Surreal-ly into a Deep Dream

This was an accidental selfie. I was in my favourite spot for the afternoon light beside TheWindow. I stopped to finish my coffee, right in the shadow of the door frame, and didn't realize I set off the self-timer on my camera from my phone. The actual photo was lame but I decided to try it out in Google Deep Dream Generator, using a "modern art" style pattern.

I think the results are somewhere avant garde 1920ish.

PhotoProject :: My #HandDrawnPhoto approach to #AIart

The success of the Belemy portrait auction, has encouraged me to compare Obvious’s DAG approach to my use of Google Deep Dream algorithm. Deep dream uses a convolutional (foreword chaining) neural network to find and/or enhance patterns in an image. This can be applied in two ways Style & Inception (google’s terms). The inception process tries to find the characteristics of a given object/pattern within a photo and tends to produce surreal images. Style on the other hand  seeks to put characteristic patterns back into a photo based on features the trained neural network has recognized. This is the technique I have become very interested in as a way to put my characteristic marks (and sometimes colours) back into a photo. Hence the name Hand Drawn Photos for my approach. The method does have superficial similarities to Onvious’s DAG Approach.

Here I am using my sketch for inktober as the image to be processed and a photo of the same trees as my training image used to build the neural network (AI). The Photo here is acting like the discriminator in Obvious’s approach. The result (below) is tonally similar to the photo and kind of a messy squiggly version of something I might sketch.  But…

In this, my preferred approach, I am using the photo as the image to be modified and my sketch as the image to train the neural network and letting the system modify the photo to “find” my characteristic mark making (aka style) and modify the photo. In this case I am taking the colours from the photograph, but that is not essential.

I feel this second result is much cleaner and fresher, closer to something creative and artistic, Although I am strongly guiding the outcome by using my own sketches (as opposed to an automated algorithm). So the big question is “Do you consider this #HandDrawnPhoto to be legitimate AI art? I’m warming to answering yes.

If you are interested here is the link to my profile and public images on Google Deep Dream website. (Its free to join and use)

Love to hear your views,  please leave your comments here.

Back to experiments in HandDrawnPhotography

I’ve been sketching at the beach and also took a photo (or two) so it is a good time get back into the Hand drawn photo project. which is an elaborate way to say I’m merging my sketching with a digital photo. In this examples I’m using google deep dream generator  (in Deep Style Mode) and using my hand drawn sketch a the training image. I’m using the mark making style from the sketch but trying to maintain the colour from my photo.

 

Making Softer more Intelligent Filters

I have a long (aka deep) interest in the application of AI (artificially intelligent) techniques going back to the 1970s, it even survived the so called “AI Winter” of the late 90’s and 2000’s. It no surprise that I have been interested in the fairly recent Deep Dream applications to recognise style and transfer it to photographs. I have even, although slowly, warmed to “filters” that perform the magic of image enhancement (a lot of the early auto-fix buttons where and still are only half baked)

Trying to keep abreast of developments (and there a lot and they are fast), I noticed a very interesting presentation by Michaël Gharbi, a MIT researcher and also a keen photographer, at this years SIGGRAPH conference.

With this or similar apps I think you can expect smartphone technology to rival current expensive SLRs within the next couple of phone generations. However I think an intelligent camera just got a lot closer and  Michael has also been working on that also.

Deeper into Disappointment with Google

Over the years google has bought onto the internet a number of great software tools. I have and still use many of them, Blogger, picasa, gmail, My Tracks, Google Earth, Maps, Google Drive (Google Docs, Slides & Sheets), Nik Software, Snapseed). I’ve gone right off google photos (but still put up with it to publish photos into this blog). A number of these have been depricated and whilst they still work google no longer offers downloads, or alternative software and/or no support. The one thing they have been good with to date is giving warning and letting you download any personal data.

I have taken I liking to the idea of exploring that place between art and a photograph, in particular what I have been Hashtagging #AIart (on Instagram). Google created the Deep Dream generator originally as a way to explain how their image analysis technique worked. It is based on training neural networks (a type of artificially intelligent data miners). As well as recognizing objects, animals, people & things the networks can also be used to seek out style (ok in a rudimentary way, it can mimic marks making, line works, colour palette and several other features that make artworks original. The software does not create original art but it can take a photo and find that style of linework & colour etc within a photos. Some of the result are amazing. Unfortunately more and more examples that I see produced by other  “copy cat” system are degenerating into the garish and boring, as they become very popular of social media.

