An LSTM Based Generative Adversarial Architecture for Robotic Calligraphy Learning System

Robotic calligraphy is a very challenging task for the robotic manipulators, which can sustain industrial manufacturing. The active mechanism of writing robots require a large sized training set including sequence information of the writing trajectory. However, manual labelling work on those training data may cause the time wasting for researchers. This paper proposes a machine calligraphy learning system using a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network and a generative adversarial network (GAN), which enables the robots to learn and generate the sequences of Chinese character stroke (i.e., writing trajectory). In order to reduce the size of the training set, a generative adversarial architecture combining an LSTM network and a discrimination network is established for a robotic manipulator to learn the Chinese calligraphy regarding its strokes. In particular, this learning system converts Chinese character stroke image into the trajectory sequences in the absence of the stroke trajectory writing sequence information. Due to its powerful learning ability in handling motion sequences, the LSTM network is used to explore the trajectory point writing sequences. Each generation process of the generative adversarial architecture contains a number of loops of LSTM. In each loop, the robot continues to write by following a new trajectory point, which is generated by LSTM according to the previously written strokes. The written stroke in an image format is taken as input to the next loop of the LSTM network until the complete stroke is finally written. Then, the final output of the LSTM network is evaluated by the discriminative network. In addition, a policy gradient algorithm based on reinforcement learning is employed to aid the robot to find the best policy. The experimental results show that the proposed learning system can effectively produce a variety of high-quality Chinese stroke writing

An Investigation of Holographic Technologies Applied to Contemporary Art Practice A new approach to temporal aesthetics

The works of contemporary art using audio, 35mm slide, video, film and computer- based technologies are commonly referred to as time-based media, since they have duration as a dimension. By looking at artworks which are classified in this category, it appears that temporal visual perceptual interpretations are mainly created through the use of the illusion of movement, which is primarily constituted by sequential images. In art holography, the light-based characteristic qualities of this medium compose a kinetic and interactive visual syntax, which are not seen in other imaging technologies, stating its unique creative possibilities. Thus, this study intends to employ holography as an art medium to explore its temporal properties in order to establish a new approach to time-based media art practice. To review the practice and artworks created for this study, the author recognises that the characteristic qualities of a medium is key for the development of its own aesthetic culture. Moreover, the author also identifies that the combination of both the slips form of a hologram and a portable lighting device would be fundamental elements of the suggested new approach. This approach integrates the holographic image replaying process and the Chinese bamboo slips structure to create a scroll form of an artwork presentation, which suggests a viewer to observe with an unrolling activity, section by section. The role of light in this approach is essential as it not only reconstructs the image, but also acts as an intangible guide to indicate the viewing direction, which forms a directional linear temporal expression. This study combines the suggested approach with classical Chinese poetry to create a series of experimental artworks, demonstrating that the literal and figurative meaning of the poem could possibly be elevated through the manipulation of the light source and the scroll from of the image presentation, as the former creates the holographic kinetic expression and the latter reinforces the poetic linearity. This approach could be interpreted as a time-based holographic manifestation, as it unfolds the art to the viewer over time. Furthermore, in terms of the characteristic qualities of holography, the visual expressive techniques and aesthetic features created for this study indicate that such works cannot be recreated without the use of holography. This study reveals that the irreplaceable aesthetic qualities of holography, suggesting that it could expand and diversify the creative potential of time-based media art; and the discussion of this category would not be comprehensive unless taking this medium into consideration. This study establishes a creative possibility of holography and expects the finding to lead to a greater appreciation for future time-based media art practice, thus enriching the temporal artistic expressions. Moreover, as it is practice-based, the process of the research is primarily expressed through a series of holographic artworks, and combined with written format of discussion, which is presented in this thesis. For comprehensive understanding, reading the thesis in conjunction with viewing the artworks in person is suggested, as the photographic reproduction of the holographic images in this thesis is only for illustration purpose

Solving Robotic Trajectory Sequential Writing Problem via Learning Character’s Structural and Sequential Information

The writing sequence of numerals or letters often affects aesthetic aspects of the writing outcomes. As such, it remains a challenge for robotic calligraphy systems to perform, mimicking human writers’ implicit intention. This article presents a new robot calligraphy system that is able to learn writing sequences with limited sequential information, producing writing results compatible to human writers with good diversity. In particular, the system innovatively applies a gated recurrent unit (GRU) network to generate robotic writing actions with the support of a prelabeled trajectory sequence vector. Also, a new evaluation method is proposed that considers the shape, trajectory sequence, and structural information of the writing outcome, thereby helping ensure the writing quality. A swarm optimization algorithm is exploited to create an optimal set of parameters of the proposed system. The proposed approach is evaluated using Arabic numerals, and the experimental results demonstrate the competitive writing performance of the system against state-of-the-art approaches regarding multiple criteria (including FID, MAE, PSNR, SSIM, and PerLoss), as well as diversity performance concerning variance and entropy. Importantly, the proposed GRU-based robotic motion planning system, supported with swarm optimization can learn from a small dataset, while producing calligraphy writing with diverse and aesthetically pleasing outcomes

