The Rise Of Digital Art
“Creativity is intelligence having fun”
- Albert Einstein
The forefather of digital art, Harold Cohen, lived for the future. In the 1980s he created a programme exclusively for art. It was deemed a revolutionary step forward in artificial intelligence. You may be shocked by what this invention was... It was a robot called AARON, which started out as a small, simple machine that had wheels and a pencil. From here it took Harold 20 years to teach AARON how to draw to his standard by refining the programme and making AARON more advanced.
During their time together, Harold and the A.I. created masterpieces for some impressive establishments, like the Tate Gallery and the Buhl Science Center. Although AARON was a source of intrigue, others would question this creation. Is art created by an A.I. even art? Some would say yes because art is expression, no matter what medium you use. Others would say no, because a robot has no experience or skill besides what is being inputted into the programme.
What do you think? Can artificial intelligence be considered creative?
This is a controversial topic that is still being discussed today. AI-made art has become increasingly popular in recent years. Many content creators use a programme similar to what Harold created. Earlier this year, an artist called Jason M. Allen won a prize for his computer-generated artwork. This caused a stir among many artists and fans because they believe that typing a few words into a programme is not art. The artist in question claimed he had not broken any rules as he was open and upfront about his use of A.I.
A.I.-generated art is one of the many types of digital art that has become popular. Drawing software and tablets have become a common tool for beginners and professionals alike, as they claim it makes things easier and faster. For example do you suffer from chronic wonky eyes when drawing? If you’re one of those looking to improve their anatomical knowledge, most programmes include a grid. This acts as an automatic guide that can teach you to put everything where it belongs. This is just one of the many features you could try out.
Favourite drawing software includes Procreate, Krita, Adobe Photoshop and Clip Art Studio. Which all vary in price and what you can do with them. It can seem daunting deciding which software to choose as each one has its own features, brushes and stylish effects. Like any art medium, you should be aware of cost vs quality and I’m pleased to say that you can get started creating on most computers or even your mobile device. Make sure to take your time to research but the results are well worth it if you want to give it a go.
At the end of the day, art is art, no matter how you choose to express it. We all have our preferences when it comes to what mediums we use. Even if A.I.-generated art isn’t your cup of tea, it can still be an interesting source of inspiration. The beauty of art is its diversity, so I see this as another bristle to add to art’s brush.
