Will virtual reality change the way sculpture and other art is created? Oculus thinks so, and today is showing off several pieces created by its modelling software Medium to prove it. There are some adorable robots, a classic Samurai, and even a collection of DC comics characters you can check out now at ComicCon.
The Rift is mostly a gaming device, at least for now, but Oculus is thinking bigger. Medium is part of that. The software enables anyone to create 3D models while wearing the VR headset, and offers a very tactile approach.
Oculus calls it digital clay, because you can “pick up” material and sculpt it directly, in some ways like a potter’s wheel. But there’s more than that offered. Users can draw in 3D using their fingers, and quickly paint and add textures. Or, if you prefer a more computerized approach, you can do things that aren’t possible in reality, like copy and pasting.
The art that results from this tool is like nothing you’ve seen before. The above creations are a few good examples of what can be done with Medium, but there are even more great examples on Twitter.
A lot of the hype around virtual reality has to do with gaming, and with good reason: immersive environments are bound to deliver unprecedented gameplay experiences. But virtual reality has just as many uses outside of gaming, and Medium is the proof.
It will take time for virtual reality to move from a niche technology to a mainstream one, which is why Oculus is putting effort into tools like this. Medium is Oculus’ attempt to prove this to artists, and the results so far are a lot of fun. Making the digital more tactile could enable artists otherwise intimidated by tech to dive in, and we can’t wait to see what else they might come up with.
