VR Immersive Art – Amber Rose Dalton

Introduction

This blog post will explore immersive art using Open Brush and Gravity Sketch to develop a diorama. Working within a group we will develop a strong concept that allows us to develop and showcase our immersive art skills, that consider VR implementation. A series of video captures will communicate the exploration of different apps and the development process of the final diorama. Lee Down introduces VR immersive art as, ‘The technology typically uses a combination of visual, auditory, and haptic feedback to create a sense of immersion and presence in the virtual environment. In the art world, virtual reality technology can be used to create exhibitions that go beyond the traditional gallery experience.’ (Down, L. 2023). VR art has become a popular experience in the world of art galleries, for instance the Vincent van Gogh virtual reality gallery experience which can now be seen in cities all over the world.

Figure 1 – Vincent van Gogh VR Immersive Art Experience, (Phillips, M. 2021).

Figure 2 – Inside the Vincent Van Gogh VR experience, (Phillips, M. 2021).

Figure 3 – Example of the Vincent van Gogh immersive experience, (Phillips, M. 2021).

Group Design Concept

The VR immersive art, design concept we decided to expand on involves creating a diorama each that explores aspects of the passing seasons. Developing a visual story that explores each season will aid in developing a dynamic and interesting unique art scene that is fully immersive.

Concept Art Direction within the Group – Goals

Ellie – Develop a diorama that explores aspects of Spring.

Rana – Develop a diorama that explores aspects of Summer.

Amber – Develop a diorama that explores aspects of Autumn.

Lucy – Develop a diorama that explores aspects of Winter.

Storyboard – Autumn Inspired diorama

The narrative of the autumnal diorama can be seen in the storyboard below. The meticulous arrangement of events captures the essence of an autumn evening. The strategically placed tree line serves as a natural frame to draw the user’s eyes into the middle where a warm and cosy bonfire is burning. Nestled close by is a rustic Tipi evoking feelings of autumn camping adventures, made of natural materials, scattered around are rich orange pumpkins, symbolizing the harvest season and contributing to the rich earthy colour palette. Together these elements tell a narrative of autumnal bliss and cosy evenings sat by the crackling fire, creating an appreciation for the fleeting beauty of autumn.

Figure 4 – VR immersive art storyboard exploring the seasonal festivities of Autumn. Using this I will develop my final VR diorama.

Open Brush Immersive Art Diorama Design Development – Autumn

I decided to first experiment with Open Brush, the software provided me with many different tools, shapes and settings to play with. I was able to alter the background and lighting settings to form a more autumnal environment for my diorama to sit in. I then went ahead and experimented with adding in a platform and forming the base of my diorama. I quickly learnt that open brush is best used with long strokes, the software is less precise and encourages more free flowing drawing techniques, with this in mind I decided to paint a single tree with more abstract details. I used swirling motions to create a reference to a tree about to lose its orange leaf’s. Once I had finished painting the tree I added in a bonfire with lots of orange flames, smoke and embers. The embers brush helped make the bonfire look as though it is actually alight. The motion brushes available in Open Brush aid in designing a more three-dimensional space with the addition of movement.

The series of videos below explore my experimentations throughout Open Brush.

Figure 5 – Exploring Open Brush and changing the background colours to fit my autumnal diorama.

Figure 6 – Experimenting with Open Brush and developing the base for my autumnal diorama.

Figure 7 – Developing my diorama base and painting a tree.

Figure 8 – Developing my diorama further and adding a bonfire to the scene.

Figure 9 – The final autumnal diorama made in Open Brush.

Gravity Sketch Immersive Art Diorama Design Development – Autumn

The second diorama follows the original storyboard more closely and was developed using Gravity Sketch. The software provides the user with more control over their creations and actions throughout development. There are lots of different tools and brushes to help the user form a more realistic design outcome, in comparison to the freer flowing interface of Open Brush.

The video series below explore the diorama design development process in Gravity Sketch.

Figure 10 – Experimenting with Gravity Sketch and creating a base for my second diorama.

Figure 11 – Drawing the tree-line to frame the diorama and adding in other autumnal aspects.

Figure 12 – Adding colour and texture to the diorama.

Figure 13 – Further developing the diorama by adding more details.

Figure 14 – Bonfire development in Gravity Sketch.

Figure 15 – Changing the lighting settings in Gravity Sketch to create a more autumnal environment.

Final Diorama Comparison

Open Brush and Gravity Sketch are both excellent immersive art software’s, each offering a unique user experience and approach to creativity. Open Brush with its free-flowing and illustrative nature, provides artists with a canvas that encourages spontaneous design expression. The strokes are unrestrained, fostering a sense of freedom and allowing for a more abstract outcome. On the other hand, Gravity Sketch leans towards more realistic design approach providing the artist with more control and precision. Its controlled environment enables the artists to craft intricate details with high levels of realism. When it comes to capturing movement, Open Brush takes the creative lead with its wide verity of motion brushes, making it a preferred interface for dynamic design, in contrast to Gravity Sketch which makes it harder to create a sense of motion and fluidity. Ultimately when thinking about my final design proposal of creating an immersive art gallery the choice between the two interfaces relies heavily on which artists works I decide to recreate. Open Brush caters to those who want to create an expressive motion driven experience, whilst Gravity Sketch excels in realism and control. The final choice will be discussed in the proposal.

Figure 16 – A comparison screenshot of the Diorama made in Open Brush.

Figure 17 – A comparison screenshot of the diorama made in Gravity Sketch.

Figure 18 – The final Open Brush Diorama.

Figure 19 – The final Gravity Sketch Diorama.

Group Reflection

Reflecting on our collective creative endeavour to craft individual seasonal dioramas helped each of us express our own creativity authentically and at our own pace. This group approach helped each of us meaningfully showcase our evolution of developing new software skills. However, upon amidst our pursuit of creative freedom we encountered a communication problem, leading to the mix up of our assigned seasons. Consequently, we found ourselves with two winter dioramas whilst lacking the production of a vibrant summer scene. This unintended mix up serves as a valuable lesson on the importance of coordinated planning and communication within a group project. Whilst our diverse winter scenes still showcase artistic skill, the lack of a summer diorama lets the overall seasonal diorama idea down. Moving forward we can harness this experience and refine our collaborative techniques and communication skills, ensuring a more balanced and thought out final group design series.

References

Down, L. (2023) Virtual reality and the future of Art Exhibitions, Arts, Artists, Artwork. Available at: https://artsartistsartwork.com/virtual-reality-and-the-future-of-art-exhibitions/#:~:text=The%20technology%20typically%20uses%20a,beyond%20the%20traditional%20gallery%20experience. (Accessed: 26 November 2023).

Phillips, M. (2021) Paintings, projections, V.R. Starry Nights: Can we ever know van gogh?, The New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/18/arts/design/van-gogh-virtual-reality-immersive.html (Accessed: 26 November 2023).

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