Immerse Yourself in the World of Innovation & Pioneer of VR Techniques
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Explore Vinay Hegde's background, how he innovated VR art techniques and his many talents that help him become a successful unique VR artist.
Vinay is a maestro of creating Virtual Reality (VR) art through his innovative art techniques. He is a pioneer in VR art techniques and has innovated techniques of creating vibrant 3D art paintings through Cosmic Splash, Glow Art and Glue Art.
That's not all he also creates 3D sculptures from hand as well as digitally through VR. His surroundings and societal causes serve as a source of inspiration for creating his unique artistic thumbprint. Discover the backstory and how he started creating VR art by feasting your eyes on his fanatical creations in an interview with the VR artist, Vinay Hegde.
CG. How did you select Virtual Reality Art as the medium to leave an artistic thumbprint on the world?
Vinay Hegde: Magic is perhaps one of the oldest art forms in the world. At the end of the magic show, there is amazement and curiosity as to how the magician executed it. Today a different kind of magic is needed which not only fascinates our mind but will also strike a chord within our heart and fill it with a sense of beauty- the joy of seeing a beautiful creation that amazes and more importantly, pleases our aesthetic senses.
I am passionate about stretching the boundaries of art by using the latest technology. I have brought both art and technology together through Cosmic Splash.
This art form fuses creativity and fine artistry with technology. Whatever may be the medium, my endeavour is always to seek to generate a sense of bliss through art.
Virtual Reality (VR) was a new medium unexplored by artists. I was attracted towards the same as I could get immersed in the virtual space. I could get lost in my world of art. The urge to share my world filled with mesmerising creations with a larger audience led to the adaptation of VR into stage shows. Unlike other digital media, for example, Photoshop and other software had limits whereas VR allowed presenting painting and sculpting as a performing art on stage. VR makes use of a virtual 3D space on stage which is projected on a big screen for the audience to enjoy. An infinite canvas that gives me ample liberty for movement during art creation is a bonus. The numerous brushes and vibrant colours allow the creation of mind-blowing 3D paintings!
CG. Being an innovator in the field of techniques used to create in Virtual Reality, how were they born?
Vinay Hegde: As an artist, I always wanted to share the process of my art creation rather than the creation itself. Also, I intended to make my art processes presentable to a larger audience. If I directly use a computer to create an artwork, there would always be scope for doubt that the image might be computer generated and the chances of my artistic abilities being unnoticed would be higher. There was a time when I was constantly looking for some technological tool where my artistic presentation will be more enhanced than the technology itself. Technology should not override creativity. In that sense, Virtual Reality came into the picture.
My inclination towards technology, stage show and art creation all came together to give birth to this new concept of "Cosmic Splash", an innovative VR art technique.
CG. What are your main sources of inspiration and specifically how do you select the theme of an art piece?
Vinay Hegde: Nature, every day, every moment, my environment serves as sources of my inspiration. Other art forms like music, dance, drama, magic, technology also inspire my art creations. Many other great artists reword morphemes that are based on current affairs, relevant events and specific occasions.
CG. What is the creative process behind a single virtual reality artwork?
Vinay Hegde: The stages involved in the creative process are an inspiration, preparation and creation.
In the stage of inspiration, first I select the theme, what is my purpose / what am I going to convey here through this art?
Whereas in the stage of preparation, I ask myself these questions:
How do I enhance the subject, how should the storyline go, who is my targeted audience, colour palette, starting with key sketches or storyboards.
Lastly, in the stage of creation, if the art is going to be video creation or static art, the strokes will I use and the process involved to execute it.
CG. Where does the vibrancy in your colour palette come from?
Vinay Hegde: The development of my colour palette is derived from nature and the environment. Natural elements like the rainbow, wildlife, birds, greenery encompass the bright colours in my palette. A few elements such as textile designs inspire my usage of the colour palette. Mainly, movies, stage shows inspire me to use bold colours for my art creations.
CG. How do you effectively fuse traditional art techniques with Virtual Reality?
Vinay Hegde: Being a traditional sculptor for years, the transition to VR sculpting was a smooth one for me. Knowing sculpting was a bonus. It gave me a sense of actual 3-dimensional knowledge of a sculpture. Whereas interaction with real clay or stone is always better than 3D CG models. However, traditional sculpting gives a better understanding of the dimension and volume of creation than a digital one.
