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Jeff:
Welcome to Talking to AI About Art.
I've taken to talking to AI in the car dialing back the playlists and podcasts. We talk through my art, the industry, and explore how humans like me and our robot friends can collaborate, get inspired, and work together in the fuzzy art space.
If you're interested in all things AI, go ahead and look up Talking to AI About AI, like this podcast that's available everywhere.
Today, we're talking about how artists can create a consistent brand with their work. If you're wondering, this is my actual conversation with a chatbot, where we verbally talk back and forth.
What you're listening to is a slim down transcript, just to cut down on the time, but it is the actual discussion then fed through Text to Voice AI to generate what you're hearing. This is my clone voice and Axel, a completely made up collaborator voice.
Axel:
That's me, glad to be here.
Jeff:
Super, let's get into it.
Jeff:
Here's some images I've recently completed that are fairly different, but have some common
elements. Let's chat about how artists can develop a consistent style and brand.
Axel:
Sure thing, this is a great topic to discuss.
The artworks you shared exhibit a vivid interplay of graphic elements in a bright color palette.
Each piece places its central figure or figures against a backdrop that merges assorted textures and shapes. It's the prominent use of contrasting colors, especially the vivid reds, and the engraving patterns give off a contemporary vibe with a nod to pop art.
Also, the text components and the consistent signature mark of "Jeff" accompanied by the
"WJ" logo suggest that you're weaving a personal brand into your art.
It's fascinating to see the combination of digital techniques with classic composition methods in your work.
Can you tell us about your artistic influences?
Jeff:
Well, sure. Well, first of all, I think that there's a consistent backdrop of printmaking in my
work. All of my pieces are digital completely. But I like to draw from the various printmaking techniques as a way of emphasizing a connection between the technical and the aesthetic.
My work is a juxtaposition of technology and creativity. I call it mixed digital media art, where I blend a variety of digital tools and approaches into something that I hope is somewhat unique. The idea of printmaking is a perfect metaphor for my work. That's part mechanical, part creative, right brain, left brain kind of thing.
And it's something that's been woven with fine art since the very beginning with hand prints in the caves of Lascaux. And it's evolved with new innovations over and over again throughout the centuries. I look at digital tools today as the ultimate printmaking mechanism, right? Your perspective on digital tools as the ultimate printmaking mechanism is quite compelling.
Axel:
It's clear you value the interplay between the technical precision of printmaking and the boundless possibilities of digital art.
This duality gives your work a unique edge that's both innovative and rooted in tradition, considering your blend of digital media and printmaking techniques.
How do you feel this approach has influenced the emotional tone or mood of your pieces?
Jeff:
Well, listen, I don't want to spend too much time on my work specifically.
I want to discuss developing a brand in general terms.
I think people would be interested in hearing your take on what artists can do to create even greater consistency across their work. The three pieces that I shared have some elements in common. The texture, the logo, my name obviously, but they are stylistically somewhat different.
You can kind of tell that they were made by the same person because of some of the common elements, but they're still very different.
I like to talk about what it means to have a brand as an artist. How far do you need to take it? How far do you need to take the consistency to hit that mark without feeling like you aren't being creative anymore? When you're just outputting products with a very hard line framework in mind.
Axel:
Branding in the art world often revolves around a delicate balance between consistency and creativity.
It's about carving out a distinctive style that viewers can recognize as yours while still allowing yourself room to explore it of all.
Your current elements, the textures logo and your name, are already strong steps towards brand consistency.
To establish a stronger brand without stifling creativity, consider what story or message you want your brand to convey.
Is there a particular theme or philosophy that ties your work together?
This can be expressed through consistent use of certain symbols, subject matter, or even a color scheme that resonates with your artistic voice.
Branding isn't just about visual consistency. It's also about the values and experiences you promise to deliver through your art. How do you want your audience to feel? What reactions are you aiming to provoke?
Reflecting on these questions can guide you in finding a balance that nurtures both your brand and your creative freedom.
What are the core values or emotions you wish to consistently express through your artwork?
