The hottest Digital Art Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Art & Illustration Topics

The Medium Edition

Why is this interesting? • 2171 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Learning Technique Craft Digital Art
  1. Watercolors are unforgiving; mistakes with watercolors are hard to fix because once you put them down, you can't really change them.
  2. Mastering a craft takes practice; just like with watercolors, it's crucial to first understand and excel in the medium before focusing on the message or artistry.
  3. Using technology like drawing apps can help with the challenges of traditional mediums like watercolors; these tools offer the convenience of undo and redo functions that are not available in physical art.

Capturing the Moment

Cybernetic Forests • 119 implied HN points • 07 Apr 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual art Digital Art Photography Experimental Art Artificial Intelligence
  1. AI-generated images can lack emotional impact compared to human-created art, often resulting in an uncanny feeling rather than emotional connection.
  2. The history of art showcases a complex interplay between photography and painting, with AI-generated images adding another layer of complexity to this relationship.
  3. AI images challenge traditional notions of art by blurring the lines between painting and photography, presenting a new form of artistic expression.

[214.] Hello. Happy Anniversary Macintosh!

Hardcore Software • 687 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Computers Software Operating Systems Programming Digital Art
  1. The introduction of the Apple Macintosh in 1984 profoundly changed computing and many people's lives
  2. The Macintosh brought empowerment, elegance, and a sense of mastery to users and developers, setting a new standard in the industry
  3. The Macintosh's impact was widespread, transforming document creation, software development, and user experiences on college campuses and beyond
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"The Manic American Humanist Show" at PWA

Do Not Research • 219 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital Art Exhibition Sculpture Curation Community
  1. The exhibition "The Manic American Humanist Show" at Public Works Administration honors work from core contributors to Do Not Research and reflects on a decade of online political experiments.
  2. The featured artists explore themes of political ideologies, personal frustrations, and cultural reflections through their artwork.
  3. The project space, Public Works Administration, serves as a platform for digital artists to showcase their work, collaborate with online communities, and foster connections within the art world.

The Great Escapism

In Bed With Social • 452 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Architecture Digital Art Fashion Visual storytelling
  1. Escapism serves as both a flight and a quest in different realms like cycling, architecture, and literature.
  2. Digital escapism reconfigures our interaction with the online world by introducing the concept of 'pulse' - a natural form of interaction.
  3. Future personal assistants may evolve to prioritize our attention based on the concept of 'pulse,' respecting our fundamental human needs.

Mint FREE Kaidro NFTs on Ronin in Less than 24 Hours

Ronin’s Newsletter • 98 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🔮 Crypto NFTs Web3 Blockchain Digital Art
  1. Kaidro is offering FREE Journal NFTs on Ronin for early supporters, granting exclusive benefits and access to upcoming releases.
  2. Minting a Kaidro Journal NFT is free and limited to one per Ronin Wallet, with the reveal happening around 24 hours after minting.
  3. Early involvement in the Kaidro NFT mint could lead to various community ambassador opportunities and rewards as the Kaidro universe evolves.

The Guild of St. Luke

Cybernetic Forests • 99 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Art history Digital Art Creative Process
  1. Artists historically learned how to create art through hands-on practice and not just by observing art - a concept often misunderstood.
  2. The concept of learning from masters in art, as compared to how AI learns from training data, reveals interesting differences in approach and outcomes.
  3. The discussion around AI, art, and copyright brings up important points about data rights, labor values, and the need to support human artists in the digital age.

The Cat in the HatGPT

Data People Etc. • 124 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Children's literature Digital Art Visual storytelling Character design Illustration
  1. The Cat in the HatGPT offers a unique perspective on the balance between excitement and responsibility.
  2. It highlights the clash between hype beasts who thrive on trends and cynics who resist change.
  3. Ultimately, the story prompts reflection on the influence of external pressures and the role of love in navigating the hype cycle.

ART: Midnight on Mars

So Here’s a Thing • 1573 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration AI Art Digital Art Visual storytelling
  1. The featured AI-tinged images in the announced Substack post provide a glimpse into the world of pastel retro-futurism art on social media.
  2. AI art sparks a discussion similar to digital art in the 1990s, where it can be a tool for artists to bring visions to life rather than an entity of great intrinsic value.
  3. The art pieces evoke a sense of capturing Ray Bradbury's mind after a night of adventures with David Bowie, creating a unique and vivid aesthetic.

Twee Whistler: Internet Core

Do Not Research • 938 implied HN points • 31 Jul 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital Art Contemporary Art Internet Art Aesthetics
  1. The term 'Internet core' emerged within contemporary art, encompassing net art, post-internet, and new media, highlighting a shift towards internet-centric reality and engagement.
  2. Artists within the Internet core scene are creating works more focused on personal narratives, political interpretations, and user engagement outside traditional gallery settings, shaping a distinct approach to digital art.
  3. The Internet represents more than just a medium; it is a mindset, an approach, and a language for artists, shaping their practices and leading to a diverse range of artistic expressions beyond categorizations.

