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When do we stop calling something "Art"
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Message
Posted
This thought is prompted by the increase of A.I. created images which are appearing on this site. These images are created using an artificial intelligence database which can access millions of images in seconds to produce an ideal image by synthesizing from a description. This is happening in literature, as well. You can go to one of several sites where you can ask the AI to create an image which has specific characteristics. In a few seconds, images appear with those attributes. There is no human involved, except where someone might sign the piece as their own work.
In 2009, I posted my first digital painting using a drawing tablet and a "paint" program which imitated the physical attributes of a traditional painting. At that time, many thought I was merely manipulating a photograph. Now, 14 years later, there are now programs which can produce the finest images ever created. It is a program that takes a description of a scene, and in seconds, produces several images synthesized from the best images available.
Just when I thought I had gotten known for using the computer as my creative tool, AI comes along, and outdoes anything I could possibly create from scratch
As artists, we are now completely replaceable by a program.
The only logical path left is to abandon digital prints and copies, in lieu of producing only original images by original means. These will be the only things left created by hand
Posted
An interesting post, to which I will reply tomorrow! I've had a good dinner this evening, with gin and tonic preceding and wine accompanying; not forgetting the Nicaraguan Churchill cigar I had to follow. If only I'd had a cognac.....
I hadn't, but I need thinking time.
My initial thought is that there is and should be room for works in all media, including digital, on the Gallery - but I do understand those who believe the Gallery should be limited to work composed in traditional ways; and I suspect that's what most of us want to do, and to see. Perhaps the best way of achieving this is to post more traditionally executed work?
I doubt there's going to be a definitive answer to this.
Posted
Skylar, I agree I have no interest in creating or seeing any AI created images, let’s not call them paintings or indeed Art. There is one particular person who posts items here whose work has been discussed recently. He frequently posts up to four per day which underlines the fact that they are ‘instant’ images, presumably mean little to him and take little effort to produce. I don’t think this is the place for such pictures, and don’t comment on them.
I like your work which as you say starts with a blank canvas, and obviously requires painterly skills to produce. I would not be adverse to trying this sort of work myself, but frankly don’t want to invest in any more new equipment at this stage. I have often commented on your work so you will know this is a genuine statement. I can see the advantages of producing art work on a screen, for example in schools and for people who don’t want the mess of traditional painting, but let’s not just choose a photo and change it into something slightly different. That is definitely not producing art. It’s just manipulation.
So what happens next? We live in a world where so much is online and instant, and this has all arrived so quickly.
What does everyone else think?
Incidentally Skylar I do hope you won’t feel you have to stop doing what you are doing. Your work is individual and very skilful and recognisable as yours. You are always honest in explaining how it is produced and that’s what has been sadly lacking in other posts.
Edited
by Tessa Gwynne
Posted
I’m with Tessa here completely.
I’m not the greatest fan of digital art in general, and I don’t comment on it (I’m entitled to my opinion), although I do appreciate the skill involved, but only when it starts with a blank canvas, such as Skylar’s digital work.
Frankly, it just doesn’t excite me in the same way that a well executed painting does. But that’s me, other members on here enjoy it.
These four a day posts of manipulated photos, usually badly manipulated I might add, are boring to say the least, although they do attract comments!
Edited
by Alan Bickley
Posted
Skylar I’m pleased that you chose to bring up this subject as a digital artist you views are particularly interesting.
I will start by saying that I like some digital artwork and comment when I like what I see, there are a few digital artists on the site who regularly produce great images. Both yourself and Eric M in my opinion produce the best Digital artwork that I see and often comment on, so my issue is not with digital artwork nor it’s sharing the gallery with conventional artworks ( whatever that is these days). My issue is the manipulation of photographs and posting them as paintings and when challenged calls it digital,
I believe this is where I will again have people telling me off. I understand that they are digitally altered but the image is still the photo used not something created from a blank canvas, screen etc, it’s not the persons own image even if it’s there own photo.
I do enjoy seeing your work on the gallery partly because it’s different, it sad to here that you feel that you need to change what you do and have done well for many years. This issue is not going to go away and I’m sure will keep popping up occasionally. To me it’s unfair that there are people new to painting , drawing etc who’s work is pushed off the screen by multiple postings of AI and all artwork, I like to see the work that someone is doing , as they learn and see their development.
I have my flack jacket on , ducked under the table and at present I’m filling the sandbags.
Posted
I do like digital art - and can appreciate the great skill involved when it’s created from a blank canvas like the work of Skylar and Eric (who has recently explained in another forum thread what packages he uses and how he create his artwork). What leaves me cold is digitally enhanced photos passed off as digital ‘art’ - and, as Tessa has said, there is one person who regularly posts several images a day which are clearly manipulated photos. Don’t think we’ve seen any AI created images on the gallery, though?
Edited
by Jenny Harris
Posted
Hi. I’ve not been in the forum much recently, but feel I need to add my thoughts on this thread. Yes, I’m also fed up with the post of four a day digital spam. I would love to see them stop and have even complained to Dawn by email. My argument was that these digital spam items are keeping real art, that may take weeks to produce, off the front pages of the gallery, and I suggested that the limit per day should be reduced.
My secondary argument is that by composing art from digital fragments of other peoples work is not painting and shouldn’t be allowed on a site called Painters Online. Re-use of software components is a common technique that means people can build programs faster, and it seems to have crept into art but unless you are working in the media industry, I deplore the practise.
This technique clearly has its place but I have to ask is that place on a site built primarily for painters and artists?
Posted
I’ve just looked up the word Art in the dictionary online….just a click away!
The definition is as follows:- Noun - the quality, production, expression, or realm according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
Firstly I love your work Skylar, starting from a blank canvas is really skilful, don’t stop.
David Ronce, his posts are always numbered, not titled, he paints abstracts. Occasionally he uses digital art over his own work, and I do like them.
I think it has its place, there’s a gallery in Nottingham that’s recently had an exhibition showing digital art, they were on huge canvases.
I think art in general is moving on fast forward, and all art does have place.
Posted
Quote: Eric (who has recently explained in another forum thread what packages he uses and how he create his artwork).
Agree Jenny, Eric did go to some lengths to explain his method of working… unfortunately, and disappointingly he didn’t follow it up with a short WIP, which he was asked by several of us to do.
His output is impressive, some, in fact most of what he produces would probably take me six weeks to turn out in traditional oils… I’m assuming therefore that digital is considerably faster…
If you’re looking in Eric, there’s many of us who would still be interested in seeing a short WIP from you!
Nicely put Andrew, spot on…
Edited
by Alan Bickley
