prompt engineering & art

I’m continuing my exploration into what it looks like to collaborate with ChatGPT in my creative process.

As an artist, iterating is key. I do something. I repeat something. I change something. I test something. I go back to doing something again. Sometimes I go back to an earlier step and sometimes I skip into a different loop in my process. This constant process allows me to evolve with each piece I make. It empowers me to improve and grow both creatively and artistically.

In my second piece collaborating with ChatGPT, I’m diving deeper into the concept of prompt engineering.

Prompt engineering refers to the process of designing and refining prompts or instructions to effectively interact with and guide language models like ChatGPT. It involves carefully crafting the initial instruction given to the model to achieve desired outcomes or specific behaviors in the generated response.

Prompt engineering is crucial because language models like ChatGPT generate responses based on the provided context and prompt. By modifying the prompt, you can influence the model's output and steer it towards producing more accurate, helpful, or desired responses. The choice of words, phrasing, and formatting in the prompt can significantly impact the output generated by the model.

Prompt engineering often involves experimentation and iteration to fine-tune the prompts. This is precisely what I’m undertaking. I’m trying different variations, rephrasing, or providing additional context to improve the model's understanding and response quality. I’m curious to see how I can exponentially improve the information I’m receiving from ChatGPT as well as how I interpret and execute the input to create meaningful creative artwork.

Here is the detailed transcript from my second piece in my series, a cognitive collaboration between an artist and ChatGPT. I’m calling this piece, confidence in bloom. Here is the detailed transcript from my interaction with ChatGPT.

Question 1: Powerful Acrylic Underpainting

Me - I want to create an original 20’’ x 20’’ acrylic painting. I’d like it to express a powerful feeling. What do you suggest for the underpainting?

ChatGPT - For an acrylic painting that aims to express a powerful feeling, you have several options for the underpainting. Here are a few suggestions:

Bold and Vibrant: Start with a vibrant underpainting using warm or cool colors to create a strong visual impact. This can serve as a foundation for the powerful emotions you want to convey in the final piece.

Contrasting Tones: Create a stark contrast between light and dark areas in your underpainting. This can help evoke a sense of drama and intensity, allowing your powerful emotions to shine through in the final painting.

Expressive Brushwork: Use loose, expressive brushstrokes in your underpainting to convey energy and raw emotion. This can add a dynamic quality to your artwork and set the stage for the powerful feeling you want to capture.

Remember, the underpainting serves as a base layer and doesn’t need to be a complete representation of the final painting. It’s an opportunity to experiment, establish a mood, and lay the groundwork for the powerful emotions you want to express. Feel free to explore different techniques and colors to find what resonates with your vision.

Me - I really like the suggestions you made in 2 and 3. Can you expound on how I can work with these two techniques specifically?

ChatGPT - Certainly! Let’s explore how you can work with the techniques of creating a contrasting tones underpainting and using expressive brushwork:

Contrasting Tones Underpainting:

Start by choosing two contrasting colors, such as deep blues and vibrant oranges or dark grays and bright yellows, to create a strong visual impact.

Apply these colors to your canvas, either by blocking in large areas or by using broad brushstrokes. Focus on establishing a clear distinction between light and dark areas.

Consider the emotional tone you want to convey. Warmer colors like reds, oranges, and yellows can evoke energy, passion, or intensity, while cooler colors like blues and purples can evoke a sense of calm or introspection.

Experiment with blending and layering the colors to create smooth transitions or bold juxtapositions, depending on the mood you want to achieve.

Once your contrasting tones underpainting is dry, you can proceed with adding layers of color and detail to further enhance the powerful emotions you want to express.

Expressive Brushwork:

Choose larger brushes or palette knives to create bold, expressive strokes on your canvas.

Instead of focusing on small, intricate details, allow your brushwork to be free and spontaneous, capturing the energy and emotion you want to convey.

Vary the pressure, speed, and direction of your brushstrokes to create a sense of movement and dynamism in your underpainting.

Consider using thicker paint or applying impasto techniques to add texture and depth to certain areas, further enhancing the expressive quality of your brushwork.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques, such as splattering or dragging the paint across the canvas to achieve the desired emotional impact.

Remember, both techniques are about creating a foundation that captures the essence of the powerful feeling you want to express. Embrace experimentation, trust your intuition, and allow yourself to be guided by the emotions you wish to convey in your final acrylic painting.

