What are the benefits and challenges of creating art in VR versus traditional media?

VR fully immerses you in an experience with no distractions. As a creator you get someone's undivided attention, so use it wisely. In VR you also have the freedom to do the impossible, like defy the laws of physics by turning gravity off, playing with perspective, make objects appear or disappear depending on where the user is looking and even transform the user to any size relative to the rest of the virtual world. In VR, you can be anyone and do anything!

Here are some challenges associated with creating Art in VR: 1. VR art tools and software can be complex and may require a learning curve. Artists need to become proficient in working with VR. 2. Creating art in VR typically requires specialized costly hardware, such as a VR headset and a powerful computer, which may be not affordable for many artists. 3. While VR can be collaborative, it can also be isolating causing artists may miss the tactile and social aspects of traditional art creation. 4. Extended use of VR can lead to discomfort and health issues, such as motion sickness and eye strain. 5. The market for VR art is still emerging, which means it may not be as large and financially rewarding as traditional art forms.

Unlike other art forms, such as painting, photography, and film production, virtual reality places the audience inside the medium, surrounding them in a 3D environment where they can view and interact with the art within. While this high level of immersion tends to capture and engage users quickly, it also proves a challenge when attempting to direct attention. Whereas a painting, photo, or movie can leverage the confines of the canvas, frame, or screen to direct the audience's attention to a specific location in a scene, virtual reality creators must use spatial audio, haptic feedback, and other methods to engage with and direct users.

The focus of Metaverse has been predominantly centered in the virtual world, however the future of interoperability and adoption with hinge on the success of Hybrid-metaverse interface. Combining Augmented Reality glasses for in-venue participants and virtual reality headsets for the remote will create a highly collaborative digital-twin experience. You would need to leave a physical seat free for the remote participant, but that means there could be ten people sitting in that seat!

Additional benefits of creating art in VR on interaction and immersion are: 1. VR art tools often support real-time interaction with the artwork. Artists can directly manipulate objects, textures, and lighting in the virtual space, obtaining immediate feedback on their art. 2. VR allows artists to use natural gestures and movements for artistic expression to sculpt, paint and create using intuitive movements that mimic real-world actions. 3. VR can engage multiple senses simultaneously. Artists can not only see but also hear and even interact with their creations in ways that traditional media cannot replicate. 4. VR art can be inherently dynamic and interactive. Artists can create artworks that respond to user input or change over time.

Applications and usecases are numerous from scalable #edutech digital learning with unlimited remote lecturing professors to Executive All-Hands briefing for an enterprise’s thousands of employees. In either case the potential for VR to make it a more versatile and engaging audience experience is undeniable. Now if only we could develop more user friendly interfaces and adopt some streamlined headsets!

Feeling connected digitally will become exponentially more immersive, productive and collaborative. The hardware seems limiting today but the advances are coming daily and could soon be as ubiquitous as the mobile phone