Reading Response: Chance-Imagery

After reading Chance-Imagery, I am very interested in using chance as the inspiration and technique to draw. Especially the “decalcomania of chance”.

Here are the steps to create a version of Decalcomania, by Oscar Dominguez:

1. Choose a surface that is not easy to dry, which can be paper, glass, and other materials.
2. Thinly spread black gouache to the surface.
3. Press this surface onto canvas, without deliberate pressing.
4. Separate the two surfaces, your decalcomania will be on the canvas.

Chance-Imagery also mentions ways to reduce bias. The first way is to compound two or more independent chance-events. By using this technique, the bias of one random event will not affect the result of the whole. It can also compound independent chance-events leading by different people. Then it will be impossible for any one person’s bias to determine the whole. The second way is to use tables of random numbers, as theoretically, the proportion or probability of each number is the same.

I think as regard of interactive computer programs, the computer may provide multiple tables of random numbers with a large number of numbers, and select numbers in a combination of various ways. Therefore, computer may minimize bias.

As Brecht mentions scientific advances of recent times, I also agree that art should reflect the wider cultural environment of the time it is produced. Because the surrounding environment must affect, restrict or support the author’s creation. For instance, as regard of the art of game, the earlier games may be more abstract, having more obvious characteristics, such as Mario. We can clearly say the key elements: water pipes, small squares with question marks, etc. However, for today’s games, such as Cyberpunk 2077 or GTA, it is difficult to simply say the representative elements. Since the game picture becomes more realistic and complex. It is precisely because of the revolution of computer technology that people can make the abstract art more and more realistic and enrich the simple symbolism. It can be seen that game art can reflect the changes of computer technology. Consequently, I believe that art is more or less affected by the surrounding environment, and will reflect this influence in its entirety.

Here is my methodology to produce a truly random number:

1. Record the first word of the real-time comment of the first trend. 
2. Take out a deck of playing cards, hold the playing cards to the highest using hand, let go, and record the number of playing cards facing up. Let’s call this number A.
3. Search for pictures of word (step 1) on the Internet, the number of letters in the title of the no.A (step 2) picture is the random number.

Real time comment is very random and will not be affected by my personal wishes. The number of facing up playing cards is determined by gravity. The combination of these two results also avoids the bias of time, place and my will.