At the crack of dawn, you find yourself engrossed in this blog post, because you want to directly capture the surprising creative signals erupting from the midst of the digital art transformation.
Tantalizing possibilities are unfolding for artists, like yourself, from this explosive realm of new AI tools and web3 marketplaces. You are beckoned to explore.
But hold on, a moment of contemplation ensues. Does this "you" refer to you as the reader, or could it be Joshyzen, the artist? Ah, yes, it's unequivocally you, the reader—you in all your multifaceted curiosity. Although, if you happen to be Joshyzen, the reader, then it's unquestionably you, Joshyzen.
We are on this journey together.
This blog serves you, akin to Joshyzen—artists who harbor an insatiable inquisitiveness about fellow creatives, their artistic processes, and the habitual landscapes in which they thrive. And it's for you too, if you belong to the tribe of the "creative curious."
Your unwavering focus lies in the joy that work begets— the inevitable satisfaction that ensues from the effort. The mere act of creation takes precedence over the commercial realm. For it is through the act of crafting that the true gifts manifest.
Put aside the need for validation, it doesn’t matter how far you've ascended the ladder of success. No social signal needs to be made. Let your art resonate as the signal itself. Others will endeavor to decipher and evaluate the worth of your output. Can you ignore their judgments? Take a breath—deep and soulful—and release it in a heartfelt sigh. Redirect your gaze toward the crucible of your artistic practice.
It’s here, you can feel the rhythm pulsating within. We are here together, united in our pursuit of the groove.
What is the Future Human Art groove?
You are redefining the very essence of artistic creation. You could say it’s revolutionary. You are at the precipice of a transformative era. The once-defined boundaries that confined artists and creative professionals are now disintegrating.
You think for a moment, is humankind forsaking hard-earned skills by setting aside the brushes and turning to the keyboard? Yes, the shift is palpable.
New tools change the creative endeavor. It’s akin to motion. Some may like walking while others are exhilarated behind the wheel on a fast-paced highway. Walking has a timeless charm, but you always enjoy the thrill of superhighways.
Fuck it, you start using the AI creative tools that are at hand. You might lose your status as an artist. They’ll call you “a prompter.”
Lynn Goldsmith, a famed photographer, took the Andy Warhol Foundation to court over Warhol's silk-screen prints that drew from her original photographs of Prince, the Purple Rainmaker. Goldsmith argued that Warhol's prints didn't quite tap dance into "fair use" territory in copyright law. The Supreme Court agreed.
You create this artwork with AI to make a point. This is an original, made from blending a Warhol image of Prince, made from a photograph by Lynn Goldsmith, and text prompts “Justice Sotomayor.” It’s your own original. You post the image to LinkedIn. The ensuing snarl breaks out in your feed:
Storyboard artist: That’s not art. You’re not actually creating anything. You asked a program to make something and it did just that. Prompters like you are trying to make a quick buck off other people’s art.
Lawyer: A common misconception is that there is a copy of the image in the training data. There is no image in there.
Professor: This "we must protect the artists" nonsense is a natural response, but incredibly misguided. The attempt to stifle AI training will torpedo the arts because it will prevent artists from creating works inspired by other artists, which they have always done.
CTO: There is no way artists survive the onslaught of new AI tools. A new generation of artists will be pure coding. Now is the time to gear up.
Putting all of this to the side, in your calmness of thought, you think, “Regardless of how the art is made, sitting with good art can slow you down, so you can spend some time with yourself, and notice your thoughts.”
Take this generative work from Various Books for example. The generative titles are poetic, they are profound, they are nonsense. You see patterns, but can’t stop looking for another tickle of unexpected delight.
Various Books, generative art by Various Books
Never forget, digital art Collectors will peruse, creating their own experiences within. Some will think, “I like this.” Many arrive at the conviction with abandon “I’m buying this!”*
Keep making great work.
“I want to be the president!” - Joshyzen, age 8
Joshyzen, artistic alias created by writer/artist Josh Race, grants permission to all creative self-expression, with no worry about what adults will think.
*Financial advice pun not intended