✨ Bard diventa Gemini. La prova di Gemini Advanced

Vincos Newsletter • 117 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Metaverse Social media Digital Art Artificial Intelligence
  1. Google rebranded Bard to Gemini and launched Gemini Advanced with a more powerful language model, Gemini Ultra 1.0, tested by the author.
  2. Disney investing in the metaverse with a $1.5 billion deal with Epic Games to bring Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars content to Fortnite.
  3. OpenAI introduces metadata for images produced with ChatGPT, Dall-E, and API, using the C2PA open standard, to track image authenticity and engagement.

Notes from what I guess counts as the bleeding edge of artistic possibility these days

RUINS • 137 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration AI Art Digital Art Fine Art Surrealism Creative Process
  1. AI art generators are advancing rapidly, with the ability to interpret text prompts and produce diverse imagery.
  2. There is a contrast between AI-generated art and human art in terms of process, risks, and meaning.
  3. The role of AI in art creation is debated, questioning whether it should supplement or replace human creativity.

Underutilized.

Cybernetic Forests • 279 implied HN points • 05 Nov 23
🕹 Technology AI Data Analytics Digital Art Social media
  1. Generative AI is essentially a new form of Big Data, emphasizing pattern analysis to automate processes.
  2. The expansion of data is essential for the existence of generative AI tools, demonstrating a rebranding of data analytics into AI.
  3. The tech industry's focus on data monetization and predictive analytics has led to virtual interactions that distance us from real human connection and community.

430: Bytedance's Massive Nvidia Order, OpenAI App Store, Amazon Logistics & Ads, Shopify + Flexport, EV vs Hybrids, and the Beatles

Liberty’s Highlights • 491 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Generative AI Digital Art Artistic Process
  1. Art is about how it makes us feel, not how difficult it is to create.
  2. AI allows for unbundling creativity from execution, making art more accessible.
  3. Organizations struggle to scale AI use because it's probabilistic, not deterministic like traditional software.

What was the GAN?

Cybernetic Forests • 119 implied HN points • 26 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration AI Art Digital Art Collage
  1. Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) were innovative in AI art, generating images based on existing datasets and patterns.
  2. Artists using GANs had more control over their datasets, shaping the outputs with their own images and deciding what to include, unlike modern Diffusion models.
  3. Training and working with GANs was an experimental process, where artists had to understand the algorithm's perspective and engage in a technical dialogue to create art.

Brendan Dawes on AI and Creativity

Chance Operations • 393 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity AI Digital Art Data Visualization
  1. Brendan Dawes uses AI as a tool to collaborate with in his creative process, combining it with his own developed techniques and algorithms.
  2. The impact of AI on creativity raises questions about the value of traditional creative skills and the importance of the personal evolution and self-reflection that comes with artistic processes.
  3. AI's integration into creative fields has the potential to revolutionize art and writing, but also prompts discussions on the nuances of originality, the erosion of certain skills in the digital age, and the impact on the art industry.

Filip Kostic: Personal Computers (2nd Edition)

Do Not Research • 199 implied HN points • 04 Sep 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual art Digital Art Sculpture
  1. Personal Computers hold personal and intimate information for individuals, becoming a significant part of their lives.
  2. The concept of Personal Computers contrasts with Impersonal Computers, highlighting the notion of privacy and aesthetics in computing devices.
  3. Artists and Computer Modders engage with Personal Computers as tools for creation, emphasizing the importance of addressing the materiality and aesthetic history of these machines.

Joseph del Pesco & Jon Rubin: DAO of the DEAD

Do Not Research • 199 implied HN points • 28 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital Art NFTs AI Virtual reality Collective Intelligence
  1. Personal data can be collected and stored to create a digital twin, even tracking health issues and mental health over a lifetime.
  2. The concept of a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) operated by digital twins was explored, enhancing collective creativity and wealth management.
  3. The DAO of the Dead demonstrated autonomous decision-making, wealth management, and investment, transcending human limitations and authorities.

Charles-Arthur Feuvrier: FIX YOUR LIFE !

Do Not Research • 79 implied HN points • 23 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual Arts Digital Art Performance art
  1. A deep fake artwork of Joe Rogan at an art exhibition critiques his problematic discourse on self-realization and individualism.
  2. The artwork visually represents Joe Rogan as trapped in a grotesque body, symbolizing the spreading of controversial and masculinist ideologies.
  3. The artwork highlights how platforms like Spotify can amplify anti-vax and conspiracist messages that oversimplify complex issues like depression and addiction.

