Art

Artists Finally Have A Tool To Help Fight Back Against ‘AI’ Platforms

Published

2 years ago

March 16, 2023

One of the Glaze team’s examples of how they can mask an artist’s work by almost invisibly layering a whole second image on top of it

It’s been almost a year since the emergence of “AI art” platforms (it’s neither truly “AI” or art), and in that time artists have had to sit back and watch helplessly as their creative works have been sucked up by machine learning and used to create new images without either credit or compensation.

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Now, though, a team of researchers—working with artists, some of whom featured in my story from last year—at the University of Chicago have come up with something that it’s hoped will allow artists to take active steps to protect their work.

It’s called Glaze, and it works by adding a second, almost invisible layer on top of a piece of art. What makes the whole thing so interesting is that this isn’t a layer made of noise, or random shapes. It also contains a piece of art, one that’s roughly of the same composition, but in a totally different style. You won’t even notice it’s there, but any machine learning platform trying to lift it will, and when it tries to study the art it’ll get very confused.

Glaze is specifically targeting the way these machine learning platforms have been able to allow their users to “prompt” images that are specifically based on a human artist’s style. So someone can ask for an illustration in the style of Ralph McQuarrie, and because those platforms have been able to lift enough of McQuarrie’s work to know how to copy it, they’ll get something that looks roughly like the work of Ralph McQuarrie.

By covering a piece of art with another piece of art, though, Glaze is throwing these platforms off the scent. Using artist Karla Ortiz as an example, they explain:

Stable Diffusion today can learn to create images in Karla’s style after it sees just a few pieces of Karla’s original artwork (taken from Karla’s online portfolio). However, if Karla uses our tool to cloak her artwork, by adding tiny changes before posting them on her online portfolio, then Stable Diffusion will not learn Karla’s artistic style. Instead, the model will interpret her art as a different style (e.g., that of Vincent van Gogh). Someone prompting Stable Diffusion to generate “artwork in Karla Ortiz’s style” would instead get images in the style of Van Gogh (or some hybrid). This protects Karla’s style from being reproduced without her consent.

Neat! Of course this does nothing for the countless billions of images that have already been lifted by these platforms, but in the short term at least, this will finally give artists something they can use to actively protect any new work they’re posting online. How long that short term lasts is anyone’s guess, though, as the Glaze team admit it’s “not a permanent solution against AI mimicry”, as “AI evolves quickly, and systems like Glaze face an inherent challenge of being future-proof”.

If you want to try Glaze out, you can download it here, where you can also read the team’s full academic paper.

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Art

A misspelled memorial to the Brontë sisters gets its dots back at last

Published

3 weeks ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.

More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.

The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.

They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.

“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”

It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.

Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”

Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.

“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.

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Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

1 month ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.