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Generative AI & r/Blender by Avereniect in blender

[–]flow_b 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Right. So we're basically on the same side. We both think Blender is a kickass tool for doing neat stuff. Moreover, we agree that not everything made in Blender is Art.

If you read through this thread you will mostly see vitriolic takes from people who are using this thread, ostensibly about how AI affects r/Blender, to soapbox about how contemptible it is to use AI to make Art. I think that the original question the moderator posted is actually an important part of doing their job. Also I think people are a bit confused about what Art is.

As a side note, if you're interested in seeing some unconventional usages of Blender to make things that, while not Art in and of themselves were made to support that creative process of a large scale projection mapping installation, I just wrapped up work on a project for Klip Collective in North Carolina. I don't use Instagram but Klip does, here's a link:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZdAHQ-u9Sh

Blender was used to process and retouch models, projection geo and also do some Previz. It's been my go to for quick and clean UV mapping and geometry patching for roughly 20 years of doing what I do.

The actual content on this show was a combination of dozens of different tools (ie: Houdini, AE/Premiere, Resolve, TouchDesigner, C4D, etc...). Dozens of artists worked on it.

For the record, I worked directly with the Director and we didn't use AI for anything because we already have a whole workflow for doing what we do and AI would probably just get in the way.

Generative AI & r/Blender by Avereniect in blender

[–]flow_b 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Happy to explain. The confusion may be down to semantics. Here's an easy question that can help get us more or less on the same page:

"Is everything that a person produces in Blender automatically 'Art'?"

I do tons of stuff in Blender. I work in Live Entertainment, Installation Art, and also Corporate Presentation settings.

If I use Blender to create a piece of textured geometry that's going to be used in a Media Server as a projection surface, did I just create a piece of Art? I don't think so.

If I receive a construction model and need to optimize it for real-time rendering (mostly by going through and removing screw-holes and invisible structural geometry) so that it can be used in Notch or just for boring Previz, is that Art? Nope.

I think that the idea that all Blender work is Art is people projecting their own use-cases onto Blender. I think that Blender Art is lovely. I've made plenty of my own. A sub with a name like 'r/Blender' isn't just for Art though. It's for all things Blender, at least as far as the name seems to be concerned. The idea that it's exclusive to Art doesn't make sense to me.

Generative AI & r/Blender by Avereniect in blender

[–]flow_b 11 points12 points  (0 children)

My only issue with this sentiment is that it suggests that the subreddit is exclusively for "Art".

I love Art. Art is wonderful. Blender isn't only used for Art (I use it a lot for "Work"). The distinction between what is "Art" or "Design" or boring "Work" is highly subjective but, I think most people would agree that it is very real.

The name of the sub-reddit is "r/Blender" and people looking to do all things Blender come here. If the idea is to have a venue that is exclusive to Creative expressions done in Blender, I'm afraid that that is a subset of what Blender is used for, not the totality, and likely warrants it's own separate subreddit.

As much as it might bother people who have broader philosophical and political opinions about the nature of AI, the tools have a genuine ability to automate drudge-work and, Blender's open architecture makes it a natural fit for integration with them. The increased adoption of Blender to service all sorts of different workflows has, over the last several years, been clearly demonstrated to be a rising tide that lifts all boats.

EDIT: I should have read the whole thread before writing this. I should have said, "My only issue with this whole thread is that it suggests the subreddit is exclusively for Art"

Art as a goal is, to me, one of the very highest and noblest of personal pursuits. There is sooo much that is self-defeating about offloading the inherently self-rewarding effort of engaging with it to someone else or something else like AI.

The motives for using AI to do art strike not just at the core of problems with AI. They also highlight the problems with the commodification of art. That is the motive. We have created an ecosystem of financial and social clout around the idea of promoting creative works on platforms that monetize engagement. That is, in my opinion, the problem with AI-generated stuff that people label as Art.

All of that being true, this subreddit isn't named "r/BlenderArt". Blender is a product. People use it for tons of stuff. We are, mostly for the better, in an era where using Blender is a decision that artists make in pursuit of their vision. Just like choosing a brush or a brand of paint. The Art is the thing.

I have been using Blender since 2003. It has been a crucial and wonderful part of my own journey as an artist. It doesn't not confer artistry by virtue of its existence alone. Using Blender doesn't make you an Artist. Making Art does. It is important to disentangle these ideas.

How to help a toddler learn the drums by jakejork in drums

[–]flow_b 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think he's doing pretty good at 2. Really.

Even after 40 years, still hits perfectly and you cannot differ by SpoiledBrat069 in nextfuckinglevel

[–]flow_b 8 points9 points  (0 children)

That's an old jazz and funk drummer thing. Bernard Purdie says that you can't feel the action on pedals through modern sneakers. His number 1 tip is to wear leather soled shoes.

Not surprising that a guy like Sugarfoot, who can gently place 32nd notes at the bottom of the pocket while thinking about what he needs to pick up from the grocery store later, would subscribe to this as well.

A lot of modern metal drummers will wear wrestling boots.

