Introduction
This blog post aims to document, discuss and reflect on my design process and reasonings behind the ‘VR Art Immersive Georgie O’Keefe Experience’. Referring back to the project proposal the virtual reality (VR) experience intentions are to encourage students and professionals to escape the everyday grind and relax into a solace of artistic inspiration. The interpreted Georgia O’Keeffe art works will be connected seamlessly by reimagined additions therefore adding an original touch. The complete VR immersive experience seamlessly blends, art and emerging technologies to offer a unique respite for the mind and body, therefore fitting with the overall module objectives.
As an overview of the immersive experience, the participants will wear virtual reality headsets and find themselves instantly transported into an enchanting world of Georgia o’keeffe interoperated paintings. Surrounded by vibrant colours and intricately detailed landscapes, users will be completely immersed in a calming environment that defines some of Georgia O’Keeffe’s best work. The primary objective of the immersive experience is to not only serve as a safe haven for relaxation and reflection but also to informally educate the users on certain pieces of O’Keefe’s spectacular work.
In an ever-changing world where technology continues to redefine our interactions with art and everyday life, my VR art immersive Georgia O’Keeffe experience aims to stand at the forefront of innovation, by merging therapeutic benefits with art and education.
Project Management
Project Management Timeline
The below images show the old vs new project management timeline, Gantt chart. The redefined version aided in keeping me on track with the assigned tasks. Labelling each part according to the assignment brief made articulating the objectives much easier than my previously made up label’s.
Project Management Reflection
Reflecting on the completion of the Georgia O’Keeffe Immersive Art VR Experience, I found that adhering to the project management plan was paramount for achieving success. The initial timeline and dates provided a structured framework, allowing me to allocate enough time for each phase of the development process.
However, challenges arose when the original project plan didn’t fully align with the assignment requirements. Recognising this mishap early on in the development phase, I was able to proactively alter the plan, ensuring it better aligned with the assignment requirements. The change proved to be extremally helpful in maintaining project momentum.
Usability Goals Recap
The below image concisely recaps on the usability goals discussed in the project proposal.
Usability Goals Reflection
Reflecting on the usability goals set for the VR experience, the overall objectives were effectively met, contributing to a positive user experience.
The VR experience remained effective as the serene and meditative atmosphere is successfully communicated through tranquil artwork and colours. I chose fitting pieces by Georgia O’keeffe to further elevate the experience.
Efficiency and learnability usability goals were met by offering limited options within the VR experience, this minimised the risk of users becoming frustrated with the user interface. Therefore, they were able to navigate the experience without unnecessary complexities, enhancing overall satisfaction.
The emphasis on creating an easy to follow and navigable experience contributed to good utility and memorability. Users can seamlessly explore the environment, go away and come back without confusion or needing to relearn the interface.
Finally ensuring the VR experience aligned with current ethical goals was achievable by referring back to the project proposal and initial research.
User Persona Recap
The below image concisely recaps on the persona goals discussed in the project proposal.
User Persona Outcome Reflection
The user personas goals and desires were at the forefront when designing the environment in Open Brush, particularly in providing a relaxing space to wind down after work.
The primary goal was to create a virtual environment that catered to the users desires for relaxation. By incorporating interpreted Georgia O’Keeffe’s abstract landscape paintings, soothing visuals and ambient colours, the VR experience successfully meets the users need for a tranquil space.
Despite the overall success, one challenge I encountered was incorporating text within the VR environment using Open Brush. The nature of the Open Brush tools posed limitations as they are centered around artistic creation and more free flowing movement, which was perfect for recreating O’Keeffe’s work but not so much for more intricate, small details.
In summary, the VR experience successfully met the user personas goals by providing a relaxing space. The challenge with incorporating text prompted me to think of inventive solutions, reinforcing the commitment to user satisfaction. This pushed me to learn more about how to find solutions for when things don’t go to plan rather than ignoring the problem completely.
Design Laws Incorporated
Below is a recap of the design laws I insisted on involving in the proposal
Aesthetic-usability Effect – ‘Users often perceive aesthetically pleasing design as design that’s more usable’ (Yablonski).
Jakobs Law – ‘Users spend most of their time on other sites. This means that users prefer your site to work the same way as all the other sites they already know.’ (Yablonski).
Peak-end Rule – ‘People judge an experience largely based on how they felt at its peak and at its end, rather than the total sum or average of every moment of the experience’ (Yablonski).
The incorporation of design laws into the final VR experience, as outlined in the project proposal, played a pivotal role in shaping a cohesive and user-friendly virtual environment. By consciously integrating these design laws into the final VR experience, the project not only fulfilled the proposed vision but also established a user-centric and aesthetically pleasing environment.