Me - I’d like the powerful feeling to communicate strong inner confidence. What contrasting colors would you suggest?

ChatGPT - To convey a strong inner confidence through contrasting colors in your acrylic painting, you can consider the following color combinations:

Blue and Gold: Blue is often associated with stability, trust, and confidence, while gold represents luxury, wisdom, and success. The combination of these colors can create a visually striking contrast and evoke a sense of inner strength and self-assurance.

Black and White: The classic contrast of black and white can symbolize power, sophistication, and elegance. This minimalistic approach can emphasize the confidence and clarity of your subject, allowing their inner strength to shine through.

Red and Purple: Red is a color associated with passion, energy, and determination, while purple signifies creativity, ambition, and independence. Combining these bold colors can create a vibrant and assertive contrast that communicates a strong sense of self-confidence.

Orange and Teal: Orange represents enthusiasm, vitality, and self-assurance, while teal conveys depth, stability, and balance. This warm and cool color combination can create a visually stimulating contrast that captures both strength and harmony.

Remember, the choice of colors ultimately depends on your personal preferences and the specific mood or atmosphere you want to achieve. These suggestions can serve as a starting point, but feel free to explore other combinations or variations that resonate with your artistic vision and the powerful feeling of strong inner confidence you wish to express.

Me - I’ve decided to proceed with option 4. How do you suggest I combine this with the expressive brushwork in the underpainting?

ChatGPT - Combining the option of contrasting colors (orange and teal) with expressive brushwork in the underpainting can create a dynamic and visually engaging foundation for expressing strong inner confidence. Here’s how you can proceed:

Prepare your canvas: Start with a properly primed canvas in the size of your choice (20’’ x 20’’). This will provide a smooth surface for your underpainting.

Color selection: Mix your chosen shades of orange and teal. You can create variations of these colors by adding white, black, or other complementary colors to achieve the desired tones.

Applying the underpainting:

Use large brushes or palette knives to apply broad strokes of orange and teal on the canvas. Don’t worry about creating a detailed representation at this stage; instead, focus on capturing the overall mood and energy of the painting.

Experiment with different brushstrokes and techniques to infuse expressive movement into the underpainting. Allow the colors to blend and interact in areas, creating interesting textures and transitions.

Consider incorporating light and dark areas to establish the contrast between the orange and teal. This contrast can enhance the impact of the colors and add depth to the underpainting.

Emphasize brushwork:

While applying the underpainting, let your brushstrokes be bold, loose, and expressive. Vary the pressure, speed, and direction of your brush or palette knife to create a sense of energy and confidence.

Consider using thicker applications of paint in certain areas to add texture and visual interest. This can further enhance the expressive quality of the brushwork and contribute to the overall powerful feeling of the painting.

Remember, the underpainting is a foundation upon which you’ll build layers of color and detail. Once the underpainting is dry, you can proceed with refining and adding additional elements to further develop your artwork while preserving the strong inner confidence expressed through the contrasting colors and expressive brushwork.

Question 2: Dividing the Canvas

Me - I want to create an original acrylic painting on a 20’’x20’’ canvas that expresses a feeling of inner confidence. I want it to be a powerfully expressive piece. The underpainting I’ve done combines teal and orange tones with lots of areas of contrast. I used broad and fluent strokes in the underpainting. Next I want to divide the canvas into squares. How would you suggest that this be done to further express the feeling of inner confidence?

ChatGPT - To further express the feeling of inner confidence in your acrylic painting, dividing the canvas into squares can be a great technique. Here’s a suggestion on how you could approach it:

Consider using bold and assertive lines: Use a darker color, such as a deep blue or black to create strong and confident lines that divide the canvas into squares. These lines should be clean and well-defined, adding a sense of structure and stability to the composition.

Vary the thickness of the lines: Experiment with different line thicknesses to add visual interest and create a dynamic effect. Thicker lines can symbolize strength and solidity, while thinner lines can represent flexibility and adaptability. This variation will enhance the expressive quality of the piece.

Play with the colors: Build upon the contrasting teal and orange tones from your underpainting. You can either maintain these colors in the squares or introduce complementary or harmonious hues within each square. Consider using warmer tones like golden yellows or vibrant reds to evoke a sense of passion and self-assurance.

Emphasize texture: Apply varying textures within the squares to add depth and complexity to the painting. You can achieve this by using different brush techniques or incorporating elements like impasto (thickly applied paint) or glazing (transparent layers) to create visual interest and tactile sensations.

