Over the last few years, we’ve begun to discover what’s truly possible with extended reality. While initially, the focus of many developers and designers was on things like games and entertainment, there’s plenty of scope in different areas too. Particularly since the pandemic, we’ve discovered virtual reality is capable of bringing teams together for collaboration and improving communication.
Used correctly, the right extended reality space can also help to transform the way we design and create, giving us new worlds to work with. Google, one of the market leaders in intelligent, disruptive, and engaging technology, is exploring the VR space on the behalf of artists.
Tilt Brush by Google is a unique VR application designed to help users paint and create in virtual reality. With this immersive tool, users can transform any space into a canvas, experimenting with all kinds of textures and artistic materials. Let’s see what Tilt Brush can do.
Tilt Brush Review: Features
Tilt Brush, created by Google, is a comprehensive VR painting application, bringing art into the virtual world. Suitable for use with the Vive, Oculus Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, PlayStation VR, and Valve Index, the solution promises a painting environment unlike any you’ve ever seen. With a host of dynamic brush choices to choose from, an intuitive interface, and endless customisation, Tiltbrush can change what it feels like for artists to create.
Like many of the products from Google today, Tilt Brush also promises plenty of opportunities for developers and designers to innovate. You can access the open-source archive of Tilt Brush to experiment with the code. Alternatively, there’s access to a range of open-source libraries you can add to Tilt Brush to unlock new functionality. Features include:
- Open code environment
- Intuitive interface for ease of use
- Snapshot image saving
- Dynamic brushes
- Compatibility with a range of hardware options and platforms
- Import sketches into Unity editor
- Brush materials and shaders
- Access to external open libraries for extra functionality
- Audio reactive features
- Extensive Google documentation and guidance
The Tilt Brush experience is so impressive; it’s already won a number of awards. In 2017, the solution was named the best of Innovations by CES and won 2 gold lions at the Cannes Lions event. Tilt Brush also got the 2017 Interactive Innovation award from SXSW, and the Webby awards best of VR achievement in 2018.
Tilt Brush Review: Benefits
Available to download on various platforms, from locations like Steam, Vive, the PlayStation store, and even the Humble store, Tilt Brush has already begun to have a significant impact on the modern world of art. The simple but immersive environment provides access to a new world of creation, unlike anything creators have had before.
Tilt Brush even teamed up with a range of creators for the Tilt Brush Artist in Residence program, for insights into what the solution can really do. Users can visit some of the artistic creations of other professionals to get inspiration for their own designs. Some of the most significant benefits of Tilt Brush by Google include:
- Flexibility and accessibility: As mentioned above, Google’s Tilt Brush solution is available from a range of VR application stores, and you can access it on various devices too. This means there’s very little limit to who can get online and start experimenting with virtual reality art. You can also import your sketches into the Unity editor so you can continue to work on them again later.
- Ease of use: Creativity is easier to channel when you’re not dealing with complex technology. The VR painting experience from Tilt Brush VR is an intuitive and straightforward one. There’s very little learning to do before you can begin experimenting with dynamic brushes and designs. You can draw with everything from paint and pencil to smoke, snow, water, and fire.
- Open environment: Google is keeping the Tilt Brush environment open to creatives, so they can adjust their experience to suit them. You can find the source archive for the Tilt Brush code online, or simply extend your art possibilities with access to a host of open-source libraries. It’s easy to create beautifully personalised application experiences if you have the coding know-how.
- New levels of creativity: More than just an app for drawing in VR, Tilt Brush inspires and empowers artists to discover new possibilities. This incredible ecosystem comes with a huge range of brush materials and shaders to choose from, audio-reactive features, and tools to help you rediscover what’s possible in a virtual space. This could be a great place to visit for artists behind indie games and virtual environments.
Who Needs Tilt Brush?
Tilt Brush from Google is a unique solution designed to transform artistic creation for people from a huge range of backgrounds. Cartoonists, painters, artists, designers, and game creators can all get involved with the technology to come up with new, amazing worlds and beautiful designs. The more you experiment with Tilt Brush VR, the easier it is to see the potential for everything from VR space design to world development.
We can definitely see many creative professionals getting involved with technology like this as the demand for immersive digital experiences becomes more significant. The future art events and celebrations of tomorrow could also have a place on Tilt Brush VR.
Tilt Brush Review: Verdict
Tilt Brush is an immersive VR experience, created for the artist with their eye on the future. If you’re a creative professional keen to discover what’s possible with the flexibility of a VR environment, Tiltbrush is the place for you. This amazing and open app environment can uncover new levels of innovation and creativity, with an endless canvas for ideas.
We’d definitely recommend checking out some of the designs available from the Residence collaboration to see what’s possible with Tilt Brush.
