Between Shanshui and Landscape: An AI Aesthetics Study Connecting Chinese and Western Paintings

Abstract

As a preliminary study for painting AI development work, we conducted experimental creations based on human-AI collaboration. The materials for creation were from Chinese Shanshui paintings and Western landscape paintings. Various experimental methods, such as AI painting, human hand-painting, and human-AI collaboration painting, were tried. The creation themes included line drawing, colorization, deconstruction and reconstruction, and the experimental results were discussed from the aspects of visual cognition, visual expression, and visual imagination. Rethinking the relationships of human, AI and art probably help us find the better paradigm of painting AI. We suggest designing painting AI centered on the human-AI joint subject to stimulate more creativity and deepen aesthetic experience.