Posts Tagged ‘painting’

Robotech Inspired Paintings by Me and My Painting Robot, Zanelle

In preperation for the upcoming DC Freshly Squeezed exhibition, I am having my painting art robot paint more and more of my hand drawn robots.  Originally, I was calling this my robot in shades series, but over time the shades have become gasmasks.  In fact the last couple of robots I have drawn or painted all have gasmasks.  I would love to tell you it was symbolic for something like “man’s hubris in its destruction of the environment,”  but there is no symbolism.  They are just pictures of robot’s with gasmasks. 

This particular painting set, the top of which was hand painted, and the bottom which was painted by my robot, is a take off of those old robotech cartoons.  It is a robotech style robot with a gasmask.  While thinking about it I realized that Robotech as transforming robots far pre-dated Transformers, but for some reasons Transformers are more popular.  It must have something to do with the fact that Transformers are robots in and of themselves, while robotech robots were driven by humans. 

Anyways, like all my art work, this is for sale on my online store.  See the links on the sidebar.  Also it will be on display at DC Freshly Squeezed (Opening Night September 13).  See my previous blogs for the flier…

Pindar

C3PO Pop Art – A Robotic Painting of a Robotic Icon

One of the most popular subjects for paintings by Zanelle, my painting robot, is famous robots from popular culture.

C-3PO Triptych, 40″x16″, Acrylic on Three Canvases

Though not as popular as R2-D2 paintings, C-3PO definitely has his fans.  This painting was made by my painting robot using a scan algorithm.  All strokes are perfectly vertical.  this piece has been on exhibition at the Corcoran alongside a similar R2-D2 piece that sold.  All my art work is for sale, of course.  Check out my online store (link in the sidebar) for purchase information…

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Creative Process Behind my Robot Paintings

When I create a robot painting, I never know how it will turn out when I begin.  I do not even have a design or even a robot in mind as I start.  Look to the right to see photos taken every 15-30 minutes of a recent painting.  The description below is annotated with the frame number and what I was thinking at that time…

(1) My paintings typically begin with the random application of paint.  I am just making shapes and mixing colors.  (2) I paint until the canvas is covered.  (3) Once it is covered I start looking for shapes and highlighting them.  Then I step back and search for a robot in the chaos of my strokes. (4) I think I see a seated robot king on the canvas, so I quickly sketch one in red paint. (5) But the red looked horrible and the robot was too small, so I cover the root in white paint and start over. (6) Now I see him even better.  But only the front hand and the face.  So I sketch out some fingers and add some shades. I also see him as a larger seated robot and plot it our with more subtle paint colors. (7) Yes, this sketch looks good and I like where it is going so I outline his body in black paint.  I imagine him is seated on a large soft couch.  (8)  Then I add some detail including an upright finger and imagine what he would be saying. “No, No, No, No, No.”  comes to mind.  I am thinking that he is waving his finger at something.  (9)  Then it occurs to me that he is not seated on a couch, he is a king, so it is probably a big throne.  I fill out a throne in black.  I also emphasize the “No’s” in red. (10) The colors were not working for me so  made the throne more subtle and made the green background light blue.  You will notice that at this point, nothing remains of the original green background.  (11) I step back and look at the painting and realize that the hand with one finger looks off, so I change it to have all fingers up in the “Halt” position.  I also refine the details and repaint the background color a second time.  (12)  Stepping back one final time, I realize that the “No, No, No, No.” motif worked with a waiving finger but not an open palm, so I get rid of all the “No’s” but one.  Then I refine the details a bit more and soften the shading. 

I feel that at this point it is finished.  A Close up of the final painting can be seen below.  It is called “No-Bot” and is painted with acrylic on a 12″x9″ stretched canvas.

 

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New “Robots with Shades” Painting, fourth in the current series of Robot Paintings

Here is the latest robot in shades painting.  The painting and robot are called Crabbot, because he has a big claw like a hermit crab. 

Crabbot, Acrylic on Wood, 10″x10″

I like painting non-symmetric robots.  Everyone always thinks of robots as symmetrical, so there is always something interesting about robots that are not.  Also he has shades on.  Don’t know what else to say about this one, except that I am about to give the image as input into my painting art robot to make a couple of robotic “prints.” 

Don’t know about my painting robot?  Well her name is Zanelle and she uses a brush and acrylic paint to make paintings.  This is done stroke-by-stroke.  Check out the video in my links list to see Zanelle painting in action.  Also go to www.vanarman.com for more details…

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Robot Painting and Two Robotic Prints of the Painting

Below is a recent robot painting that I did by hand and two robotic “prints” based on the painting.  The robotic “prints” are not traditional prints, but instead paintings by a robot that I designed, built, and programmed. 

