Understanding Virtual Bodies
A Case for the Use of Simple & Stylized Avatars in Social VRThis film explores my research theorizing the advantages of using stylized avatars in Social VR, how design can impact user behaviour and the current application of anime and hyper-sexualized avatars in VRchat. It walks through the design process of my custom avatar and discusses the implications of design when applied to embodied social experiences.
Music: Connor Jessome
Voice-over Talent: Meishang
OH MY GOD. YOU’RE A GIRL?
WE NEED MORE FEMALE AND GENDER VARIANT AVATARS IN VRCHAT
A compilation of preliminary research on avatars, gendered representation and
internet culture.
internet culture.
LINKS Virtual Harrassment | Why Women Don’t Like Social VR | Syrmor | HeyImBee | Identity, Gender and VRchat | Hetero-Comfortable Avatars | What is Anime? | Stop Pretending 80's Cartoons Had Better Character Design | Ways of Seeing, Episode 2 | TikTok Has Created A Whole New Kind Of Cool Girl | The Cuteness Matrix | Alice Jaunet | @eunnieboo | @chootalks | Ilka Meszely
DESIGN PACKAGE
VRCHAT BASE MESH 01REFERENCES
Alice Jaunet | rurinolog | @AminoArtartist | Hana Chatani | Aymrc | Kunoyoko | Inji Seo | @sakanazakana | Hakobare | @mshkshh
Alice Jaunet | rurinolog | @AminoArtartist | Hana Chatani | Aymrc | Kunoyoko | Inji Seo | @sakanazakana | Hakobare | @mshkshh
PROCESS
A wild and loose collection of process images
The base mesh was modeled and textured in Blender (with the help of Clip Studio Paint) & then rigged using Mixamo.
After the mesh looked good, had all the necessary visemes and shape keys and was rigged I used CATS blender plugin to optimize and export as an FBX for Unity.
VRchat has a lot of documentation on how to download their SDK and the process for uploading avatars using Unity. Once you’ve gone through the process like five/six... maybe 10 times? It starts to make a lot of sense!
Understanding Virtual Bodies
Trolling the Male Gaze
FINDINGS IIA symposium celebrating students’ written academic research at IADT
A 10 minute presentation for Findings II: A symposium celebrating students’ written academic research at IADT. It invited students "from across Masters by Research, taught Masters and BA (Hons) programmes to share colourful, fascinating and provocative findings from their written research with each other, with staff and with the wider public." I decided to focus on my approach to making space for myself online since I hadn't had a chance in my previous video.
MMD AVATAR TEST
Using pre-existing assets is a great way to get comfortable with the process!
🌞️All Works
©
Charlit 2024 🥀️