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Collin Leix from Gunner on the Intersection of Artistry and VR Innovation

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Dive into the latest episode of the School of Motion Podcast as we hang out with Collin Leix, the brilliant mind blending traditional artistry with the limitless possibilities of VR.

Collin Leix was a full time animator at Gunner, now part of the innovative crew at one of the hottest tech company's around, Duolingo. She blew us away at the last Blend conference with her radical VR sculptures, and she’s here to spill the beans on everything from her fine art and music roots to her cutting-edge VR projects and AI insights.

Here are some takeaways from our chat with Collin that you'll want to scribble down:

1. Mastering Multiple Mediums  🖼️

From sculpting to strumming on musical instruments, Collin’s a creative jack-of-all-trades. Mixing it up across different artistic domains hasn't just broadened her horizons—it's turbocharged her creative output. Ready to mix up your game? Dive into different mediums and watch your creativity soar.

2. Finding Your Creative Voice  💬

Ever feel drowned out by the noise of what everyone else thinks? Collin’s been there. Turning down the volume on external expectations to crank up her inner creative monologue was a game changer. Listen in—your own voice might just be what you need to hear.

3. Navigating Client Expectations with Artistic Freedom  ⚖️

Striking a balance between your wildest artistic impulses and the client’s brief can feel like walking a tightrope. Collin’s trick? Trust your gut, let ideas flow naturally, and remember—communication is key.

4. Big Ideas from Blue Sky Thinking  🌤️

At Gunner, no idea is too out there. Brainstorming sessions that welcome every thought lead to groundbreaking projects. Collin reminds us that making time for blue sky thinking can plant the seeds for tomorrow’s visual feasts.

Catch the full episode  to soak in more of Collin’s insights and see how she’s carving out new paths at the intersection of art and VR. Whether you're sketching, sculpting, or setting scenes in virtual space, remember: blending your passions with technology can lead to some seriously epic creations.


Mentioned in this episode:

Artists and designers:

Marcus Bakke

Jim Cogswell

Amy Unger

The Police

EJ Hassenfratz

Julie Craft

John Hughes

Ian Sigmon

James Nollert

Brandon Delis

Jim Cogswell

Stuart Copeland

Rachel Reid

Jorge Canedo

Norman Rockwell

Collin Leix

Henri Matisse

Marcus Bakke

Julie Craft

David Bowie

Nick Forshee

Luis von Ahn

Severin Hacker

Studios

Gunner

Ordinary Folk

PsyOp

Work

Collin's Site

Blend

Half Rez

Gunner-Tabletop

James Nollert Gunner Piece- Synchrony-The Future

Rachel Reid Dojo Animation for Photoshop and Illustrator Unleashed on SOM

Gunner Joins Duolingo

Gunner 2019 Blend Titles

Collins VR Work

Collin's Maxon 3D Talk

The Labyrinth

The Neverending Story

The Journey-1 Collin’s work with AI

The Arrival

Collin's Gesture Loop

Resources

Duolingo

Mid Journey

Gas Station TV

School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

The Path to Mograph

UM Football Championship 2024

Why is Everyone Angry about AI

Steenbeck Editing System

Henri Matisse The Cut-Outs

Washtenaw Community College

Vive VR

Mograph Mondays Meetup

SCAD

Adobe Medium

ZBrush

SIGGRAPH

Maxon

Meta Quest II

Apple Vision Pro

Meta Quest III

Occulous Rift S

Ace of Base

Tilt Brush

Sora

Open AI

DALL-E

DuoCon

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