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Let's Get Creative in VR with Open Brush!
Let's Get Creative in VR with Open Brush!
Content
Who's this for? Youth Workers (whether you're curious for yourself or want to do fun stuff with young people!)
What you'll get out of it: By the end of this session, you'll be able to:
- Get why Open Brush in VR could be a really cool way to connect with young people and get their creative juices flowing.
- Know your way around the basics of Open Brush – like which buttons do what!
- Make some simple but awesome 3D art in VR.
- Have a bunch of ideas on how you can actually use Open Brush in your youth work sessions.
- Understand how to show off your VR creations (or the young people's!) on Sketchfab.
- See why putting stuff on Sketchfab can be super useful.
How long will it take? Around 2 to 3 hours, but we can totally break it down into smaller chunks if that works better for your schedule.
What you'll need:
- VR Headsets (like Oculus Quest, HTC Vive, Valve Index – whatever you've got access to!)
- Computers that play nicely with the VR headsets.
- Open Brush software installed and ready to go. (It's free, which is a bonus!)
- Internet connection (for some parts).
- A way to show what's happening in VR to everyone else (like a projector or screen) – this is handy but not essential if everyone has their own setup.
Let's do this!
Part 1: Diving into VR and Open Brush (About 30 mins)
Hey everyone! (10 mins): Let's just say hi and maybe share if anyone's ever tried VR before. No pressure if you haven't! We can also do a quick icebreaker – maybe something about the most creative thing you've ever made or imagined.
Why VR could be a Game-Changer (10 mins): Let's chat about why using VR with young people could be really engaging. Think about it:
- It can totally grab their attention and make learning super memorable.
- It's a whole new way to be creative – way beyond just drawing on paper!
- It helps you think in 3D and understand how things fit together in space.
- You can even create stuff together in the same virtual space – teamwork makes the dream work!
- For some young people, it might be an easier or more exciting way to express themselves.
What's the deal with Open Brush? (10 mins): So, Open Brush is this free and open-source app that lets you paint in 3D in VR. It's pretty easy to pick up, and you can make some seriously cool stuff without being a tech whiz.
Part 2: Getting our hands (Virtually!) dirty with Open Brush (60-90 mins)
Getting set up in VR (10 mins): Let's get everyone comfy in their VR headsets and fire up Open Brush. Make sure you can see your controllers and move around a bit in the virtual space.
Checking out the Tools (20 mins): I'll give you a quick tour of the Open Brush toolbox. We'll look at:
- Brushes Galore! There are tons of different brushes – some look like paint, others like light trails or even plants! We'll see how to pick them and change their settings.
- Playing with colors: How to get any color you can imagine.
- Handy gadgets: We'll check out the important tools like:
--> Moving, Making Bigger/Smaller, Turning Things: For tweaking your creations.
--> The Oops Button (Eraser): For when things don't go to plan! Undo/Redo: Your best friends for fixing mistakes.
--> Layers: Like having transparent sheets to draw on top of each other.
--> Saving Colors: Making your own favorite color palettes.
Time to create! (30-45 mins): Now it's your turn to play! Don't worry about making a masterpiece – just have fun and experiment. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Draw your name floating in 3D.
- Make a weird and wonderful abstract sculpture.
- Try to paint something you can’t see in the real room, but in VR.
- Just mess around with different brushes and see what happens!
- Don’t forget to save your art.
Some helpful hints (10-15 mins): Here are a few little tips we've picked up:
- Try to move your hand smoothly when you're drawing.
- Don't be afraid to change the size and thickness of your brushes.
- Layers can be useful for more complex stuff.
- Save your work often so you don't lose anything cool!
Part 3: Open Brush in action with Young People (30-45 mins)
Let's brainstorm some fun! (20 mins): Now let's think about how we could actually use Open Brush with young people. What kind of activities could we do? Let's throw some ideas around! Maybe things like:
- Telling stories by creating virtual scenes.
- Design challenges – like designing a cool new gadget or a dream room.
- A way for young people to express their feelings without words.
- Exploring different cultures by recreating virtual objects or places.
- Team projects where everyone adds to the same virtual artwork.
- Talking about being safe and creative online.
- Helping them develop their creativity and problem-solving skills.
Planning a mini-adventure (15-25 mins): Let's break into small groups and try to plan a short Open Brush activity you could run with young people. Think about what you'd want them to learn or create, what you'd need, and how you'd run it. Each group can then share their idea with everyone else.
