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Self-Portrait Machine Guides Your Hand, Devalues Art

by Caleb Johnson on July 7, 2009 at 08:30 AM


Let's face it, everyone's not an artist. Some people are just meant to draw stick figures, and that's perfectly alright. However, a new device aims to help those with two left (or right) hands and make even the least artistically inclined a master of portraits, Trendhunter reports.

The Self-Portrait Machine, which was designed by Jen Hui Liao, takes your picture and then guides your hand across paper until you're staring at a 'self-drawn' portrait (that sound you hear is Titian rolling over in his grave, by the way). Here's how it works: after posing for a photo, you strap the machine's arm to your wrist. Then, it controls and guides your hand while reproducing your likeness--all you have to do is hold on tight to that pen.

Liao created the device to comment on man and machine's relationship. According to him, our identities are byproducts of this marriage of muscle and metal, and Liao's invention is this notion come to life. While artists probably won't like this fusing of art and technology, it's good news for those lacking in the artistic department. It might be a little late, but at least now we can give our parents something to put on the fridge. [Trendhunter, via New Launches]

Tags: art, design, drawing, machine, self portrait, SelfPortrait

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