evening “fireworks” courtesy of several species of flowering ceroid cacti. #simple pleasures * * * * * * #floweringceroidcacti #supergorgeousness #artnerd #Instagay #instagrammers #learningtosee #inspirationiseverywhere #instagramphotos #appropriation #artfag #arthag #Helleaux #StayAtHomeModel #nightbloomingcereus #queenofthenight #garden #gardening https://www.instagram.com/p/CqZuED3AJyn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Seclusion - Mixed Media on Canvas - 48”x48” #gabrielmarklipper In this piece, I am experimenting with the idea of merging the figure with the environment. A person jumps out in any composition. The idea of integrating the figure with the rest of the composition is exciting and tough to pull off. Will a figure always become the focal point? It seems like it, but sometimes for the use of contrast and shapes, we can make that I work to discover it. Have you ever made a painting where the figure didn’t jump forward? . #learningtosee #8paint #abstractrealism (at Enclāve Studios) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmCSzv1pEJp/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Can there be more joy than this? #thebristolrainforest #proudplantpeople #learningtosee #happytrees #happyplantpeople #earlychildhoodeducation #happyplants #colourofjoy #plantsforhappiness #iloveplants #weloveplants #plantmindfulness #helpidentifyplants #thebristolrainforest #proudplantpeople #learningtosee #happytrees #happyplantpeople #earlychildhoodeducation #colourofjoy #colourofhappiness #plantloversoftheworldunite #joyofplants #medicinalplants #beautiful #cute #nature #houseplantsofinstagram #indoorplantsofinstagram #houseplantlover #houseplantlove #indoorplants (at Bristol, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeiMixssP5S/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Learning to see: what I think.

“Genius or mortal, you need to learn to discern what you see and what you think you see before you can paint either reality. The best way to learn to see is copying the masters. That applies to art as well as to any form of design”

This parrafh is extrapolated from the article Learning to See.

I read this this because suggested from my teacher of UX/UI Ironhack bootcamp. The text is quite longer but it is worth going all the way to the end.

It deals with various topics concerning design, how there is no such thing as good or bad design, but how it all depends on our perception or the use we have to make of it.

[Design] is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works. —Steve Jobs

In the case of interface design, for example, we could talk about "functional design" instead of "bad or good design". 

Speaking of this special area, it is interesting to note that visual and functional beauty are not completely independent, even though functional design is not completely evident on the object. It shows itself in use and influences the aesthetic perception. 

So, it is not just the hand that makes the designer, but the eye and experience. The purpose of design is in fact to make it easier for people to use. 

Learning to design is learning to see.

I do(n’t) care if it’s pretty

I’ve always described myself as someone who cares more about making the thing work, than making the thing pretty. Yes, I feel like I have a very strong attachment to functionality (#attachmentissues). At school, my strength was always science, mathematics, logic, organization. And my engineering studies were all about that, making it work. Period.

If you’re close to me or you work with me, you probably heard me say things like:

I don’t care if it’s pretty, and I don’t care about making it pretty

I’d rather have someone else making it look good, it’s their job

Or if I’m working in a team and someone is making a comment on the aesthetics, I’d make the person understand that I don’t want to be part of that conversation and they can make the call themselves.

In other words...I get away from it, and even...probably...act condescendingly  and make others feel like what they do is less important than what I do...(not proud here).

Well, today in school we talked about aesthetics, details, animations, colours. And with that pyramid, I realized how aesthetics can also be a tool for Usability.

And I care about Usability! And I enjoyed getting those animations pixel perfect!

And after all, the visual is a very big part of the experience for the user. Actually, it is the only part of the experience for the user. Because what they see is a screen. Even if what we see is a design.

- Reflection alimented by Learning to see.

Learning to See

Even today after years working I'm still learning to see. The design has always been seen as something without the real value it has by the general public. There is a lot of memes on the internet laughing about it. I'm not the first one who has listened to something like that: “You did it in 5 minutes, so you can do it again (for free obviously)”. But well, our work it’s not only to do the work, but we also have to explain our project and the process to reach the solution in a way that can be understood to our audience. It not only needs to be good, but it also needs to look good.

So, coming back to the main topic of the article, I agree with the idea of designing is the first place is observing and questioning. Many times, when I see something I like, I observe it, with two questions, how it was done, and how it can be improved.

I only have to add, that sharing with other designers made me grow. I’ve learned a lot by sharing, and it’s not easy, it’s something that in this, let’s call it “competitive society”, you need to unlearn first, and start learning again with a new sharing mentality.

Read the article here: https://ia.net/topics/learning-to-see

“Learning to See”

I have always wondered if what I consider good design would be seen the same way by somebody else. I used to think good design is something that is simply visually pleasing to the observer, so it made more sense to think that good design is completely subjective as we all see things differently. After 2 weeks of starting to get to know the UX/UI Design world, I can confidently say that good design is so much more than being pretty. 

As the “Learning to see” article very accurately says “visual and functional beauty are not completely independent”. On the contrary, they go hand in hand. Even if you had the visually most beautiful design, as long as it didn’t work, it wouldn’t be possible to consider it “good design”. The design concept involves, most importantly, functionality. Why? You just don’t design to make something pretty, you design to make something work. It is only once you make it work that you can start thinking of its aesthetic. Dieter Rams’ “Ten principles for good design” are quite accurate as well when defining what good design means. Only 1 of these 10 principles mentions the “pretty” aspect: “Good design is aesthetic”. Nevertheless, this same principle can’t help mentioning functionality as well “But only well-executed objects can be beautiful.”

