I Made This Picture of Black All By Myself

in #lifelast year (edited)

Being an artist is one of the most challenging professions known to humanity and today I've come to offer proof.

Now, I know what you're thinking:

"This guy already sounds like a moron.  Why should I subject myself to such stupidity?  It'll just end up ruining my pristine mind.  Yet, I'm still so curious.  Why can't I stop myself?  People will just think I'm the moron if I show any interest and I need to protect my image, but am I really this afraid of the consequences that all stem from observing a simple picture of black?"

Black.png

I can explain!

As you can see, I've already spent quite a few hours on this piece.  Here's the breakdown:

  • Hmmm?  What should I do today?
  • Think think think think think think think
  • Damn this is hard.
  • I'm getting tired.
  • Whoa!  I can't see anything!
  • Did I just close my eyes?
  • Was I sleeping just now?
  • I should paint what sleep looks like!

A picture was born.

And because you're an inquisitive human, you get to experience the rest of the dream.

Black2.png

I recommend you get that dust off your screen though.  I can't work in these conditions.

Once your screen is clean or you realize I was just messing with you (whichever comes first), we'll begin.

Ready?

Good.

I'm planning to keep this one simple.  Haven't worked with black and white for awhile so I'm going to go with that.  I'm producing it in my mind first.  Stems from a vision.  It travels from my brain, to my hand; a hand I am in control of.  The process is similar to how one thinks of a word to write; a word that travels from the mind to the hands, causing the fingers to strike keys on something known as a, Keyboard.

At this point you might be growing concerned.  Perhaps the tone is coming across sounding a bit prickly but I must remind you to relax.  I am also a performance artist which can be very risky and difficult to pull off in writing, as I break the fourth wall to tell you this, all while remaining in character.

So instead of becoming angry and slamming the door behind you, I must insist you applaud me for my bravery.

Moving right along.

Everything seems to be going smoothly so far.  I have my picture of black inspired by real world events in front of me.  My face is buried deep within a bit of software called Krita.  It's now my responsibility to transform back into a digital artist and add a new layer.

If you don't know what a "layer" is, just picture something you can't see, and place that on top of the picture of black.

The Writer/Artist Himself will now commence doing something.

Now, I'm well aware I could be showing you some progress shots but at this point I've been going for quite awhile and it still looks like a confusing mess.  Plus it's really annoying having someone staring over your shoulder while you work, asking dumb questions like, "Why are you taking so long?"

First you were afraid to look and now you're becoming impatient?

This is all a test.  Putting up with shit from others is one of the biggest challenges you'll face as an artist.  It's never as easy as simply sitting on your ass and doing something, then finishing.  And when was the last time you heard of a janitor being cancelled?

Someone always comes along to ruin the experience but you cannot allow them residence inside your mind.  Even though I hate the sound of the voice inside my head, those are some of the words I constantly say to myself as a calming reminder; and now you can, too.

Where was I?

Not many people are both writers and artists and not many people attempt to do both writing and art at the exact same time.  Juggling this many different thoughts all at once has turned my mind into the kind of circus where the the clowns are drunk and keep falling off the elephants then getting trampled while the crowd screams in horror as the popcorn flies in the air.

Notice how I've created an image with words rather than paint?

This is a sure sign my wires have been crossed and I'm starting to wig out.

It's time for a break.

And we're back.

After all this time I'm now starting to feel confident and think offering a sneak peek won't kill me, so, here we are:

Black3.png

So far it's just some boring people and you can see how mom doesn't really want to be there, but it is getting late and she has to work tomorrow so I don't blame her.  Plus dad doesn't do a damn thing around the house.  He's been unemployed since the "plandemic" and insists his crypto gambling addiction won't be the leading cause of divorce in 2023, but mom disagrees, like usual.

And that kid can't be helped.  He just saw all those people get trampled by elephants and was the only one cheering, while looking forward to going again next year.

I know I know I know...

If I bring this family together I can save them and this art exhibition from falling apart, all at the same time.

I got this.

As you can see I'm a huge fan of efficiency and always get straight to the point so I must insist you calm down and relax once more.