Part 4: Showing off your creations with Sketchfab (15-20 mins)
Taking your Art out of VR (5 mins): We'll show you how to save your Open Brush creations so you can share them. Usually, you save the scene and then export it in a format that other websites can understand (like .glb or .obj).
What's Sketchfab all about? (5 mins): Sketchfab is like a big online gallery for 3D stuff. It lets you upload your VR art and then show it off to people on regular websites, social media – you name it!
Putting your Art online (5 mins): We'll quickly show you how to create a Sketchfab account (if you don't have one) and upload your Open Brush masterpiece. You can add titles, descriptions, and tags to make it look even better.
Why bother with Sketchfab? (5 mins): Here's why Sketchfab is pretty cool:
- Everyone can see it: People don't need a VR headset to check out your 3D art – they can see it right in their web browser.
- Easy sharing and teamwork: You can easily share your creations with others and maybe even work on projects together.
- Building Your Portfolio: It's a great way to show off your creative skills (or the young people's!).
- Getting feedback and connecting: You can get comments on your work and see what other 3D artists are doing.
- Putting your Art everywhere: You can easily put your 3D models on websites, presentations, and online learning platforms.
- Keeping your Art safe: It's a good place to store your digital creations.
Part 5: Wrapping Up and What's Next? (15 mins)
Let's talk about it!: Let's have a final chat about what you've learned, what you found interesting, and if you have any questions.
Cool Resources: we'll give you some links to Open Brush tutorials, the Sketchfab help center, and other useful stuff.
Your mission (Should you choose to accept it!): We encourage you to keep playing with Open Brush and think about how you can bring this cool technology into your work with young people.
Get activity badge
VR Art Explorer Get this badge
This badge recognizes a youth worker's foundational understanding of Open Brush and its potential for engaging young people in creative VR experiences. They have explored the basics of VR painting and understand how to share digital creations online.
Tasks
Task no.1
Issued by organiser or scanning QR code
To earn the "VR Art Explorer" badge, youth workers could complete the following tasks:
Core Tasks (Required for all badge options):
- Open Brush Basics: Successfully navigate the Open Brush interface, demonstrating the ability to select and use at least three different brush types, change colors, and utilize the undo/redo function. (Evidence: Self-report during the activity)
- First 3D Creation: Create and save a simple 3D artwork in Open Brush (e.g., a name, a basic shape, a small scene). (Evidence: Sharing a screenshot or the saved Open Brush file with the facilitator)
- Sketchfab introduction: Create a free Sketchfab account (if you don't already have one) and understand the basic purpose of the platform. (Evidence: Confirmation of account creation)
- Sharing is caring (Conceptual): Describe the steps involved in exporting an Open Brush creation and uploading it to Sketchfab. (Evidence: Verbal explanation or written summary)
- Brainstorming Session Participation: Actively participate in the group brainstorming session, contributing at least two distinct ideas for how Open Brush could be used in youth work activities. (Evidence: Facilitator observation)
Task no.2
Issued by organiser or scanning QR code
Optional Tasks (Complete at least one or two for a higher-level badge or to deepen learning):
- Sketchfab Upload (Practical): Successfully export your Open Brush creation and upload it to their Sketchfab account, including a title and brief description. (Evidence: Sharing the link to their Sketchfab upload)
- Activity Plan Outline: Develop a brief outline for a specific Open Brush activity you could facilitate with a particular age group of young people, including a learning objective and a few key steps. (Evidence: Written activity plan outline)
- Tool Exploration: Demonstrate the use of at least one additional Open Brush tool beyond the basics (e.g., the move/scale/rotate tool, layers, or a specific advanced brush feature). (Evidence: Demonstration to the facilitator or inclusion in your 3D creation)
- Reflective Journal Entry: Give a short reflection (at least 50 words) on your experience with Open Brush, including what they found interesting, potential challenges for youth, and how you see it fitting into their youth work practice. (Evidence: Written journal entry)
- Peer Feedback: If working in pairs, provide constructive feedback on another participant's Open Brush creation or activity plan idea. (Evidence: Facilitator observation of peer feedback)
Organisers
Network of Cities and Regions of Learning
Badge issuer recognized with
Awero not-for-profit organisation manages this platform and develops it together with leading educational organisations. The European Union's programme Erasmus+ granted co-funding for building the first version of this platform. Contact support@awero.org.
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