There are 2 types of techniques used in traditional sculpting. One is adding and removing another one is only by removing a sculpture. For example, adding and removing techniques is possible in Clay and Wax. Whereas the removing technique is used for stone carvings. There once the stone parts are removed they cannot be added again.
In VR, I make use of the clay modelling technique where I create the artwork by adding methods. Traditionally there is no going back or ctrl+z (undo) option. Artists have to be very cautious.
CG. How does cosmic splash, glow art and glue art differ from each other?
Vinay Hegde: All 3 art forms are used for stage shows. Firstly, in the "Glow Art" technique, good light and perhaps, contrasting darkness is essential to admire a work of art. But what if the interplay of light and darkness itself is shown as a form of art? Glow art is one such phenomenon. Imagine a hall full of pitch darkness. A torchlight appears and swings rapidly on an unseen canvas. The deft hand of the invisible artist waves the magic wand of light and brings to life intricate portraits, thought-provoking themes and visually rich patterns. The pictures linger long enough for the connoisseur to admire the delicate nuances and then slowly melt into the darkness. The spectator waits with bated breath for the next visual delight to appear on the canvas as of darkness.
Whereas in the "Glue Art" technique, you will see the artist painting with glue. The whole painting remains invisible till it is complete. The painting is finally covered with Glow powder to reveal the beauty of the artist's creation after its completion.
Whereas in traditional forms of painting, the mighty pen, pencil and watercolours are used. An artist's flexibility should expand to many areas. An artist can take his time to complete his creation, correct, erase or redo a wrong line and generally has a fair degree of elbow room. Also, the artist and the audience can see the painting as it takes shape in front of their eyes.
Glue art has none of these luxuries. Firstly, the paint is invisible so the artist has no way of knowing if the lines and shapes being drawn are flawless. The glow/ glitter powder has to be splattered on the canvas before the glue dries up. Hence there is a time constraint as well. There is a huge element of suspense as the audience, till the last moment, has no clue about the painting. All this culminates in what promises to be a breath-taking experience for the audience.
In the "Cosmic Splash" technique, where I use Virtual Reality technology. In Cosmic Splash, the artist first creates an image in his mind then uses virtual reality to recreate the same sense of beauty, grace, and symm, entry in the minds of the audience. You will see the artist moving his hands skilfully on an invisible, ethereal canvas. As he does so, you will see the corresponding form appear on the screen before you. You will not see a palette but you will see a myriad range of colours. Colours are seen from the artist's approach, the painting not only from the front but also from behind. "Cosmic Splash" technique is used beyond the stage show as well. Specifically for video creation, illustration, portrait works, concept development.
CG. As you are a Virtual Reality performing artist, what are the aspects that you hope people can take away after watching your performance?
Vinay Hegde: I do shows for 2 categories.
Mainly general audience and corporate events. Firstly, for a general audience, a fulfilled heart with happiness, the process of creating an art piece is sprinkled with entertainment and education. Social awareness (like keeping our surroundings clean, respect for elders, love and respect for our cultures, a tribute to our great warriors, recalling mythological stories).
Whereas in corporate events, product launches, marketing, business modules are the areas of focus. As visuals make more impact than words.
CG. What do you generally make sure you have in place before creating a 3D sculpture?
Vinay Hegde: The key element is the visualisation of the 3D concept of the art piece. It is a must be kept in mind before starting. However, about 60 to 80 per cent of the final rendered image must be visualised beforehand from all angles. Unless the concept is clear I don't touch any medium. Once that is clear then the flow is easy.
CG. How long does it take to finish a 3D sculptor piece?
Vinay Hegde: It depends on the concept which can range from 10 minutes to a month, depending on the complexity of the concept. Typically, on stage, I take around 5 mins to 20 minutes to complete a theme.
CG. What are concepts that you have learned from your studies abroad that you have incorporated into your art?
Vinay Hegde: Well, more than concepts I would express them as tools and techniques. The exposure to various backgrounds, countries, their people and interaction with industry experts have given me a comfortable transition into the modern changing world of technology.
They have helped me to adapt to the shift from the traditional to the CG world. With a focus on presentation which is as important as the creation itself. To make it constant efforts are required to update and adapt to the changing world which is the need of the hour.
You can enjoy his vibrant creations on his website and follow him exploring his vibrant artistic thumbprint on Instagram.
