Session 5-1: This article is a thread originally posted on Twitter (linked here) summarizing study notes from the Fall 2022 semester of the University of Nicosia’s online course, META-511: NFTs and the Metaverse. Course materials can be found at the UNIC META-511 github account here. The author is not affiliated with University of Nicosia or the META-511 faculty.
1/ Summarizing my notes from session 5-1 of @unicmetaverse META-511 ✍️
In this session @punk6529 provided an overview of Generative Art 🎨: What it looks like in practice, how it is different from previous digital art, and how it represents the current era in which we live.
2/ Generative art did not originate with NFTs & blockchains, but actually dates back to the mid-20th century. Artists used computers to create algorithms that generate visuals based on different inputs.
Early pioneers included individuals such as Michael Noll or Herbert Franke.
3/ While an artist creates the algorithm (or procedure), there is some kind of input from the outside world that introduces an element of randomness to the creation of the art.
This leads to the result where even the artists themselves do not know what will be the output.
4/ Tyler Hobbs coined the term “long form generative art” which refers to a collection where an artist defines the parameters of an algorithm only.
When the art is minted, random variables are applied to the algorithm resulting in a unique generative artwork.
5/ In the past, artists would run their algorithm and select certain pieces which they would then make public.
This is referred to “short form generative art,” and while the variables may be equally random, the final output is much more controlled by the artist.
6/ 6529 believes generative art has met its natural medium in the form of blockchain. Many of NFTs are generative in nature.
Profile pictures (PFPs) are a form of long form generative art where traits are randomly determined from a much larger pool of possibilities.
7/ Blockchains can make provable true statements, which make it possible to cryptographically prove the size of a particular art collection.
This is something that cannot be done with physical objects, and could not be done with digital objects before NFTs.
8/ Anyone can mint a token in a collection, and be part of the generative process by providing variables that shape the output.
6529 believes this collaboration is reflective of the era in which we live, where humans are merging with machines through our digital tools.
9/ As a collector, 6529 ask the following questions;
Are the outputs, the art, visually appealing or interesting? Do they look sufficiently different from each other? Does the algorithm result in a wide spread of surprising output? Does the collection still have cohesion?
10/ Generative art has three levels of “on-chain purity”
Lv 3. Fully onchain. Art can be regenerated from metadata. e.g. Autoglyphs.
Lv 2. Mostly onchain. Off chain elements needed to recreate the art. e.g. Artblocks.
Lv 1. Offchain. Image data housed off-chain (e.g. ipfs)
11/ 6529 believes long form generative art may be a return back to a time of more crafted, personalized, items. First with digital and virtual goods, but then as tech advances, eventually with physical items as well.
Unique creations, like handmade crafts, can become scalable.
12/ Bonus learning: If you want to take a shot at generative art, head over to the QQL.art platform and try out different inputs.
You will be surprised how much difference the pseudo variables make in the output 🤯
13/ That is all for this session! If you missed it live, the replay is available here 👇
https://github.com/UniversityOfNicosia/META511MC-Course-Materials