Approximating the Landscape of Truth

"Approximating the Landscape of Truth" - oil on linen canvas, 26 x 32 x 1.5 inches. Ready to hang. Available here, at Artfinder and at Bluethumb.

Question your maps and models of the universe, both inner and outer, and continually test them against the raw input of reality. Our maps are still maps, approximating the landscape of truth from the territories of the knowable — incomplete representational models that always leave more to map, more to fathom, because the selfsame forces that made the universe also made the figuring instrument with which we try to comprehend it.
- from THE MARGINALIAN

We're going diving into AI today. How can we use it as a constructive tool?

It turns out the AI bot can be a pretty good art critique group. It is willing to point you in a direction without apology or beating around the bush. And then it will point you in a new direction without apologizing for the first one. Ha ha!

Let's dive!

For the initial painting, I began with a photo from one of our forest wanders, and asked the AI bot to give me an abstracted landscape interpretation of it. After wading through a few dozen images, I found one I liked pretty well and painted a version of it.

my original painting from an AI interpretation of my photo

It hung in the studio for a month - I looked at it in every light and just shrugged. Ho hum, I thought. I wanted something more abstracted, more textured and gritty. Normally I would just attack it with paint, but I decided to ask the AI bot - what now? And told it "textured, gritty, abstracted". After a few dozen suggestions, it came up with this: (grid lines added with PicSplit)

Thoughts: seeing the various versions suggested by the AI bot helped me really see what was working, what was not, and what could work much better - along with what would not work better, because the bot's suggestions can be kitschy and overly commercial looking sometimes.

AI's suggestion

I then attacked my original piece with paint.

Adding some grid lines to keep things organized, then blocking in the darks based on the revised composition.

Thoughts: the bot kept the composition fairly similar in the suggestions, which made transforming this piece pretty simple. This helped me see how some minor adjustments could really make a good painting, without starting again from scratch.

blocking in the new darks

The revised inspiration image was much softer, so most of my time was spent softening everything with layers of thinned paint, rubber wedges, brushes, paper towels and fingers. Ghost images left behind from the original painting add depth and interest to the background. Adding paint, then removing some to reveal hints of the past.

Thoughts: the shapes suggested in the revised image were much simpler. It was easier to see where things in the original painting had become fussy as I worked at whittling away many of the small shapes.

softening all the hard lines

The suggested color pop was tricky - it appeared to lay upon the painting in parts, and was a part of the scene in others. This took a few layers, with the final one added with brisk passes of a laden rubber wedge - resisting the urge to blend that final layer in.

After that, refining some of the shapes, adding warmth to the sky and texture with chopsticks and paint, dripping paint and flicks of a paper towel.

Thoughts: the final revised piece tics all of the boxes I was hoping for in the first piece. Things I should have known from experience (simpler shapes, softer transitions, hints and suggestions instead of obvious forms) were much easier to recognize when viewing a dozen variations of the original painting.

adding the color pop

Finished piece, in situ

AI causes many of us to wince, cringe, shrink, fear, feel disheartened (its product can be very, very good). For artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, game designers and so many other professions, it can feel overwhelming. As with most new technology, I tend to try it and see if it fits anywhere in the toolbox.

What are your thoughts on AI as a creative tool? Leave a comment below. One (or more) lucky commenter will be selected at random to win an original piece of art!

COMING NEXT WEEKEND! The once-a-year-save-the-paintings-from-the-gesso sale! It only happens once per year - paintings will fly the coop or be fully vandalized by the artist. Muwahaha!

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8 Comments

Kelly - 2 years ago

I love your thought process when entering into the experimentation of Art and AI. It’s a really difficult area to process and I completely agree that it should be a tool not a takeover. We have a lot to learn and understand about the implications of this new marvel but we also need to be able to control it. Great minds around the world are researching and exploring the technology but yet it seems to be leaping way ahead of our understanding.

lola - 2 years ago

Kelly! Thanks so much for weighing in on this tricky topic. For sure it seems to be leaping faster than we can get our minds around it! In the meantime, harnessing it as a tool, not a "takeover" (great word choice, btw!) is all we can do .

Wonder Mike says thanks for entering the November Reader Giveaway! Winner will be announced next week! xo

Dotty Seiter gmail - 2 years ago

wow. Feel like I just went down a rabbit hole with Alice. So much unfamiliar, so much to explore, so much wonder. I am fascinated by your process here, Lola—thanks for the detailed narrative of how Approximating the Landscape of Truth came to life. wow.

And those lines from THE MARGINALIAN! wow again.

Dotty!!! A rabbit hole of a sci fi sort, eh? It is a wonder-filed journey, this AI thingy. I wonder if it will replace artists? I wonder if it will replace writers? And I am in a state of wonderment at how useful it is as an art critique and learning tool. WOWZERS!

And the quote - omg, right?

Wonder Mike says thank you for entering the November Reader Giveaway!

Michaela - 2 years ago

I found your discussion in your composition of Approximating the Lanscape of Truth fascinating & eye opening; it made me consider that I have always “old school” I studied Book and Archive Cons ervation in College. I love the smell & feel of books. I didn’t like the idea of a kindle and resisted for quite a while.
When you mentioned AI I had the same feeling in regarding its use but the way you describe your process and composition it is being used as an adjunct to your Art. It has brought a unique amount of flexibility in honing your vision. As the artist you have the final say within your talented hands. It is another stunnnng piece.
I hope this makes sense.

Michaela!!! I've been "old school" as well (still don't own or use a Kindle - I love the smell and feel of books, too!!!!) Envious of your incredible studies in college - drool. What a great specialty!

As an artist, I don't want to be left behind in my understanding of technology and its implications. Thank you for seeing how I'm using it as an adjunct - it truly propels me forward in leaps instead of inches, process and vision-wise. The pace of learning is dizzying but doable.

Thanks so much for your comment, and for entering the November Reader Giveaway! The winner will be announced next week. xo

Natalee Jones - 2 years ago

I found this interesting how you used AI in your art. You didn’t completely follow what was being suggested, but used your artistic thought process. I might give this a try sometime. It will give me a different way of looking at things. Thanks for trying this approach with AI.

Natalee! YES! Just as in human art critique groups, I do not follow exactly what's being suggested. But if there is a nugget of AHA or a vision there that moves me, I will go there without hesitation! As in this piece.

If you decide to give it a try, I'd love to hear how it goes!

And thanks for entering the November Reader Giveaway! The winner will be announced next week. xo

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