The picture above was generated by an AI [Futurism].
“The artwork, titled “Théâtre D’opéra Spatial,” depicts a scifi-inspired scene of an opera performance. But Jason Allen, who submitted the artwork, used AI image generator Midjourney to create it.”
https://futurism.com/the-byte/ai-generated-painting-wins-state-fair-fine-arts-competition?utm_souce=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=09012022&utm_source=The+Future+Is&utm_campaign=81882d0b81-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_09_01_09_33&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_03cd0a26cd-81882d0b81-247165549&mc_cid=81882d0b81&mc_eid=bbf5c06f50
Further along in the article, Jason Allen talks about how he set up the parameters for Midjourney [the software/AI] to use. Then he chose what he considered to be the best from three outcomes. And it won first prize at the Colorado State Fair.
When I first read this article, my initial reaction was horror. How could a piece of software, no matter how sophisticated, produce something this…beautiful? But the more I thought about it, the more I realised that it was the parameters set by Jason Allen that had created an image of great beauty, so in that sense, Midjourney was simply another tool.
I admit an AI is a bit more high tech than a paintbrush, but the creativity still came from Allen.
What do you think? The beginning of the end for artists? Or just one more tool?
cheers,
Meeks
Meeka's Mind 
February 1st, 2023 at 10:20 am
[…] Is ‘art’ still art if an AI makes it? […]
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January 28th, 2023 at 1:04 am
[…] Meeka of acflory clued many in by posting about a competition in which the winner used A.I. “Is ‘art’ still art if an AI makes it?” she […]
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January 26th, 2023 at 8:54 am
[…] Is ‘art’ still art if an AI makes it? […]
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November 12th, 2022 at 1:38 am
[…] Obviously, this a broad subject with plenty of opinions. If you Google it, you’ll find a ton of articles. However, I’d recommend watching/listening to the ‘Why Be An Artist When There’s AI’ episode of The Draftsman podcast. Also there’s some good conversations going on in the comments section over at Meeka’s Mind and their article ‘Is ‘Art’ still Art If AI Makes It?’ […]
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November 10th, 2022 at 11:39 pm
How is entering some prompts equal the creativity used by the other artists? This work is just a high tech clip art. AI is typically ‘fed’ artistic styles of established artists and this thing regurgitates those randomly. I’m sure the masses won’t know or care, and I can see AI becoming dominant in commercial art since big business doesn’t care about originality or aesthetics, let alone skill. AI could be a good tool for designers and artists for rough drafts and new composition ideas but I think humanity will exploit it and twist into a monstrosity just we all have done with the majority of the internet.
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November 11th, 2022 at 10:50 am
You’re absolutely right about the AI ‘mass producing’ art for commercial use. I think that’s pretty much inevitable given how humans function. We’ve mass produced everything from cars to food. So really the question is: should art be any different?
I’m not an expert on art, and I didn’t look too closely at that AI produced image, but I did find it beautiful.
Would I find all mass produced art beautiful? Probably not, but beauty really IS in the eye of the beholder. What I dislike intensely is loved by others.
I guess this debate will boil down to a question about art itself. What is it? How do we know ‘good’ art from bad? Why is a white square inside a white canvas ‘art’? Do we approach art as an intellectual exercise, or do we relate to art in a visceral way?
Honestly, I don’t know the answers to any of those question, but looking at that AI produced image did make me feel strangely…happy.
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November 11th, 2022 at 10:58 am
Robert Williams said, “There’s art that interests you and are that doesn’t, bad art is the providence of snobs.” I agree with him, and this AI work doesn’t interest me. But the art world is vast so I have plenty to enjoy without AI while you can enjoy art made with AI, that’s the beauty of Art, no?
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November 11th, 2022 at 11:31 am
Hah! I really like that saying. Thank you. I’d never heard it before but it’s been my ‘gut feeling’ for decades.
I’m one of those people who needs a visceral reaction to art, or music, in order to be interested. I grew up with classical music so I get a visceral reaction from Beethoven’s 5th or a Chopin Nocture, or the trailer music created by, say, Two Steps From Hell, but I know that much of what I love leaves other people absolutely cold. So…yes, that is the beauty of our creations, no matter what discipline they’re in. 🙂
Thank you for pushing the envelope on this topic a little further. I love discussions like these. 🙂
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November 11th, 2022 at 11:34 am
p.s. just had a look at your site and tried to comment but couldn’t find anyway to do so?
Anyway, I LOVE del Toro’s work and I know of Giger’s work although horror is not really my thing. Odd how there are overlaps even when our tastes are fairly different!
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November 11th, 2022 at 12:08 pm
Not sure why there was no way to comment, but I’ll check into it. Awesome, you like del Toro, too. I find there’s a lot of overlap, too once we get passed labels/genres.
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November 11th, 2022 at 5:10 pm
The Offspring introduced me to del Toro and I was hooked straight away. He’s brilliant. And yes, labels and genres may be a convenient shorthand, but they can also be quite deceptive.