Now I must get back to thinking about how I'm going to solve this world's problems, while you sit there wondering...

What the fuck is this abomination!

Black4.png

Get out of there!  Run for your lives!

Black5.png

Noooooooo!

I wasn't done you stupid elephant!

I worked all day on that.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, I have nothing ready, and there will be no art post for you to enjoy today.

I do realize I've done a terrible job of addressing the elephant in the room once again.  They said it would be a good investment and it's true, he does work for peanuts, but the damn thing will not listen to a word I say.

Third time this week...

Have a nice day.

Credits:
Youtube video linked to source.
Art and images seen here were produced digitally, by me.
NoNamesLeftToUse Outro.png

"Nothing was actually harmed in the making of this fictional shit-show."

© 2023 @NoNamesLeftToUse

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Being an artist is never easy because people might even think that a banana stuck on the wall is art. They might even put stupid values on it, but real artists are underappreciated, like you.

By the way, my friend, your votes helped me a lot with my earthquake posts. I remember you even voted on the comments, I haven't had a chance to thank you since then, I appreciate it.

The elephant doesn't let people get too close so maybe that's why.

Being serious for a moment: It's all good, man. Years of my work here was converted into giving me that ability. I don't mind drawing a circle with the appreciation. By thanking me you're saying thanks to all the people who helped me and enjoyed my work over the years. That's where it came from.

Yeah that elephant looks scary XD but shouldn't be enough to keep people away 😄

I know a lot of people helped you build your account, but how you use it is up to you. So thank you 💯

Thought it would be an attraction! It both is and isn't so I suppose things balance out, as they do.

Most days I wish I could do more, so thanks for stopping in, as I needed that reminder. And I do hope things are getting better over there.

Yeah things get better day by day I hope it will continue to get better thanks to good people.

The only good clown is a drunk clown 🙂

"Turn that clown upside down." That's what I always say.

Over a roasting pit of hellfire!!

Here's a flattened clown I made awhile back:

flat clown.png

Not the high quality version but that's okay since I doubt anyone would be interested in the finer details of clown crushing.

Have you noticed hive only displaying half an image recently? That's what it is doing for me, bugger.

They're showing up for me, but I do know what you're talking about and that sure is some annoying shit.

If you're using a browser that supports it and using windows, holding ctrl and hitting f5 refreshes the page and ignores the cache, reloading everything from scratch. Sometimes that'll fix it.

I mostly use my phone which is good but can be a pisser when you can't do shortcuts like that. No matter, I am sure it will get fixed!

What was done to that poor elephant to make it so murdery? Or was it born like that? D:

How do you both write and art at the same time, I have to keep switching between them like a n00b XD

I'm not sure. Maybe it grew up in a rough neighborhood with a bunch of hyenas constantly nipping at his toes, and now it's just a reflex.

No clue how I do that. Just falls out and goes plop.

Yeh that'd do it.

This reminds us of an episode of Archer $40m for essentially a blank canvas, an abstract piece of art by Ivan Blitko based on the very real Mark Rothko subject, however yours has purpose and apt name and which encompasses that, bravo - we experience similar in editing video, sit and look then do first thought you had 6 hours previously :) - as for the bottom one sadly there are no fitting words bar in the words of Iron Maiden 'Run to the hills...'

40 million would be nice but I can't even give this damn elephant away.

now that made me chuckle, remember Elephants never forget

How could I forget to remember... 😁

All you had to do was talk to the friendly elephant, and the family would have been saved! But nope! You turned your head and now look what happened... That little boy....okay, he was creepy...

sigh..

:D

You'd think with those big ears they'd be better listeners, but nope...

it's hard to hear over crunching peanut shells! Maybe pay him after you are done?

and are you going to be doing a tutorial for the space artwork you did? I am still trying to figure out how you got my dirt onto your artwork!

Magic?

Anything that sucks that much will act just like a vacuum cleaner.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

That "Where was I" paragraph was quite entertaining, loved the end where the popcorn flew because of the clowns being trampled since they fell of the elephants all because they were drunk😂😂😂 what an imagination!

