Jon McCormack

Creating and Rendering Convolution Surfaces

Implicit surfaces obtained by convolution of multi‐dimensional primitives with some potential function, are a generalisation of popular implicit surface models: blobs, metaballs and soft objects. These models differ in their choice of potential function but agree upon the use of underlying modelling primitives, namely, points. In this paper a method is described for modelling and rendering implicit surfaces built upon an expanded set of skeletal primitives: points, line segments, polygons, arcs and planes. An analytical solution to the convolution is described. This solution offers a more accurate and robust representation of the resultant implicit surface than previous methods. An algorithm for ray‐tracing the surfaces formed through convolution of any combination of these primitives is also outlined.

Eden: An Evolutionary Sonic Ecosystem

This paper describes an Artificial Life system for music composition. An evolving ecology of sonic entities populate a virtual world and compete for limited resources. Part of their genetic representation permits the creatures to make and listen to sounds. Complex musical and sonic relationships can develop as the creatures use sound to aid in their survival and mating prospects.

Promoting Creative Design in Interactive Evolutionary Computation

We use a new measure of creativity as a guide in an interactive evolutionary art task and tie the results to natural language usage of the term “creative.” Following previous work, we explore a tractable definition of creativity, one emphasizing the novelty of systems, and its addition to an interactive application. We next introduce a generative ecosystemic art system, EvoEco, an agent-based pixel-level means of generating images. EvoEco is used as a component of an online survey which asks users to evolve a pleasing image and then rank the success of the process and its output. Evolutionary search is augmented with the creativity measure, and compared with control groups augmented with either random search or a measure of phenotypic distance. We show that users consistently rate the creativity measure-enhanced version as more “creative” and “novel” than other search techniques. We further derive additional insights into appropriate forms of genetic representation and pattern space-traversal in an interactive evolutionary algorithm.

Computers and Creativity

This interdisciplinary volume introduces new theories and ideas on creativity from the perspectives of science and art. Featuring contributions from leading researchers, theorists and artists working in artificial intelligence, generative art, creative computing, music composition, and cybernetics, the book examines the relationship between computation and creativity from both analytic and practical perspectives. Each contributor describes innovative new ways creativity can be understood through, and inspired by, computers. The book tackles critical philosophical questions and discusses the major issues raised by computational creativity, including: whether a computer can exhibit creativity independently of its creator; what kinds of creativity are possible in light of our knowledge from computational simulation, artificial intelligence, evolutionary theory and information theory; and whether we can begin to automate the evaluation of aesthetics and creativity in silico. These important, often controversial questions are contextualised by current thinking in computational creative arts practice. Leading artistic practitioners discuss their approaches to working creatively with computational systems in a diverse array of media, including music, sound art, visual art, and interactivity. The volume also includes a comprehensive review of computational aesthetic evaluation and judgement research, alongside discussion and insights from pioneering artists working with computation as a creative medium over the last fifty years. A distinguishing feature of this volume is that it explains and grounds new theoretical ideas on creativity through practical applications and creative practice. Computers and Creativity will appeal to theorists, researchers in artificial intelligence, generative and evolutionary computing, practicing artists and musicians, students and any reader generally interested in understanding how computers can impact upon creativity. It bridges concepts from computer science, psychology, neuroscience, visual art, music and philosophy in an accessible way, illustrating how computers are fundamentally changing what we can imagine and create, and how we might shape the creativity of the future. Computers and Creativity will appeal to theorists, researchers in artificial intelligence, generative and evolutionary computing, practicing artists and musicians, students and any reader generally interested in understanding how computers can impact upon creativity. It bridges concepts from computer science, psychology, neuroscience, visual art, music and philosophy in an accessible way, illustrating how computers are fundamentally changing what we can imagine and create, and how we might shape the creativity of the future.

