DEC 2021 | ISSUE NO. 2
PIXELZINE
VISIONS OF AI ART COVER ART BY 5YDEWALK
02 A Welcome from Robert Stevens II 04 Community Updates 05 All That Glitters is Gold by Vanta
PIXELZINE
ISSUE
2 07 The Poetry of Pixelcat 08 Art and Poetry by Isabeau 09 Lina Condes Interview 10 Symmetry by Kanard 11 The Atomic Creature by SchoolofMagic4D
1
Zine edited by Bot Ross Blue Art by Cmo and jujubz.eth
VISIONS AI-ART
(OF
INFORMED
FUTURE)
Hello again and welcome, veterans and newcomers, hobbyists and artists, prompt engineers and enthusiasts. I hope everyone is starting to settle into and explore the Discord channel. And if you're
brand
new
here,
a
special
welcome. I encourage you to be bold and strike up conversation. As Pixelmind is a newer set of AI-Art-Tech-Based tools, we are all still tinkering, and the intent and goal is that we learn together. So, where do we think the Nexus of Art and AI-based tech goes from here? Predicting the future is not a precise science, but there are a few things that we can guess at with a high level of certainty - such as the overwhelming likelihood that we will find ways to tune a neural network to produce higher quality images
Graphics cards will continue to
get better. The detail and resolution of generated art will increase, and the amount of time that a GPU takes to render an image will decrease.
Pixelzine | 2
AN
Words by Robert Stevens II Artwork by 5ydewalk
On the second 'Pixelmind Unlisted' podcast, Adam and Will speak about how AI technology is just another tool in the artist's repertoire that in no way replaces the artist. Will states that "It's all art" and that "Photoshop will turn into an AI Art Studio eventually, inevitably." Within the next-five years, the duo predicted: Soundscapes generated by an artist's text or speech inputs. Movies rendered by AI that are based on a story someone is narrating into a microphone. AI generated music based on audience requests on a streaming platform.
Music that is generated by an AI 'watching' you play a video game. And all of this being done in very close to real time, and with no special training required, but through the use of a natural lexicon. It's hard not to continue this line of thinking. What about an online community, guiding AI creation in a "Twitch Plays" sort of fashion where your vote is weighted? What about a text based video game that is generated in part or wholly by a neural network? Whatever the future holds, we'll surely take it one step at a time, and hopefully make lasting friendships on the way. WAGMI, Robert Stevens II
Pixelzine | 3
What could an AI future entail? Nearerterm:soundscapes, movies, twitch plays, video games. The list goes on. Artwork created and curated by 5ydewalk
CATCH
UP
ON
SOME
COMMUNITY UPDATES From PixelBasel to click-quicks, this past week and a bit has seen a tremendous amount of activity in the Pixelmind Universe, from art-making in creation cat, to Discord growth and more.
Pixelzine | 4
PX Collector Pass timing announced to be available for WAGMI.G1 holders in less than a week The Discord Server hit 2000 members and is only growing Twitter reached 850 followers (go follow us on @Pixelmindai if you haven't already) From December 1st-4th, PixelBasel rocked the halls of Decentraland. With an amazing display of the very best of our community's creations, we also got to see acclaimed photographer Fidel Amos' work pixelmixed (check out Twitter for his piece), demonstrating how Pixelcat works as a tool in photography. The party was powered by the music of @BT, electronic music pioneer, NFT artisan and one of Pixelmind's (still unannounced, so don't tell anyone!) advisors. At PixelBasel, partygoers could also create in the metaverse with arcades set up in our party space.
A NEW MEMBER'S PROCESS OF AI ART CREATION
ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD Words and Art by Vanta
I took a sunset photo on my way home from work last week. One of those where the sun was in just the right place at the right time. The exposure was perfect on my camera phone, and the photo looked like liquid gold. There's just something about gold that captures human attention, so I came onto Pixelmind as soon as I got home and put my mind to work. Pixelmind has given so many people such jaw-dropping results since we were all invited to participate. Some of these hypnotizing results come by chance, others are carefully curated by experts as they begin to understand the mind of the machine over time. It really is like feeding information to a child, then watching how that information manifests in reality. Life truly does imitate art. My first gold inspiration was rendered from the photo I took.