!BEER

Yeah. And you said it in reverse which blows my mind. How did he do that!

Gave me a chuckle as well. Was basically improv comedy. Always fun.

Everyone has an elephant somewhere

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, I have nothing ready, and there will be no art post for you to enjoy today. I do realize I've done a terrible job of addressing the elephant in the room once again. They said it would be a good investment and it's true, he does work for peanuts, but the damn thing will not listen to a word I say.

There is always day 4 or next week ,
It comes when it comes

I thank you for your patience and understanding. Everyone else and their elephants make it look so easy. I must be doing it wrong but I promise to do it right, someday.

That’s the best thing in life there is always a nee day to come and that’s not procrastinating it’s just a new chance every sunrise and that takes the pressure away for me a fat plus. It comes when it comes.
Now of too the zoo to see the elephants 😉

Certainly won't be running out of days any time soon. Unless you get too close to the elephants, of course.

Hahha up close and personal

I was the person who started rubbing my screen at the second picture hahaha seriously! Of course, if you came to Thailand, the need for metaphorical elephants in the room diminishes...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9744517/Elephant-smashed-wall-steal-snack-squeezes-family-home-eat-cat-food.html

I have absolutely no idea how you're incredible thought process works....and that's probably the best for my own sanity!

Have a wonderful weekend :-)

Yeah I don't recommend attempting this thought process without a proper elephant trainer.

I don't vote for personality ads but I do stop in to say hello.

But looks like I've been voting on all your ads lol xD

I knew that would come back to bite me in the ass, but while you're here, would you like to buy an elephant?

Nothing was actually harmed in the making of this fictional shit-show."

Except some people’s patience 😅

I thought it was brilliant tbh

!LUV

Yeah and it's absurd in this day and age I'd do that intentionally but I think I'll agree with you and say yes, that only contributes to the brilliance you've described.

Is this the cultural appropriation all the social justice warriors talk about?

LOL. I don't even know how to respond to that. So, no. Ask the elephant. I'm lost.

Just say you are mixed, then you can use black.

This day and age I could have picked green and purple and someone would find a way to be offended.

This wasn't about that. Didn't even cross my mind. Black and white because elephants are grey. And I suppose that would piss off the aliens... fuck.

Same sinking ship but not even peanuts for the elephants everywhere.

Is it an ism or is it an epidemic? And do pictures speak louder than words then?

Time will tell if we ever get around to finishing the pictures.

Or not.

Probably not.

So we might as well dance?

I'm sure the elephant will allow it.

That's my kinda elephant then. He can stay 👍🏻

Just don't let him step on your toes. Gets kind of messy.

Oh. We're all a bit messy every now and then.

Life's a bit messy too.

At least I'll know he's real.

And thanks for the heads up.

Without a mess, there's no such thing as clean.

I recommend you get that dust off your screen though. I can't work in these conditions.

hehehehehe you got me there for a moment, I can't believe this!😂

It was a motivational piece I see.

Now you are going to make me drop a similar comment I did on Tarazkp's post yesterday.

Something about looking at a kid's drawing to figure out whether the family is united or not.

And your art is the same, a family where both parents do not agree. And they have to deal with each other's ideology every day.

But as Snook said, you should have saved the child in your drawing by talking to the elephant in the room.

😢

Maybe you could try talking to the elephant. Perhaps many could benefit by paying closer attention to what's happening in this world. Luckily nobody was actually harmed here today.

I can definitely see a bull in the end of the blackness
untitled.gif

It's a bull elephant alright. You should see the size of the bull shit.

The rest of that dream was pretty dark.

Just turn your lights on.

That was a send slip. Was gonna say I was at that circus and didn't realize anyone was in danger, thought the screaming and blood was part of the show. But my keyboard finger slippe

It's hard to tell nowadays with all the special effects and news outlets.

It's quite funny though I liked your creative artwork. 🌼😊

I'm glad you enjoyed it but my elephant disagrees. Maybe you can talk to it for me; help sort out these issues.

Better just shoot that damn elephant. If anybody starts asking questions just call it performance art.

I did consider making an animated bloody mess out of it but that was too much work to just get cancelled over.

