Rediscovering the Roots of Artistic Progress:

Throughout history, artists have led the charge in embracing scientific and technological advancements. Be it the adoption of newly discovered pigments or the pioneering use of optical devices like the camera obscura and lucida, artists have consistently sought inventive methods to produce realistic and captivating masterpieces. In the past, these developments were lauded and adopted by renowned artists.

Before the advent of cameras, the only means of capturing someone’s likeness was through an artist’s rendering. Consequently, artists relied on every available resource to fulfill their clients’ expectations. Far from being hesitant to use technology, artists kept their technological techniques and tools a closely guarded secret, due to the immense power and prestige they held. In contrast, contemporary views on technology in the traditional art world often label any form of technological assistance as “cheating,” clashing with the rich history of artistic ingenuity and exploration.

Groundbreaking Advancements

The camera obscura, an ancestor of modern photography, is an optical instrument dating back to the 13th century. It comprises a dark chamber or enclosure with a tiny aperture on one side, which allows light to enter and project an inverted image of the external scene onto the opposite surface. Although ancient Greek and Chinese philosophers were familiar with the camera obscura’s principle, it wasn’t until the Middle Ages that it found its place as an artistic aid. Artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and, subsequently, Canaletto and Vermeer utilized camera obscura-type devices to produce meticulously detailed and accurate drawings and paintings.

By examining the projected images, artists gained a deeper understanding of perspective, light, and shadow, integrating these elements into their work with exceptional accuracy. The camera obscura not only helped artists hone their techniques but also inspired them to investigate new subjects, laying the groundwork for the realism and naturalism that defined Renaissance art and beyond.

These breakthroughs have significantly contributed to the growth and appreciation of art, fostering a more profound comprehension of the creative process. Far from undermining art, these tools have propelled artists to new heights and inspired continued innovation. Consequently, this has broadened the scope of artistic possibilities and heightened the enjoyment of art for both creators and audiences. Historically, the fusion of technology and art has proven to be a potent alliance that promotes progress and elevates the artistic experience for all.

Da Vinci Eye: Fusing Art and Technology:

Da Vinci Eye is committed to revitalizing the bond between technology and traditional artists. The objective is to integrate advanced tools, such as augmented reality, into the conventional artist’s repertoire. We aim to prove that by harnessing technology, artists can improve their creative processes, broaden their reach, and engage with their mediums in ways never imagined.

For example, the Da Vinci Eye app enables artists to trace images onto any surface using augmented reality, acting as an art projector or modern camera obscura. This feature alone has already aided thousands of artists in refining their skills and realizing their visions. This trailblazing approach builds on the long-standing tradition of artists employing technology to elevate their work while also adapting to the contemporary digital landscape. The idea itself is hundreds of years old, a modern take on a camera lucida, however, the adaptation into a digital form makes it much easier and practical to use for the everyday artist.

Challenging the Criticism: The Role of Technology in Unleashing Artistic Potential

One criticism often encountered by the Da Vinci Eye developers, quite surprisingly, is that the technology makes creating art too easy. It’s a baffling reaction, especially considering that most art teachers dream of hearing such words from their students. While it’s true that the artwork of a complete beginner may have accurate proportions and thus look better with the app, the creativity and the process of creation remain entirely in the hands of the artist. Like a ruler, the app simply serves as a tool to be wielded by an individual who wishes to create art, and the outcome is ultimately determined by the artist’s experience.

Moreover, when new artists start, they often feel disheartened because their initial work doesn’t meet their expectations. By using this app, they have good results and feel inspired to continue creating.

Empowering Creativity: A Visually Impaired Artist’s Inspiring Journey with Augmented Reality

In a conversation with a gifted visually impaired artist who has used the Da Vinci Eye app, an uplifting story was revealed that exemplifies the potential of technology in the hands of a resourceful person, no matter their physical constraints. She mentioned that, despite her visual challenges, her passion for art remained strong, and she constantly sought avenues to express her creative side.

