Photoshop/Illustrator Parody Software

Something I "discovered" in my digital art class...

Adrian Ward is a musician and “software artist”. He creates generative art software products which parody well-known graphic art creation programs like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. I’ve been fascinated with the concept of software art since I first read about Adrian. As a budding graphic designer, I find his programs to be quite entertaining. His programs appear similar to the well known programs, but do unpredictable things. For instance, you can create shapes in his Auto-Illustrator program and apply “creative”, “destructive”, or “inspirational” filters that generate odd creations. Or apply a “childish” setting to the regular shape tool to create ‘circles’ which are actually random squiggle patterns. Also available is the ability to add a slogan, product image and tagline to parody an Apple or Ikea ad. There is also a program that uses the existing images on your computer to generate a real-time montage of a person named Netochka Nezvanova. All of the programs must be purchased and downloaded, but some have free demos available.

Adrian doesn’t simply create images or games digitally, he creates programs which can be used to create digital art. However, rather than just making utilitarian software programs, his programs have entertainment value and are (in some ways) intentionally non-functional. So, the medium really is the message.

His programs rely on existing forms of art such as literary parody and image creation technology, but add the idea of informality of behavior, cut-ups and combinatory image creation, and (obviously) interactivity. He also touches on Nam June Paik's ideas of cybernated art helping us cope with cybernated life, as well as Wiener's concept of cybernetics--the relationship between people and their computers.

This is pretty incredible stuff...