Virtual Reality for Artists The CreativeMindClass Blog
Virtual Reality artist Collin Leix, talks about her evolution as a creative artist, beginning with oil-based paintings, she is now investigating the depths of VR art.
"Before I became a VR artist, started out as an oil painter, focused on portraits. In the course of time, this changed as I became more interested in the theories that go into making.
The artist evolution; starting with music, then classic art, to creating Metaverse
I'm a violinist and I got really interested in the visual musical scores and different ways to interpret illustrations as musical directions. Also, I discovered that I have synaesthesia, a condition in the brain that causes a blending of multiple senses. In my case, numbers, and even colors. The experience led me to experiment more about how I would create images."
"In 2009 I began my Master's program in Fine Arts at the University of Michigan, where students were encouraged to play with a variety of techniques. I started with painting and ended with my thesis, which included a massive installation that was placed on the ceiling that had animations that were projected on the. My first animations that I worked using were basic stop-motion images with paper and paint, using the natural landscape as a topic. The work was so challenging as a medium that I decided to pursue it.
After finishing my master's degree In 2012, I attended the local community college in order for a class on After Effects as well, and Since then I've mostly self-taught. I jumped into art apps, Cinema4D, and have tried a bit of cel too, but have concentrated on After Effects. I created animations direct-to-client for a few years and was careful to create my own artistic experiments with animation and put them online.
"I had a big health challenge and had a spell of depression that frequently left me on my floor, surrounded by my dog. So this was my view. I set myself the challenge of creating an effort every single week regardless of whether it wasn't a lot in order to meet myself where I REALLY was.
In 2018 , I was employed at the studio of animation Gunner in Detroit I have been there since!"
How would you describe the style you use in your work?
"Realism remains a staple in my heart , even from my early days. In the past, my style has a bit more surrealism as well as humour which is why I'm always studying what color means to communicate mood.
My personal style has completely changed as well since joining the team at Gunner. It is common for us to work as a unit to promote diverse styles. This means that I have the opportunity to experiment with some styles that aren't necessarily my individual styles. A few ways to use loose brushwork, lines, or simplifying designs are a few instances of things I've experimented with and then continued doing. For example, the piece "Crocus" is an amalgamation of painting texture over 3D forms, both by using realistic shapes and basic shapes, using VR modeling as well as good old Photoshop drawing."
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"One reason I love working in the studio is because the boundaries that define me as well as my personal style have blurred. Consider the film 'Interruption' for example. I was approached to write an Instagram post for Gunner as I began to explore. I wanted to use some surrealism in order to convey what it's as being immersed in playing music, as well as what might be visible within your head - and then the feeling of being interrupted.
While I did all animation and much of the designing, my amazing coworker Ian Sigmon pushed me a A LOT when it came to design of the characters. I wouldn't have got to those crazy long arms and simplified body shapes on my own. We came to the conclusion that the woman's body can disintegrate back into its forms when she starts to play."
"I remember losing a high-school art contest because my paintings were not all cohesive, or in the same style. I was convinced that this was the curse of my life, but it's turned out to be a blessing in the work I do now."
What is the key to creating your illustration?
"For me, it all must boil back to my gut. There's always an element of curiosity at the start of any new piece. sometimes it's a color combination I'd like to test or maybe it's a gesture, or a quotation, or a little tale.
One thing that distinguishes my work is the fact that I'm always exploring different mediums. At the moment, I'm obsessed with drawing and painting in Virtual Reality. We're also making the film below at Gunner that runs the gamut of painterly cell in Photoshop, to 3D rendering and sculpting within VR and then projecting paintings onto the sculpture. I've included a shot from the film, which is called Sync, as an unofficial preview. The film is the first directed by Gunner by a woman, and it's about three strangers who travel on an airplane and something unexpected that happens to them during the flight.
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What do you suggest to someone who starts out with VR art?
"When looking at any technology that is new it is always my intention to have a little image or a story of what I want to create before I begin. It's probably a suggestion I have for anyone who wants to expand their skills - make the style frame or create some sketchy or narrative you're planning to write before taking in the latest technology. Then you have a purpose that you can explain a reason for. In other words, you're just cruising about tutorials, attempting to imitate other people's styles and stories.
Here's a piece we made to launch an event called Blend at Gunner during the year 2019 where I created a lot of the environmental objects in Virtual Reality. I'd tried sculpting some time ago before, but once I knew an answer to the question of "why" my creativity and capabilities grew dramatically. Below is a video overview of the scenes I designed."
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"I'm pretty engaged in Instagram also made an instructional class to create your own illustrations in 3D space with Tilt Brush. There is no requirement to already be a VR artist, but you have to be wearing a VR headset in order to participate in the course, however I guide people through the process. I put SO MUCH LOVE to this!"
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