ART
WORK IN PROGRESS:
IN THE STYLE OF
STATEMENT
When discussing AI art, Walter Benjamin’s seminal essay “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” comes to mind. Benjamin argues that the rise of mechanical reproduction fundamentally changed the nature of art and its value. He wrote, “Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be.”
AI art generators can produce endless variations of an image, potentially reducing the aura of the original artwork. Forbes reported on an AI-generated portrait sold at Christie’s auction house, stating, “the digital artwork… comes with the possibility that the artwork could be printed in any number of different sizes, frame options and materials, potentially reducing the uniqueness of the piece.” However, this does not diminish the importance of the human artist in the creative process. As Mario Klingemann notes, “AI art is not about replacing humans but about creating new forms of creativity where humans and machines work together in collaboration.”
In this context, the skill of understanding the intricacies of art and using those observations to provide specific prompts to the AI engine is crucial for creating successful and meaningful works of art. The Seattle Artist League describes the skill of describing paintings to the blind as “being able to see all of those attributes in a piece of art in order to then describe it to someone who can’t see it.” Similarly, AI artists must understand how various prompts will be interpreted by the engine to enhance the resulting image.
Overall, while AI art generators can be serendipitous and entertaining, they do not diminish the value of human artistry. The intersection of technology and art is constantly evolving, and understanding the relationship between the two requires a critical engagement with the past, as well as a deep appreciation of the creative possibilities that lie ahead. As Benjamin wrote, “The uniqueness of a work of art is inseparable from its being imbedded in the fabric of tradition… Thus our fixed contemplation of the masterpiece as an object isolated from the circumstances of its production, the historical context of its creation and reception, obscures these other spheres of action and makes it harder to see the work of art in its entirety.”
SUMMARY
While AI art generators can produce many variations of an image, they still need human artists to provide input and imbue the final artwork with meaning and emotion. The experiment emphasizes the importance of understanding art’s intricacies, and using those observations to guide the AI algorithms. The relationship between technology and art is constantly changing and requires an appreciation of the possibilities..
LINKS
Benjamin, Walter. “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” Retrieved from https://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm
Seattle Artist League. “Describing Paintings to the Blind.” Retrieved from https://www.seattleartistleague.com/2020/02/22/describing-paintings-to-the-blind/
Klingemann, Mario. “How to Make Art with AI: Lessons Learned from Three Years of Experimentation.” Retrieved from https://blog.floydhub.com/how-to-make-art-with-ai-lessons-learned-from-three-years-of-experimentation/
Forbes. “AI Art at Christie’s Sells for $432,500.” Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesarts/2018/10/25/ai-art-at-christies-sells-for-432500/?sh=47ecb3a7153e
Medium. “Art and Artificial Intelligence: A Futuristic Combination.” Retrieved from https://medium.com/@artnome/art-and-artificial-intelligence-a-futuristic-combination-8e2ff2fbf825
PHASE ONE
In the early phases of this project I took a description of an existing painting and merely added the phrase “in the style of” to the end – I wanted to look at similarities and differences based on the artist the engine was trying to emulate.
Prompt entered into the AI Engine:
A painting that depicts a young woman holding a book and standing in front of a blackboard. The painting features Thiebaud’s signature use of bright, bold colors and thick impasto brushstrokes. The composition is flattened, with the subject’s body and the blackboard appearing as two-dimensional shapes against a plain, neutral background.
In The Style Of Banksy
In the style of: Andy Warhol
PHASE TWO
I started experimenting with using a link to an image as a prompt instead of a description with words, but continuing to rely on the “In the style of” command to update the visiuals to mimic a master.
PROMPT IMAGE:
The Student by Wayne Thiebaud
In the Style Of: Banksy
In the Style of: Warhol
In the Style of: Van Gogh
I extended my exploration beyond artist names, and tried using recognizable brands, even trying to get more specific about era etc. While entertaining, I noticed I wasn’t getting as much deviation as I had hoped for.
In the Style of: 1980’s Apple Computer
In the Style of: Louis Vuitton
In the Style of Southwest Airlines
PHASE FOUR:
I tried using two images as the prompt… in this case I used the Mona Lisa, and an image from Jeremy Fish a San Francisco based artist. I felt like I was getting somewhere more divergent.
Mona Lisa:
Original Jeremy Fish Illustration:
(LINK)
