A slightly different version of alchemy: creating art from AI.

“The output of generative AI is novel, to be sure, and it can even be enjoyable at times. But what it isn’t any longer is: valuable.

An ever-growing segment of the population can now sniff out AI art. It’s obvious, when you know what to look for. It sticks out. It’s glaring. It’s immediately off-putting. People actively avoid it when they can, and instantly de-value everything associated with it.

...

Art is valuable precisely because it is not easy to create.

And I am interested in art—we are interested in art, in any and all of its forms—because humans made it. That’s the very thing that makes it interesting; the who, the how, and especially the why.

...

The struggle that produced the art—the human who felt it, processed it, and formed it into this unique shape in the way only they could—is integral to the art itself. The story of the human behind it is the missing, inimitable component that AI cannot reproduce.

That’s what I and so many others find so repulsive about generative AI art; it’s missing the literal soul that makes art interesting in the first place.

We care about art because it’s a form of connection to other humans.

....

And no, I’m sorry, but prompting your way to the finished piece absolutely does not count—

—Not that it matters. I’ve gotten a little off-topic, but whether AI-generated art is truly art isn’t the point, and it doesn’t really matter anyway. The zone is too flooded, regardless.

AI-generated content is everywhere; it’s inescapable; and it’s therefore made itself less than worthless.

AI will never fully displace creatives, because the moment AI can mass-produce any kind of creative work at scale, that work will stop being worth producing in the first place.

It will be toxic; a trend well past its prime, already rotten on the vine.

The more gold you make, the less the gold is worth.

Good luck with that lead, though.”

Why 90s Movies Feel More Alive Than Anything on Netflix

“There's something about the way older films were crafted that modern cinema seems to have lost. Take Goodfellas from 1990. Scorsese doesn't just tell you a story about mobsters, he pulls you into their world. The tracking shot through the Copacabana, the narration that feels like a conversation, the way violence erupts suddenly and brutally. You feel the seduction of that lifestyle and the paranoia that comes with it. Every frame has purpose. Every scene builds character. Compare that to The Irishman from 2019, which is actually good but feels bloated, overly long, relying too heavily on “de-aging” technology that never quite convinces you.

...

I think the difference comes down to this: older movies took risks. They trusted audiences to pay attention, to feel something, to think. Scorsese and Tarantino had visions and the freedom to execute them without endless studio interference. They weren't chasing demographics or worrying about franchise potential. They were making films, not products.”

Back from a break

Took a break from posting anything on here but the itch is coming back so enjoy some music.

More Pics From Yachats

Just wanted to take a few more of my phone snaps and post up here from our trip this past weekend to Yachats. These are just from the a old iPhone which has made me do some research on the new cameras coming out in the 17. Kinda interested from a RAW file perspective.

New portfolio posts.

Just added a few more things to the portfolio here and on Behance. Included some Before and Afters as well to check out.

Houdini Doodle

Just tweaking some stuff from a recent tut I was following.

WeTransfer : Cancel Now. Massive rights grab.

e here at danklife have been pro WeTransfer since they pretty much started. For sending out files to clients and sharing work, it was a very easy, “post it, send and link and forget it” kind of service. No permissions to manage, no, “Running out of space” to manage by hand, etc…

Then we noticed they were sold to a somewhat slimy Private Equity group and were keeping an eye on it in case they started doing the shitty stuff Private Equity does. The uploads started failing a bit more, but whatever, we could live with that. BUT they just did a HOLY SHIT massive rights grab on anything you post on there with a TRANSFERABLE license. Which means, yeah, we can sell your shit on Getty or other stock sites. Yeah, my clients will love that.

Anyways, cancel your accounts now. Here a screengrab of the updates terms and a link to the video Jeremy found where they talk about it.

Tumblr Dump.

Here ya go, have a few random ass tumblr blogs I like.

rrrick

thememedaddy

wilwheaton

memwhore

morganathewitch

And a sampling of their fine wares.

How to forage for food on the Oregon coast

Mussels right on the beach? Yes please! First link has the OPB video. Can’t find a way to embed it into the blog.

“The Pacific Northwest has one of the most abundant tidal ecosystems in the world. The ocean conditions are cold, murky and nutrient-dense, conditions that provide fuel for life on shore.

Alanna Kieffer studied marine biology and eventually left a career in marine research to start her own business – Shifting Tides – where she teaches people how to forage for food in the coastal ecosystem. “

Chris Hedges on America entering the “Trump Phase” of late capitalism

Chris Hedges on America entering the “Trump Phase” of late capitalism