Reading Response #2

Augmented Reality in Visual and Spatial Design

Within recent years, virtual and augmented reality have taken the world by storm, popularized publicly through the world of gaming. For virtual reality, the user detaches themselves from the real word through a headset and interacts with a virtual space. Augmented reality however aims to create a link between the digital, and physical world, shadowing you and adding additional information to the world around you, for example the popular mobile game Pokemon Go, adding virtual monsters to the world around you to capture (See Figure 1) (Downey, 2016). The reading “The Gigantic List of Augmented Reality Use Cases” by Downey (2016) outlines a myriad of instances that augmented reality will impact on within my field; Visual and Spatial Design.

Figure 1: Man playing Pokémon Go (Source: Hall, 2016)

3D modelling and design is perhaps at the forefront for the designer, augmented reality allows us to “create and view 3D models in physical space” (Downey, 2016). Instead of wasting weeks on countless drawings and paper prototypes, the designer can provide the client with 3D mock-ups. This removes the clients imagination from the equation and allows them to see, and interact with the designs in real space, whether this be billboards, brochures or building plans. Potentially speeding up and increasing project affordability based on client interaction and contentment with the virtual product before production begins (See Figure 2) (Artwork Abode, 2017).

Figure 2: Viewing Architectural Design in Augmented Reality (Source: Inition, 2014)

As an extension to 3d modelling, Downey (2016) outlines the capacity to “visualize changes to your living space before making them permanent”. This includes nuances like changing wall colours or art and furniture placement. For a designer, this is a hugely helpful tool when interacting with clients, client apprehension severely diminishes when they are able to see their ideas in real time without physically altering the space and costing them money. Doubt all but fades away given the fact they can see and make changes in an instant like furniture size, colour scheme and material (See Figure 3) (Internation School of Colour and Design, 2019).

Viewing furniture placement in augmented reality (Source: Space-O, 2019)

So far, the areas mentioned within the article by Downey (2016) that benefit Visual and Spatial design focus on the product. However, Downey (2016) suggests that more nuanced areas exist, such as sentiment analysis. Augmented reality provides an interface to scan people and analyse their body language, micro-expressions and behaviour to get real-time feedback in regards to how the individuals are feeling and reacting to the meeting or project allowing you the designer to make suggestions and accommodate their needs appropriately (Downey, 2016).

Conclusively, there is however, some worry surrounding this trend of augmented reality. With all of these tools being developed and being readily available to the public, for free such as Shopify (2019)’s augmented reality shopping experience. I believe this to be of no consequence however, as there are always those who lack a creative eye. If you are seeking quality, hire those who have the creative ingenuity you seek. Hence, designers are the future of augmented and virtual reality (Artwork Abode, 2017).

References

Artwork Abode. (2017). The Role of Graphics Designers in Virtual Reality. Retrieved from https://www.artworkabode.com/blog/role-of-graphics-designers-in-vr/

Downey, S. (2016). The Gigantic List of Augmented Reality Use Cases. Retrieved from http://uploadvr.com/

Hall, L. (2016). Gaming Psychology: Is Pokémon Go Good Or Bad?. Retrieved from https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/careers/blog/gaming-psychology-pokemon-go-good-or-bad

Inition. (2014). 3D Printing & AR for Drees & Sommer. Retrieved from https://www.inition.co.uk/case_study/drees-sommer-building-information-modelling/

Internation School of Colour and Design. (2019). Augmented Reality – What does this mean for Interior Design?. Retrieved from https://www.iscd.edu.au/augmented-reality-what-does-this-mean-for-interior-design/

Shopify. (2019). Shopify AR – Augmented Reality for ecommerce & online stores. Retrieved from https://www.shopify.com.au/ar

Space-O. (2019). 3 Ways to Use Augmented Reality in eCommerce App Development. Retrieved from https://www.spaceo.ca/augmented-reality-in-ecommerce-app-development/

Reading Response #1

Name an individual (historical or contemporary) who you consider to be extremely creative. What about them or what they do led you to this decision?

One such individual I find creative is Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519). He was an Italian man of the renaissance era. Gifted with a mind and thirst for knowledge ahead of his time. His inventiveness spread through painting, sculpting, architecture, and engineering. Some of his most notable work would be that of the paintings “Mona Lisa” and “Last Supper” (Krull & Kulikov, 2005). Csikszentmihalyi (1996) states that creative personalities are multifarious. “They show tendencies of thought and action that in most people are segregated. They contain contradictory extremes”. This response will delve into how just how noticeable some of these traits are within Leonardo Da Vinci.

The contradictory trait “creative people alternate between imagination and fantasy and a rooted sense of reality” stated by Csikszentmihalyi (1996) is perhaps the most obvious for Da Vinci. The evidence being his various notebooks and sketches. He dreamed up concepts that perhaps, for his time; appeared like the delusions of the deranged. Due to the fact these concepts appeared to predict the future. For example, the flying machines the Aerial Screw helicopter and the glider based on the form of the bat (See Figure 1) (Müntz, 2011). As Csikszentmihalyi (1996) put it, “great art and great science involve a leap of imagination into a world that is different from the present”.

Figure 1: Flying machine with half-fixed wings (Source: Müntz, 2011)

Additionally Csikszentmihalyi (1996) expressed that “Most creative people are very passionate about their work, yet they can be extremely objective about it”. In this sense, Da Vinci left behind a myriad of unfinished sketches, paintings and sculptures. Krull & Kulikov (2005) state that Da Vinci was rough to work with and detested deadlines and being rushed by those commissioning him his to conclude his work. This resulted in some of his work taking many years to complete. For example, the “Mona Lisa” took four years to become a finished piece of art (Vasari & Foster, 1872). This shows that Da Vinci indeed had the passion for his work, as well as the ability to take his time with it if he believed it was not ready.

The contradictory trait expressed by Csikszentmihalyi (1996) “creative people combine playfulness and discipline or responsibility and irresponsibility” is the last I wish to discuss. History has always portrayed Da Vinci as this sophisticated renaissance man, with his countless sketches and inventions strewn through his notebooks Krull & Kulikov (2005). However, among all the genius imprinted into the notebooks, even Da Vinci had time to be mischievous. Hidden amongst the notebooks is a particular sketch of “two penises with legs and tails walking towards a crudely drawn anus”. The sketch even has Salaì, his assistants name labelled above it, whom was rumoured to be Da Vinci’s lover (See Figure 2) (Schneider, 2014).

Figure 2: Da Vinci’s Doodles (Source: Schneider, 2014)

It is hard to grasp what Da Vinci was like exactly. Though from what we can see through what he has left behind, he was a vastly gifted individual. In this way we can see that he does indeed fulfil Csikszentmihalyi’s contradictory traits of a creative personality.

References

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996, Jul). The creative personality. Psychology Today, 29, 36-40. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.ecu.edu.au/login?url=https://search-proquest- com.ezproxy.ecu.edu.au/docview/214474433?accountid=10675

Krull, K., & Kulikov, B. (2005). Leonardo da vinci (Giants of science). New York: Viking.

Schneider, M. (2014). An x-rated doodle from the notebooks of leonardo da vinci. Retrieved from https://dangerousminds.net/comments/an_x-rated_doodle_from_the_notebooks_of_leonardo_da_vinci

Vasari, G., & Foster, J. (1872). Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects: George Bell.