Every AI-generated image you see these days feels like an observation test! How I miss the good old days when the mistakes were intentional, and this was more fun.

Once again, the lack of a way to properly interrogate and verify the data sources that inform this generative slop, due to these tools' proprietary 'black box' architecture, is why the application of Gen-AI is so problematic for heritage visualisation.

Generative 3D with AI: Tripo Studio HD Model (H3.1) What does generative AI have to do with cultural heritage?

The AI-generated Stonehenge model (and the other examples) are a good demonstration of why this tech is so unreliable for heritage visualisation. For the moment, anyway. But will anyone outside expert circles care as long as the image looks compelling enough? That's the genuine concern here.

A view of Edinburgh Castle and the City of Edinburgh from Arthur’s Seat on a sunny day with Salisbury Crags ridge in the foreground.

Went for a quick scramble up the Seat after my meeting today. Although I live locally, I haven’t been up here in 20 years. There’s about ten times as many tourists up here than I remember since last time!

"Those that will be leaving us have done meaningful work here and care deeply about this company"

But screw you anyway. 😌

I am thinking of doing the same with Faecebook.

Still thinking a lot about AI & curatorial practice.

It strikes me that while I often get AI hallucinating nonsense that is demonstrably untrue, it never just says "I don't know"

Knowing - and admitting - the limits of our knowledge is such an important skill. Not just for curators - for everyone.

Their argument was that during the period when the castle underwent a major expansion between 1300 and 1388, the Cliffords were engaged in defending northern England against the Scots, and likely had neither the time nor the money to apply render to their castle. I reckon it was rendered, though!

An aerial view reconstruction of Brougham Castle from the North East as it may have looked in 1388. Brougham Castle stands beside the River Eamont near Penrith on the site of the Roman fort of Brocavum. The castle was founded in the early 13th century by Robert de Vieuxpont, who built the great stone keep c.1200–1210 and enclosed it with a curtain wall to control a key route into northern England. Through marriage, it passed to the Clifford family. Roger de Clifford strengthened the defences in the late 13th century, adding the east range and improving the gatehouse. His son, Robert de Clifford, a prominent supporter of Edward I, expanded the residential buildings and strengthened the fortifications during the Anglo-Scottish wars, thereby consolidating Brougham as a northern stronghold. This digital reconstruction shows how the castle may have looked in 1388 following the additions and alterations made by Roger Clifford, 5th Baron (1333-89). Artist: Bob Marshall. © English Heritage Trust / Historic England 2023.

I show Brough Castle fully lime-rendered at the time of Lady Anne Clifford in 1633. But why did I not treat Brougham Castle the same way? At first, I did; however, the historians were less convinced and persuaded me to change it.

There's compelling evidence for this exterior treatment almost everywhere. But admittedly, there are inconsistencies in my visual representations. Take Brough and Brougham Castles in Cumbria, for example: both castles belonged to the powerful Clifford family, which I show in different time periods.

A digital reconstruction aerial view of Brough Castle as it might have looked in 1633. Brough Castle's most significant post-medieval phase came under Lady Anne Clifford, who, in the 1650s, carried out a substantial programme of restoration, repairing the keep, rebuilding lodgings, and restoring the hall, while preserving its medieval character and commemorating her work with inscriptions. The view looks south, revealing the Great Tower, or keep, built in the 1300s, the courtyard, a stable block, and the east ranges, which were restored by Lady Anne. Artist: Bob Marshall. © English Heritage Trust / Historic England 2023.

Interesting points (no pun intended) raised in the first half of the Lime Finishes Group presentation 'What's the Point'. I have had ongoing debates with historians about how to depict some of these buildings in visual reconstructions. Personally, I lean towards showing them rendered and limewashed!

A photograph of Cousland Smiddy—an early eighteenth century blacksmiths workshop in Cousland, Midlothian, Scotland. Blue skies. Green grass. A white van is parked outside.

A photograph of a blacksmith working a new metal horseshoe with a hammer on an anvil in front of a forge.

An old wooden door with a red horseshoe and the number 31 above it illuminated by rays of sunlight.

A photograph of a blacksmith working a new metal horseshoe with a hammer on an anvil in front of a forge.

Our first open day of the year at the Cousland Smiddy. Not many visitors, but hoping we might see more folk as the year goes on.

Splashdown! Welcome back, Integrity / #ArtemisII crew. Great job, NASA!