Clearly google are looking to muscle in of the social media aspect and they have add a multilevel aspect to site membership (its free) and that is tied to number of public post and more importantly number of likes. A different levels you can only generate a specific number of a specific type/style of image with a set time frame.  So It only took me a couple of images to reach my limit with a polite come back and try again later. The type of thing that just plain kills exploration and creativity. The writing is on the wall google this is going to become a ghost town like google+

The one nice thing, is the UI (user interface has been smarted up a bit with better layout of selection buttons and other tools. Nothing new just a little bit cleaner to look at.

One new feature, that I have asked for a few times, is better documentation of what was set up  to produce each result. It seems quiet common that most people (especially those new to deep dream) blanket bomb one image with many alternative networks/styles, and after doing several and waiting a decent time for each it is difficult to remember how you created a particular masterpiece. The ? Intro item now gives you a run down although it has only remembered a few of my style images.

Perhaps its another case of needing more likes?

No matter, such is life.

So Why am I complaining, the software tools are free?

Tell him he’s dreaming

This was one of those good ideas at the time that took much more effort than I anticipated. I’m going to blame google for changing its deep dream geneator, It just took a long time to do something I concieved in a flash. That was to redo my week of photos as abstract deep dreams

Plein-air onto tablet and some pleasing #AIart

Yesterday I bit the bullet and tried out drawing my daily sketch directly on my HP spectre in Tablet mode, using the HP pen. There is a massive disincentive to working with the tablet, in fact anything with an LCD screen, in the outdoors, the screen is quite reflective and fine detail (and specifically small icons and text in the likes of Corel Painter are almost impossible to read) so sketching soon becomes a frustrating squinting, dabbing, missing, and confusion resulting in random lines all over the place. Thus I figured I’d start with a simple application, and the free version of Wacom’s Bamboo Paper fits the bill perfectly. There are hardly any on-screen control’s and they are big anyway. Further updates to the Microsoft ink workspace (that seemed to arrive in the Creator update to Windows 10) have improved the response of my pen and added a couple of levels of pressure sensitivity. There are only a pencil and highlighter style marker pen, with three width options in the free version of the bamboo paper app but that seems plenty to start with. Its also very natural to use. There is a colour change/select feature but accurately choosing colours in the glare didn’t appeal so I tended to pick the stronger colours and not worry too much..

I found a good spot, got out the tablet, shaded the screen with my body and made a start, timidly at first but I got brave and sketched lines and coloured over them with the highlight marker brush then back for more lines. Suddenly about 20minutes had slipped by and what I had done looked ok. I moved under the shade of a nearby tree and it looked better, ok better for my first outdoor attempt. It was after all just a field sketch (see above).

Today I stitched together 3 photos I took of table rock from the same vantage point and thought I should try improving the colouring (and tone of my sketch). It didn’t take long to realize this would be a perfect little test for the Neural Style feature of google deep dream generator. What I tried out was to use my bamboo paper sketch as the neural training image to filter my photographic panorama BUT to borrow the colour scheme from my photo rather than the sketch. In other words adopt the line work and flat highlighter style shading.from my sketch but stay close to the photographic colours (and tone). I must say I was impressed. I’m not sure how to take this AIart (Artificially Intelligent art) further but it does produce something with the sense of my touch and the way the place felt, something excitingly worthwhile.

Resurrecting the #DailySketch

Whilst my attempt to create a daily sketch (on Tumblr) quickly dwindled. It doesn’t mean I wasn’t sketching. It was just erratic and on different media. The disappointment of not being able to sketch directly onto my tablet and the new drawing board has inspired me to get back to the routine. Not wanting to be too slack I’ve decided to move the action into Instagram and sketch the same item three ways (or two ways with a deep dream filter of the same subject). I think I can manage a months worth.

Lets see how I go.

#AIart Shoot Out

I was certainly an early follower of the developments in the deep dream style art filters, which use neural networks to recognize and amplify aspects of any photographic images. I must admit I like the potential of the forward seeking neural networks that can replicate line work and other mark making characteristics of the training image. I  chose to this called Deep Dream Style, and starting giving such creations the  hashtag #AIart (which seems to have caught on on Instagram). My prediction that these might become over used Art Filters is probably also an astute observation, there is certainly a plethora of such apps. Fortunately most are based around famous artist and great art, Even Adobe is joining the crowd offering researching a AI style filter that can “copy” the look from another photo. I still think these filters can be used creatively rather than as “look at me” plagiarism so obvious in social media today.