Facing the Future: Evolutionary Possibilities forHuman-Machine Creativity

This chapter examines the possibilities and challenges that lie ahead for evolutionary music and art. Evolutionary computing methods have enabled new modes of creative expression in the art made by humans. One day, it may be possible for computers to make art autonomously. The idea of machines making art leads to the question: what do we mean by ‘making art’ and how do we recognise and acknowledge artistic creativity in general? Two broad categories of human-machine creativity are defined: firstly, machines that make art like, and for, humans; and secondly, machines that make ‘art’ that is recognised as creative and novel by other machines or agents. Both these categories are examined from an evolutionary computing perspective. Finding ‘good’ art involves searching a phase-space of possibilities beyond astronomical proportions, which makes evolutionary algorithms potentially suitable candidates. However, the problem of developing artistically creative programs is not simply a search problem. The multiple roles of interaction, environment, physics and physicality are examined in the context of generating aesthetic output. A number of ‘open problems’ are proposed as grand challenges of investigation for evolutionary music and art. For each problem, the impetus and background are discussed. The paper also looks at theoretical issues that might limit prospects for art made by machines, in particular the role of embodiment, physicality and morphological computation in agent-based and evolutionary models. Finally, the paper looks at artistic challenges for evolutionary music and art systems.

Art and the mirror of nature

This paper describes the software systems used by the author to create computer-based, generative artworks, over the last ten years. The systems discussed are linked by a thematic approach to process and perception - a poetic and romantic attachment to the sublime, and the biological. These topics are examined within a polemic on the conscious subjects ability to perceive and realise processes found in the natural world and their interpretation in a computer. These themes are placed in context of the phenomenology of being and the contemporary interpretation of subject and object distinctions found in the process-based sciences of cybernetics, systems theory and artificial life.

Understanding interaction in contemporary digital music: From instruments to behavioural objects

Throughout the short history of interactive digital music, there have been frequent calls for a new language of interaction that incorporates and acknowledges the unique capabilities of the computational medium. In this paper we suggest that a conceptualisation of possible modes of performance–time interaction can only be sensibly approached in light of the ways that computers alter the social–artistic interactions that are precursive to performance. This conceptualisation hinges upon a consideration of the changing roles of composition, performer and instrument in contemporary practice. We introduce the term behavioural object to refer to software that has the capacity to act as the musical and social focus of interaction in digital systems. Whilst formative, this term points to a new framework for understanding the role of software in musical culture. We discuss the potential for behavioural objects to contribute actively to musical culture through two types of agency: performative agency and memetic agency.

Aesthetic Evolution of L-Systems Revisited

Methods for evolving Lindenmayer systems (L-systems) have been discussed in the literature for more than 10 years. This paper revisits one of the first published methods on the application of interactive evolution of L-systems for creative purposes, using aesthetic selection. An epilogue surveys the techniques and applications of evolutionary L-system methods since the original publication by the author in 1993. Conclusions are drawn about the utility and difficulties associated with evolving L-system productions, and aesthetic evolution in general, particularly with application to design and creative process.

Evolving sonic ecosystems

A novel type of artistic Artificial Life environment is introduced and where evolving agents, who have the ability to make and listen to sound, populate a synthetic world are described. An evolvable, rule‐based system which drives agent behaviour and where agents compete for limited resources in a virtual environment that is influenced by the presence and movement of the artworks audience is discussed. It is shown that through a link between the real and virtual spaces, virtual agents evolve implicitly and try to maintain the interest of the human audience.

Life's What You Make: Niche Construction and Evolutionary Art

This paper advances new methods for ecosystemic approaches to evolutionary music and art. We explore the biological concept of the niche and its role in evolutionary dynamics, applying it to creative computational systems. Using the process of niche construction organisms are able to change and adapt their environment, and potentially that of other species. Constructed niches may become heritable environments for offspring, paralleling the way genes are passed from parent to child. In a creative ecosystem, niche construction can be used by agents to increase the diversity and heterogeneity of their output. We illustrate the usefulness of this technique by applying niche construction to line drawing and music composition.