Meet Jenny!
Introducing Jenny (IG: @technicolora), an innovative AI artist from Sweden. With her roots in graphic design and culture studies, Jenny has seamlessly transitioned into the world of AI art, where her creations are not only aesthetically appealing but also brimming with unexpected elements. Her artistic evolution, driven by AI, has seen her move from minimalistic and monochromatic styles to embracing vibrant and playful expressions. Jenny's work is a harmonious blend of various mediums, with a particular affinity for surrealism. Her journey showcases how AI can expand an artist's palette, bringing a dynamic and transformative edge to their work. As a cherished member of our community, Jenny's art continually inspires, showing the boundless possibilities.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got interested in AI art?
Ever since childhood I've explored various forms of artistic expression, but I didn't always have the confidence to show off my creative work to others. I've always loved to both paint and write, and tried out things like ceramics and screen printing. During my school years, an art teacher suggested that I try out graphic design, which lead me to pursue a career in advertising.
The capitalist grind eventually left me feeling unfulfilled though, and on top of that, life decided that I needed a mental health crisis a couple of years back, which forced me to reevaluate pretty much everything. It triggered a quest for something else, and I've been searching for this "else" since then, even as I've went on to study Culture Studies and dipped my feet in social care work.
During all this confusion, AI art was introduced to me by a colleague. I was initially a bit skeptical, but this quickly turned into fascination when I saw some photorealistic Wes Anderson-esque images others had made. When I started experimenting myself, I just thought it was really cool how I could take my mental images and voilà, there it was on paper! Well, not exactly like that, but close enough. And the rest is history, as they say.
Who or what are your artistic inspirations, and how do they influence your work?
My artistic journey has been shaped a lot by Scandinavian design's clean lines and minimalism. In my graphic design days, I often implemented that minimalist and monochrome aesthetic. However, with the birth of @technicolora, I wanted to move away from that and use a more vibrant and playful aesthetic. This has allowed me to explore the emotional spectrum in full, and I feel very drawn towards warm, expressive colours that resonate with my inner self.
Among my inspirations, Mark Rothko stands out. The way he conveys emotion through abstract, colour-field paintings is just magic. His art aligns with my desire to infuse personality and emotion in my work. Sometimes, I get inspired by a simple observation at the grocery store, but I tend to delve into more deeply personal themes as the creative process unfolds. It's become a therapeutic space for me. In fact, a lot of my inspiration stems from a wish to process and reclaim darker experiences by transforming them into art.
What makes AI art truly distinctive in my view, is the opportunity to explore expressions that are unique to this medium. Pushing the boundaries of surrealism, toying with perspectives and mixing elements from various mediums such as photography, painting, collage and digital art really inspires me to keep experimenting. Much like how photography once shook the art scene, I feel like AI art has the potential to redefine what's possible in the visual realm. It might sound pretentious, but I think this is our era's artistic revolution. What could be more inspiring than being a part of that?
How do you approach the creative process when working with AI?
Much like with any artistic endeavor, my process usually starts with an idea – it can be a feeling I want to express or a surreal image floating in my head. A funny thing is that I feel like AI enhances my imagination, making me envision things I wouldn't have thought of before.
As I experiment, not every result aligns with my initial vision, but often, it surprises me with something even better. That's part of what's so exciting about it. I usually generate an overabundance of images before sorting through them and choosing my favourites. Then I refine the images until I'm happy and make some subtle adjustments in Photoshop.
I try to consciously steer away from the algorithm's too polished and stereotypical aesthetic, especially when it comes to body sizes and how the models are portrayed. This wasn't always a part of my creative process, but it's something that's become increasingly important in my work.
Another interesting thing about working with AI art lies its self-feeding nature. In the process of creating, I often get some unexpected results that lead to new inspiration. There's this interplay between what I intended to create and serendipity, and it becomes almost like a visual dialogue between me and the software, giving me endless new paths to follow if I just keep creating.
How do you balance your work in AI art with other professional or personal pursuits?
In my experience, it's hard to hit pause once I've gotten into a creative flow. I just want to continue then, and the constant feedback loop makes it even more engrossing than what I've experienced working with other art forms. So to be honest, I haven't completely figured out how to balance this yet, and I frequently find myself losing track of time while I'm in the creative process. I'm trying to adopt the perspective of viewing AI art as a reward though – something fun that I allow myself to engage in once I've fulfilled my worldly obligations.
How has working with AI in art influenced your mental and emotional wellbeing?
It has definitely become a powerful outlet for all the thoughts and feelings bouncing around inside of me. It's like I've finally found something that feels meaningful to pour my energy into, which has been great for my overall well-being. It has also brought me out of my creative shell and dared me to show off my creativity to the world, making me feel less lonely.
At the beginning of this journey, I'll admit that I was a bit skeptical of this AI community that has developed on social media. I guess I have some trust issues, but along the way I've found that I underestimated the people in this community, as most people are truly very supportive. It's been a great experience to connect with like-minded people all over the world.
Initially, I also compared my work a lot to what everyone else was doing, which wasn't good for my mental health at all. There was a period when I started to feel bad about myself because of how picture-perfect the models in my work tended to look (a result of the built-in presets of the software). Once I decided to consciously shift away from this approach to show off a more genuine and diverse representation, it positively impacted me in a lot of ways. In the end, changing my approach like this has given me an even stronger feeling of purpose related to my art.
What role do you think AI art can play in highlighting social issues?
Despite inherent biases in the software that mirrors prevailing societal norms, AI art still has transformative potential in my opinion. It holds the ability to show us images of completely new and unexplored realities, which by extension can help us find new ways to tackle complex social issues. It can definitely challenge and redefine conventional beauty standards too, if we make use of these tools in responsible ways where we question the bias inherent in the AI. As more and more AI-generated images start to circulate, we have an opportunity to foster diversity and a more inclusive worldview.
I also think that the very process of using AI to create art can usher us to reflect on our shared values in today's world, making us think about things like integrity, digital rights and internet-related laws.
What advice or encouragement would you give to aspiring women who are interested in pursuing AI art?
Have fun and experiment! Use AI as a tool to express your true self and your weirdest ideas. The experience is the most rewarding and fun when you let go of the pressure for everything to fit a certain mold. It's okay to embrace the absurd and unconventional.
For more of Jenny’s incredible work, make sure to visit her Instagram account: @technicolora