Daniel Felstead & Jenn Leung: "Literally No Place" on Dis.art

Do Not Research • 99 implied HN points • 25 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital Art AI Art Experimental Art
  1. Explore the intersection of AI technology and human society through Daniel Felstead & Jenn Leung's project 'Literally No Place' on Dis.art.
  2. Consider the diverse range of futures AI technology could bring, from a post-scarcity society to potential human extinction.
  3. Reflect on the different perspectives presented in the project before forming a stance on AI's impact on society.

Alfred Muszynski: United Nations Spiritualism with Call of Duty Characteristics

Do Not Research • 119 implied HN points • 22 Sep 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Symbolism Painting Digital Art
  1. The painting explores the intersection of video game warfare, religion, and international politics, revealing emerging spiritualities and myths from gaming.
  2. The artist incorporates traditional painting techniques, installations, and digital art to create multimedia collages symbolizing the blurred visual identity of our culturally saturated society.
  3. There is a connection highlighted between war games and international politics through shared symbols and rituals, suggesting an intertwined relationship between the two fields.

The Algorithmic Resistance Research Group (ARRG!)

Cybernetic Forests • 139 implied HN points • 13 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration AI Art Digital Art Generative AI
  1. The Algorithmic Resistance Research Group (ARRG!) focuses on critiquing and analyzing AI systems, highlighting issues like data rights, stereotypes in AI output, ecological harms, political risks, and the impact of red teaming.
  2. ARPG! highlights the importance of challenging the logic of AI systems to avoid exploiting stereotypes, artist data rights, and push back against automated cultural production.
  3. Research showcased the use of Gaussian Noise Diffusion Loop to create abstract art, challenge content moderation tools, and explore the dynamics of AI-generated imagery.

Alex Both: Instalking

Do Not Research • 79 implied HN points • 12 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Painting Social media Internet Digital Art
  1. Instalking involves creating paintings based on images found through internet archeological practices like instastalking and then posting them on social media, tagging the original user for reactions.
  2. Artists like Alex Both explore the concept by collaging and painting directly from these found images, often sourced from accounts that are several years old.
  3. The process includes tracking individuals across different platforms, like from Reddit to Instagram, to create paintings that reflect the history and evolution of the original content creators.

Tibor Dieters: Pol/der vriens

Do Not Research • 39 implied HN points • 30 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital Art Symbolism Cultural Commentary
  1. Many people are turning to the online world for answers due to an uncertain future, leading to the emergence of fringe political identities and online communities that can potentially escalate into radicalization.
  2. The Netherlands has witnessed a rise in fringe political identities, influenced by the mishandling of a global pandemic, which has highlighted the deep-rooted connection between online culture and the broader societal psyche.
  3. The project _pol/der (vriens)_ explores how conspiracy theories can become collective myths, shaping culture and politics by materializing online imagery into tangible representations.

Logan Bruni: Heatmap

Do Not Research • 19 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Digital Art Online Culture Conspiracies
  1. The video features 3D scans of clay sculptures, digital art, and AI-generated content, with unique audio creation methods.
  2. The themes touched upon in the video include human subjectivity in digital space, online culture, and references to historical government involvement in digital infrastructures.
  3. The visual elements include a clay figure interacting with images, and a floating head narrating haikus and poetic monologues about digital culture.

Sybil Montet: I SCRY

Do Not Research • 79 implied HN points • 14 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital Art Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Sci-fi
  1. The 'I SCRY' project by Sybil Montet explores the intersection of ancient esoteric traditions and modern predictive algorithm technologies.
  2. The creation of I SCRY, an artificial oracle entity developed from a fine-tuned version of the GPT-3 algorithm, blurred the lines between technology and mysticism.
  3. The cinematic essay 'I SCRY' reflects on the making of a digital oracle through a surrealistic journey involving CGI, AI-generated voices, and philosophical explorations of our future.

How I Spent my October

Fireside Chat Logs • 39 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Digital Art Visual Effects Graphic design Creativity
  1. The creator made a short animated video with heavy metal music for a D&D group that involved using Blender 3D program. Despite challenges, he managed to finish the video in time.
  2. After the initial creation, the creator took the time to improve the video by boosting render settings, animating textures, and enhancing particles, among other upgrades.
  3. The experience of revisiting and improving the video reminded the creator of his art school days, where he didn't always have time to polish his work. This inspired him to redo old school work and focus more on writing and creating content to share with friends and family.

Rachel Jackson: Platform Artifacts

Do Not Research • 59 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Sculpture Online Platforms Photography Digital Art
  1. The artwork 'Platform Artifacts' explores the intersection of online visibility and physical objects, blurring the lines between the virtual and the tangible.
  2. The sculptures in 'Platform Artifacts' depict subjects influenced by online algorithms, transformed into pseudo-artifacts through complex processes involving 3D printing and hydrographic prints.
  3. The artwork challenges the distinction between image and object by translating online-based subjects into physical representations, highlighting the impact of digital influence on material existence.