VR presents unique opportunities and challenges to concept artists and designers. The way the viewer sees and interacts with objects and environments in VR gives a designer a unique opportunity to design a virtual object or environment that will be interacted with in a way similar to real objects and places. Concept art for virtual reality design plays a crucial role in this process, enabling creators to explore imaginative ideas while navigating the technical constraints of VR hardware. Designers can create these objects and places while disregarding the laws of physics and reality in order to create fascinating experiences. However, there are limits to what can be achieved with the available hardware. The designer will have certain constraints they have to work within, depending on the hardware they are designing for. Factors such as the processing power of the VR setup may impact decisions on whether to use a realistic or low-poly style of design. However, aesthetic considerations and the intent of the VR experience will also inform the stylistic decisions that designers make when designing for virtual reality. Ultra-realism doesn’t necessarily mean better.
This is where concept art for virtual reality design plays a critical role. It allows designers to explore creative possibilities while navigating the technical constraints of VR hardware, ensuring that the final experience is both visually compelling and functionally achievable.
The Intention
When designing for VR, the concept artist/designer firstly needs to understand what the intention of the VR app is. Then, they need to mentally put themselves in the place of the viewer and imagine how they are going to create the intended atmosphere and experience. There will be particular things that need to exist in the scene, such as furniture, tools, machines, elements from nature, or architecture. The intention differs widely depending on what kind of app is being built. Even within gaming, it is clear that a wide variety of moods and atmospheres can be designed, depending on whether it is a relaxing game, action/adventure, racing/sport, puzzle, or horror. Beyond gaming, VR apps exist for purposes such as rehabilitation from illness, relaxation, exploration, advertising/marketing, art and music and, most relevant to Mersus Technologies, education and training.
Concept art for virtual reality design is essential in this phase, as it helps define the visual language and emotional tone of the experience. By creating sketches, mood boards, and early 3D models, designers can experiment with different ideas and ensure that the final product aligns with the intended purpose of the VR app.
The Initial Concept
In my case, I start working in 2D, usually with pencil drawings. In some cases, we will be seeking to replicate a real location. In that case, there would not need to be a lot of concept work put into what kind of mood or atmosphere we are trying to create. These will usually be training apps, so the brief will be make the environment as close to its real counterpart as possible. In this case, we will give consideration to lighting to create a pleasant atmosphere that is conducive to learning. In other cases, we are trying to create a particular image or mood for a client. As well as my usual pencil drawings, I will often use mood boards at the early stages of projects like that. I gather a wide variety of images of interiors, exteriors, architectural elements, interior design elements, set dressing objects, and colour palettes and put them into a mood board to envisage designing the desired outcome.
Early on in the process, whether I am designing an asset or an environment, I will make a rough 3D model of it in the 3d modelling software, Blender. This helps me get a better understanding of how to scale objects or environments and lets me picture how the viewer will interact with them. Keeping these models simple allows me to easily change and move elements around. I might then use renders from the 3D models to draw and paint over in graphics software to try different colours and textures.
Collaboration between the Disciplines
I rarely produce 3d assets that end up in the VR app itself – that work is left to 3d artist colleagues. But it is essential for a concept artist in VR to have a good understanding of what the 3D artists can achieve using the 3D software and effects within the game engine they use. Certain special light, transparency, and environmental effects that can easily be painted in graphics software will need to be recreated by the 3D artists using particle effects, shaders, and lighting. It is a good idea for the concept artist to have some knowledge of these, so that they can ensure the concepts they are putting forward are achievable.
This collaborative process is at the heart of concept art for virtual reality design. It ensures that the initial vision is not only creative but also technically feasible, bridging the gap between artistry and engineering.
The next phase
After the concept work is done, it is given to the 3D artist (who is known as a creative developer here at Mersus Technologies), and they build the asset or environment. They will then texture it and add any effects or shaders, then bring it into the game engine where the immersive developer will work on the interactability.
In this way, ideas are built from simple pencil sketches up into fully interactable 3D objects and environments in VR. As designers, we navigate a balance between artistic freedom and technical constraints, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible while respecting the limitations of hardware and human interaction. The journey from 2D pencil drawings to interactive 3D environments is a collaborative one, requiring not only creativity but also a deep understanding of the tools and technologies at our disposal and our colleagues’ skill sets.
Concept Art for Virtual Reality Design
Concept art for virtual reality design is the foundation of this process, enabling us to create immersive experiences that captivate users and push the boundaries of what VR can achieve. As virtual reality continues to advance, so too will the art of designing for it, opening up new possibilities for storytelling, education, and exploration.