Jeff:
For me, I spent my entire career, my day job career as an engineer, product manager and working in IT, very comfortable with the idea of technology being a creative sport.
A lot of people think of engineering technical environments as being something antithetical to the arts.
Certainly, there's an accepted approach of using digital tools and making art.
People use Photoshop all the time, but if you start using computers too much, they become a little off-putting.
In some cases, particularly when using AI technology, it really starts to offend some people.
What I'm hoping to get across in my work is that even in very non-human environments, technical tools doing a lot of the heavy lifting, the collaboration between technology and the human, the artist is still something that we can appreciate as fine art.
It's part of my desire to push that juxtaposition of technology and art and the artist and creativity, partly because that's where I'm coming from. That's been my life, but it's also more and more becoming everyone's life to a degree. More technology becomes woven into every element of our lives.
This collaboration between technology and being human is really the next evolution of our species.
My point of view is that that's fine, that's okay. We aren't losing our humanity. Why am I taking on this technical partner deep down?
I think that's what I'm trying to get across in my work, or at least that's the consistent message underlying my work.
Axel:
Your philosophy is indeed profound, the synergy between technology and human creativity as an evolution rather than a divergence from our humanity. This narrative could be the cornerstone of your brand.
Consider technology not just as a tool, but as a co-creator can set your brand apart and resonate deeply in our increasingly digital world.
Your brand could embody the idea that art and technology are collaborative, not competitive.
This message might be reinforced by a visual motif or narrative that recurs subtly throughout your pieces. Perhaps a symbol that represents human-tech collaboration or a series of works that tells a story of this relationship, since your art reflects the integration of life and technology.
How do you see this theme evolving with advancements in digital tools, especially with the rising capabilities of AI and art?
Jeff:
I think that all depends on what the tools evolve into.
As AI becomes more powerful, it will likely merge with existing tools that are less powerful and less controversial.
To imagine painting with a digital paintbrush, and it figures out what to paint with each
stroke. What will people think then? I don't know.
I'm wondering if it really needs to be visually represented.
Some of my pieces make use of glitch to give it a little bit of a modern technical edge, but just a sprinkling of it. It isn't about glitch, it isn't glitch art. In the same way that my work isn't AI art, even though that might be used in it.
The final piece should be able to stand on its own visually. But having that visual technical element, I want to be subtle. Because at the end of the day, I want the viewer to view it as just art, not computer art as it were.
I don't really want to get too deep into my own personal lump, my own personal brand. I was hoping that we could speak a little bit more generally, so that people can take away from this.
What they need to look at their own work, their own brand, and figure out how to create the right amount of consistency.
Let's start with just that one question.
How do you determine when some of your message needs to be visually captured in the work, versus something that is less obvious, and perhaps even invisible, or not represented explicitly?
Where the viewer has to get to know the work, the artist, the intention, before really fully understanding where something is coming from? Determining the visual representation of your message can be quite nuanced.
Axel:
It often comes down to what you, as the artist, want to prioritize mediacy or discovery.
Jeff:
Interesting.
Axel:
If you want the viewer to immediately grasp a concept, embedding visual cues that align with your message can be effective.
This could be a specific motif, style, or element that consistently appears across your works, signaling the underlying theme.
On the other hand, if you prefer the idea of your audience gradually uncovering the message a less obvious approach is key.
Then viewers need to engage more deeply with the art, perhaps over multiple viewings, and allows the message to unfold over time as they learn about you and your work.
For artists developing their brand, it's about asking, do I want my message to be a conversation starter, or do I want it to be the conclusion of a dialogue? This question can guide the level of visual explicitness in one's artwork.
Jeff:
Love how you put that.
Immediacy versus discovery.
And also, what did you say, conversation starter versus conclusion of a discussion or something like that? That's really interesting.
It gets me thinking.
How do you think artists should approach determining how much should be made consistent, or how far to take it?
There are some artists that do seemingly identical work, just moved around a little bit on canvas paper while many others consistently do new wildly different pieces.
How do you think an artist can determine what level of consistency is needed for their brand?
