Abstract
We investigate using generated decorative art as a source of inspiration for design tasks. Using a visual similarity search for image retrieval, the \emph{Camera Obscurer} app enables rapid searching of tens of thousands of generated abstract images of various types. The seed for a visual similarity search is a given image, and the retrieved generated images share some visual similarity with the seed. Implemented in a hand-held device, the app empowers users to use photos of their surroundings to search through the archive of generated images and other image archives. Being abstract in nature, the retrieved images supplement the seed image rather than replace it, providing different visual stimuli including shapes, colours, textures and juxtapositions, in addition to affording their own interpretations. This approach can therefore be used to provide inspiration for a design task, with the abstract images suggesting new ideas that might give direction to a graphic design project. We describe a crowdsourcing experiment with the app to estimate user confidence in retrieved images, and we describe a pilot study where Camera Obscurer provided inspiration for a design task. These experiments have enabled us to describe future improvements, and to begin to understand sources of visual inspiration for design tasks.
Abstract (translated)
我们研究使用生成的装饰艺术作为设计任务的灵感来源。通过图像检索的视觉相似性搜索，emph camera obserizer app可以快速搜索成千上万个生成的各种类型的抽象图像。视觉相似性搜索的种子是一个给定的图像，检索到的生成图像与种子具有一定的视觉相似性。该应用程序在手持设备中实现，允许用户使用周围环境的照片来搜索生成的图像和其他图像存档。由于本质上是抽象的，检索到的图像补充种子图像，而不是取代它，提供不同的视觉刺激，包括形状、颜色、纹理和并置，除了提供自己的解释。因此，该方法可用于为设计任务提供灵感，抽象图像可提示可能为图形设计项目提供方向的新想法。我们描述了一个与应用程序的众包实验来评估用户对检索到的图像的信心，我们描述了一个试点研究，其中相机遮光器为设计任务提供了灵感。这些实验使我们能够描述未来的改进，并开始了解设计任务视觉灵感的来源。
URL
https://arxiv.org/abs/1903.02165