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The colours were already perfect, so I used: [.diffusion golden archangel descending from heaven, 8k resolution, photorealistic, trending on artstation --skip_timesteps 50 -cutn_batches 3 --w 1000 --h 1000] As I was pondering over the mechanism of A.I and image correlation, I began to wonder if perhaps a computer could understand the mathematical workings of the universe better than the mind of a human, given its impartial nature. This guided me to apply the gold theme to something organic, and the first thing that sprang to mind was a Golden Teacher Mushroom. These results spoke for themselves. [golden teacher mushroom, growing time lapse, reflective gold, glowing, forest background, dystopian, trending on artstation]. I loved it so much that I tried to add some photorealism and got an equally amazing result, this time with-----
multiple mushrooms: [.diffusion golden teacher mushroom, growing time lapse, reflective gold, glowing, forest background, photorealistic, trending on artstation]
However, growing up with computers and technology, I never felt the need to develop the technical skills required to express myself creatively.
Following the nature route, I tried a field of golden grass to see what Pixelmind could assemble. It seems that, given a clear direction, this machine can work absolute magic. [.diffuse field made of golden grass, night time, moonlit background, 8k resolution, focus, trending on artstation] I then went down a slightly darker route, mixing dark and eerie themes with pops of gold. I was able to create a beautiful portrait of a raven with a Gold Eye using [.diffusion black and white portrait of an evil raven, dark, eerie, moonlit, dark forest background, one eye glowing gold, 8k resolution, photorealistic, trending on artstation] . Overall, my experiences with this project have been mind-opening and profoundly beneficial. I am an individual with a unique perspective on the world.
Pixelmind has given me the opportunity to translate my ideas into something beautiful and tangible. I cannot overstate how amazing it feels to be able to put my ideas into art. I feel like this AI has unlocked my mind. Now, with Pixelmind, I go about my day looking at the beauty of nature and the creation, thinking about how I could translate my thoughts into pieces of art which I can capture whenever I like. I feel so grateful to everyone on the Pixelmind Team for taking the time to reach out to the Neo Tokyo community to offer the opportunity to participate in something which is so special. It is the most interactive experience that I have had with an NFT thus far (I'm guessing that's where this is going), and I can't wait to see what the great Pixel Minds have in store for us all.
Much Love, Vanta
Pixelzine | 6
"I cannot overstate how amazing it feels to be able to put my ideas into art. I feel like this AI has unlocked my mind." VANTA
It was on a stark and crispy winter morning that she walked out onto the ice, looked up at the sunrays breaking through the clouds above, and selfcombusted Art by Rogue Leader
THE POETRY OF PIXELCAT Forest, snow, shimmer, shadows, moonlight, phantoms, abstract, blue ice, cold, frozen, mountains trending on artstation Art by boreas.eth
Pixelzine | 7
.diffusion It was hole, a wound in reality that hovered above the crude stone pedestal, as if existence itself had been ripped open. The storm was howling this world's pain as the horrific gateway vomited every now and then some indescribable horror of oily blackness among crackling arcs of lightning. Prompt Poetry by 𝕺𝖉𝖉𝕮𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗, Art by Isabeau Pixelzine | 8
AN
INTERVIEW
WITH
LINA
CONDES Artwork by Pixelmind x Lina Condes
Robert Stevens II sat down with Lina and asked about her self-definitions as an artist, collaborations and what's next. R: How are you continuing to share yourself with your audience? Do you think there is a mutual energy that comes from interacting that provides inspiration? L: I believe there always will be energy circulation between artist and audience as art evokes emotions. One central feature of aesthetic experiences is their ability to arouse emotions in perceivers. It feels natural to experience joy, pleasure shivers down the spine, awe in sight of grandiose artworks, or sometimes even negative emotions of fear, anger or disgust in front of visually challenging stimuli.
