360 Leagues Under
Driven by a curiosity about emerging AR and VR platforms, I explored how traditional frame-by-frame animation could extend into a 360º environment. This project reflects that exploration.
The Process
360° video is typically captured in a flat format known as equirectangular projection. Animating directly on this surface is technically possible but extremely inefficient and unintuitive. To solve this, I leveraged a cube map format, which unwraps the 360° space into six square faces—essentially turning a sphere into a box. I animated directly onto this cube map, then converted each frame into an equirectangular projection. By stitching the converted frames back together (a process I automated in Adobe Photoshop). I was able to create a unique VR experience using traditional frame-by-frame animation techniques.
From Cube to Equirectangular Mapping
Background | FINAL RENDER
EARLY Animation Tests
The process was lengthy, but ultimately rewarding. Experiencing my drawings in VR for the first time carried a quiet sense of grounding, like stepping onto the plane of the world I had imagined.
