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I love art like this, but does it require any special skill? Color data for each bubble can be generated using a python script. Palette can also be generated c

I love art like this, but does it require any special skill? Color data for each bubble can be generated using a python script. Palette can also be generated computationally. I am not diminishing the artists work or effort, but in the future, will art be prized for skill and novelty? Or will it be dismissed as "anyone can do that" ?

ricc 6y ago
Art is not about skill anymore in the (post-)modern world.
- Cthulhu_ 6y ago
  Was it ever? The stick figures and hand prints found in old caves are some of the most valuable pieces of art (culturally and anthropologically speaking) out there, but the people that made them were just doodling.
  - ricc 6y ago
    I’d argue though these cave artists are more skilled (artistically) when compared against their peers.
rtkwe 6y ago
As many people as you ask you'll probably get that many answers of what defines art. As for people dismissing art as "anyone can do that" that's been happening for decades now. There's a lot of different types of art; some is about an idea, some is about technique in capturing a scene, or trying to invoke a certain reaction/emotion. As for skill who cares many people could have done this but this is the person who did these and they're neat and interesting. There's room for all sorts of art/games/movies why try to gatekeep what is really art or something? Most generations there's a good chunk that looks back and say "now that was real _____, not like what they're making today." And every generation what was the true version of the thing changes, it's more nostalgia than anything it seems. > I am not diminishing the artists work or effort Well... you are by saying 'anyone could do this' and implying it doesn't require special skill.
jankassens 6y ago
This reminds me of Sol LeWitt. Some of his art is just a simple set of instructions that can be followed by other people to "install" by strictly following them and drawing on walls [1]. There are a lot more examples in art that many people could replicate easily, but only the artist came up with the idea. [1] https://improvisedlife.com/2015/08/10/learning-stealing-sol-lewitt/ https://improvisedlife.com/2015/08/10/learning-stealing-sol-...
Chris2048 6y ago
There's nothing wrong with doing anything, just hope (expect?) compensation to match. If this is something anyone can do, expect compensation to be low; If compensation isn't low, expect the task to not be something anyone can do (whether you know why, or not). To add a few spicy observations: - I'm often unsympathetic to complains of low pay by artists (or people complaining on their behalf). It's well know art comes with a high risk of low pay, it's a difficult endeavour - any adult should know this going in. - not to say that investment in arts isn't low - it's a different thing. But it's also the same thing: the idea of investment is upfront capital today, payday later, to get over that "initial hump" of high overhead art. If there is no later payoff proportionate to upfront costs, it's logical that something is underfunded.
mongol 6y ago
You need to come up with it in the first place. That is certainly a skill. Go through with it. Another skill. And if the result is pleasant to look at, yes then you were successful.
anigbrowl 6y ago
I always find i kinda sad when someone develops a cool new technique but then just uses it to produce versions of famous paintings like the Mona Lisa or the Notorious BIG image.I really like the outcomes, and exploring different media/techniques is always worthwhile. But if you're just rendering other people's images...Not Art. I get why someone would do this. It's much easier for people to notice and appreciate what's going by incorporating a reference image that's widely familiar, and without his work would be much more likely to be overlooked. But still.
SturgeonsLaw 6y ago
Writing python code to do that is a special skill. It just seems like it isn't because that's the bread and butter for a large part of the HN readership. Is sculpting art? All it takes is pushing clay around.
- kumarvvr 6y ago
  Writing algorithms for pixellating images to required granularity is a specialized skill. However, using a library that does that, is a much more common skill. I wouldn't be surprised if, in the future, sculptures will also be CNC machine assisted. It is possible, now , to use a CNC machine to rough cut sculptures and then fine cut them with hand.
  - hermitcrab 6y ago
    Resampling raster images to different resultions is pretty straightforward for anyone with coding skills. Nearest neighbour or linear resampling only takes a few lines of code.
xorcist 6y ago
Anyone can do art! Try it!
mxxx 6y ago
Yeah I think “recreates masterpieces” would be a more appropriate headline than “creates”
Cthulhu_ 6y ago
Patience and persistence is a special skill. What this guy does is pretty unique (although after this article I'm sure there will be some copycats), so clearly it's special. Also you're answering your own question there, by dismissing the thing as "anyone can do that" yourself. In theory, anyone can do that, in practice, few / nobody does that. It's easy but a low blow to stand on the sideline going "I could do that, I just don't wanna".

ricc 6y ago

Art is not about skill anymore in the (post-)modern world.

