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| Pikazo 2 Logo |
This app allows users to mix and remix ART STYLE and SUBJECT of their own (photographs, sketches, etc) and generate image graphic output that is worth further studying or perhaps as a new original Art pieces especially when printed out into canvas or other products.
The resulting image will be as if the original Artist is painting and recreating for your photo.
You might have heard of recent popular app like Prisma that supposedly can turn photos into stylized graphics? Now, this PIKAZO app does a LOT more and more true to the nature of style transfer.
Keep in mind that this is not the usual sketch filters that we already have for years via Photoshop. With Neural Style Transfer, the machine actually does quite a hard job in separating elements and then re-assemble back into the original photo. At least that how I think of this process.
Below is just a quick examples of my creation using the Pikazo app:
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| iPhone Selfie (2016) |
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| My Wife (2016) |
STORY OF DEEP STYLE TRANSFER BEFORE PIKAZO APP
My interest in this "Art Style Transfer" actually started a few months ago when I got to an interesting exploration area called machine learning and neural network and deep dream (that I stumbled by accident while I was studying and researching about Python and Jupyter iPython Notebook):GOOGLE DEEP DREAM DEMO
https://github.com/google/deepdream
Machine learning is a branch of computer science that try to take data, analyze data and find patterns do this automatically. Potential is huge, including voice recognition, image recognition, etc.
Like most curious geeks, I actually tried to setup my own "Deep Dream" using my own home computer. And I did it, with lots of hassles. Took me hours and eventually days of researching and trying to install all sort of Python repositories and it eventually works.
The setup is long and to get result is also takes a while.
Deep dream algorithm itself is a nice graphics demo displaying computer machine ability to draw photos using collection of photos.
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| Candi Borobudur by Philip Lesmana photo, redrawn using Temples |
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| Cat on Pot (1998) photo, redrawn using Dog Photos |
Now... from deep dream to "neural style transfer".
The next step in deep dream is neural style transfer, that is less bizarre, but more aesthetically beautiful.
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| Parisian Ballerina, photo by Jimmy Gunawan. Made in Pikazo. |
The process of making "art style transfer" is actually slow and painful. Especially if the machine is using CPU only. Maybe 512 pixel max dimension will take around 30+ hours. Yes, really that slow and painful. Pikazo app does it in under 5 minutes only!
- Deep Dream GPU, can be fast depends on your machine
- Neural Style CPU slow, GPU is really hard to setup
- Neural Style using Pikazo app and Pikazo cloud computing => 5 minutes for 500 x 500 pixel.
I actually found one of Neural Style Transfer repository from GitHub that allows me to create something like below:
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| Photo is from Emrata / Emily Ratajkowski Instagram photo, and I use anime style graphic to transfer into. |
I found that the neural style to be totally amazing research and unusual. In a way, this is a very quick way to see "what result we get when we transfer art style with a photo".
Maybe this can be an ART IN PROGRESS thing? Not a final result? Perhaps it can help people to study art style? And can be more appreciative of the art, when applied to own SUBJECT / CONTENT? This is what I continue to test using the Pikazo app.
WARNING: ART REMIX AND COPYRIGHT ISSUE (!)
Since I started this "neural style transfer" exploration, I am completely aware and be really careful with copyright issue. Especially when remixing CONTENT and ART STYLE. |
| Made in Pikazo. |
One cannot just mix a photo taken by others and Art Style painted by artists and mix the two and make his/her own.
So, I tried as much to use my own CONTENT / SUBJECT creation, and remixing it with FOUND ART STYLE that I can give credit and attribution.
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| Photography by Willy Gunawan, my brother. Style: Unknown. Made in Pikazo. |
There are limitless ART STYLE to explore out there from Kandinsky until recent modern artists. I definitely appreciate ART STYLE nowadays after Pikazo.
For my own art daily project, I am using old and new photos of mine, recycling years of photos I collected in Flickr and now I use Pikazo to bring it back to life.
