The Atelier

The Atelier (Experimental VR Creation Space)

An experimental VR space where users paint, sculpt, and deform 3D meshes in real time, built as a hands-on exploration of interaction design and Unity development.

Overview · Problem & Goals · Research · Design Process · Solution · Results · Learnings

Project Overview

Client

Personal project

Team

UX/UI designer (2D graphics and visual direction) and myself as UX designer and sole Unity developer.

Responsibilities

UX Designer & Unity Developer

  • UX design and interaction design
  • Full Unity development (all systems and scripts)
  • VR locomotion and interaction model
  • Tutorial and onboarding system
  • Real-time painting system (shader-based)
  • Physics-based sculpture system
  • Real-time 3D mesh deformation system
  • Integration and modification of 3D assets
  • Performance considerations for standalone Quest 2

Tools

  • Figma
  • Unity

Duration

1 month

Problem statement

Creative tools in VR often focus on a single medium or interaction style. The goal of The Atelier was to explore how multiple forms of creation (painting, sculpting, and 3D modeling) could coexist in a single immersive space, while remaining intuitive for users and technically feasible on standalone VR hardware.

Goals

  • Explore advanced real-time interactions in VR
  • Build a complete experience end-to-end in Unity
  • Experiment with creative expression beyond drawing
  • Design intuitive interactions without complex UI
  • Implement replayable, action-based tutorials
  • Push technical limits within a short timeframe

Research insights

Methods

  • Exploration of existing VR creative tools
  • Rapid prototyping and iteration
  • Informal peer testing during development
  • Technical experimentation inside Unity

Key insights

  • Users learn faster through action-based tutorials than static instructions
  • Creative VR tools benefit from minimal UI and physical interaction metaphors
  • Precision interactions require forgiving grab areas in VR
  • Performance and asset optimization are critical for standalone headsets

User personas

Persona 1:

Curious VR users interested in creative experimentation. Comfortable exploring tools hands-on, but expecting intuitive interactions, immediate feedback, and guidance without technical complexity.

Design process

1 Discover

Explored possibilities for creative interaction in VR and identified three complementary creation modes: painting, sculpting, and mesh modeling.

2 Define

Structured the space into three distinct zones, each focused on a different creative interaction, supported by a shared onboarding system.

3 Ideate

Designed interaction concepts for physical painting, gravity-based sculpture, and vertex-level mesh manipulation.

4 Design

Sketched flows and interaction logic, then moved quickly into Unity to validate feasibility through implementation.

5 Build & Iterate

Implemented all systems directly in Unity, iterating based on usability, performance, and interaction feel.

6 Reflect

Evaluated technical limitations, interaction precision, and opportunities for future refinement.

Visual journey

Spatial Layout & Zones

The environment is divided into three creation areas: painting, sculpture, and modeling.

Interaction Prototypes

Early Unity implementations testing painting, physics interaction, and object manipulation.

Advanced Systems

Implementation of real-time mesh deformation by manipulating vertex points directly in VR.

Guided Tutorials

Replayable, action-based tutorials that progress only when the user completes the required interaction.

The solution

Key features

  • Three creative VR zones (painting, sculpting, modeling)
  • Shader-based real-time painting on a canvas
  • Physics-based object placement and gravity toggling
  • Real-time mesh deformation via vertex manipulation
  • Interactive tutorials for locomotion and tools
  • Replayable onboarding for each area

Technical decisions

  • Built entirely in Unity for Quest 2 standalone
  • Custom scripts for all interaction systems
  • Shader-based painting for performance
  • Kinematic physics switching for sculpture area
  • Minimal UI to keep focus on spatial interaction

Results & impact

Reults

  • Fully functional VR prototype with all planned systems implemented
  • Successfully ran on Quest 2 despite technical complexity
  • Demonstrated feasibility of real-time mesh deformation in VR

Impact

  • Significant growth in Unity and VR programming skills
  • Deeper understanding of performance constraints on standalone VR
  • Foundation for future personal and professional XR projects

Key learnings

  • Real-time mesh deformation is feasible but requires careful optimization
  • Precision interactions need larger grab areas in VR
  • Action-based tutorials significantly improve onboarding
  • Asset optimization is critical for standalone performance
  • Building end-to-end systems accelerates learning dramatically

Next steps

  • Replace assets with optimized, cohesive art direction
  • Improve vertex grab precision
  • Refine interaction feedback and polish
  • Package the experience for download and public testing
  • Add optional advanced creative tools