“A picture is worth a thousand words” but with the addition of augmented reality (AR) and 3D visualization–it’s worth a million.
Augmented reality allows artists to bring their creativity to life like never before. Murals, paintings, and art displays no longer have to be static–instead, they can create an interactive experience for the viewer. Augmented reality has the potential to unlock new forms of self-expression and storytelling. Artists dream of connecting with each person who walks past their piece, but this isn’t always possible. However, if artists take advantage of augmented reality, they can connect with their audience in a deeper way to convey the message behind their work.
Artists all over the world are beginning to explore the possibilities behind interactive technology. In fact, there has been an ongoing mixed-reality project since 2011 called Heavy Projects–The Art of AR. Their portfolio features thousands of artists who have disrupted the AR space to create murals that go beyond the traditional. On their about page they describe their message to use new mixed reality technologies to delight audiences while also maintaining artists’ truth. These murals prove that augmented reality can move beyond experimentation and foster emotional connections between artists and audience members in a new way.
As technology has progressed, big tech companies and social media have understood the importance of captivating the audience so that they stay on the app or website for as long as possible. More data is coming out that video and interactive media get people to stay longer. According to research, “93% of marketers agreed that interactive content is effective in educating its buyers versus static”. This same concept applies to art, if artists can get their buyers or audience members to stay longer, the more successful they can be. Augmented reality is the key to doing so. Not only that, but augmented reality allows the viewer to find out more information about the piece, whether that be title, message, or background on the artist. All this is virtually displayed in real-time to bring a unique experience to each viewer.
Creativity has the power to evoke a sense of joy and playfulness in each of us. Every human can tap into their own version of creativity, and AR has the potential for us to share and connect through our creativity even more. Imagine, taking a walk in a big city to see murals and street art all augmented to captivate your attention. In turn, you learn more about the history of the city and get an essence of what the culture is about. Augmented reality is transforming the arts to give us more connections and foster our self-expression.