When tested, she discovered the app’s augmented reality feature, along with the magnification options, allowed her to experiment with composition and perspective in ways she had never imagined possible. The tool helped her not only create several pieces she was proud of but also boosted her confidence in her artistic capabilities.

Her experience demonstrates the ability of technology to not just improve an artist’s skills but also to eliminate obstacles, enabling them to explore their creativity in novel and thrilling ways. By harnessing technology, she managed to overcome her limitations and achieve new heights in her artistic career.

Technology as an Enhancement

As technology continues to advance, it’s essential to understand how it can enhance the artistic experience instead of viewing it as a danger to art’s authenticity. By connecting art and technology, we can enable artists to extend their creative limits and present their work globally in unparalleled ways. Art’s future resides in the balance between traditional methods and modern innovation. The Da Vinci Eye is one way of providing a digital art tool that assists artists of all skill levels in honing their abilities while also motivating them to pursue their creative endeavors. As we challenge the stigma surrounding technology’s role in art, it may pave the way for a more inclusive and dynamic artistic landscape.

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Author’s bio

Sam Gherman is the multitalented founder of Da Vinci Eye, the viral AR app company for non-digital artists. With the goal of giving everyone the ability to create incredible artwork, their flagship app has reached #2 top paid app spot in the US, Apple’s Top Paid Apps of 2021, and is currently one of Apple’s Top 100 Graphics and design apps since switching to a freemium model. Sam, a self-taught developer and creative professional by day and part-time magician/mentalist by night, has bootstrapped, designed, developed, and marketed Da Vinci Eye with his partner for the last 7 years.

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Let’s see why technology will save art and what’s important for the success of a contemporary artist.

AI That Creates Art

The very use of AI adds to the mystique of works of art. The use of machine learning often produces unexpected results that cannot be explained and that humans would be unlikely to have thought of. Such art transcends human cultural patterns, so it has the power to surprise. Perhaps this is why Ahmed Elgamal, director of the Art and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Rutgers University, believes that the future lies in human-machine collaboration.

AI has long mediated the creation of art. For example, here’s a tweet created by Neural Machine’s Translation Project, which has been around since 2017:

“The artist’s job is to start the process of restoring rainbows.” (Neural Machine @neural_machine, March 31, 2020)

A special topic is neural network-based services that help anyone create artwork in seconds. In 2016, we saw the rise of the Prisma app, which allows you to transfer the styles of famous artists into photos. And in 2019, the FaceApp app, which everyone remembers for its photo-aging feature, became virally popular.

There are more serious examples. In 2018, the Edmond de Belamy painting, shown above, sold at a Christie’s auction for $432,000 and was created with the help of a neural network. In doing so, the creative team at Obvious, which presented this work to the world, used free code from GitHub.

Therefore, the ability to code (even at a basic level) in combination with out-of-the-box thinking greatly expands the opportunities for creativity. The future is for creative programmers who can develop not only code, but also an original idea.

The Line Between Science and Art

The deeper an artist understands human physiology and psychology, the more interesting effects he can create. The knowledge of neurobiology and technical savvy allows one to create truly amazing projects.

What about visualizing abstract concepts like freedom, power, love, or money by interpreting human brain waves? The Value of Value project, which belongs to the neuro-design genre on the blockchain, allows us not only to see these concepts but also to assign a value to each and then to share the unique 3D models created.

The combination of science and art allows the average viewer to join the comprehension of the mysteries of the universe. For example, the NanoArt21 project uses electron microscopes to create Nano pictures and Nano sculptures from atoms and molecules.

A striking example is the Nano sculpture, created by Romanian scientist and artist Chris Orfescu. He combined graphite micro-and nanoparticles, which are about a hundred thousand times smaller than the thickness of a human hair, and visualized the work with a scanning electron microscope. And, most importantly, he added conceptuality and emotion to the result of his work, which made it possible to turn boring science into art interesting for the masses.

