To create its masterpieces, e-David begins by examining a picture of the source work and processing the image to assess the number of brushstrokes it will take to recreate. After a portion of a painting is done, e-David snaps a photo of its work to compare to the original. By using a programmed method of visual subtraction, the robot can determine what brush strokes will bring its forgery more in line with the original.
Although impressive, e-David is still a bit limited in what it can create. While the preferred medium for most old masters was oil paint, e-David is limited to using quick drying acrylics so it can correct errors.
However, the most limiting aspect of e-Davids’s technique becomes evident when you zoom out on the painting. Because the robot requires the same volume of paint on its brush each time it makes a stroke, the robot dumps its excess paint in a far corner of the canvas. For some that might be a detracting factor, but in my opinion I like to see it as e-David’s signature.
While some might bristle at the idea of robot created art, don’t expect to see any robo-paintings showing up at the MOMA anytime soon. For now e-David will be stuck making work in a lab at the Universität Konstanz, but I look forward to a future filled with robotic mastercopies.