Virtual Reality for Artists - The CreativeMindClass Blog
Virtual Reality artist Collin Leix, talks about her creative evolution; From oil painting to investigating the depths of VR art.
"Before I became an artist in VR, I started as an oil painter, with a focus on portraits. In the course of time, this changed because I was more interested in the concepts involved in the making process.
The evolution of the artist; from music, through classic artto the creation of Metaverse
I'm a violinist and I got really interested in musical score illustrations; various ways of interpreting the drawings to be musical guidance. Also, I discovered that I have synaesthesia, which is a neurologic condition that causes a blending of multiple senses. In my instance, numbers and colors. The experience caused me to play in the way I created an image."
"In 2009 I began my Master's program of Fine Arts at the University of Michigan, where students were encouraged to explore extensively. I began with painting and ended with my thesis, which consisted of a large installation the ceiling that had animations that were projected on the. My first animations that I worked with were simple stop-motion drawings with paper and paint, using the natural landscape as a subject matter. The work was so challenging as a medium that I decided to explore it further.
After finishing my master's degree In 2012, I enrolled in an area community college to take a course on After Effects which I have since then , I've mostly self-taught. I started exploring art applications, Cinema4D, and have tried a bit of cel too, but have concentrated upon After Effects. I created animations direct-to-client over the course of a couple of years. I ensured that I always did my own artistic experiments with animation and put them online.
"I was dealing with an enormous health issue and was going through a period of depression that frequently left me on the ground with my pet. This was how I saw it. I challenged myself to make something once a week, even if it was only a few minutes to be able to see myself where I REALLY was.
In the year 2018 I was hired from the Animation Studio Gunner located in Detroit I have been there since!"
How would you describe your art style?
"Realism is a constant in my heart , even from my early days. My style has evolved since then. includes a touch of surrealism as well as humour, and I'm forever studying what color means to communicate mood.
My personal style has completely changed as well since joining the Gunner team. Gunner. The Gunner team is often working together in a group to help support various styles. As a result, I get to 'try out' styles that aren't my individual styles. A few ways to use loose brushwork, lines, or simplifying elements of design are examples of the things I've attempted and kept doing afterward. For example, the piece "Crocus" is a mix of drawing textures on 3D shapes, with realism and simple shapes, using VR modeling and good old Photoshop paint."
Your browser does not support the video tag.
"One reason why I enjoy working in the studio is because the edges that define 'me as well as my personal style are blurred. For instance, take the clip "Interruption" for instance. I was invited to make an Instagram posting for Gunner at the time I started. I was looking to incorporate the surrealism of my work to illustrate what it's as being in the flow of playing music and also what might be visible through your mind's eyes and what it is like to feel interrupted.
While I did all animation and much of the design, my amazing coworker Ian Sigmon pushed me a LOT in the design of the characters. I wouldn't have got to those crazy long arms or the simplified shapes of body by myself. This led us to realize that the woman's body can disappear into forms when she starts playing again."
"I recall losing an high school art competition because my artworks were not all cohesive, or in the same style. I believed that was a curse however, it turned out to be a blessing in what I'm doing now."
What's the secret to creating your illustration?
"For me, it's always must boil down to a gut feeling. It's always a little bit of interest at the beginning of every new work - sometimes it's a color combination I'd like to test Sometimes it's an expression, or reference, or perhaps a story.
One thing that distinguishes my work is the fact that I'm constantly trying different mediums. Right now, I'm so obsessed with drawing and painting in Virtual Reality. We're also making a short film on Gunner which covers the entire gamut of painting a cel using Photoshop, to 3D rendering to creating sculpts within VR before displaying a painting on the sculpt. I've included a shot of the film, titled Sync, as an early preview. This is Gunner's debut film that was directed by a woman, and it's about three strangers on an aircraft and an unexpected event occurs to them on the flight.
Your browser does not support the video tag. Your browser does not support the video tag.
What would you advise someone who starts out with VR art?
"When trying to make sense of any new technology that I am interested in, I have always an image or narrative of the changes I'd like to create before I begin. I guess that's a tip I have for those who want to increase their skill set - do the style frame or create an idea of a sketch or story that you'd like to tell prior to folding in the new technology. You'll have a reason or a "why". If not, you'll be flitting through tutorials and taking inspiration from different styles and narratives of others.
Here's a piece we made for the conference Blend at Gunner which took place in 2019 where I created many of the environment elements within Virtual Reality. I'd played around with the sculpting process some time ago, but when I had the proper 'why' my exploration and abilities grew dramatically. Below is a video tour of the landscapes I designed."
Your browser does not support the video tag.
"I'm very busy in Instagram and I've also created a class on how to recreate your illustrations using 3D space, with Tilt Brush. It doesn't require you to have a degree in VR art yet, but you have to be wearing a VR headset in order to attend the class. I walk people through the steps from there. I put SO MUCH LOVE to this!"
This post was posted on here