The following quote is included in the previously mentioned article and it clearly defines how important was functionality considered by one of the most influential people in the tech world:   “[Design] is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works”. —Steve Jobs

Interesting right? Moreover, I think this is where empathy gets involved in the designer’s path.  The design has to primarily work for the customer you are designing for, not only for yourself. Can this design “eye” be trained? Definitely. “Learning to see” has a very interesting point:

“With practice your intuition evolves, and the better you understand what you do, the deeper your intuition.”

I think that the better you get, the more naturally it becomes to distinguish good from bad design and I can’t wait to get better at it myself! 

Self portrait sketch in mirror 1997 during my apprenticeship with Michael Fuchs in Austria. I broke through a membrane of being able to see and translate what I saw through my body and a pencil with this drawing. My goal was to train my eyes and hands to be able to paint anything... . . . #sketch #selfportrait #study #apprenticeship #learningtosee #amandasage (at Wien- Klosterneuburg) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0FLpKWnPJh/?igshid=tjv392qo3243

Three little action sketches of an archer. Practicing my figure drawing.

Aquarius woman: Beautiful chaos...Don’t try to understand me✨♒️

This is a eucalyptus tree with freshly it’s bark freshly shed revealing a pale pinkish hue (especially in the light of sunset) I’m not sure which eucalyptus this is (there are hundreds) but like most it sheds its bark every year * * * * * * * #australiannatives #eucalyptus #beautyinnature #supergorgeousness #artnerd #Instagay #instagrammers #learningtosee #inspirationiseverywhere #instagramphotos #appropriation #artfag #arthag #Helleaux #StayAtHomeModel (at Chez What?) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkpEZaLh6oo/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

When I look back at the arc of my work, I can see little glimpses of my future self as far back as 10 maybe even 15 years ago. It’s amazing to watch the process of discovery unfold in your own work. It’s almost like I am a member of the audience . I’m focused on the merging of the two worlds of abstraction in representationalism. There are pieces in the show that I feel have achieved this connection, almost seamlessly, and I am thrilled to share this work with the world. Look for my Instagram live coming up this Friday at 10:30 Pacific time where I give you a sneak preview of the work online before the show opens. My latest show “Departure” is just around the corner! Opening this first, Friday, December 2nd at Enclave studios in Ashland:). Be there. #learningtosee #abstractrealism #8paint (at Enclāve Studios) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClmJx9YP8CE/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The view from my desk #thebristolrainforest #proudplantpeople #learningtosee #happytrees #happyplantpeople #earlychildhoodeducation #happyplants #colourofjoy #plantsforhappiness #iloveplants #weloveplants #plantmindfulness #helpidentifyplants #thebristolrainforest #proudplantpeople #learningtosee #happytrees #happyplantpeople #earlychildhoodeducation #colourofjoy #colourofhappiness #plantloversoftheworldunite #joyofplants #medicinalplants #beautiful #cute #nature #houseplantsofinstagram #indoorplantsofinstagram #houseplantlover #houseplantlove #indoorplants (at Bristol, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNt6cO0j3RQ/?igshid=1hsk68sl9ojxm

Let it come, for it will be good. @divinelyshana35 #modeling 🔥 .. #photography #photographyislife #photographysouls #bnw #blackandwhiteisworththefight #neverstop #dreaming #portlandmodels #models #learningtosee #art #artistsoninstagram #artists #editor #artdirector #magazine #loveit #luvvinglife #pdx #film #filmrules #darkroom #instaart #instamood #instagood #jadysnappedthis

Realtime Neuratorial Art

Artist Memo Akten has been exploring methods to generate neural network images in realtime. It started with his #Learningtosee project, with a ‘blank’ neural network, not trained on anything, visualizing fresh visual input:

This is a deep neural network that has not been trained on anything. It starts off completely blank*. It is literally ‘opening its eyes’ for the first time and trying to ‘understand’ what it sees. In this case ‘understanding’ means trying to find patterns, trying to find regularities in what it’s seeing now, and with respect to everything that it has seen so far; so that it can efficiently compress and organise incoming information in context of its past experience. It’s trying to deconstruct the incoming signal, and reconstruct it using features that it has learnt based on what it has already seen – which at the beginning, is nothing. When the network receives new information that is unfamiliar, or perhaps just from a new angle that it has not yet encountered, it’s unable to make sense of that new information. It’s unable to find an internal representation relating it to past experience; its compressor fails to successfully deconstruct and reconstruct. But the network is training in realtime, it’s constantly learning, and updating its ‘filters’ and ‘weights’, to try and *improve its compressor*, to find more efficient internal representations, to build a more ‘universal world-view’ upon which it can hope to reconstruct future experiences. Unfortunately though, the network also ‘forgets’. When too much new information comes in, and it doesn’t re-encounter past experiences, it slowly loses those filters and representations required to reconstruct those past experiences.   

More Here

Following from this, he is using the same realtime method but with a neural net trained on art collections from 150 museums:

#DeepNeuralNet #LearningToSee (havin a hard time cos I'm playin w LR momentum gradclip etc in realtime - no post vfx, all from the DNN)

Here is a link to a video where it re-visualizes a drawing in realtime [EDIT 01/05/17 - Video now uploaded to Vimeo:]

You can follow more updates on the project at his twitter profile here

My reflections are blurry from the sleep dust I’ve yet to wipe off 👣 ⠀ #wakeywakey #sleepingbeauty #vegasculture #vegasartist #bribrifreshed #notallwhowanderarelost #warriorgoddesstraining #mandelaeffect #blurredreflections #wakingup #learningtosee #eye (at Austin, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtOeYBZHKJ4/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1js57wuanuqzf