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Look Highward is an AI-native artist who started exploring visible artwork in early 2020 throughout the first COVID lockdown. With a background in philosophy and a long-standing curiosity in expertise, Look transitioned from writing and conceptual work to creating intricate digital artwork utilizing AI and machine studying.
His journey into AI artwork started with experimenting on text-to-image scripts, which finally led to his first on-chain works in 2021. As an early adopter of NFTs and a passionate collector, Look Highward has been an lively determine within the AI artwork neighborhood, pushing the boundaries of how machine studying can be utilized to specific human narratives and feelings.
On this interview, Look Highward opens up about his inventive follow, providing insights into how he crafts advanced AI artworks. He discusses the significance of experimentation in his prompting method, the affect of gaming and surrealist artwork on his work, and his imaginative and prescient for decentralized, interactive artwork experiences.
BW: Might you begin by telling me a little bit about your self and your journey as an artist?
LH: Certain. One attention-grabbing factor about my journey is that I’m each digitally and AI native. I didn’t create any vital visible paintings till I found AI and machine studying in early 2020. Through the first COVID lockdown within the UK, I had time to discover AI, utilizing text-to-image scripts to visualise poems.
These experiments led to my first on-chain works, however I didn’t mint them till late 2021. Earlier than that, I’d been holding ETH and studying about decentralized finance, lacking each DeFi and NFT summers. After I lastly began minting, I turned obsessive about AI artwork and commenced gathering, primarily from different AI artists. I acquired concerned with Mind Drops and made my first massive secondary buy—a Claire Silver piece for 3 ETH, which was a major second for me. I assumed it was a great way to point out dedication to the area.
BW: Is poetry nonetheless a part of your text-to-image follow?
LH: Positively. I consider prompts as poems. My prompts are usually lengthy—generally a pair hundred phrases—as a result of I like utilizing poetic expressions to interrupt my very own intentions. I typically embody issues in prompts that don’t have a set visible which means to see how the AI interprets them. It’s a call-and-response course of for me: poetry, visible curation, after which extra poetry.
BW: AI is a scorching matter, with debates escalating because the expertise improves. Why do you assume it’s a needed medium for creating?
LH: I’m unsure any medium is critical, however as soon as a medium exists, it is smart to discover its creative potential. At Digital Artwork Day, Anya from Operator stated, “An artist mustn’t chase the tech,” and I agree. The tempo of tech is overwhelming, and artists shouldn’t really feel pressured to maintain up with it.
AI is value exploring as a result of it transforms how we create. For the primary time, we are able to assemble concepts and meanings exterior of our personal minds. That’s what makes it revolutionary. It’s difficult for a lot of, however we now have a course of we are able to collaborate with, regardless that AI doesn’t have its personal expertise or consciousness. It will probably nonetheless generate meanings that relate to human knowledge in methods we would not have imagined.
BW: I not too long ago spoke with Ivona Tau about how AI permits for connections that people, with all our context, may by no means make. It’s like accessing superpowered naivety.
LH: That’s an attention-grabbing level. I strive to try this in my life too, always resetting my expectations and studying—form of a Zen “unlearning.” AI helps with that by letting you toss something on the market and see what comes again. It’s a steadiness between embracing the chaos and sustaining some human intention, nevertheless it evolves as you go.
BW: Are you able to give me any extra specifics round your unlearning follow? How formalized is it? Is there something you’d advocate to assist different artists empty their minds to create?
LH: A variety of it comes from my upbringing. My dad and mom had been into Jap philosophies, so I used to be uncovered to that early on. I had some key experiences in my youth, together with a number of psychedelic ones, however I don’t advocate that to everybody—it’s private.
The most effective recommendation is easy: “Be right here now.” It’s about observing your ideas and realizing you’re on the practice of thought, however not at all times in charge of it. Stepping again, even with one thing so simple as aware respiration, helps. Simply focusing in your breath for 20 seconds can shift your perspective, reminding you that you just’re not solely outlined by the constructions you’ve in-built your thoughts.
BW: Are you able to inform me the story behind the items you made for Digital Artwork Day in Málaga and the generative wine charity sale?
LH: Certain. This assortment, Catedrales Irreals (Unreal Cathedrals), is my second on-chain assortment. It builds on my first, Risk Areas, each technically and thematically.
These are high-definition photographs, about 7000 by 11,000 pixels, so you’ll be able to zoom in deeply. They’re made via an upscaling course of, beginning with a small picture and iterating with new prompts and settings to double the scale whereas retaining a part of the unique and including new layers.
I additionally experimented extra with prompts on this assortment, utilizing wildcards for components like coloration palettes and sacred arithmetic. I researched coloration palettes, grouped them, and let the immediate randomly choose one. This gave me extra management over the output with out totally predetermining it.
The gathering’s theme revolves round cathedrals and numinous experiences. Some items depict cathedrals, whereas others concentrate on environments that evoke a way of altered states. There are even some big figures that weren’t deliberate however resonated, so I included them.
BW: What’s the curation course of for this sequence like?
LH: I begin with a small piece, a few tenth of the ultimate measurement, and experiment with totally different upscalers and settings. I strive totally different combos—perhaps 15 samplers and numerous steps—then I select what resonates. There’s no strict standards, simply intuition.