Remember the ultimate goal is to capture the essence of inner confidence through your brushstrokes and composition. Feel free to adapt these suggestions according to your artistic vision and intuition. Happy painting!

Me - Excellent! Do you suggest a certain number of squares?

ChatGPT - The number of squares you choose to divide your canvas into is a creative decision that depends on your artistic vision and the overall composition you want to achieve. However, here are a few suggestions to consider:

A grid of equal-sized squares: Creating a grid with an equal number of squares in both horizontal and vertical directions can give a sense of order and balance. You can experiment with different grid sizes, such as 4 x 4 (16 squares) or 5 x 5 (25 squares), depending on the level of detail and complexity you desire.

Asymmetrical or irregular division: If you want to introduce a more dynamic and expressive element, consider dividing the canvas into asymmetrical or irregularly shaped squares. This can create a sense of movement and energy, reflecting the idea of inner confidence breaking free from traditional boundaries.

Focus on a central square: Instead of dividing the canvas uniformly, you can place a larger, central square surrounded by smaller squares. This central square can serve as a focal point, representing the core of your inner confidence. The surrounding squares can symbolize growth, expansion, or different aspects of your inner strength.

Remember, there are no strict rules when it comes to art, so feel free to experiment and trust your instincts. Sketching out different compositions beforehand or testing them digitally can help you visualize the effect and choose the option that resonates most with your artistic expression.

Me - I like option 3. What dimensions do you suggest for the larger inner square and the outer smaller squares to further reinforce the feeling of inner confidence?

ChatGPT - To reinforce the feeling of inner confidence in your composition, you can consider the following dimensions for the larger inner square and the surrounding smaller squares:

Larger inner square: To make it visually prominent and emphasize its significance, you could consider making the larger inner square approximately two-thirds or three-fourths the size of the overall canvas. For example, on a 20’’x 20’’ canvas, you could make the larger inner square around 13’’ x 13’’ or 15’’x 15’’. This size difference will help draw attention to the central focal point and reinforce the sense of strength and assurance it represents.

Surrounding smaller squares: The dimensions of the smaller squares can be adjusted accordingly, depending on the size of the larger inner square. You may choose to make the surrounding squares uniform in size or experiment with variations. For instance, on a 20’’ x 20’’ canvas, you could create smaller squares that are approximately 3’’ x 3’’ or 4’’ x 4’’. This contrast in size between the larger inner square and the surrounding smaller squares will visually highlight the importance and power of the central element.

Remember, these are just suggested dimensions, and you can modify them based on your artistic preferences. It’s essential to experiment, sketch, and explore different compositions to find the arrangement that best captures the feeling of inner confidence you want to convey in your painting.

Me - I will proceed with an inner square that is 13’’ x 13’’. For the smaller outer squares I’d like to divide the remaining area evenly. What dimensions should I make the smaller squares?

ChatGPT - If you have an inner square that measures 13’’ x 13’’, and you would like to divide the remaining area evenly with smaller outer squares, you can calculate the dimensions as follows:

To determine the dimensions of the smaller squares, you need to subtract the size of the inner square from the overall canvas size.

Given that your canvas is 20’’ x 20’’, and the inner square is 13’’ x 13’’, you have a remaining area of 7’’ x 7’’.

If you want to divide this remaining area evenly with smaller squares, you can choose a common size for the smaller squares. For example:

If you want to have four smaller squares surrounding the inner square, you can divide the remaining 7’’ x 7’’ area into four equal squares, resulting in each smaller square being approximately 3.5’’ x 3.5’’

If you prefer to have nine smaller squares surrounding the inner square, you can divide the 7’’ x 7’’ area into nine equal squares, resulting in each smaller square being approximately 2.33’’ x 2.33’’.

These are just examples, and you can adjust the number and size of the smaller squares based on your artistic vision and preference. Remember to consider the overall balance and visual appeal of the composition as you make these decisions.

I find this process of collaborating with ChatGPT so interesting. It stretches me. I try things that I never would have anticipated as I draw together elements of the ideas it provides me. If you are curious to see the outcome of this piece, you can find confidence in bloom here.

I’m going to move on to another piece in the idea of continuing to iterate. I can’t wait to see where this goes. If you are curious, have an idea, or question, I hope you will drop me a line via email here.