Idea Generation and Research
Colour Palette Research
Aliza Ackerman states that ‘One fascinating aspect of colour theory is the psychology of colour, which explains how people interpret colours and ascribe meaning to them. Colour influences how you feel about a product, how you make decisions and how you interpret messages. Because colour is such a powerful tool for artists and designers, learning how to harness it is a sure-fire way to set yourself up for success. Whether you want to create a new logo design or mock up a website homepage, knowing the meaning of colours and their associations will help you to pick the best colours to tell your story’ (Ackerman, A.). Therefore, selecting the most fitting artworks by Georgia O’keeffe with the correct colour compositions played an essential role in shaping the relaxing VR experience. The careful selection of colours evoke specific emotions and moods, influencing the overall atmosphere within the virtual reality (VR) experience. Ensuring I chose art works by Georgia O’Keeffe that incorporate soothing hues such as soft blues, greens and oranges promoted a sense of serenity and relaxation. Ensuring to avoid intense colour variations helped evaded potential stress triggers. Understanding colour theory and psychology allowed for deliberate design choices to be made, that fostered meaningful and serene outcomes that guarantee the final experience fits with the project proposal promises.
Aliza Ackerman supports my colour psychology observations as she states that,
‘Blue is calming, soothing and friendly. It’s often a fail-safe, neutral choice and can take on a professional or friendly tone, depending on how you use it. Blue is a trustworthy colour and scores of brands in all industries capitalise on this colour to build a positive image for themselves.’ (Ackerman, A.)
‘Green is one of the most versatile colours in the colour wheel, thanks to its widespread use in everyday life. Money, trees, food and traffic lights all use green and the shade of green you choose can convey vastly different messages. Its ties to nature can lend your natural food brand or yoga studio an organic, healthy feel, while a brighter hue is often used in financial applications. Toned down, it can be really soothing and relaxing, but if it’s a super-vibrant green, it’s more refreshing and energetic.’ (Ackerman, A.)
Chosen Georgia O’Keefe Artwork
The below artworks by Georgia O’keeffe have been chosen based on the colour observations explored above. The artworks embrace abstraction and therefore will transfer seamlessly when recreating them in Open Brush.
Georgia O’keeffe believed in ‘the idea that music could be translated into something for the eye’ (O’Keeffe, G.). This is communicated through her abstract artworks; expressive line work and the intricate interplay of hues form a sense of mindfulness and relaxation. Therefore, perfectly relating to the virtual reality (VR) experience.
Layout and Configuration Development
The below images show the development phase behind the final layout configuration. The first image experiments with the placement of each individual painting in a gallery like setting. This showcase emphasises each painting in its whole. As depicted in the image below the user is generated into the centre of the gallery scene, with the ability to explore a square shaped gallery of O’Keeffe’s work. This initial layout concept sparked inspiration for a uniquely developed scene where each painting flows into one another in a more immersive and interpreted way. As explored in the initial layout development there is a lot of blank space including the floor where the user will initially stand/sit. This blank space has the potential to become something interesting that seamlessly exists with the paintings in an immersive way. Which lead me into developing a new composition that incorporates more design and becomes a completely new experience that not only showcases O’Keeffe’s work but creates new interpretations and blends her work together to form a whole environment that can be explored as a virtual world. Therefore, fitting the goals of developing a Georgia O’Keeffe inspired, relaxation retreat.
The below image showcases the new layout configuration in a storyboard. The storyboard explores the new idea and how each painting will interact with one another. Therefore, creating a new experience inspired by Georgia O’Keefe the interprets her work in a completely new and innovative way. Each painting will coexist in its entirety but seamlessly blend together creating a whole 360-degree immersive art retreat.
Software Proficiency
Open Brush Development
Software Proficiency Evidence
Open Brush Reflection
The presented images and video serve as evidence of my software knowledge and understanding when using Open Brush and the Meta Quest headset. Achieving proficiency with this versatile tool was crucial for the creation of a seamless 3D experience. Given the software’s free flowing interface striking balance between realism and expressiveness posed as a challenge when recreating inspired versions of Georgia O’Keeffe’s famous art work. The challenge of designing with her work in mind posed as a challenge that aided me in pushing my boundaries as a designer.
