Portray from primitives | schollz
Computer systems can do many wonderful issues with artwork, particularly with the appearance of neural networks. In 2016, I noticed some computer-generated artwork that impressed me to generate artwork as a human. The artwork I noticed was a rendition of pictures in primitives. Right here’s an instance (For far more, simply follow @primitivepic):
These sorts of pictures have been generated utilizing a pc program that tries to duplicate a photograph by slowly increase primitive shapes (ellipses, rectangles, triangles) of a single colour till finally sufficient completely different shapes and colours converge on the unique picture. This system is on the market without spending a dime at github.com/fogleman/primitive.
I performed round with this program and shortly discovered myself impressed and eager to study acrylic portray to color in that model. I’ve by no means painted in acrylic earlier than (previously I’ve done only watercolor / gouache), however I assumed I may study do higher than this laptop program. So, in September 2016, I sought to develop into an artist utilizing this laptop program because the trainer.
I began out making an attempt to take a photograph and paint primitives. The photograph I selected was of a bison.
I plugged this photograph into this system and generated about 100 pictures that every added a single rectangle onto a base picture. This was my information, and all I needed to do was comply with the portray process from trying on the subsequent picture.
My first portray follows precisely the primitive model utilizing solely rectangles. It stays certainly one of my favorites although it’s fairly novice. I misjudged quite a lot of the colours so all the pieces grew to become rather a lot brighter. I nonetheless wrestle with creating delicate colours at the moment, too.
Transferring in the direction of to realism
I continued portray all through the top of 2016 and now into 2017. I’ve been portray principally animals and plenty of bison for some cause. Considered one of my New 12 months Resolutions was to color each week. I’ve been in a position to try this, principally.
I discovered rather a lot portray each week. I adopted the recommendation of Jessie Doyle and discovered to color what I see as an alternative of making an attempt to color what I believe I see. I took a category with Frank Haddock and discovered about how one can subdue colours (simply think about RGB and take away the present colour and blend the remaining with white to make a subduing model) and how one can use brushes (use filbert for traces).
I grew to become enamored with the wet-on-wet acrylic since you may get blends of colour and strokes. I additionally discovered that the primitives have been too mechanical to get colours and I experimented with one thing extra reasonable.
Again to primitives
Now, on the finish of 2017, I’ve gone again to the utilizing primitives, however with out the restrictions on a specific form of stroke. As a substitute, I concentrate on producing the portray in a couple of specific strokes with a large brush.
There’s something great about rendering the portray in a couple of strokes, in a primitive model. In precept it’s easy – there are only some strokes concerned. Nonetheless in follow it’s complicated – every stroke wants a colour, a place and an orientation. There are lots of combos for these three choices and so they have extensively completely different aesthetic appeals. Abruptly figuring out the following stroke turns into tough and presumably frusturating. Nonetheless, I discover the outcome fairly interesting.
Utilizing the thought of primitives and enhancing upon my capacity to attract and paint, I’m now capable of generate an acrylic portray that’s far more satisfying to me by way of primitives. For the report, I also can paint issues apart from bison, like birds .
You’ve learn to the top of this! Wow. As a bonus, listed below are two portray suggestions that I might share as a nonetheless progressing novice:
- A pleasant trick I’ve discovered is to begin with a crimson canvas as a result of it provides an important boldness to the underlying strokes that you simply don’t get with a white canvas.
- A whole lot of portray is overcoming frustration. Virtually each portray right here grew to become extraordinarily irritating and infuriating to me in some unspecified time in the future, however I used to be all the time capable of work by and finally like and love the outcome.