“Virtual reality is not just a technology; it’s a portal to infinite possibilities.”
– unknown
During this week of Emerging Technology I have experimented with virtual reality to broaden my technical skills. It is a hands-on experience of using virtual reality as it can be a potential medium I can base my project on. I have written up the activities during the week of introducing VR.
What is VR?
Image 1 – A GIF image of a man discovering VR technology. 
Image 2 – Shows a close-up picture of the VR headset.
Virtual reality (VR) is basically a believable, interactive 3D computer world that you can explore to make it feel like you are there, both mentally and physically. It is a computer-generated three dimensional environment that can be interacted with by using special electronic equipment. The characteristics of VR are:
- Believable – You need to feel like your in a virtual world and believe that, otherwise the illusion of virtual reality will disappear.
- Interactive – As you interact in the VR world, the VR needs to interact with you also, providing a sense of presence that static VR experiences cannot match.
- Explorable – Virtual reality needs to be big & detailed enough to explore. Unlike a realistic painting that just shows one scene from one angle, VR allows you to freely explore with the environment in your own way
- Immersive – In order for VR to be interactive & believable, VR needs to both engage the body and mind. Paintings and books can only describe things, whereas simulators on your computer can be fun & realistic however it is not the same as sitting in a real simulator where you can sense the sight, sound and feel of a VR simulator.
The pros/cons of VR art
Although VR is a revolutionary piece of technology is does have pros & cons. The benefits of using virtual reality is that it can be used for learning & entertainment purposes. Virtual reality is being used by students & teachers to provide training as it is a highly immersive experience. Students can use VR to simulate situations in the desired field they wish to pursue such as science & technology, where students can explore science or technology concepts in a hands-on way. Furthermore studies show that VR can help with easing pain, PTSD and depression by simulating a trauma you have experienced such as a disaster or a car incident. One review of studies show that VR therapy can be effective for common mood disorders such as anxiety or depression as VR eases this with the use of therapy such as calm environments & breathing exercises.
The downsides to VR do have some health risks, such as:
- Health risks
- Injuries
- Motion sickness
- peoples phobias
These side effects are the dangers of using virtual reality which can have have huge impact to the users health. Users could easily injure themselves with VR if they are not careful with their surroundings and would result in physical injuries such as falling or tripping over. Moreover, with the extended use of a VR headset this could result in eye strain & dizziness if used for long periods of time which can cause discomfort for the user. Virtual reality can also trigger phobias for some viewers which can cause discomfort with phobias such as heights or spiders.
My experience with VR art
I have experimented with virtual reality and the applications that are contained within the software. I firstly had to begin setting up a personal Meta account on my phone & in VR to access an account. I then installed creative mediums such as Openbrush or Gravity sketch that are free apps that are commonly used in VR. Before I started using the creative outlets on VR I had to firstly get used with the motion & the handset provided before playing on Openbrush/Gravity Sketch.
Gravity Sketch
When you first open Open brush you are transported to an empty void with a night sky, you are then able to select tools such as shapes, brushes & lines to begin constructing your design. To paint, you’ll need to select the purple button on the VR handset. To make it easier for the user there are settings to choose whether you are right or left handed. The UI on the handset makes it easier for newcomers as it highlights the necessities when designing your 3D structure. Using the purple icon on the handset you are free to choose what style or effect of paintbrush you desire and also it gives you access to 3D shapes that you are able to scale or manipulate. The rainbow icon on the opposite hand is the colour palette you can use to select the colours you need, a good feature on Gravity Sketch is that if you want a lighter colour palette, you can raise it higher using your hand so you can get lighter colours as a result. If you want to darken your colour palette, you can repeat the process except this time you have to lower the palette. Another useful feature would be the scale tool which allows you to rotate & scale either an asset or painting by using both VR handsets together and moving them away like you are pulling something apart.
OpenBrush
Image 5 – Front view of flower sketch 
Image 6 – Above view of flower sketch
OpenBrush is a virtual reality app that allows you to paint in a 3D space. Originally created by Skillman, it is an open source tool to help everyone create their own art. OpenBrush has the same features & functionalities as Tilt Brush with a wide range of brushes & effects that users can have in a 3D environment. For some OpenBrush can be a better substitute for those who paint traditionally as you are able to undo any errors you have made in your paintings and you can never run out of supplies as it is already provided for you on VR, this means you dont have to go out and buy expensive paint brushes, paints or tools which can cost you way less if you use VR in the long run.
Above are some sketches I made on Openbrush with a recording of me observing what I have created during my experiment using Openbrush. In comparison to Gravity Sketch, I found Openbrush to be more easier as you have access to a palette in one hand and an entire menu on the other, what makes the UI even better is that you are able to choose a beginner mode & an advanced mode so either newbies or pros can easily set their preferences to ‘Beginner mode’ or ‘Advanced mode’ When painting the flowers and insect I experimented with the palette, tried various paint brushes which had plenty of textures I can work with & tried out some animation effects which I can use in the future. I may consider using this medium for my later emerging technology project if I want to create my own 3D assets as I have more control with hand-painting my assets.
Overall my experience with VR has been quite eye-opening for me as VR has I am using art & design in a three-dimensional space. It has made me think of art & design differently as I am not restricted to the traditional mediums people use to create art. Gravity sketch on the other hand has provided a platform I can create models & design on which helps me build complicated constructions with ease.
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