Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2023

Document Type

Thesis (Master's)

Department or Program

Computer Science

First Advisor

Lorie Loeb

Second Advisor

James Mahoney

Third Advisor

Gerald Auten

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) introduce new considerations for the long-standing debate of what it means for digital art to be “real.” However, the ability to create AR experiences is limited to those who are technically skilled or who can afford to consult someone else. This paper addresses the need for an accessible tool that enables artists of all technical backgrounds to expressively create marks in AR. The solution includes a mobile application called CrayonAR. The system was designed to be modular, minimal, and physically engaging, and was developed in Unity using ARFoundation and Firebase Storage and Realtime Database. Following preliminary feedback and iterations, we tested a working prototype of the app for general usability with 20 people of all technical and artistic backgrounds. The results demonstrated that despite small improvements that could be made to the user experience, the app successfully provokes curiosity and creativity from users, inspiring them to engage with familiar environments through novel visual exploration.

Original Citation

Levine, Carson, "Expressive mARks: Art in the Age of Augmented Reality" (2023). Dartmouth College Master’s Theses.

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