This photo was just an experiment, the first photo I took with my new HTC U Play mobile phone. I was trying out the AutoHDR feature and it handled the difficult strong lights and shadows well. Its just afternoon tea, aka Coffee & fresh figs. It is an interesting enough composition so I thought I would try the image across a variety of current #AIart tools (google deep dream style, on computer, Dremscopeapp & Prisma on phone)

Which rendering do you like best?

Sketching Kit One (Canon Camera Bag)

I’m experimenting with what is the minimum amount of sketching gear I need. Specifically what can fit in my camera bag along with mu normal camera gear, The first kit consists of an A7 sketch book and the very compact little Cotman’s Sketchers’ Pocket Box produced by Windsor & Newton, a water brush, a soft pencil, a dagger brush and a jell ink pen. I also hand carry an A5 general purpose sketch book (shown below)which slots nicely into a pocket on my new beach chair.
The original benefit of the water brush is it has its own reservoir for water, so I don’t need to carry a wash jar and water. However the water brush is really cool you can easily control how much water is required by squeezing on the barrel. I did find a need somewhere to blot off the pigment when I want to change colours, the back of my wrist was fine at first but I think I’ll start putting a little folder kitchen paper in the sketch box in future. The little A7 sketch book is really only good for simple sketches particularly a quick composition or notan sketch.
The watercolour is in half pan size and the colours really intense but the dilute down to wonderful translucent washes. I have already added a turquoise, in place of Chinese white, but I find the two greens (viridian and hookers green in the set a bit intense, and might swap one out for a mauve, indigo or even payne’s grey. Time will tell. This is a really wonderful little set and fits snuggly in the front of the standard canon camera bag.
Final I also have my camera, may canon camera is my designated beach camera at the moment, so I can always take a few photos as reference.

I Like my watercolour wash sketch a lot even though I didn’t get time to let it dry enough to finish off on the beach. I then remembered having some good results using my compositional sketch as the training style with google deep dream generator and dreamscope app so I put a few other photo/sketches through the style filter. The results are pretty amazing.

Beautiful Evening Light

Went for a walk in Jells Park, to the Oaks Picnic Ground and the night was warm and balmy but the light wonderful. I made a few HDR bracketed sets but I like this one the best.

It translated into a wonderful google deep dream style interpretation as well.

Have a Happy & Prosperous New Year

 

— oz_endless_summer (@OzEndlessSummer) December 31, 2016

My #endlesssummer adventure start tomorrow, you can also follow be on that as @OzEndlessSummer on twitter and/or @oz_endless_summer on instagram

Death By Update (again)

My joy at having my little HP Spectre home again was very short lived. Last Friday Window’s 10 updated itself and progressively lapsed into the same crashing, hanging and blue screen of death restart symptoms as before until today it can no longer finds its own boot sector, so back to the store again today.

AI with an eye for ART

I have been experimenting with some of the new rendering tools that are using the deep dream approach. Whilst a lot of them are now being marketed as “one click filters that make your photos into art” (particularly the phone app versions) And I don’t care much for them. The technology still strikes me as an amazing opportunity to  bring extra creativity into the space between digital art (aka painting with a computer) and photography.

The Classic Deep Dream Inception (shown above) was interesting but alittle over the top for what I was after. So I went on to prepare two more Deep Style Images firstly with Googles’s Deep Style and then with Dreamscope, using Some of Monet’s Water Reflection Paintings as training images.

I then took these two images and the original photo, using them as blended layers to superimpose a painted lake below the photographed water lilies.

ArtInspired :: More Update Stress

My computers are finally all getting the anniversary update to windows 10 and it is not going well. All have had to special shut downs and updates. Even this brand new HP Spectre PC has progressively become very flaky when I put it to sleep. It then had to go through the blue screen of “almost” death and then load up the Automatic Repair dialogue, also a blue screen. So far I have just done the restart but I’m very close to doing a totally clean reset. So instead of panicking I created a deep dream style image using lucid on my android phone to express my frustration of waiting for the next crash.

And guess what, I haven’t seen the crash since.