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October 23rd, 2022 at 2:43 pm
Nice
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October 21st, 2022 at 12:11 pm
[…] Is ‘art’ still art if an AI makes it? […]
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October 10th, 2022 at 6:02 am
Interesting – it is the eye and influence of the artist that initiated and directed the art work – “that it was the parameters set by Jason Allen that had created an image of great beauty, so in that sense, Midjourney was simply another tool.” Thanks for the post
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October 10th, 2022 at 4:17 pm
Hi and welcome to my blog. I think we also tend to forget that beauty really is in the ‘eye of the beholder’. 🙂
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October 11th, 2022 at 10:03 am
Yes – agree!!
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October 11th, 2022 at 4:40 pm
High Five! 🙂
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October 7th, 2022 at 7:11 pm
[…] Is ‘art’ still art if an AI makes it? […]
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September 19th, 2022 at 6:09 pm
Art created by AI is still an art cuz it worked according to your instructions. Sometimes artists often lag to express their imaginations on canvas or it didn’t go the way they wanted to.
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September 19th, 2022 at 8:01 pm
Yes. The spark came from a human. The AI was just the tool. 🙂
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September 17th, 2022 at 2:04 am
[…] Is ‘art’ still art if an AI makes it? […]
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September 16th, 2022 at 10:13 am
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September 16th, 2022 at 7:14 pm
LMAO – merci bien, main j’ai pas besoin de votre assistance. Au voir. 🙂
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September 15th, 2022 at 4:36 pm
I came back to tell you, Meeks, that I discussed this picture with my son, Greg. He showed me close ups of the people in the picture and how weird they are when viewed up close. The computer obviously didn’t recognise certain features of a human being like a proper neck. I don’t know if you’ve tried enlarging it, but it is very interesting to do so.
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September 16th, 2022 at 6:50 am
Oh! No, I haven’t looked close up…but I will. Thanks to you both. 😀
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September 16th, 2022 at 6:58 am
Oh! No, I haven’t looked close up…but I will. Thanks to you both. 😀
p.s. just had a look and you’re right, things that look almost ‘normal’ from a distance don’t look at all right close up.
As I was looking, I realised that the odd looking ‘bustle’ in the central figure is actually the front of a female figure with the head and shoulders removed. Bizarre, but it kind of makes sense as the computer would be assembling ‘bits’ to create the suggestion of a whole. The thing that makes the whole thing work is the light source. It binds everything else together.
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September 17th, 2022 at 3:38 am
Hi Meeks, it does work well from a distance, but I do wonder how this detail was missed by the judges. It’s a little creepy, isn’t it?
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September 17th, 2022 at 7:35 am
It is creepy. I suspect the judges assumed it was all covered by the ‘surreal’ label.
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September 14th, 2022 at 4:40 pm
So, apparently the AI works by turning text prompts into images (apologies if you already knew that). Now, how it knows what the text means to generate the correct imagery is way over my head at the moment, but I’m trying to find out. To me that gives Allen even more credit since if you’re typing prompt after prompt to develop a full artwork, that’s certainly very time-consuming and does rely on the creativity of the user. Ok, not the technical skill, and yes, I realise that would absolutely fray the nerves of traditional artists, but as an artist myself (hobby) I see it as a way more advanced type of Procreate.
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September 14th, 2022 at 9:08 pm
I have no idea how it’s done either, Kiki, but there must be some database of images that are linked to specific keywords somehow. Why one image of a ‘type’ is chosen over another, I have no idea.
If you intend to do some experimenting, I’d love to know what you come up with, and how. 🙂
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September 14th, 2022 at 10:48 pm
Sure, I’d be happy to let you know what I find out. I’ve actually signed up to use Midjourney, so I’m off to experiment now.
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September 15th, 2022 at 8:03 am
Oh well done!!!!! I’m looking forward to picking your brains. 😀
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September 14th, 2022 at 12:36 am
What an interesting post and question! On first glance at the title of your post, I was ready to say ‘it’s not art’ or ‘maybe it’s art but the AI must be cited as the artist’, but after reading the full story…let Mr Allen have his flowers. In this situation, I see the AI as another tool. Without Jason Allen’s input, Midjourney presumably wouldn’t have been able to produce this incredible piece of artwork.
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September 14th, 2022 at 6:47 am
Yes! I’ve also been wondering about the images used to meld into the composition. Where do they come from?
Thanks for reading, and commenting. 🙂
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September 14th, 2022 at 12:33 am
As long as you can’t imitate consciousness and feeling I feel we are safe. Machines may become smarter than us but I doubt it that they will feel more than we do. Furthermore , they have difficulty with errors whereas that is essential to human nature.
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September 14th, 2022 at 6:50 am
Well said. 😀 I don’t think AI will ever be able to think or feel the way /we/ do because we are a kind of ‘analogue’ mix whereas it/they can only ever be digital. Worlds apart. 🙂
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