In the process of crafting the O’Keeffe experience, I delved into the innovative design techniques that Open Brush encourages, including the creation of text through hand gestures and motions. This hands-on approach allowed me to infuse a personal touch whilst also educating the users on the paintings explored. Structuring the 3D space was simple as I used a flat grid provided by the Open Brush software, this provided me a permanent framework to work against, this provided me with some stability in a completely open space and creative interface. The strategic use of a mirror aided in creating symmetry and a narrative through the design, aligning with O’Keeffe’s own emphasis on balance and harmonious symmetry as seen in the Lake George painting I incorporated into the final scene.
The immersive nature of the experience came with its challenges. Prolonged use of the VR headset induced a headache and slight motion sickness when designing the experience, which forced me to design across a few days. Which slightly frustrated me as I know that I could’ve crafted the experience in much less time. This setback made me question whether the experience would meet the ethical considerations I introduced in the project proposal, including the absence of motion sickness. Although this side effect only occurred when designing the 3D space and not viewing it.
In conclusion, my journey with Open Brush and the VR headset helped me encapsulate the essence of O’Keeffe and design a space that would enhance mental health and help busy people relax, which aligns with the future of VR and reduction of workplace anxieties and stressor, whilst also educating the users on the paintings used.
Ethics and Values
Ethical Considerations
The below images explore aspects of ethical considerations and also recap on the considerations discussed throughout the project proposal.
Ethical Consideration Reflection
My Georgia O’Keeffe Immersive Art VR experience, conscientiously integrates the discussed ethical considerations into its design. To ensure inclusivity, I have ensured to avoid stereotyping, presenting an experience that resonates with a diverse audience. I have also ensured that the experience remains accessible for disabled users, ensuring the whole experience can be viewed from a seated position. Personal data practices are upheld by stickily avoiding any unnecessary personal data gathering, following the General Data Protection Act (GDPA). This will establish trust when the application is used by the public. Motion sickness and isolations concerns are addressed through meticulous design choices, but are also not as imperative as the experience will not be motionable and also is designed for single use relaxation and meditation, crafted to discourage negative feelings and sensations. In summary, the ethical considerations have been integrated into the design of my VR experience, ensuring inclusivity, accessibility and safety.
Forward-Thinking and Emerging Trends
Virtual Reality (VR) continues to develop, grow and be at the forefront of emerging trends and technologies. Transforming industries and user experience (UX) design like nothing before. As technology continues to advance, VR applications are extending and advancing beyond the gaming realms and into industries such as, education, healthcare, remote work collaboration, and much more. Examples of how virtual reality is extending its perimeters can be seen as ‘Virtual tools that allow employees to collaborate, multi-task, share ideas and meet clients without the limitations of physical distance will be the new big thing in the corporate world.’ (person, 2023). As well as advancements such as ‘VR can simulate the most dangerous and unpredictable real work situations in a controlled environment. Whether it’s surgeons performing life-saving operations without risk to real patients or factory workers grappling with heavy machinery, VR is a safe and cost-effective way to learn.’ (person, 2023). These advancements will change the way we live our daily lives.
Relating to the Georgia O’Keeffe Immersive Art VR experience, it is said that VR will be used to offer relaxing breaks from stressful jobs as stated ‘with VR apps such as Tripp and Supernatural, employees can take time out of their day to immerse themselves in guided visualisations, mindfulness and fitness techniques. Moving forwards, we can expect to see the expansion of VR therapy in treating a wider range of workplace stresses and anxieties.’ (person, 2023). This statement reinforces the relaxation/meditative goal of my Georgia O’Keeffe Immersive Art VR experience, as being an innovative and new experience.
Augmented reality (AR) is also gaining popularity, blending the virtual world with real-life situations. AR offers immersive overlays that enhance daily activities. This can be seen in GPS tracking and maps. Combining directional information with real world advancements. (Robinson, A. 2023).
Finally, the rise of extended reality (XR) which covers virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality, is continuing to open new possibilities for more interactive and engaging user experience design. As well as the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into these immersive developments, it is predicted that the future of extended reality will see boundaries pushed regarding personalisation, evolving applications and spatial computing. Combining these advancements with hepatic feedback and gesture control, the future will more than likely see a coexisting world between physicality and mixed reality (XR). Therefore, developing a more interconnected and interactive world with endless possibilities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the development of the VR Immersive Art Georgia O’Keeffe Experience has been transformative journey, seamlessly blending art and technology to form something new and out of my comfort zone. The experience not only provides the user with a solace of relaxation and reflection but also serves as an educational tool. Successfully meeting the proposal objectives. The usability goals were met, creating an efficient, learnable and memorable experience for all. The integration of design laws contributed to a cohesive user centric experience. In essence the immersive experience not only fulfils its initial vision but also contributes to the evolving world of virtual reality, providing a unique blend between art, relaxation and education in the digital world we are a part of today.
References
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