Author: Emily

Emily Zhou –– Variable Face

sketch

// face
var faceWidth = 225;
var faceHeight = 225;

var skin1 = 255;
var skin2 = 220;
var skin3 = 175;
// eyes
var eyeSize = 50;

var color1 = 0;
var color2 = 0;
var color3 = 0;

var pupilSize = 30;
//nose
var noseW = 30;
var noseH = 20;
// mouth (2)
// ver. semi-circle
var mouthW = 70;
var mouthH = 40;
// ver. circle
var mouth2d = 50;
// choice
var mouthChoice = 0;
// hat
var hat1 = 170;
var hat2 = 90;
var hat3 = 255;

var hatX1 = 275;
var hatY3 = 55;
 
function setup() {
    createCanvas(640, 480);
}
 
function draw() {
    background(0);
    // skin
    fill(skin1, skin2, skin3)
    // face
    noStroke();
    ellipse(width / 2, height / 2, faceWidth,  faceHeight);
    // eyeballs
    var eyeLX = width / 2 - faceWidth * 0.25;
    var eyeRX = width / 2 + faceWidth * 0.25;
    fill(255);
    ellipse(eyeLX, height / 2, eyeSize, eyeSize);
    fill(255);
    ellipse(eyeRX, height / 2, eyeSize, eyeSize);
    // pupils
    fill(color1, color2, color3);
    ellipse(eyeLX, height / 2, pupilSize, pupilSize);
    ellipse(eyeRX, height / 2, pupilSize, pupilSize);
    // mouth (2)
    var mouthX = width / 2;
    var mouthY = height / 2 + faceHeight * 0.25;
    // ver. semi-circle
    if (mouthChoice == 0) {
        fill(250, 140, 140);
        noStroke();
        arc(mouthX, mouthY, mouthW, mouthH, TWO_PI, PI, CHORD);
    }
    // ver. circle
    else if (mouthChoice == 1) {
        fill(250, 140, 140);
        ellipse(mouthX, mouthY, mouth2d, mouth2d);
    }
    //nose
    var noseY = mouthY - mouthH / 2 - 20;
    fill(color1, color2, color3);
    ellipse(width / 2, noseY, noseW, noseH);
    // hat
    var hatX2 = width - hatX1;
    var hatX3 = (hatX1 + hatX2) / 2;
    var hatY = height / 2 - faceHeight / 2 + 15;
    fill(hat1, hat2, hat3);
    triangle(hatX1, hatY, hatX2, hatY, hatX3, hatY3);
}
 
function mousePressed() {
    // face
    faceWidth = random(150, 250);
    faceHeight = random(150, 250);
    skin1 = random(0, 255);
    skin2 = random(0, 255);
    skin3 = random(0, 255);
    // eyes
    eyeSize = random(25, 55);
    pupilSize = random(15, eyeSize - 10);
    color1 = random(0, 255);
    color2 = random(0, 255);
    color3 = random(0, 255);
    // nose
    noseW = random(30, 70);
    noseH = random(30, 70);
    // mouth (2)
    // ver. semi-circle
    mouthW = random(10, faceWidth - 80);
    mouthH = random(10, faceHeight * 1/4);
    // ver. circle
    mouth2d = random(30, faceHeight * 1/3);
    // choice
    mouthChoice = Math.floor(random(0, 1) * 2);
    // hat
    hat1 = random(0, 255);
    hat2 = random(0, 255);
    hat3 = random(0, 255);
    hatX1 = random(275, 300);
    hatY3 = random(45, 75);
}

It took me a while to figure out, but I found the way to randomize a range of colours using the 3 RGB values. I used this tactic in the skin, eyes, and hat to generate a ton of faces that all look very distinct. I added the party hat at the end because the face seemed too naked.

Emily Zhou – Looking Outwards – 02

London-based artist, Quayola, uses image-analysis and manipulation algorithms to generate digital landscapes in a project titled Pleasant Places.


Pleasant Places, Quayola, 2015

I am a big fan of the irony that is present in this work. The artist uses a computer program, a far cry from the natural world, to construct pleasant, organic works of art. I admire the contrast against the popular belief that only nature itself can produce feelings of comfort and tranquility.

The algorithm requires an input video (e.g. trees swaying in the wind), which it then relates by analyzing patterns of movement and colour. The result is a painting-like scenery. The shot-breakdown is demonstrated below:

Artistic sensibilities come into play in developing the algorithm. The artist performs computational brush studies as well as generative painting simulations in order to create a digital synthesis that can be applied to natural landscapes. The work exhibited as an audiovisual installation will hopefully inspire more people to consider computer technology as a means of art-making.

Emily Zhou –– Self Portrait

I started with the key features of the head and body. Then I played with different colours and added a party hat.

emily-face

function setup() {
	// background
    createCanvas(600, 600);
    background(175, 220, 212);
}

function draw() {
	// hair
	fill(51, 29, 7);
	noStroke();
	rect(90, 118, 466, 740, 233, 233);
	// body
	fill(255);
	noStroke();
	ellipse(325, 645, 243, 374);
	// head
	fill(253, 198, 137);
	noStroke();
	ellipse(324, 356, 360, 360);
	// left ear
	fill(253, 198, 137);
	noStroke();
	ellipse(144, 387, 67, 67);
	// right ear
	fill(253, 198, 137);
	noStroke();
	ellipse(502, 355, 61, 61);
	// left eye
	fill(255);
	noStroke();
	ellipse(224, 349, 80, 80);
	// right eye
	fill(255);
	noStroke();
	ellipse(439, 332, 72, 72);
	// left pupil
	fill(0);
	noStroke();
	ellipse(224, 349, 59, 59);
	// right pupil
	fill(0);
	noStroke();
	ellipse(439, 332, 52, 52);
	// mouth
	fill(250, 139, 139);
	noStroke();
	arc(330, 420, 80, 80, 0, PI + QUARTER_PI, CHORD);
	// hat
	fill(240, 110, 170);
	noStroke();
	triangle(261, 149, 304, 26, 363, 142);
}

Emily Zhou – Looking Outwards – 01

For the first time, an artwork produced by an AI is set to go on auction (this coming October).

“Portrait of Edmond de Belamy” 70 x 70 cm print on canvas

A Paris-based art collective called Obvious developed the AI as a GAN, a generative adversarial network. The group is a collective of artists and AI researchers with three leads at its core. The project creators were inspired by portraits from the 14th-20th century. The team fed the AI 15,000 paintings, to which it applied generative and discriminative components to the data set in order to produce the final work.

I admire the competence of this program to hold its own in the creative world. I am fascinated by the AIs ability to evaluate and produce art without emotion; as humans we heavily attribute art to emotion. I would like to see the group turn their attention to other styles of art in future development. I am certain that AI technology will continue to develop into creative fields as traditional standards are turned upside down.