Portal Lore – The Immersive Experience: Evaluating the Diverse Impacts of Integrating New Technology (XR) into Narrative Illustration

Abstract

A narrative illustration shows a frozen moment in time, with its hero or protagonist at the end of the destination, or perhaps at the beginning of the journey. The beauty of fantasy illustration is in the way each creative piece can be differently interpreted by each person, even though the illustrator may have had a very specific concept or vision in mind. Digital animation provides the necessary tool to bring the storytelling to life, exactly how the illustrator imagined. Current practices and future trends indicate that there is a huge shift to video content consumption rather than still images in this digital era. Thus, Extended reality (XR) that includes augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and even mixed reality (MR) are being implemented in many art exhibitions and museums to aid in enhancing the interactive experience of the viewers, and nurturing artistic inspiration. These new technologies are the bridge between the physical artwork and its digital layer, allowing the audience to become participants and connect to the illustrator on another level. The aim of this thesis is to research and evaluate the effectiveness of using XR with narrative illustration, to enhance viewer engagement and create immersive experiences.