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Pop Culture

AI technology helps render portraits from the Victorian era that are 'moving' in every way

The artists at Mystery Scoop breathe new life into old photographs using color restoration and facial movement.

ai art, ai technology used to enhance portraits

Mystery Scoop creates all kinds of moving portraits based on historical figures.

For better or worse, AI technology has opened up a whole new genre of art. Artists who use it have been able to create some truly remarkable works—whether that’s bringing back beloved icons or bringing cartoon characters to life in a hyper-realistic way.

The creators behind Mystery Scoop have also blended some digital art wizardry and AI programs to render portraits from the late Victorian era that not only have stunning color, but lifelike movements. And the results are mesmerizing.

A video posted to their YouTube channel titled “19th Century Portraits Brought To Life” shows Victorian men and women as they undergo a full restoration, thanks to colorists Klimbim and Lorenzo Folli. But the magic doesn’t stop there. The “labor of love” also incorporates the “latest tools in AI technology" to bring facial movements to the photo. These static, black-and-white portraits quickly become breathing, blinking, smirking seemingly living beings.


For many viewers, the modernized portraits provided so much more than shock value. People were genuinely moved—a tried-and-true sign of successful art. “I cannot explain the emotions that this brought over me,” one person commented. “I began to tear up immediately. Knowing that these people are long gone...yet brought to life by someone years after their passing. They're being remembered in such a beautiful way. Seeing them fade in and out of life was haunting. This was absolutely powerful.”

Another commenter poignantly noted how these simple touches helped instill feelings of empathy. “The animation allows you to see the glimmer of who they were…a shimmer of their soul perhaps! You can see their hopes and dreams rise up into their eyes and ever so fleetingly, even their fear and worry and sometimes grief flickers softly in their expressions! Then you can't help hoping that they lived happily…I know it is all an illusion and yet it makes me care about them and care deeply.”

Of course, people of the late Victorian age aren’t the only ones to receive the Mystery Scoop treatment. The group’s channels across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok are filled with historical figures of different decades.

Below is infamous outlaw Bonnie Parker, sans her beau Clyde Barrow.

@mysteryscoop Replying to @mp_849 Bonnie Parker, c.1934, famous outlaw during th 1930s, Clyde Barrow's partner. #bonnieandclyde#bonnieparker#gangsters#outlaws#barrowgang#american♬ Cornfield Chase - Dorian Marko

Here’s another, beloved artist Frida Kahlo.

And another of a smiling, yet stoic Abraham Lincoln.

By “infusing still pictures, statues and paintings with realism,” Mystery Scoop has found a new way to help the legacy of those who’ve passed live on in the hearts and minds of those still here. While there is much to be said about how AI can take away from the human experience, it’s hard not to see works like this and appreciate how it can bring people together just as easily. One thing is for sure—humanity could always use art that touches us on an emotional level. And when a piece of art does, that’s worth celebrating.

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ACUVUE launches a new campaign to inspire Gen Z to put down their phones and follow their vision

What will you create on your social media break? Share it at #MyVisionMySight.

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If you’ve always lived in a world with social media, it can be tough to truly understand how it affects your life. One of the best ways to grasp its impact is to take a break to see what life is like without being tethered to your phone and distracted by a constant stream of notifications.

Knowing when to disconnect is becoming increasingly important as younger people are becoming aware of the adverse effects screen time can have on their eyes. According to Eyesafe Nielsen, adults are now spending 13-plus hours a day on their digital devices, a 35% increase from 2019.1. Many of us now spend more time staring at screens on a given day than we do sleeping which can impact our eye health.

Normally, you blink around 15 times per minute, however, focusing your eyes on computer screens or other digital displays have been shown to reduce your blink rate by up to 60%.2 Reduced blinking can destabilize your eyes’ tear film, causing dry, tired eyes and blurred vision.3

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All eras are "advanced" for their time, but imagine being dropped off in the 50s as someone from the year 2023. A recent post by Historic Vids on Twitter of a 1956 commercial advertising a refrigerator, however, has some people thinking that when it came to fridges, maybe they were living in the year 2056. I don't typically swoon over appliances, yet this one has me wondering where I can purchase a refrigerator like this.

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'Bluey' creators have perfect response after 'Exercise' episode sparks concern from parents

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@laceyjadechristie/TikTok

Bandit, Bluey's dad, laments his weight and says he needs to exercise.

The Australian kids' cartoon “Bluey” is pretty universally loved by young and old audiences alike. People appreciate the show’s unique way of blending wholesome humor with mundane or even difficult situations in a way that feels both mature and whimsical.

On a recent “Bluey” episode titled “Exercise,” Bluey’s father, Bandit, becomes disappointed after stepping on the bathroom scale, grabbing his tummy and declaring he needs to start exercising.

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The baby, named Denver Coleman, suffered from vein of Galen malformation (VOGM), a rare abnormality where blood vessels connect directly to veins rather than capillaries, affecting the blood vessels’ ability to carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the brain. The resulting surge of blood pressure can lead to major health issues like congestive heart failure, losing brain tissue or an enlarged head.
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Parents see their lives in hilariously relatable end-of-school-year 'Maycember' parody

The Earth, Wind & Fire "September" parody is a hit with harried parents.

"Maycember"—busy like December but without the fun holidays.

For parents of school-aged kids, May is absolute mayhem and there are very few ways around it. May is the culmination of everything—concerts, recitals, award ceremonies, finals, end-of-school-year picnics, spring sports and a dozen other things that seem to sneak up on you until one day you look at your calendar for the month and weep.

Oh, and by the way, have you signed your kids up for summer camps yet?

May is just…a lot. It's akin to the busyness of the December holiday season, but without all the pretty lights and holiday spirit to carry you through it.

In their signature style, The Holderness Family has captured the reality of "Maycember" in a video parody of Earth, Wind & Fire's "September." The Holdernesses have brought us many funny and relatable videos about a range of realities, from people's mid-pandemic Wordle obsession to GenX welcoming millennials to the over-40 club, and now they've got their fingers on the pulse of parents pulling their hair out with end-of-school-year scheduling.

Check out "Maycember":

No wonder they put Mother's Day in May. (Although it's a little hard to enjoy it when you're up to your eyeballs in all the things.)

Judging by the comments, they hit the nail on the head.

"Oh hi there, I see you made a documentary about my life right now! 🤪"

"Great video. Plus, all of the spring yard chores. When is there time for pickleball?"

"Yep facts! 💯! Everything is true and accurate scary accurate. Thanks for the camp reminder 😁"

"The BEST one yet! I didn't know if I should laugh or cry....maybe a little of both. Good to know our family isn't going thru this alone! POWER TO THE PARENTS!!! (and teachers....thanks for all you do!)"

"My kids are grown and have moved out but oh my goodness do I remember the month of May all through their school years. Everything is packed into that one month. I always remember how busy we were. There are days I don’t miss it but there are days that I do! Well done!"

Hang in there, parents. May may be mayhem, but it'll be over soon. (And seriously, get on those summer camps now if you haven't yet. Those things fill up in a blink.)

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