Ha, story of my life, or at least every other blog I start to write. Just farm it out to an AI and then you can blame them.

You make such a strong point here, on a level where it gave me chills. That's been something I've been thinking about. Would you agree that AI in art can be considered the coward's way out in some cases?

The ruckus over AI in art reminds me of the uproar over Photoshop in the photography community a while back. Not sure what you mean by the coward's way out but if that analogy holds true I'm sure some see it that way. For shits & giggles I started experimenting with MidJourney late last year and ended up finding it fascinating, which led me spending a lot of time thing about it and trying to conceptualize what it was and where it fit into the grand scheme of things. Best I could come up with is that it all comes down to what you're using it for. I decided that as long as I/it was creating things for the sake of being seen/the reaction they incite, the question of "is it art?" was a moot point.

Are you familiar with Marcel Duchamp? To me AI art is the digital equivalent to Fountain.

That's not the line of thinking I was on, at all. I hear you but I was thinking about something else, not the general AI art debate. More about the reaction I suppose, and being forced into a position to take responsibility for someone's gross misrepresentation of your work, for instance. Say one used AI to write jokes for them, and someone didn't find it funny or found it to be offensive, does one still stand by their work and defend it? Probably not. How could they, honestly?

People follow artists, not art. I wasn't talking about images. Talking about artists. Might be able to explain what I'm talking about a little better in an article, with several other scenarios and some not even involving art.

I blame Mary Jane. My thinking hadn't gotten any further than 'getting cancelled for that is ridiculous so let's be equally ridiculous and shift blame to the AI.' I think I get where you're coming from now.

does one still stand by their work and defend it? Probably not. How could they, honestly?

That's a lot of what I was trying to figure out with MidJourney. Is it even your work? I don't know, but I do know I don't feel the same attachment to something made with it compared to say, one of my photos.

When you create art, the meaning of that art is always in the eye of the viewer of that art - you have no control over that.

The moment you explain your created work, it is no longer art, but an instruction on how people should see art, not how they see it.

Explaining art is as useless as trying to explain what life (time, consciousness) is.

So when you frame your art with text, you are already specifying something and narrowing down where no limit is needed.

When I write a poem or a short story, this form of art speaks for itself. True, there is a great demand for why an author wrote exactly what he wrote and why a poet chose the words he chose. However, the only appropriate response would be "read the book" or "feel the poem". It is the same with pictorial or sculptural or any other form of art.

When many people resonate with a particular work of art, they do so because it moves something in them. However, if one is to specify what exactly that is, what happens is that one struggles for explanations and then would say, "I know what time (life, consciousness) is, but if you ask me, I don't know anymore."

So you are keen for art and artist to remain connected, rather than art being considered independently of the artist, you will always have fans or non-fans who comment, for example, because they want to say anything at all to you, but you won't know if your art speaks for itself unless you deny them that opportunity.

Leave them alone with the work and you may get more honest feedback on what you publish as art. If you hang paintings on your wall only because they come from a highly rated artist, but not because you resonate with the work and want it around you or in you, you weaken the message but pamper the messenger.
Of course, it is exceedingly tempting to be hyped as an artist and so anyone who seeks the open stage is an easy victim of their vanity.
You are in a position here where you could publish the visual without the text because you have already acquired a degree of notoriety. Something that many artists wish for. Would you dare to put nothing but the images you create on the line, without any text? Without any assistance to the passing viewer? And if you follow this idea, what thoughts arise?

I see no need in "defending" a piece of art, whether it was created through AI or your mind and hand. Art is there to offend, irritate, please, muse, inspire, anger, make one pause, you name it. If AI is going to produce art in this sense, that it makes humans pause, agree, disagree, offend or please, it fulfills the function but of course, it crushes the humans ego. While one can say, that AI only copies the inputs of human work and creations. In order to outperform it, one has to go offline, I suppose. ...

Lolz this is funny but what is more funny is your display name,just imagine,NoNamesLeftToUse. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Yeah. People seem to like that name. Makes me smile, too.

I like it too but it's kinda weird, maybe I will answer it for couple of days