A few weeks ago I signed up for an online course on abstracting and stylizing painting in watercolor. I watched a free “demo” first where the artist said a few things that I really connected with. I have been a bit bored with my painting practice lately, and this seemed like a good thing to try to help me get out of that slump. The artist giving the course has been painting in a realistic style, like I do, for over 25 years. Although he was successful at it, and sold his pieces at roughly 10 times the price I sell mine, he was getting bored with that way of painting. So he used his knowledge and experience to come up with a fresh way of painting, and this is what he would be sharing in this course. I have done a few abstract pieces in the past, but honestly I am not a big fan. I look at some famous artists’ abstract pieces that have been sold for millions of dollars (notice I didn’t say “are worth”) and I think “what a crock”. So abstract isn’t my “go to” by any stretch of the imagination! But this seemed different. Or maybe I have just reached that point on my artistic path. I signed up for the course and am very happy I did. The artist took us through three different ways of abstracting paintings, giving numerous tips and tricks in each one. One of the three styles I don’t care for much, but the other two I really enjoyed and absolutely love the results! I shared my first attempts on Facebook and many people seem to agree. I still have a ways to go before I can be happy enough with the work to put it up for sale but, for the first time in months, I am excited about painting again! And I see so much potential! Of course, I can’t share all that I learned, but I can give you the highlights. The first type of abstraction I learned is to start by finding a design in an existing image or structure. I won’t tell you all the secrets, but this was a game-changer for me! I can never run out of inspiration, I just need to know how to look for it! The second type that I like is a little bit more difficult, but the results are worth it! In this case, you have to come up with an idea and design of objects that you want to paint. But the way that you actually paint them is not at all realistic and, done right, creates a really dynamic and attractive painting that makes me smile! I just love it, and I hope you will follow me as I hopefully get better at it! I would love to hear your opinion on this new direction!
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It has been almost a year since the following post was first published. Unfortunately, things have not gotten better, and in many areas of the world they have gotten much worse. I thought it would be good to go back and think of all that we still should be grateful for.
I am pretty sure you have heard of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how great strides have been made in the last few years to bring it closer to the decades-long dream of being able to act like a human. There is a lot of controversy about how AI is currently being used, because it isn’t all good. Of course, “good” is very subjective, but I am pretty sure everyone would agree that some tasks or domains that AI is being applied to are not good. And some are, of course. Take Art. Is it a good thing that AI is now able to create “Art” on demand? Some would say yes, and others would say no. Depends on your perspective. Like everything else, really. I, for one, am not thrilled to know that anyone, with no need for talent, and needing only a little time and even less effort, could generate a made-to-order “painting” they could hang on their wall instead of one of mine! However, I can see how using an AI generator could allow an artist to quickly visualize an idea for a painting, which they could then create physically with brushes and paints. Basically, help with the “study” part of creating a painting. But today, I am talking to you about another area where AI is getting a lot of press recently: writing text with ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer). You have probably heard the very legitimate fears that academia has voiced about how ChatGPT will make cheating easier. Cheating (plagiarism) is already a very serious problem, but until now it was relatively easy to spot and prove. A quick search of an unusually good sentence or even group of words would usually quickly locate the text that was plagiarized, giving the teacher the proof needed to accuse the student. But with ChatGPT, the text is generated for each request and no record of it is kept, making it impossible to search for it later. openAI, the company that created ChatGPT, has said it would address the problem, but let’s just say I am glad I am no longer teaching! But all this talk has made me curious. And although I enjoy writing, I figured I would like to try this thing out and see what it can do for me. One of the hardest things to write for most artists is their “Artist Statement”. This is often required when applying for a show or a competition, and is notorious for being vague and unintelligible by non-artists. I am sure some artists don’t mind being vague and unintelligible, but I do. So I thought this would be the perfect test for the abilities of AI. Below you will find my word-for-word “conversation” with ChatGPT. The only changes are that I added “ME” and “CHATGPT” to identify who was “talking”. The whole conversation took less than 10 minutes, and the last exchange was added hours after the rest. ------ ME: Can you help me write my artist statement? CHATGPT: Of course! To get started, can you tell me a bit about your art and what you want your statement to convey? This will help me tailor my response to your specific needs. ME: My art is realistic and i want my statement to convey that I am a no nonsense person, I don't