Hand drawing anime characters is not an easy task by any means, and the same can be said for coloring them. Now, what if it were possible to automatically color characters and the world around them, what would you do?
We’ve gathered that Japanese animation companies Imagica Group and OLM Digital have teamed up with Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) to develop a new automated technique.
This automated technique is all about coloring anime projects automatically with the use of artificial intelligence and deep machine learning. Researchers created an interesting color script designed to correspond with different aspects of any image on the fly.
Bear in mind that this isn’t the first time the technique has been used. In the past, folks have used it to color black and white photos. However, we suspect coloring photos with various colors won’t be as easy.
The researchers claim to be the first, but we’re guessing they meant first to use deep machine learning to color objects with any color.
At the moment, the project is merely in its infancy and could take a number of years to see the light of day. As it stands, the researchers are working hard to improve accuracy for the sake of developing a commercial tool.
We understand the team is targeting a 2020 date for getting the commercial version up and ready for primetime, but knowing full well that technology isn’t perfect, folks shouldn’t be too surprised if plans fail.