Cool Robots 1, Acrylic on Wood, 10″x8″

Cool Robots 1, Acrylic Zanelle Painting (1 of 2), 24″x24″

 

Cool Robots 1, Acrylic Zanelle Painting (2 of 2), 24″x24″

People often ask how well my painting robot, Zanelle, can reproduce paintings.  The above two Zanelle Paintings are a good example.  Though they are very close in execution, many differences exist.

My art will explore this approach for the forseeable future.  I will concentrate on painting robots by hand, then afterwards program my painting robot to make “reproductions.”

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Cool Robots – Two New Robot Paintings Inspired by Nephew’s Challenge

As I have mentioned before, my nephew has been giving me ideas for robot paintings recently.  I basically try and paint a robotic version of whatever he tells me to.  The following two paintings are examples of a failure gone good.  The challenge was to paint a Robotic Piano…  I tried twice, and failed twice.  Each of the following paintings started with robotic pianos, then instead, ended up as robotic musicians. 

Cool Robots 1, Acrylic on Wood, 10″x7″

Not sure why I think of the above robots as musicians, but they just look like a blues band to me. 

Cool Robots 2, Acrylic on Wood, 10″x7″

Same with this double portrait.  It looks like one of those portraits of two celebrities hanging out at a club or music event.  So maybe I couldn’t pull off a cool looking Robot Piano, but it is what it is. 

At least these started off as robotic pianos.  I wish I had time lapse pictures of the creative process and how these evolved.  There was a piano in each of these at one point, honest.  Maybe after I die and they are x-raying my paintings, they will discover them…

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Printmaking or Painting, Two Versions of Mechagodzilla Painted by Zanelle, my Art Robot

Previously, I posted a painting of Mechagodzilla that was painted by my art robot, Zanelle.  I have recently made a second version of it.  This version, pictured below uses a different brush pattern than the first one. 

Instead of painting only in a single direction, like in the first image pictured below, the new Mechagodzilla painting paints countours.  Other differences is that the new one (above) was painted on wood, while the original was painted on a stretched canvas.

The new Mechagodzilla is available for sale in an auction on ebay.  Bidding starts at $200.  The auction ends on August 13, 2008 if you are interested.  The first Mechagodzilla painting has already sold…

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Multiple Panel Astro Boy Pop Art Painting/Prints by My Robot

Peope are always asking me how well my painting art robot can replicate paintings.  I never really go for reproduction, but I love to paint a single image with it over and over again and then tile them.  Below is an 18 panel and 9 panel painting of Astro Boy.

The painting / print above is 30″x16″. 

The image to the right is 16″x16″. I am always painting retro robots and recently unique robots of my own creation.  Check out my ebay store (in the links menu) to see the work that is currently available for purchase. Prices range from $80-$1200.

 

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Recent Portraits Created With My Painting Art Robot Zanelle

Below are a couple of recent portraits made by my painting art robot Zanelle.  Unlike the typical art robot, she is capable of representational imagery.  She paints with a brush on canvas.  A video of her painting can be seen at www.vanarman.com or in the links tab on this page.  The robot and I paint portraits for $200 a face.  Email me if you are interested in one.

The first painting below is of a couple getting married. 

 Below is a present for a wife.

 And below is a portrait commissioned by a father for his son.

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New Robotic Head Installed on Zanelle, a Painting Art Robot

In a post long ago I promised to show a history of robotic heads used by my painting art robot, Zanelle.  Here it finally is.  Below are pictures of the first three robotic heads that were used to hold a brush and apply brush strokes to canvas.  None of these are being used any longer.  They have been replaced by my fourth and fifth robotic head, the fifth one is pictured even further below.

The first head was absurd (top).  A hand wrapped electro magnet that worked so poorly I had to have counter weights on the opposite side of the brush.  But it made cool strokes.  Unfortunately it only lasted a couple of weeks before I replaced it.

The second head was awesome (middle).  Completely hand made primarily with wood, this robotic head painted for over a year without failure.  I just retired it today and replaced it with a new head.  Its only problem was that it would overheat and loose electromagnetic strength the longer it was in operation.

The third head was acceptable (bottom). It worked O.K., but didn’t have the style of the second.  Also, it would jam occasionally.  That is why when the fourth robotic head was constructed, I replacedis one with it instead of the second.

The fourth robotic head (unpictured), looks very similar to the fifth robotic head which is pictured below.  It was designed and fabricated by Jacobus McKenzie.  It does a majority of my paintings these days.

The fifth robotic head (above), was just installed on one of my painting robots.  It too was designed and fabricated by Jacobus McKenzie.  I worked with him to make a couple of improvements over the fourth one.  I do not know how well it works yet as it is currently in the middle of a test run.

Will keep you updated…

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