What Qualities Art Important to a Contemporary Artist?

To surprise a typical modern art consumer, there are three most important qualities for an artist:

• A minimum of technical knowledge. In today’s digital world it’s very hard to be without it.
• The ability to think dialectically. It means to discover concepts (not necessarily the opposite) and combine them into something new. It sounds confusing, but it’s actually easy to understand. You can take sound and taste as thesis and antithesis, and then synthesize them in a creative project; which, for example, transforms a person’s brainwaves into music as he tastes different foods. Or you could create a music video or a photo project based on different people’s associations of sounds with food, depending on your skills and imagination.
• Understanding the structure of the world. Surprise is always a consequence of breaking the usual course of things. And to disrupt something, you need a good understanding of the rules — how everything works. For example, knowing popular optical illusions, an artist can create an engaging scenario in VR. And then break the usual course of things, causing cognitive dissonance and showing the vulnerable places of human perception of the world.

In general, the artist of today must become a professional in the field of breaking patterns, knowing a lot about the world order, and touching the edge of the unknowable, an area where there are still no clear answers. Art is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, and the artist is increasingly a programmer, a philosopher, and a scientist.

Author’s bio: Jean Hartley is a professional writer for essay writing service. For 6 years now, she has been helping students learn to write correctly and also assists in preparing for exams.

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IWM (Imperial War Museums) is a family of five museums and historic sites in the UK, covering war and conflict from the First World War to the present day. They strive to tell the story of people who have lived, fought and died in conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth since the First World War. The museum’s unique collections, made up of both the everyday and the exceptional, reveal stories of people, places, ideas and events.

The museum strives to tell vivid personal stories and create powerful physical experiences that reflect the realities of war as both a destructive and creative force. In doing so, they challenge people to see conflict from different perspectives, enriching their understanding of the causes, course and consequences of war.

Culture Under Attack (July 5, 2019 – January 5, 2020), the Imperial War Museum’s newest season of exhibitions, live music, performances and interventions, explores how war threatens not only lives – but culture, too. Comprised of three free exhibitions – What Remains, Art in Exile and Rebel Sounds – the new season spans 100 years and reveals why some try to erase or exploit culture, while others risk everything to protect, celebrate and rebuild it.

When designing Culture Under Attack, IWM’s Head of Design Michael Hoeschen knew that the key to powerful storytelling would be to engage visitors with the past in a contemporary way.

And what better way to do that than with technology. Today’s museums have a plethora of display technology at their disposal that connects to and engages with visitors – all while still tying into the design of the exhibit as a whole.

IWM worked with U.S.-based design engineering firm Oat Foundry to build a custom split flap display, which forms part of the season’s central installation. The split flap display by Oat Foundry is a modern take on the retro departures boards frequently found in 20^th century European travel terminals; it evokes 20^th century nostalgia but is equipped with 21^st century technology.

“Culture Under Attack is centered around memory and the loss of cultural objects,” Hoeschen said. “The split flap display is the ideal centerpiece for this season because it evokes a unique sense of the past in a contemporary way.”

Positioned in the space between the three exhibitions, the split flap display acts as an introduction to the season and poses questions to engage visitors with exhibition content. 

The physical installation addresses questions like, ‘Is it okay to destroy culture in order to win a war?’; ‘‘should historic buildings be protected in conflict zones?’ and ‘should art be saved during war?’ – among many others.

As the message on the board changes, the sound of the individual flaps spinning creates a seductive effect – deeply connecting visitors with the matter at hand.

Aside from the physical split flap, the motif of the display is also being broadcasted digitally within the three exhibitions’ response rooms– designated spaces placed at the end of each exhibition where visitors can ‘agree’ or ‘disagree’ with the proposed questions, creating an entirely new level of engagement. Visitors can also see how their responses compare to others as well, inspiring discussion.

“The installation allows us to ask really hard-hitting questions in a visually engaging way,” Hoeschen concluded, “merging history with 21^st century ideas.”