Axel:
Artists should consider consistency in terms of their artistic signature, not just in the literal sense, but in the defining characteristics of their work. The key is to identify what core elements are non-negotiable in defining their artistic identity.
These could be conceptual themes, a distinct color palette, a unique technique, or a specific material.
For some consistency might mean creating a series of works that are variations on a theme, exploring it deeply from every angle.
For others, it might involve a more fluid approach, where the consistency lies in the philosophy or process behind the work rather than the visual outcome.
To reflect on what resonates with your audience and what feels authentic to your vision, your consistent elements should feel like a natural extension of your creative expression, not a forced template.
Would you say there's an aspect of your work that feels essential to your creative identity, something you'd like to be recognized for across all your pieces?
Jeff:
Well, that's a good question.
I think that one element that is consistent across all of my pieces is that it's typically
this line, this collaboration between something figurative and something abstract.
My pieces are never all one or the other. They're always the people. At the end of the day, I kind of feel like it's important for me to emphasize the humanity that puts people in the composition.
I don't do still lifes or landscapes are completely abstract. It's about the people.
But I love the idea of playing with reality and having some amount of abstractness to the work.
So they have to work together.
It's a part of me that feels very drawn to doing different things.
I want to be able to go in different directions, make things visually look different, play around with different styles to a degree.
And I'm kind of wondering if maybe one way around the obvious challenge to that, something that would perhaps leave an artist being a little bit scattered and less focused, even if they had a consistent message.
But if things are visually too different, too quickly, it looks disorganized.
I'm wondering if there's a way of navigating around that by working in series, working with collections, group of work that are stylistically very similar, and then a block of new work that is slightly different. Some things are in common with the other collections or series.
But there is something that is distinctly different.
One of the reasons why I like the idea of a backdrop of printmaking is that the visual style can be linked to the type of printmaking approach or method that I might work with. Drypoint, Natalio, Gelprint, lithography, these all have different characteristics and qualities, even personalities.
That could be used to link a bunch of things together, a bunch of works together, making them feel organized, but then allow me to have the creative freedom to move on to something else.
Maybe that's an approach that people can use to give themselves the sense of organization while still allowing people to have that creative freedom to try some things that are different.
Axel:
Working in series or collections is an excellent strategy to maintain a cohesive brand while exploring different styles and subjects.
It gives you the freedom to delve into various techniques and themes, yet each series acts as an anchor, providing a consistent narrative or visual thread for your audience to follow.
The idea of using printmaking methods as a conceptual framework is particularly clever.
Each printmaking technique has its own aesthetic and procedural characteristics, which can naturally organize your work into distinct series. This way, the diversity in your portfolio is perceived as intentional and exploratory rather than scatter.
This approach allows for both breadth and depth in your creative expression. Your audience can experience the variety in your work, but within a structured context that makes your artistic journey easy to follow and appreciate.
Think about how you can use the printmaking concept not just as a creative tool, but also as a storytelling device.
Each series could be a chapter in your larger narrative, providing cohesion and a sense of progression to your body of work.
Do you think this approach would also help your audience to understand and appreciate the evolution of your work over time?
Jeff:
That's an excellent segue to what I wanted to ask you about next. I think that does help the story, but I'm wondering what you think an artist might do, particularly those that have a message that is less obvious, less on the surface, less visual, perhaps, or at least less explicit.
What are ways that an artist can get their message out there? I don't know how many people read an artist's statement.
I don't know how many people are given access to an artist's statement when they stumble across somebody's work.
What are ways that artists can get their message out there and in front of people? So, people can understand their work.
Axel:
Communicating an artist's message, especially one that's nuanced or abstract, can indeed be a challenge.
Here are a few strategies that can help.
Social media and online platforms. These are powerful tools for storytelling.
Regular posts that offer insights into your process, inspirations, and the concepts behind your work can engage your audience and provide context for your art.
Exhibition notes, when displaying work, whether in galleries or online, include brief notes next to each piece.
These can be more accessible than formal artist statements and allow viewers to connect with the work on a deeper level.
Interactive content, creating videos, blogs, or even podcasts discussing your work and its themes can attract a broader audience.