Diff-Font: Diffusion Model for Robust One-Shot Font Generation

Font generation is a difficult and time-consuming task, especially in those languages using ideograms that have complicated structures with a large number of characters, such as Chinese. To solve this problem, few-shot font generation and even one-shot font generation have attracted a lot of attention. However, most existing font generation methods may still suffer from (i) large cross-font gap challenge; (ii) subtle cross-font variation problem; and (iii) incorrect generation of complicated characters. In this paper, we propose a novel one-shot font generation method based on a diffusion model, named Diff-Font, which can be stably trained on large datasets. The proposed model aims to generate the entire font library by giving only one sample as the reference. Specifically, a large stroke-wise dataset is constructed, and a stroke-wise diffusion model is proposed to preserve the structure and the completion of each generated character. To our best knowledge, the proposed Diff-Font is the first work that developed diffusion models to handle the font generation task. The well-trained Diff-Font is not only robust to font gap and font variation, but also achieved promising performance on difficult character generation. Compared to previous font generation methods, our model reaches state-of-the-art performance both qualitatively and quantitatively

Solving Robotic Trajectory Sequential Writing Problem via Learning Character’s Structural and Sequential Information

The writing sequence of numerals or letters often affects aesthetic aspects of the writing outcomes. As such, it remains a challenge for robotic calligraphy systems to perform, mimicking human writers’ implicit intention. This article presents a new robot calligraphy system that is able to learn writing sequences with limited sequential information, producing writing results compatible to human writers with good diversity. In particular, the system innovatively applies a gated recurrent unit (GRU) network to generate robotic writing actions with the support of a prelabeled trajectory sequence vector. Also, a new evaluation method is proposed that considers the shape, trajectory sequence, and structural information of the writing outcome, thereby helping ensure the writing quality. A swarm optimization algorithm is exploited to create an optimal set of parameters of the proposed system. The proposed approach is evaluated using Arabic numerals, and the experimental results demonstrate the competitive writing performance of the system against state-of-the-art approaches regarding multiple criteria (including FID, MAE, PSNR, SSIM, and PerLoss), as well as diversity performance concerning variance and entropy. Importantly, the proposed GRU-based robotic motion planning system, supported with swarm optimization can learn from a small dataset, while producing calligraphy writing with diverse and aesthetically pleasing outcomes

In what ways does cultural identity emerge, after a pedagogical intervention using Islamic arts, in Year 11 visual arts students in an Islamic school?

In this research, I used art education (visual arts) as a tool to assist students in deepening their learning about their cultural identity. The research goal was not only to record and interpret students’ artworks and reflections but to change and improve educational practice and opportunity. This doctoral project engages a design-based research framework and practitioner-based method, which accommodate the various cultural identity factors and links between Islamic arts and contemporary art practice in different school settings. In this research, the educators assisted students in their learning, helping them identify where there were gaps in cultural knowledge that served to avoid the disconnect students can experience from learning when they do not understand how they fit within their school community and society generally. This design-based qualitative research involved data collection over a 12-month period and included pre- and post-questionnaires, interviewing, observing, taking field notes and photos, analysis of students’ work and content analysis. It was founded on implementing a new Year 11 visual arts program, called the Art and Identity program, in three Islamic schools: the Australian International Academy of Sydney, Melbourne and Abu Dhabi schools (three sister schools). Findings showed that through engagement in the Art and Identity program, the students learned they could use the message system of semiotics, sometimes unconsciously, and choose signs and symbols so the people viewing their art would understand the intended meaning. The findings were clearly expressed in three themes—faces, places and traces—and these key features were either individually or collectively evident in the students’ works. The findings also showed that the students developed an understanding and appreciation for the influences of historical Islamic art tradition and combined this with contemporary art practices, rendering the themes of faces, places and traces as historical, hybrid and modern, and part of their cultural identity. The research showed that students connected to culture, identifying areas such as the emergence of culture, self, belonging and language. In conclusion, communities, teachers and students all connected during the students’ identity journeys. The use of signs and symbols was a powerful way for students to express their feelings about their individuality and culture. The student participants looked deeply at everything around them—their traditions, language, heritage, religion, beliefs, belonging and community. Cultural identity was conveyed through cultural expression in an artwork; the intention of each artwork was investigated, and each artwork told a story about the identity of each student artist

The sky rained with millet and the ghosts wailed in the night: An anthropological study of Chinese calligraphy.

This thesis accounts for the social power of calligraphy in China. It begins by examining the phenomena of widespread public calligraphy and inscription. I investigate three dimensions of Chinese calligraphy - as written characters, as handwriting and as an art form. I examine both the popular view of writing, and the theological view of calligraphic experts. The main points of my argument are: 1. Handwriting is considered an extension of the body-person (shen), which makes it a suitable candidate for the Chinese love of reading 'signs' from bodily forms. As a result, handwriting is treated as revelatory of the inner self. 2. The process of learning calligraphy as a 'technique of the body' constitutes an important element in Chinese embodiment. The techniques of the brush create the type of body-person that is classified as a literati. 3. One key chapter in the dissertation focuses on Bloch's criticism of Goody's 'literacy thesis' - that better means of writing transmit knowledge more effectively. To show the fallacy of Goody's assumption, Bloch resorts to the common view of ideograms - Chinese written characters are the repository of knowledge, rather than a mere means of communication. However, analysis of material from the fields of linguistics and the modern Chinese script reform shows that Bloch's assumption is a myth. Notwithstanding, it is a myth embraced by the Chinese themselves. In this folk understanding, written characters are indeed believed to contain in themselves profound information. 4. To disenchant Chinese calligraphy, the relationship between writing techniques and magic is analysed. This explains the phenomenon of 'magical' writings by political leaders. Moreover, writing is also the way socio-political power speaks. This has undoubtedly helped to sustain calligraphy's halo. However, the power of calligraphy cannot be truly understood unless one sees calligraphy - a culturally enriched and empowered category of artefact/artwork - as an active social actor with agency of its own