Credits: Graphic Design – IWM, Graphic Production – Displayways, Format Graphics and Witherbys, Interactive Design – Clay Interactive, Lighting – Luminance Lighting Design

About IWM: IWM (Imperial War Museums) tells the story of people who have lived, fought and died in conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth since the First World War. Our unique collections, made up of the everyday and the exceptional, reveal stories of people, places, ideas and events. Using these, we tell vivid personal stories and create powerful physical experiences across our five museums that reflect the realities of war as both a destructive and creative force. We challenge people to look at conflict from different perspectives, enriching their understanding of the causes, course and consequences of war and its impact on people’s lives.

IWM’s five branches which attract over 2.5 million visitors each year are IWM London, IWM’s flagship branch that recently transformed with new, permanent and free First World War Galleries alongside new displays across the iconic Atrium to mark the Centenary of the First World War; IWM North, housed in an iconic award-winning building designed by Daniel Libeskind; IWM Duxford, a world-renowned aviation museum and Britain’s best preserved wartime airfield; Churchill War Rooms, housed in Churchill’s secret headquarters below Whitehall; and the Second World War cruiser HMS Belfast. More information, visit IWM at https://www.iwm.org.uk/

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By Melissa Hart

This May, artist Andrea Blum wandered through the woods of Marin County collecting plants, insects, and lichen. Then, she headed for Autodesk’s steel-and-glass Pier 9 studio in San Francisco to cook the natural materials into a dye, which she’d later use to color pieces of felt. She cut the felt according to a design she’d made with the company’s 123D Make software and layered the purple, brown, and gold squares between wood that she’d cut and milled in the studio. Finally, she used an Omax water-jet cutter with 55,000 psi of water to cut the layers into circles and cake-like wedges.

“They’re ecosystem-based cake stands—color maps of specific places and ecosystems where I tend to forage for certain foods,” Blum explains of her creation. “[The ecosystem] is very much a part of my philosophy around the table and cooking—that is, ecosystem eating and really knowing where your food comes from.”

Autodesk, a multinational software corporation, inspires Blum, who is also a chef and food entrepreneur, to think beyond hand-crafting objects and to consider using machines to do things she can’t do with her hands. “Machines push your imagination further,” she explains.

Blum is an artist in residence at Autodesk, one of several artists and fabricators who receive a monthly stipend to create side by side with programmers and engineers at the Pier 9 workshop on the San Francisco waterfront. In the past few years, high-tech companies all across Silicon Valley have recognized the creativity and collaboration that emerge when they invite visual artists to use cutting-edge software and machines such as 3-D printers and water-jet cutters.

Vanessa Sigurdson, Autodesk’s Artists in Residence program manager, appreciates the mutual inspiration that occurs when tech meets art. “We’re all about inspiring others to make things and ask questions and share their work,” she says.

INNOVATION AT ALL LEVELS

Autodesk offers four-month residencies to artists and fabricators who want to take advantage of the digital-fabrication workshops with high-tech equipment and cutting-edge software. Some residents arrive with a project in mind, and others explore the tools and then begin creating new work. They meet other artists and staff at company-hosted dinners and take classes on how to use the tools. Once they’ve taken those classes, Sigurdson says, they can get to work. Artists document their process along the way and post photos of their work on the website instructables.com. At the end of their residencies, they present their projects to a crowd of as many as 100 people who pack the Pier 9 office space.

Staff and supporters flocked to see, for example, artist Wei Li’s “Dangerous Popsicle” project. Li created silicone models in Rhino 3-D computer graphics and computer-assisted-design application software; printed them on a Stratasys Objet 3D printer; and then produced frozen desserts in the shape of cacti and viruses, including MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), influenza, and HIV. A video on Vimeo shows grinning participants taking cautious licks of the colorful popsicles in a decidedly celebratory atmosphere.