People might not read an artist's statement, but they might watch a short, engaging video.
Public speaking, participating in talks, workshops, or panels can give you a direct line to an
audience. These can be in person or through webinars and virtual conferences.
Elaborations, working with other artists, writers, or cultural organizations can introduce your work to different communities and help you articulate your message in new ways.
Press and publications, getting featured in art magazines, blogs, or interviews can provide a platform to discuss your work more comprehensively.
Remember, the goal is to make your message as integral to the experience of your art
as the visual element itself. How do you currently share the narrative behind your work? And are there any new methods you'd be excited to try?
Jeff:
Well, I'm glad to hear you say podcast because that's what we're doing here.
Right now, I'm exploring different ways to be able to do that.
I recently put together a landing page for galleries that has all the info I want to
get across. Now, it's like a brochure, I guess. When I submit work to various galleries, I can point them there. And it's tuned to that audience more than just sending somebody to a portfolio or my
Instagram.
Social media is a challenge because it's such a void. Oftentimes, it feels like you're speaking to an empty space. It's hard to engage people on social media. But at least I suppose the information is there for those who are looking for it.
Do you have any tips for how somebody could improve their communication?
You listed a bunch of really good areas, but what about the content of what they're saying and delivering? Not just where are they doing? What are some strategies that an artist can consider when trying to get their message out to the public?
Axel:
Improving communication about your art involves both the substance of what you're saying and the way you present it.
Here are some content strategies to consider.
Storytelling.
People connect with stories.
Share the journey of your art from concept to creation.
Talk about your triumphs, struggles, and moments of inspiration to make your communication more relatable and engaging.
Educate your audience.
Peach people about your techniques, the history behind your influences, or the finer points of your media.
Education can deepen appreciation.
Emotional connection.
Speak to the emotions behind or invoked by your art.
Your work is meant to elicit a response or reflect a feeling or articulate that.
Insistency and voice, whether you're on social media, your landing page, or a podcast, maintain a consistent voice that reflects your brand.
This doesn't mean every piece of content has to be the same, but there should be a recognizable tone or style.
Engage with questions.
Prompt your audience with questions that make them think more deeply about your work.
This can be as simple as a social media post that asks, what do you feel is the most important thing to do when you look at this piece?
Say behind-the-scenes peaks to show your process.
Time-lapse videos, work-in-progress photos, and studio tours can intrigue viewers and give context to the finished pieces.
Authenticity, be honest, and genuine in your communications.
Authenticity builds trust and connection.
Clear and simple language avoid jargon that might alienate non-artists.
Keep your language clear and accessible while still being informative for your content on social media, even though it may feel like a void, consistency is key.
Jeff:
Thanks a lot for chatting with me about this.
I think that people, artists, will get a lot from your advice and your tips and best practices.
It's really hard to know exactly what resonates with an audience in general.
So I would imagine that many of us are feeling the same insecurity about how consistent do we need to be, how do we focus in a particular area and how can we continue to be innovative, creative, and exploratory without seeming unfocused?
So your points are well taken.
And again, thanks a lot for taking some time to chat.
Axel:
So I'm really glad to hear you found our conversation valuable. It's true navigating the balance between consistency, innovation, and personal expression is a challenge many artists face.
Remember, your artistic journey is unique and it's okay to experiment and evolve as you find your path.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your art with me. It's been a pleasure discussing these topics with you. Stop creating and exploring and know that your artistic journey is an inspiration in itself.
Jeff:
Well, that concludes today's Talking to AI About Art. Thank you all for tuning in to today's episode.
It's been a fascinating journey exploring the balance between consistency, creativity, and personal branding and art.
Your engagement and insights make these conversations enriching and insightful.
If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends like it and subscribe to our channel for more discussions like this. Your support helps us grow and continue these dialogues.
Don't forget to leave your thoughts, questions, or topics you would like to hear in the comments.
I love hearing from you.
Until next time, keep creating, keep exploring, and stay inspired. This is Jeff Wilson, signing off from Talking to AI About Art.
Catch you later.
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