‘A’ might be an arbitrary choice to start with when considering Start starts with S. But again, Alphabet starts with A and ends with T, so have fun with this one. More will follow.
There is something so primal in the letter. I imagine when language evolved, the concept of marking it involved a gradual process. The scientific field of research is full of information covering the history of language, writing, documenting, and communicating. My humble interests focus mainly on the Experience of Communication. As a designer, I live in the space between fields.
This explains my intrigue and curiosity about technology and future development. Legibility of text is as important as legibility of function – your cell phone, your sofa, or any other encounter you might have with interfaces and services. We might agree that everything is connected, but what makes a connection tick? Design.
The video here is just a quick sample of my explorations. Apart from managing to reach a close resemblance of the resulting image to what I envision, I make note of what I’d like to do with this tool that it doesn’t do now.
It can’t explain what made it reach the image I see.
There are many confusions between letters such as E and F.
There seems to be a weak ability of the tool to “understand” meaning and context.
The list is longer: the above are quick notes for illustration.
For any questions, comments, and feedback, feel free to let me know. It’s always great to expand the discussion and reach more inspiration.
Sometimes I get lucky and the whole ‘phrase’ comes out right. At the time of writing this, the technology is such that text within image generation can be a wild ride. If it’s only a small PhotoShop correction that is required, I will do it. Otherwise, I turn to other tools. Eventually, someone will come up with the ‘killer code’ that fixes the issue.
In Mintage I got inspired by a large quilt, framed on the wall. In a previous post, I also talked a bit about this, and here are a few more words, expanding a bit into the new world of AI, which will still be the same world even when the AI craze is over.
It’s no longer there, but a few years ago, I was allowed to take a photo of it.
This quilt offered a fresh perspective on where an artistic engagement can go compared to traditions. I really like quilts, but many of them seem so burdened with the maker’s astute adherence to formalities, that it takes time to fall upon a truly inspired sample. My sewing skills were reasonable when I saw the Mintage quilt. As soon as I saw it, I knew what kind of shirt I wanted. I made a few items from scrap pants and other clothing items and concluded with my first functional buttoned shirt.
Quite a few people who saw me with this on commended me for “the jacket”. It is indeed quite thick, heavy, and warm. I still call it a shirt.
As much as I enjoyed making this one, my tailoring skills do not make me a tailor. It’s great to be able to trace an existing product and sort of copy it into a neatly fitting shirt that I am actually proud of. No matter what happens to it, I can always fix it with a few more stitches. I learned quite a lot in the process, and I even learned more in a few later processes when I made some tote bags and a duffel bag. I was starting to accumulate more discarded clothing items. But envisioning the making of another shirt still looked a bit daunting.
In 2022, I started experimenting with prompts to see what this new AI tool of image making is capable of. In general, I notice people are divided into three basic camps: The Dismissive: those who point out the limitations; The Doomsayers: those who fear the disruption; The Enthusiasts: who (naturally) embrace it. My approach is very much on the side of embracing, but I am curious about the other camps. The development of AI and what it can become engages society on many levels. It is a tool. It’s not intelligent, as many already stated, and I’m not sure about the term artificial.
We need to figure out a better term.
The Horseless Carriage transitioned through The Automobile into The Car that we know today. I’m sure our language and experience will allow AI to reach a better level of communication. It can either integrate into its appropriate niche or branch out into more than just a trendy catch-all. I’m thinking of what happened with the personal computer as an example. Initially, computerized graphic design was the big thing. Then computer-aided design became CAD. It all still is ‘Design’. One technology overtakes, takes over, and replaces another. Then we are left with the same challenge of communicating with each other. AI even becomes a bonus in preparing myself to chat with other human beings. A few questions for ‘The Assistant‘, and I am ready with some reasonably verified facts for my next meeting.
For image generation, you need to find a few words that describe the result you are looking for.
I would like to reach a state where my prompt could become an interactive exchange with the assistant. Currently, the system provides me with what looks like a proposal. The image generation tools are like a magic black box that everyone is trying to understand. AI for me, is like an assistant. I want to have an open discussion with it. I’d be happy to hear some thoughts from it and direct it to come up with results.
Quite often I realize my prompt needs a few tweaks to fine-tune the details. Then I start wondering how much time the world is spending these days on a fascination that one day will be the true tool it needs to be. Eventually, Purpose will balance out the disruption. I still allow myself to be amazed at what is possible, and what is yet to come.
That’s why I was curious to see what comes out of the shirt prompt. Among all the other prompts I was experimenting with, my interest is more in the realistic than the fantastical.
This is when I realized, “Oh, I guess I should make myself a new one.”
Essentially finished. By the time of writing this, the buttons were already in place and a few more stitches were added to clean up a rowdy wrinkle. I might replace this image but you get the point.
Design is a Matter of Life 