If you are feeling adventurous, you are not necessarily need to mix Photo with Style of Art, you could easily mix your own Painting Styles, or Handrawing or perhaps Textures into calculation. You will get some interesting result!
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| Japanese Girl 05, Made in Pikazo. |
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| Japanese Girl 14, Made in Pikazo. |
DISCOVERING PIKAZO and PIKAZO 2
Pikazo app was originally created by Karl Stiefvater, just a few months ago. I found Pikazo probably by lucky accident. It is a simple app that can transfer STYLE into CONTENT, mix the two and the result is a 500 x 500 pixel dimensions of art. It actually does EVERYTHING that I have tried to do when exploring all kinds of method to do Neural Style transfer using my own computer, and a lot simpler too, thanks to smartphone capability to do it on the fly (I use iPhone).
There is of course a sense of satisfaction having able to make the Neural Style setup using own machine. Before later on finding out some smarter people out there are doing the same and create the tool that does more and I really appraise Pikazo Inc. for this!
So, this is the next step my exploration in Neural Art Style Transfer and I tried using an old photo of mine of this black dog at Crown Street.
I actually test it on hundred of styles using Pikazo app. It gives me 500 x 500 pixel output.
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| "Black Dog" (2016) Made in Pikazo. |
Pikazo 2 by default allows you to draft and create 800 x 800 pixel art works. Don't let the dimension trick you, 800 pixel is actually quite high resolution for sharing.
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| Portrait Photo and Model: Ricky Adrian / Kie Photography. Made in Pikazo.. |
If you like to go further on your own artworks, you can apparently buy Jetons and output up to 3200 x 3200 pixels dimension. Large enough to output and print into Canvas or others like T-Shirt or Mugs or whatever design items. Maybe even iPhone case? Yes, why not :)
PIKAZO TIPS
For beginner Pikazo users, I can give you some tips:
- Collect all kind style and photos and be experimental
- Try using close up PORTRAIT or perhaps SELFIE, often time it gives you nice result. As silly as selfie may seem, actually with Pikazo, even the silliest face looks awesome.
- Pikazo Style works best for the most ABSTRACT STYLE, but try all kind of ART STYLE with interesting paint stroke details, and be surprised!
- Explore all kind of Art Style
- Use high resolution photo and art if you can
- Find more inspirations at Pikazo Salon
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| Black Dog XIV. Made in Pikazo. |
OTHER STYLE TRANSFER APP AND PLUGIN
Below is a Deep Style Transfer result using Dwango Python Chainer Plugin for OpenToonz. I tested this using my own machine at home, and took me a few hours to develop and get result. It is very slow on CPU, perhaps faster using GPU, but not easy to setup.The Prisma app actually does this kind of style very similarly. So I guess it is probably using the same quick and shortcut technique implemented.
Overall, the neural style result you like is back to own personal taste. Prisma app is interesting and fast, it gives effect that is more like a Photoshop filter.
I think I much prefer to use Pikazo for more REAL and sophisticated result. Art form should continue to evolve, analog or digital, or anything. Re-discover old and new styles. Remix it. Appreciate it.
ONE MORE THING...
I remixed 400 results of "black dog" that I have collected on the same subject, below is "The Black Dog" superimposed over one another. It becomes almost like a real painting: |
| Result of mixing 400 styles. Almost like original photo, but it feels like real art. |
What is next? Probably Neural Art Style applied into movie or animation? We shall see!
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| "The Gap" (2016), Sydney, Made in Pikazo. |
SEE ALSO:
"Loving Vincent" (2016) Trailer
Thanks to Pikazo app this "neural style transfer" becoming an accessible area is for everyone to explore! Using just own smartphone and some bits of creativity, we can create a "NEW" and interesting art result. Have fun and enjoy!
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| Famous photo of Dalai Lama, using my own Instant Noodles as style. |
Cool article Jimmy!
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