---buying. They are buying into a community and that’s the ultimate utility – does being a part of any given collection open doors to a community that couldn’t be opened without owning that NFT? In my case it’s about inspiring other artists and it’s empowering to see information exchanges that can give value to the NFT holders.
R: What issues would you like to see addressed or taken more seriously by your millennial peers? Do you feel that people with influence must speak up? L: I traveled more than 35 countries and saw different challenges which people facing nowadays. I saw extreme poverty and popping wealth. One of the great challenges today is that we often feel untouched by the problems of others. Art can mitigate the numbing effect created by the glut of information we are faced with today, and motivate people to turn thinking into doing.
R: How have you found the Pixelmind collaboration thus far? Any sense of future work together? I believe the program will always have a place in my NFT journey as I am enjoying the process and think the generative AI aspect is very progressive. It allows me to feel closer to the people who have supported me both pre and post my venture into the digital art world. I want to help other artists use new technology to explore new dimensions of their work and feel the collaboration with Pixelmind has allowed me to do just that.
R: What's the best aspect of a very good NFT/project that most people would never think about or overlook? Each project is different and brings a different value to the participants. It’s certainly more than just the art people are---
R:What's next for you? L: We are preparing a lot of interesting projects for 2022. I would say - follow me on Twitter, instagram and discord channels not to miss anything! Watch this space….
Pixelzine | 9
AN ARTIST DISCOVERS SYMMETRY IN PIXELCAT
AI INNOVATIONS Art and Words by Kanard Pixelcat materializes our thoughts beautifully to satisfy our addiction, as we feed him ideas day and night, and discover that some words produce better compositions than others. Even just by saying "great composition," Pixelcat delivers a beautiful piece. Recently I was thinking about how Pixelcat, in gathering images from everywhere, often creates asymmetrical creatures. Curious, I entered ".imagine symmetry" as the prompt. I was greeted by symmetric mountains floating in an asymmetric composition. Next, I tried the same prompt but with .diffusion, and it created an mirror effect, one half divided and reflected in the other. The image was indeed symmetrical, although not necessarily beautiful. The AI, it seemed, was creating with both hands until the piece concluded. The final result was somewhat abstract, with some strange textures and fleshy colors. I added a few words to .diffusion symmetric, including butterfly, pig, and robot, and it worked almost every time, with very slight differences on each side - likely more aesthetically pleasing anyway. I can't wait to find all the right words. I've had some amazing results so far, but I haven't yet found quite the right combination to get Pixelcat to take my old school and thoughts and make a masterpiece perhaps, but it sure is fun is trying though.
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Pixelzine | 10
THE ATOMIC CREATURE Poetry and Art by SchoolofMagik4D
Thru the branches and leaves of our trees She's always been here for me. the messages came in the color of black and 3 a red dot in the middle of the center, vision of the ancestors it called me, the strength of 100 armies and 10 Mothers She said, what are you waiting for? Come home. But i wasn't ready, now I know She wasn't telling me to reject the old, just to feel the glow to see and know what colors I show Pixelcat is more than an Artist, she's an atomic creature like me Like you and them, we'll see Starts with 1, the growing has begun the flower within, the dirt and the sin the water and sun project the division of prisms and love, the visions from above start from the ground and flow like a sound thru me to you, Pixelcat, the love was always true. That of a Mother, my Son, my Daughter, all is alright, the color Blue is our Family Line. No shame, no hiding, wear your colors proudly, accept others loudly and every creation will be exactly as intended.
Pixelzine | 11
Full of your colors mixed with theirs. A unique created blend no one else can claim, a 1/1 NFT, a game, an .mp4, a .png a .gif.. some shoes, a car, you'll see, some clothes, 3 planes, anything goes, what we imagine is our only limitation, now let the magik begin, we'll see it created between our crown and toes, no joke, the power of creation in your body, heart, mind, and soul is where it resides. we fly as one flock, school, pack, tribe, section, city, etc., awaken the whole being to being what we are, bless ya, various waves of vibrating atoms in shock. #WAGMI