“The staff is incredibly knowledgeable,” Blum says of her Autodesk cohorts. “There are electrical and mechanical engineers, rocket scientists, all kinds of people. [The company has] one of the biggest and most pristine machine shops in the country—a place in which you can really push your boundaries.”

Employees at Autodesk, in turn, find themselves challenged. By working with artists who use the software and machines in innovative ways, they’re inspired to extend the boundaries of the software they’re developing.

Artist in residence Andreas Bastian came to Autodesk to create work on a metal-laser-printing machine and became one of the company’s 3-D printing research scientists. Bastian is also involved with e-NABLE, an online community that creates low-cost 3-D-printed prosthetics for children. “The residency took him to a place that allowed him to explore what he’s passionate about,” Sigurdson says. “He gets to work on this project that helps a lot of people.”

Blum says that Autodesk employees often come by Pier 9’s commercial test kitchen or the water jet to offer high-fives and to watch her progress on the ecosystem-based cake stands. “People get excited about what I’m doing,” she says. “It’s an amazing creative process.”

Blum is thriving as an artist in Autodesk’s collaborative learning environment, informed by San Francisco’s “maker” culture. (The Maker Faire that occurs each May attracts approximately 65,000 people.) “Innovation happens at all levels,” she says. “It’s not just from the top down. All of us make stuff. It’s fantastic to be in an atmosphere that celebrates those who make things, and then you share your knowledge so that people can take it further.”

CREATIVITY IN CORPORATE CULTURE

Blum discovered Autodesk’s Pier 9 program through an artist she met at another residency—this one through the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, California. Montalvo, which offers five studios and a gallery on 175 acres in the heart of Silicon Valley, offers one- to three-month fellowships to 60 artists a year. Fellows may find themselves working in collaboration with professionals at Sun Microsystems and other local high-tech companies. “They have lots of opportunities to meet people at companies interested in this spark of creativity, and [who are] looking for how to bring it back into their corporate culture,” says Kelly Sicat, director of the Lucas Artists Residency Program at Montalvo.

She mentions new-media artist Daniel Canogar, who worked as a Montalvo fellow and connected with Palo Alto, California, venture capital group The Hive to become part of the group’s think tank. The company is also supporting another fellow who’s doing a residency program with the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute—a nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to exploring and explaining the origin and nature of life in the universe. SETI artists work with scientists to investigate how humans think and communicate. “There are a lot of ways in which artists can become a conduit for information and understanding between tech and science, between the academic sector and your average citizen,” Sicat says.

ART IN THE WORKSPACE

Artist and illustrator Forest Stearns has set his sights on space. He decorates shoebox-sized satellites that Planet Labs in San Francisco releases into orbit. Stearns became the first artist in residence at the company, which is working to create a constellation of Earth-observing satellites that the company hopes will generate imagery that will enable innovative new approaches to agriculture and environmental monitoring.

Stearns met one of the founders of Planet Labs at a venture capital camp. “His satellite was really ugly,” he says. “I asked him if he’d seen the World War II bombers with girls painted on them and said, ‘Let’s paint on your satellite.’”

Instead of pinup girls, Stearns painted black-and-white illustrations of interwoven migratory animals. “There’s an octopus wrapped around the horns of a caribou and a penguin and a bald eagle,” says Stearns. “These satellites … fly around the world and take pictures and look for changes in large organic matter, [and they are] covered in animals that watch and hope that people will make better decisions. I wanted to have the first art show in space to be about respect and responsibility.”

The Planet Labs residency program’s directors look for artists who find inspiration in scientific exploration, artists who—like those in residence at Autodesk—like to collaborate with creators in the technology industry. They’re encouraged to work onsite in a studio space in the company’s office and conduct hands-on workshops. They exhibit their completed work in the Planet Labs office space.

“If you’re a serious company, you have to tap into markets where people are being visually overwhelmed by their devices all the time,” Stearns says about the vitality of art in the workspace. “You’d better be able to resonate on a personal level with your team and make sure your company is more valuable than the app they’re using. Humans are a mark-making species. It’s how we communicate. Art is about creating community and people feeling like they’re valued. When there’s big, beautiful artwork on our walls, it makes everyone feel good.”