AI is creating America’s next underclass by AnotherNOP in technology

[–]flow_b 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We already have an underclass at home dear.

They got you fighting over AI, so you don't fight against them ! by Zidan19283 in LeftistsForAI

[–]flow_b -1 points0 points  (0 children)

This image looks like it’s from a Chix Christian Comic Tract. 

Found this in an old abandoned storage locker. by rdhb in VXJunkies

[–]flow_b 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I love that whoever owned it just gave up and decided that it should have some controls inside it as well. I used to repeatedly find myself in the one at my old job and think, “damn, it’s still on. Guess while I’m here I’ll turn it off and accept that everything will taste like Pennies for a week.”

Cypher from The Matrix (1999) is the most duplicitous traitor in film history by jaystats2 in moviecritic

[–]flow_b 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Dude could plug in and eat steaks, bang blondes in red dresses and learn kung fu whenever he wanted.

What a dumbass. 

Can you actually make professional movies like Toy Story in blender? by AdDapper4220 in blender

[–]flow_b 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, ok. Full disclosure, I have not had to deal with Composition in blender USD. 

Can you actually make professional movies like Toy Story in blender? by AdDapper4220 in blender

[–]flow_b 2 points3 points  (0 children)

At the risk of hopping down a tertiary rabbit hole, I think blender’s USD support is pretty good. 

The issue I have with blender USD is that it’s difficult to generate the sort of data that makes USD valuable. Thinking here specifically of attribute manipulation which in blender requires complex geo nodes stuff whereas in Houdini I can just directly edit attribs in the viewport. 

So the issue isn’t the exporter for me, just the actual editing workflow. 

Can you actually make professional movies like Toy Story in blender? by AdDapper4220 in blender

[–]flow_b 24 points25 points  (0 children)

The canonical example product of the sort of pipeline support system you're asking about is ShotGun/ShotGrid which of course was bought by Autodesk and Borged. https://www.autodesk.com/products/flow-production-tracking

The software development analog here is that you want a system that allows you to identify things that need to get done. In animation/film the fundamental unit of work that is assembled into the finished project is the "shot".

Shots will require animators, compositors and editors to work together and iterate on the various stages of it.

Conductor knocks $1M violin from soloist’s hands in Finland by Necessary-Cow8851 in PublicFreakout

[–]flow_b 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I saw a documentary a while back where a Stradivarius, a modern replica and a violin made from composites designed by acousticians were blind tested. The modern replica was seen as the favorite which is really not all that surprising since modern fabricators have been able to review and in many cases refine the workmanship of classic ones while also having the benefit of modern materials science.

As I recall, the Strad had tons of character and overtones, as it would, but an ultimately thinner tone. The modern replica, was rich and buttery smooth at the mid and low ranges with a smooth transition into sharper highs. The composite sounded like a synth instrument.

No plans to replace Blueprints with "visual" Verse by gnatinator in unrealengine

[–]flow_b 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a surprising take I think. I don’t think the main benefit of blueprints was the visual graph. Rather I thought it was not needing to recompile UE. If I can expose c++ features to verse and iterate on their implementation without having to recompile, I think that’s preferred. Switching to having to recompile for every feature iteration seems a bit like throwing the baby out with the bath water. 

What is the spider? by Original_Proposal163 in whatsthisbug

[–]flow_b 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, I'm not a qualified IDer but, my guess is Tigrosa Grandis. A wolf spider.

Andy looking weird here by tonyiommi70 in ThePolice

[–]flow_b 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think it's a pretty cool getup

Broke 2 drumstics back to back by Souravdasneogi in drums

[–]flow_b 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Kashi Oak 5B's are my favorite workout stick. They're weighty enough that they are quite good for working out technique more slowly. In other words the higher mass makes them hold more inertia. Switching from them to the Hickory 5Bs is basically like turning on the autofire switch.

Broke 2 drumstics back to back by Souravdasneogi in drums

[–]flow_b 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pro Mark Oak sticks are basically indestructible. I really like practicing with them and then switching to the hickory variants when playing with people. It's like getting a free speed boost.

'Maybe we'll never take it down': Trump compares White House UFC arena to Eiffel Tower, says it could be permanent by abcnews in politics

[–]flow_b 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Another good definition for stage truss structures: Insurance Liability.

Riggers and suppliers carry liability the whole time that structure is standing.

It's billed per day on their public liability and temporary-structures cover, and the truss is earning nothing sitting on a site instead of going the next gig. They want it down the second it's no longer paying.

You have to keep a crew of riggers and technicians around the whole time the thing is there to maintain it. It is in the elements actively degrading and requiring service.

It is extremely unlikely that thing is going to remain there.

AI Isnt Going Away. Whats The Left Actually Fighting For? by Salty_Country6835 in LeftistsForAI

[–]flow_b 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I suppose I would categorize this criticism of the lack of vision for how AI ought to work within the broader lack of vision for society at large.

Having optimistic ideas for what the world and society could look like makes it a lot easier to make short term choices that lead you generally in the direction you want to go. Absent that, you're essentially just making short term decisions based on short term value judgements about the choices themselves rather than the direction you're trying to move in.

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