like vague artsy text that is not easy to understand CHATGPT: Sure! Here's a draft of your artist statement: "I create realistic paintings and drawings that aim to capture the beauty and intricacy of the world around us. My work is inspired by the people, landscapes, and objects I see in my everyday life, and I strive to represent them with accuracy and detail. I believe that art should be accessible to everyone, and that's why I avoid using vague or abstract language in my work. Instead, I prefer to let the art speak for itself, letting the viewer connect with the piece on their own terms." ME: that's pretty good CHATGPT: I'm glad you like it! Is there anything you'd like to add or change in the statement? I'm here to help make it perfect for you. ME: I don't like the last sentence CHATGPT: No problem! How about this revised statement: "I create realistic paintings and drawings that aim to capture the beauty and intricacy of the world around us. My work is inspired by the people, landscapes, and objects I see in my everyday life, and I strive to represent them with accuracy and detail. I believe in the power of art to evoke emotions and spark imagination, and I hope that my work will resonate with viewers and allow them to see the world in a new light." ME: Much better. Can you translate that in French? CHATGPT: Certainly! Here's a French translation of your revised artist statement: "Je crée des peintures et des dessins réalistes qui visent à capturer la beauté et l'intrication du monde qui nous entoure. Mon travail est inspiré par les gens, les paysages et les objets que je vois dans ma vie quotidienne, et je m'efforce de les représenter avec précision et détail. Je crois en la puissance de l'art pour évoquer des émotions et susciter l'imagination, et j'espère que mon travail résonnera avec les spectateurs et leur permettra de voir le monde sous un nouveau jour." ME: intrication? CHATGPT: My apologies, the correct word in French is "complexité." Here's the corrected translation: "Je crée des peintures et des dessins réalistes qui visent à capturer la beauté et la complexité du monde qui nous entoure. Mon travail est inspiré par les gens, les paysages et les objets que je vois dans ma vie quotidienne, et je m'efforce de les représenter avec précision et détail. Je crois en la puissance de l'art pour évoquer des émotions et susciter l'imagination, et j'espère que mon travail résonnera avec les spectateurs et leur permettra de voir le monde sous un nouveau jour." ME: Thank you. That's pretty good! Can you now give me a flowery one just for fun? In English is fine CHATGPT: Sure thing! Here's a flowery version of your artist statement: "As I delve into the realm of realism, I am awestruck by the endless intricacies and nuances of the world that surrounds us. My paintings and drawings are but mere whispers of the magnificence I witness each day, yet they embody my soul's fervent desire to encapsulate the beauty that surrounds me. Each stroke of the brush, each line I draw, is a celebration of life itself, a tribute to the raw, unfiltered essence of reality. I hope that my art will transport you to a place of wonder, where the realm of possibility is as vast as the imagination, and where the simple grace of everyday life is forever elevated." ME: You're good!! How about an artsy version CHATGPT: Here's an artsy version of your artist statement: "My work delves into the ethereal realm of realism, where the mundane transforms into the sublime. I seek to unravel the secrets of the world, to shed light on the obscure and celebrate the overlooked. Through each stroke of my brush, I weave a tapestry of light and shadow, a symphony of form and texture. My paintings and drawings are not mere representations of reality, but rather a reflection of my own subjective experience of it. I invite you to join me on this journey of discovery, where the boundaries of what is real and what is imagined blur, and where the simple beauty of life takes center stage." ME: Sublime! CHATGPT: I'm glad you like it! If there's anything else I can help with, just let me know. (later) ME: I forgot to tell you that I work mostly in watercolor and printmaking. Can you work that into my plain artist statement (not the flowery or artsy ones)? CHATGPT: Of course! Here's a revised version of your plain artist statement that includes your focus on watercolor and printmaking: "I create realistic paintings and prints that aim to capture the beauty and intricacy of the world around us. My work is inspired by the people, landscapes, and objects I see in my everyday life, and I strive to represent them with accuracy and detail. My medium of choice is watercolor, as its fluidity allows me to capture the fleeting moments of life, while printmaking techniques such as etching and linocut offer me a unique way to explore the textures and patterns of my subjects. I believe in the power of art to evoke emotions and spark imagination, and I hope that my work will resonate with viewers and allow them to see the world in a new light." ------------ So, what do you think? I was pretty impressed with the whole experience and I can see why people would want to use it! I may not use the text as is, but it’s a great starting point, and is certainly better than what I would have taken a whole day to write myself! This week I repost a blog about commission work. Since that blog was written in 2021, I have done quite a few more commissions and these have been added to my website. It also turns out I wrote another blog about commissions later in 2021, but this one is more about the steps and stress involved in doing an actual commission. I hope you enjoy them!
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AuthorMy name is Claire Bureau. Archives
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