Author: sxie1@andrew.cmu.edu

Siwei Xie – Looking Outwards – 02

Human dancing motions developed by machine learning and GAN technology.

“Blackberry Winter” is an AI artistic project developed by Christian Mio Loclair. Loclair first trains a computer designer GAN (Generative Adversarial Network) by a curated dataset of visual arts and 120.000 body postures, then GAN uses textures, colors and gradients to create continuous artificial human motions (“dance”).

What inspires me about the project is that, AI is able to synthesize science (how human body coordinates) and arts (creation of elegant movements). Loclair’s creation provides inspiration for choreographers as well as scientists who try to study human motions. To be more effective, the creator can have a larger database of human postures and dancing inspirations, which can help GAN create more sophisticated motions. 

Loclair has started to code and to dance since 1992. His long-time observations on the two worlds motivate his ongoing desire to digitize human actions and to humanize digital procedures, which lead to this beautiful AI project.

A series of dancing motions generated in “Blackberry Winter” project.

Original Source Here.

Siwei Xie-Project-02-Variable Face

variable face

//Siwei Xie
//Section 1-B
//sxie1@andrew.cmu.edu
//Project-02-variable face

var mouthHeight = 60;
var eyeHeight = 40;
var hatAdjustor = 2.5;
var hatColor = (0,0,196);
var eyebrowHeight = 200;
var pupilSize = 16;


function setup() {
    createCanvas(480,640);
    background(220);
    text("p5.js vers 0.9.0 test.", 10, 15);
}

function draw() {

    //re-draw background to avoid "previous hats" when hat moves
    background(220);

    //hair
    fill(0);
    rect(115,120,270,300);

    //clothes
    fill(122,35,76);
    noStroke();
    quad(150, 391, 345, 390, 450, 640,100, 640);

    //face
    fill(232,196,131);
    noStroke();
    ellipse(250,250,250,300);

    //left eye
    fill(3,3,3);
    ellipse(200,250,40,eyeHeight);

    //right eye
    fill(3,3,3);
    ellipse(300,250,40,eyeHeight);

    //nose
    fill(179,149,85);
    triangle(250,260,240,300,260,300);

    //mouth
    fill(208,68,61);
    ellipse(250,345,35,mouthHeight);

    // left pupil
    fill(255)
    noStroke();
    square(195, 245, pupilSize);

    // right pupil
    fill(255)
    noStroke();
    square(295, 245, pupilSize);

    // right earring
    fill(128,194,233);
    arc(370, 300, 60, 60, 15, HALF_PI);

    // left earring
    fill(128,194,233);
    arc(120, 300, 60, 60, 15, HALF_PI);

    //hat
    var hatPosition = width / 2 + hatAdjustor;
    fill(hatColor,0,196);
    ellipse(hatPosition,130,290,125);

    // left eyebrow (new, using curveVertex)
    stroke(0);
    strokeWeight(5);
    point(215, 220);
    point(195, eyebrowHeight);
    point(170, 210);
    point(160, 220);
    strokeWeight(5);

    noFill();
    beginShape();
    curveVertex(215, 220);
    curveVertex(215, 220);
    curveVertex(195, eyebrowHeight);
    curveVertex(170, 210);
    curveVertex(160, 220);
    curveVertex(160, 220);
    endShape();

    //right eyebrow (new, using curveVertex)
    stroke(0);
    strokeWeight(0);
    point(350, 220);
    point(340, 210);
    point(310, eyebrowHeight);
    point(290, 220);
    strokeWeight(5);

    noFill();
    beginShape();
    curveVertex(350, 220);
    curveVertex(350, 220);
    curveVertex(340, 210);
    curveVertex(310, eyebrowHeight);
    curveVertex(290, 220);
    curveVertex(290, 220);
    endShape();

}

function mousePressed() {
    // when the user clicks, these variables are reassigned
    // to random values within specified ranges. For example,
    // 'mouthHeight' gets a random value between 15 and 55.
    mouthHeight = random(15, 60);
    eyeHeight = random(20, 50);
    hatAdjustor = random(-30,30);
    hatColor = random (0,196);
    eyebrowHeight = random (200,220);
    pupilSize = random (8,16);

}

I had fun creating a face which includes emotions such as “surprised”, “angry” and “calm.” The story is that the hat accidentally moves and changes color, which surprises the girl. She then becomes angry, since the hat is very out of place.

Siwei Xie-Project-01-Face

sketch

//Siwei Xie
//Section 1-B
//sxie1@andrew.cmu.edu
//Project-01-self portrait

function setup() {
    createCanvas(500,500);
    background(220);
    text("p5.js vers 0.9.0 test.", 10, 15);
}

function draw() {
	//hair
	fill(0);
	rect(115,120,270,300);

	//clothes
	fill(122,35,76);
	noStroke();
	quad(150, 391, 345, 390, 450, 500,100, 500);

	//face
	fill(232,196,131);
	noStroke();
	ellipse(250,250,250,300);

	//left eye
	fill(3,3,3);
	ellipse(200,250,40,20);

	//right eye
	fill(3,3,3);
	ellipse(300,250,40,20);

	//nose
	fill(179,149,85);
	triangle(250,260,240,300,260,300);

	//mouth
	fill(208,68,61);
	ellipse(250,345,35,15);

	//eyebrow
	stroke(0);
    push();
    strokeWeight(5)
    line(180, 230, 215, 230);
    line(320, 230, 280, 230);
    pop();

	// left eye white
	fill(255)
	noStroke();
	square(195, 245, 8);

	// right eye white
	fill(255)
	noStroke();
	square(295, 245, 8);

	// right earring
	fill(128,194,233);
	arc(370, 300, 60, 60, 15, HALF_PI);

	// left earring
	fill(128,194,233);
	arc(120, 300, 60, 60, 15, HALF_PI);

	//hat
	fill(0,0,196);
	ellipse(250,135,285,125);

	
}

I think my sketch captures my facial features. Although I don’t have an artistic background, it was fun to add accessories such as hat & earrings to my portrait.

Siwei Xie – Looking Outwards – 01

Library Street Collective presents Detroit artist Charles McGee’s “Unity” in mural

Since 2012, Library Street Collective of Detroit is a local organization that brings artworks and murals to downtown areas, where the artworks can engage local audiences publicly. 

What inspires me about the project is that, the founders are able to partner with local museums to share artworks, and attract visitors from traditional museums. Their efforts to increase the accessibility of arts is admirable. To be more effective, the project can host various art-related activities to increase the popularity. For example, artistic competitions, guest artist lectures, class on painting, etc. 

The founders do not come from an artistic background, yet they were inspired when  Detroit Institute of Art’s prized artworks to help the city exit bankruptcy. They related social responsibility with artworks, and reimagine the way residents can be involved with arts (outside the old-fashioned museums, and more than reading descriptions online).

Library Street Collective presents Detroit artist Charles McGee’s “Still Searching” in mural

Original source here.