For this challenge, I generated 1000’s of photographs, narrowed them down, and refined them via a number of iterations. There was a time constraint, so the items are a bit smaller than my earlier assortment, however the course of remains to be intensive, with a lot of tweaking alongside the way in which.
BW: Let’s discuss Risk Areas. Are you able to inform me about that sequence?
LH: This was my first still-image work. Earlier than that, I used to be doing video items. It got here from a challenge I’m nonetheless engaged on with a sculptor who creates large statues. I used to be making AI collages to go inside these hollowed varieties, which led me to experiment with workflows that would create giant, detailed photographs.
The primary realms had been closely influenced by Hieronymus Bosch—surreal, detailed, and human. I really like glitch artwork as a result of it disrupts our expectations, and AI’s “glitches” assist reinterpret acquainted varieties. Folks discuss AI getting nearer to perfection, however I believe the glitches are what make it attention-grabbing. They’re a part of how AI reinterprets humanity.
BW: You talked about Bosch, however I additionally considered Pieter Bruegel the Elder, who’s recognized for embedding a lot of storylines into his work. Did you strive to try this, or was it extra natural?
LH: I didn’t consider Bruegel particularly—there are gaps in my artwork historical past—however narrative is vital to this assortment, particularly since I typically use poems as prompts. The gathering is a retelling of the human story, although there are a number of sci-fi components, like spaceships.
The alien components didn’t resonate with me as a lot because the buying malls, the place you have got these pure groupings of individuals, however whenever you zoom in, unusual issues are occurring. It’s that blend of the acquainted and the unfamiliar that I discover most attention-grabbing.
BW: I observed that a few of your items are extra summary, whereas others have clear, nearly illustrated human figures. What was your pondering as you moved between these extremes?
LH: It was open-ended, however I used to be at all times exploring the human story in some type. Some realms are extra summary, however they’re all tied to human which means. Because the challenge progressed, I refined my strategy and located methods to get extra detailed faces, however the core prompts didn’t change a lot.
I additionally immediate with a mixture of artist names—by no means only one or two, however extra like 20. That layering of influences, together with references to sci-fi and even fictional characters, performs a giant position in shaping the type of every realm.
BW: What else are you able to share about your prompting course of?
LH: I like to recommend experimenting broadly and ranging immediate lengths. Working regionally provides you extra management. You’ll be able to run experiments with totally different steps, change variables, and see what works. I don’t attempt to management issues too tightly, however you’ll be able to if you would like. Strive issues the place you don’t know the end result—summary or sudden prompts. Generally, we get caught repeating what we’ve completed earlier than, so getting exterior your head might help.
BW: This is perhaps my favourite piece. It’s extremely detailed and jogs my memory of the Sgt. Pepper cowl. What’s occurring on this sequence?
LH: That is from my Movie Noir realm. It has a few of the most clearly outlined faces and poses. I used to be impressed by the interval of movie noir, exploring the concept of a homicide thriller. What’s humorous is that just about everyone seems to be trying suspiciously on the digicam, which provides to the vibe. I aimed to seize the early movie spirit, not fairly the daybreak of cinema, however shut. Folks typically examine AI’s influence to that of images on portray, and whereas there are limits to that comparability, it did affect this piece.
BW: This final piece looks as if a departure in type with its isometric view. What impressed that?
LH: Yeah, it’s a distinct angle. Isometric views often really feel extra ordered, so I used to be pushing the boundaries. I’ve at all times beloved gaming, and this view is acquainted from video games. I believe the gaming affect performed a task. This piece is a part of a sequence that features isometric places of work and artwork galleries. There was a push and pull between mundane, human realms—like buying malls—and extra imaginative, divine realms, just like the astral aircraft. This piece sits someplace within the center.
BW: Are you able to stroll me via your each day workflow?
LH: My workflow isn’t each day. I want I might follow full-time, however I’ve youngsters, so I typically work late at evening. I’ve a projector for detailed work, and I even have a mini workplace with a giant, ultra-wide display screen. For the Cathedrals sequence, I rotated the display screen 90 levels, so it’s like a large cellphone—nice for each Twitter and the cathedrals!
I take advantage of Visions of Chaos, which is unbelievable free software program for PC. It’s not open-source, nevertheless it has tons of scripts for all the pieces from text-to-image to video. It’s a little bit of a trouble to arrange, however as soon as it’s operating, it’s wonderful. I additionally use Auto 1111 for many of my work. There are numerous variations, however I take advantage of Stability Diffusion GUI. A very good setup prices a number of thousand kilos, nevertheless it provides you a lot extra management.
BW: Do you have got any wildly bold, unrealized tasks?
LH: I’ve too many! I purchase a website each time I get an thought I’m not able to execute, so I’ve acquired about 20 domains sitting on the shelf.
For now, I’m planning to focus much less on NFT collections and extra on experiences—interactive and immersive artwork, and collaborative decentralized programs. I need to create proof-of-concept tasks that folks can use, share, or contribute to, with no need to handle a staff.
One thought I’m exploring is a system the place you’ll be able to visualize the Earth. You’d click on on a location, and the system would generate AI-driven concepts, content material, or photographs associated to your immediate and the place. Folks might add their very own layers or lenses on prime. That’s the form of interactive expertise I’d prefer to construct.
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