Cthulhu_ 6y ago
Was it ever? The stick figures and hand prints found in old caves are some of the most valuable pieces of art (culturally and anthropologically speaking) out there, but the people that made them were just doodling.
- ricc 6y ago
  I’d argue though these cave artists are more skilled (artistically) when compared against their peers.

rtkwe 6y ago

As many people as you ask you'll probably get that many answers of what defines art. As for people dismissing art as "anyone can do that" that's been happening for decades now. There's a lot of different types of art; some is about an idea, some is about technique in capturing a scene, or trying to invoke a certain reaction/emotion. As for skill who cares many people could have done this but this is the person who did these and they're neat and interesting. There's room for all sorts of art/games/movies why try to gatekeep what is really art or something? Most generations there's a good chunk that looks back and say "now that was real _____, not like what they're making today." And every generation what was the true version of the thing changes, it's more nostalgia than anything it seems. > I am not diminishing the artists work or effort Well... you are by saying 'anyone could do this' and implying it doesn't require special skill.

jankassens 6y ago

This reminds me of Sol LeWitt. Some of his art is just a simple set of instructions that can be followed by other people to "install" by strictly following them and drawing on walls [1]. There are a lot more examples in art that many people could replicate easily, but only the artist came up with the idea. [1] https://improvisedlife.com/2015/08/10/learning-stealing-sol-lewitt/ https://improvisedlife.com/2015/08/10/learning-stealing-sol-...

Chris2048 6y ago

There's nothing wrong with doing anything, just hope (expect?) compensation to match. If this is something anyone can do, expect compensation to be low; If compensation isn't low, expect the task to not be something anyone can do (whether you know why, or not). To add a few spicy observations: - I'm often unsympathetic to complains of low pay by artists (or people complaining on their behalf). It's well know art comes with a high risk of low pay, it's a difficult endeavour - any adult should know this going in. - not to say that investment in arts isn't low - it's a different thing. But it's also the same thing: the idea of investment is upfront capital today, payday later, to get over that "initial hump" of high overhead art. If there is no later payoff proportionate to upfront costs, it's logical that something is underfunded.

mongol 6y ago

You need to come up with it in the first place. That is certainly a skill. Go through with it. Another skill. And if the result is pleasant to look at, yes then you were successful.

anigbrowl 6y ago

I always find i kinda sad when someone develops a cool new technique but then just uses it to produce versions of famous paintings like the Mona Lisa or the Notorious BIG image.I really like the outcomes, and exploring different media/techniques is always worthwhile. But if you're just rendering other people's images...Not Art. I get why someone would do this. It's much easier for people to notice and appreciate what's going by incorporating a reference image that's widely familiar, and without his work would be much more likely to be overlooked. But still.

SturgeonsLaw 6y ago

Writing python code to do that is a special skill. It just seems like it isn't because that's the bread and butter for a large part of the HN readership. Is sculpting art? All it takes is pushing clay around.

kumarvvr 6y ago
Writing algorithms for pixellating images to required granularity is a specialized skill. However, using a library that does that, is a much more common skill. I wouldn't be surprised if, in the future, sculptures will also be CNC machine assisted. It is possible, now , to use a CNC machine to rough cut sculptures and then fine cut them with hand.
- hermitcrab 6y ago
  Resampling raster images to different resultions is pretty straightforward for anyone with coding skills. Nearest neighbour or linear resampling only takes a few lines of code.

xorcist 6y ago

Anyone can do art! Try it!

mxxx 6y ago

Yeah I think “recreates masterpieces” would be a more appropriate headline than “creates”

Cthulhu_ 6y ago

Patience and persistence is a special skill. What this guy does is pretty unique (although after this article I'm sure there will be some copycats), so clearly it's special. Also you're answering your own question there, by dismissing the thing as "anyone can do that" yourself. In theory, anyone can do that, in practice, few / nobody does that. It's easy but a low blow to stand on the sideline going "I could do that, I just don't wanna".