it still art? Can tradition evolve alongside technology?
Where is the line between man and machine and were those lines designed to be crossed?
Is it still art if it’s not created within the boundaries and restrictions of what we label ‘art’,
or is the whole point of art that it’s boundaryless? What happens when we then introduce artificial intelligence into the artworld as the next step in its evolution?
My concept for this project is based around the idea of art stigma and the pre conditioned thought process that art cannot tie hand in hand with technology. When AI is being used everywhere, why not let it be experimented with and used for art? Is this the future of art? Where artists (like myself) cannot, AI can.
Our art is what makes us, we are what makes IT. So where do the tools stop? Does it get to a point where we simply cannot use what is available to us because it doesn’t fit in the constraints of a metaphorical and literal paintbrush and canvas?
Does the ease of our tools make us less of an artist?
I’m sure when the digital camera was introduced that it was considered ‘cheating’
or not ‘real’ photography - but hasn’t the innovation of this technology revolutionised the medium?
Our art is what makes us, we are what makes IT. So where do the tools stop? Does it get to a point where we simply cannot use what is available to us because it doesn’t fit in the constraints of a metaphorical and literal paintbrush and canvas?
Does the ease of our tools make us less of an artist?
I’m sure when the digital camera was introduced that it was considered ‘cheating’
or not ‘real’ photography - but hasn’t the innovation of this technology revolutionised the medium?
Damian Hirst, Daniel Arsham and many more use entire creative teams when developing their art - does that make their work hold any less weight in the industry? Surely it is the concept and idea that matters.
Is the results of years of work enough to justify the use of new technologies that make our lives easier?
When we do lose ourselves? When do we make the jump? When do we connect with the machine and the tools
we use every day on a deeper level? When does the machine become us? When does AI become a collaborator in our creations? At what point (if ever) do we lose the stigma?
When we do lose ourselves? When do we make the jump? When do we connect with the machine and the tools
we use every day on a deeper level? When does the machine become us? When does AI become a collaborator in our creations? At what point (if ever) do we lose the stigma?
This concept and project has brought up a lot of questions for me and those around me, as i’m sure it will for you too. But I hope that by looking at the thought process behind this body of work as well as how the final works were created, I will be able to give you a deeper understanding of the possibility of man and machine collaboration. It may even encourage you to question where our pre-conditioned art stigma stems from and encourage you to challenge the status quo.
- R E S E A R C H -
s T A G E - I
- I N P U T -
s T A G E - I
For 2 weeks I kept feeding my work to an artificial intelligence system. By uploading countless hours, days, weeks and years of work I have created in the past, I wanted to understand the key patterns, similarities, visual identities and the design consistency that makes my work mine.
Through the use of multiple machine learning simulations I managed to extract clusters of images that I felt would fit in various categories within my style. The dark, gothic, macabre, beautiful and sometimes perhaps disturbing nature of my artwork was displayed in front of me, but it didn’t quite hit the mark.
Through the use of multiple machine learning simulations I managed to extract clusters of images that I felt would fit in various categories within my style. The dark, gothic, macabre, beautiful and sometimes perhaps disturbing nature of my artwork was displayed in front of me, but it didn’t quite hit the mark.
- I N P U T -
s T A G E - II
In addition to inputting my own digital work, I used machine learning to analyse hundreds of still life and classic oil paintings from across the ages in order to get a better understanding and abstract essence of the creative mood depicted in the image.
By adding this essence, the AI got more intelligent and it started to create the image and concept I had in my mind, a cross of the traditional intertwined with modern technology.
By adding this essence, the AI got more intelligent and it started to create the image and concept I had in my mind, a cross of the traditional intertwined with modern technology.
- S I M U L A T I O N -
- R E S U L T S -
s T A G E - I
s T A G E - II
But it still wasn’t quite what I had envisioned. By curating my entire gallery of work into a very precise group of skull art on dark backgrounds and running the simulations again, the results seemed like nightmares.
Melting, merging and fusing elements of my work into a series of images that were disturbing mutations of thousands of hours of digital creations. Whilst the result was often cool, it didn't have the exact essence I wanted to convey.
I wanted to create a series of gothic paintings made entirely digitally using the principles of still life paintings, projected and moulded with my own artwork.
Melting, merging and fusing elements of my work into a series of images that were disturbing mutations of thousands of hours of digital creations. Whilst the result was often cool, it didn't have the exact essence I wanted to convey.
I wanted to create a series of gothic paintings made entirely digitally using the principles of still life paintings, projected and moulded with my own artwork.
s T A G E - III
s T A G E - IV
Finally, the machine was starting to understand my ideas. It was beginning to comprehend what I was trying to create. I downloaded the low resolution imagery and through a series of filters and editing, I had a series of ghostly faded images.
By exporting the creations into 3D displacement planes and by mixing a comprehensive variety of oil paintings, canvas textures and general distressing, I managed to fuse all these elements in the paintings you see within this project.
By exporting the creations into 3D displacement planes and by mixing a comprehensive variety of oil paintings, canvas textures and general distressing, I managed to fuse all these elements in the paintings you see within this project.
- T E X T U R E G E N E R A T I O N -
s T A G E - I
s T A G E - II
s T A G E - III
- V I S U A L D E V E L O P M E N T -
s T A G E - I
s T A G E - II
- A R T W O R K S -
- C O M P I L E D -
- T H O U G H T S -
What initially started as a cool new trick, or a ‘cheat’ as you might say,
really made me think about how to balance the use of this technology.
If money was infinitely available to all, would it be important?
If we were immortal, would our lives have meaning?
If anything is too easy, then what is the point of doing it?
really made me think about how to balance the use of this technology.
If money was infinitely available to all, would it be important?
If we were immortal, would our lives have meaning?
If anything is too easy, then what is the point of doing it?
In the end, I’ve managed to strip back the technology and use it to my advantage whilst simultaneously putting my heart and soul into it. Weeks of work and late nights have gone into the creation of this project, and what I have learnt is that us artists are what make the work unique.
No machine will be able to create what we create without our guidance and input.
The results of the AI are fascinating, but they seem more so as simply cool effects. They are lacking essence, lacking soul, lacking the artist that makes it what it is.
I have a reignited desire to grab paintbrushes and to learn in those traditional mediums that have always fascinated and inspired me, but I am also excited about the prospects of the future of technology in art and the endless possibilities it has created.
No machine will be able to create what we create without our guidance and input.
The results of the AI are fascinating, but they seem more so as simply cool effects. They are lacking essence, lacking soul, lacking the artist that makes it what it is.
I have a reignited desire to grab paintbrushes and to learn in those traditional mediums that have always fascinated and inspired me, but I am also excited about the prospects of the future of technology in art and the endless possibilities it has created.