CREATIVITY WITH A BUSINESS ANGLE

The staff and artists at Minted believe that art should appear on walls, paper, greeting cards, buttons, and home decor. Differing from traditional resident-artist programs, the company invites designers from around the world to propose artwork and collaborate on products online.

Mariam Naficy is founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based company. She says that inviting outside artists to participate in Minted’s mission offers a fresh, continually evolving perspective on product design. “People never feel threatened when an outsider comes in,” she explains. “The internal creative team likes having someone new to brainstorm with and provide inspiration.”

Typically, artists interested in working with Minted enter a virtual competition to propose their designs. Community members vote, and competition winners earn a virtual store in which they can exhibit and sell their designs. Georgia-based painter and creative stylist Kelli Hall initially channeled her creativity toward stationery and art before transitioning into a deeper relationship with the company.

Minted created a stylist/photographer role for Hall and provided her with the technology and studio space to style photo shoots that display the company’s products. Her work has influenced the internal styling and design staff. “People want to learn from other talented, creative people,” says Naficy. “It’s been very successful and makes us want to extend this opportunity to more artists.”

It’s an opportunity that Hall never expected to have when she graduated with a degree in fine art. “I thought I was destined to atrophy and make stuff and not find a real application for it,” she says. “Then I connected with Minted and started to realize this new platform. It’s reshaped the way that I think of opportunities for artists.”

Last summer, Hall styled a wedding shoot in an art gallery, pulling pieces of fine art into the scene and pairing them with watercolors and marbled papers that she’d made. “I collaborated a lot with creative directors at Minted and worked closely with the people making their products to make sure I was using them in a creative way,” she says.

The ability to bring her creative vision to life has been a unique experience. “It’s a rare thing to have this idea and be able to collaborate creatively from a business angle,” she says. “They give you the tools and resources to pull it off; it’s just amazing.”

NEW IDEAS, PROJECTS & IDENTITIES

Back at Autodesk’s Pier 9 commercial kitchen, Blum stays late into the night working on her ecosystem-based cake stands and growing fabric from bacteria, yeast, and tea. She’s collaborating with a fashion designer from Denmark on a project involving the resulting sienna-colored material festooned with a pattern that looks like cells under a microscope. Her residency at Pier 9, she says, makes her ask questions about her identity, as well as how her work represents who she is.

Blum is currently working on a proposal that would allow her to stay longer at Autodesk. “They’ve really opened me up to new ideas and projects,” she said. “I hope I never have to leave.”

A Sampling of Artist-in-Residence Programs in Silicon Valley

Autodesk Pier 9 Artists in Residence Program
autodesk.com/artist-in-residence/home
Autodesk’s 4-month residency allows artists to work flexible hours at the Pier 9 location in San Francisco and offers a monthly stipend of $1,500.

Facebook Artist in Residence Program
facebook.com/artistinresidence
Artists are offered flexible residencies in various locations with a stipend.

Minted
minted.com
The company solicits artists year-round to submit designs to be sold on the website. Artists receive a portion of each sale and receive a virtual store
in which they can launch and sell their designs.

Montalvo Arts Center Lucas Artists Residency Program
montalvoarts.org/programs/residency
The center offers one- to three-month residencies at Montalvo’s Saratoga, California, location. Artists receive a one-time stipend of $1,500.

Planet Labs Artist in Residency Program
planet.com
Two- to three-month residencies
require artists to work three days
a week in the studio at Planet Labs’ office space in San Francisco. Artists receive a monthly stipend of $1,000.

The SETI Institute’s Artist in Residence Program
seti.org/artist-in-residence The Institute offers two-year terms
with flexible locations. Artists must generate their own funding.

Zero1 Fellowship Program
zero1.org/programs/fellowship
The program offers flexible residencies in various locations with a stipend.

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