Pioneering wildlife cameraman Doug Allan dies in Nepal The cameraman and photographer won eight Emmy Awards for his work on acclaimed series like Blue Planet alongside Sir David Attenborough.

I always love the five minutes at the end of Attenborough's natural history programmes that show how some of these amazing wildlife images were filmed - often in extreme environments. RIP Doug.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A harbour with some boats and sailing dinghies grounded at low tide. Sunny day with blue skies. A bicycle is leaning against a stack of empty lobster creels on the harbour pier to the right hand side of the image.

Enjoyable tour of East Lothian 🚴🏼. Ideal cycling conditions—warm, but not too warm! ☀️ Stopped off at North Berwick harbour for a bit before the ride back home to Edinburgh.

Enjoying a much needed day off having worked right through the Easter break to meet project deadlines. Discovered a wonderful East Lothian coffee/farm-shop I’ve not been to before that’s not as overwhelmingly noisy as some of my regular 🚴🏼 stop-offs. Panniers loaded with goodies!

Illustration of a hillfort with overlaid text that says 'New Book'

NEW BOOK: 'Rhynie, A Powerful Place of Pictland'

We are thrilled to announce the release of our book by Professor Gordon Noble FSAScot, a nationally important monograph that brings together 10 years of research which has transformed our understanding of the Picts: www.socantscot.org/uncategorize...

Wouldn’t it be cool if the enthusiasm and inspiration brought to us by NASA changed everything? It is so obvious to us all that the Trump regime is unsustainable, hateful and deeply ignorant. We can overcome them. Artemis 2 has made me feel so much hope for goodness and goodwill. 🚀❤️

Curses, I've been fooled! The NASA tracker is showing the right data. I've been unwittingly watching replays of NASA's live coverage of the Artemis I mission in 2022, thanks to YouTube's daft algorithm. It looked so convincing, too! I need stronger coffee in the mornings. 😆

Screen grabs from NASA Spaceflight showing the progress of the Artemis II mission to the moon.

Getting closer!🌕 Although NASA's tracking website appears to show Orion at a far greater distance than the live broadcast does. I don't understand that. #ArtemisII

I love the simple but effective depiction of movement the illustrator used here.

Thanks. Same abbey, but reconstructed. Details in ALT text.

An outline drawing of Cambuskenneth Abbey near Stirling, as it might have looked in the 14th century. This reconstruction shows what the abbey and adjoining monastic buildings might have looked like in their rebuilt state following an attack by the army of King Richard II of England in 1383. The abbey has an accompanying freestanding bell tower or campanile, which is unusual in Scotland. The tower is the only surviving part of the original church still standing today. It may have been spared its destruction by virtue of its use as a watchtower. Artist: Bob Marshall. © (2019)

Happy Easter!

If you're stuck indoors and bored due to the stormy weather, you can always colour in my drawing of Cambuskenneth Abbey ;)

A 3D model of a lierne vault in a large church.

Progress on the nave's vaulted ceiling. Tricky geometry to model, but made easier with the application of Blender's Array and curve modifiers. #Blender3D

Nice Rob Pointon-y style distortion!

An untextured rendering of a digital 3D model reconstruction depicting the interior of the nave of Bury St Edmund's Abbey. This shows how the nave might have looked in the 1500s and shortly before the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Until the 15th century, the abbey church remained in its Romanesque (11th- and 12th-century) form. However, it was remodelled in response to two major disasters. First, in 1430–31, the original west tower collapsed. Then, in 1465, the nave roof caught fire, and the central tower either collapsed or was demolished. The whole length of the church was rebuilt with stone vaulting and a new central tower. Bob Marshall. © English Heritage Trust / Historic England (2022)

Happy Good Friday. Exactly 4 years ago, I was finishing this reconstruction model of the nave of Bury St Edmunds Abbey (c1500s) with my former EH colleagues, Steven Brindle and Carlos Lemos. Here's my #Blender3D model before I added textures, polychromy, and fictive ashlar decorations. See Alt text.

A redacted message from the Sketchfab 3D platform with the words: "[Redacted] added your model Kilchurn Castle reconstruction to the collection NAZI CASTLE".

How strange. Or do they know something about Kilchurn Castle's past that I might have missed? 😟 #Sketchfab

Centre: "Artemis, Colin from IT is on his coffee break right now. We'll put you on hold." ..... beep.

The Middle Ages are the excuse reconstruction artists have to abandon the 60-30-10 rule of colour theory.

Track Artemis II in realtime

www.nasa.gov/missions/art...