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Apple CEO Tim Cook praised three Indian artists for creating digital artwork with technologies like Augmented Reality, 3D LiDAR scanning, animation, sound synthesis and coding on iPads. Cook tweeted photos of Mira Felicia Malhotra, Varun Desai and Gaurav Ogale along with their creations to showcase how digital art can help in more immersive storytelling.

WATCH VIDEO: Digital Artists at India Art Fair 2023

The three digital artists are showcasing their work at the ongoing India Art Fair in New Delhi between 9 and 12 February 2023. At this art exhibition, Apple also introduced ‘Today At Apple’ sessions in India through which Apple users can learn more about professionally using Apple products.

If you are attending the India Art Fair then you will also have the option of joining Today at Apple sessions led by Apple team members that focus on digital art skills on iPad.

At the India Art Fair, Varun Desai brought together the power of coding, 3D art and electronic music to create his artwork named “Dimorphism” by using his iPad Pro. For one visual aspect of “Dimorphism,” Desai uses the LiDAR Scanner on iPad Pro to capture objects, architecture, and human subjects in 3D. Then, he shapes the 3D models with his fingers and Apple Pencil in Nomad Sculpt, an app to create, sculpt, and paint in 3D. He follows that up by exporting the models to the Procreate app for colouring, texturing, and air brushing.

The more precise rigging and animation work are performed on Mac Studio and Studio Display. “With the powerful render engine of Mac Studio with M1 Max chip, I’m able to render my animations really quick and achieve the final high-resolution video that I need for my installation,” Desai said.

At the India Art Fair, Varun Desai brought together the power of coding, 3D art and electronic music to create his artwork named “Dimorphism” by using his iPad Pro.

“When I model my final installation on Studio Display, I can see all the different screens together, so I can visualise what it’s going to look like while I’m working on it rather than having to wait until installation day,” he adds. “The entire pipeline, from concept to final animation, is very much in the box with these devices. It’s very efficient.”

Another immersive aspect of “Dimorphism” is the music that interacts with the viewer by changing according to where the viewer stands. This allows Desai to explore the different approaches iPad Pro can have to sound creation.

Mira Felicia Malhotra from Mumbai showcased the idiosyncrasies of Indian families through her showcase titled “Log Kya Kahenge,” which translates to “What Will People Say?” The body of work is a set of family portraits that offer a look into the desire to conform to societal expectations and project a certain image for society to see.

There are two layers to each of these family portraits. There is the portrait itself, which shows the conformist front that certain families want society to see. Then there is the animated layer, which reveals the true dynamics of these families when viewed using the Artivive augmented reality app on iPad or iPhone. What’s interesting is that she created her AR artwork using an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. As the Procreate app allows users to export files in PSD — Adobe’s native file format — she is able to perform additional editing of her artworks on Adobe Photoshop later in the process.

Mira Felicia Malhotra from Mumbai showcased the idiosyncrasies of Indian families through her showcase titled “Log Kya Kahenge?” at the India Art Fair.

“I want a feel that is similar to drawing on paper, as opposed to looking at the screen and drawing with another mouse-like device. With iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, it’s the pen and paper, the brush and canvas, all in one,” said Malhotra.

For digital artist and storyteller Gaurav Ogale, through his work, titled “Best-sellers,” tried to flip the script on what it means to read a book on the bestsellers list. The experience for viewers at the exhibition would be like browsing the bestsellers shelf at a bookstore. However, while flipping through digital pages on iPad Pro, unexpected stories of everyday people will unfold.

Ogale usually begins his process by jotting down a thought or a poem either with pen and paper or using the Notes app. He then starts building the visual aspects by sketching on his iPad Pro, using Procreate or editing on Adobe Photoshop.

As a multimedia storyteller, Ogale makes his narratives leap off the page in motion by drawing frame by frame in Procreate, and then editing the video file on Adobe Premiere on his MacBook Pro, and layering in audio recordings taken on his iPhone 14.

“I usually take a lot of time to get used to technology, but with iPad Pro, somehow, it’s been quick. And it has become an alternative to my journal now,” said Ogale.

Gaurav Ogale, through his work, titled “Best-sellers,” tried to flip the script on what it means to read a book on the bestsellers list.

“India has such a vibrant creative community, and we love seeing the ways these talented artists are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on iPad Pro to take their innovative ideas to the next level,” added Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.

Aside from showcasing their works, all three artists will also be leading their own Today at Apple sessions at the India Art Fair. Today at Apple’s free daily sessions, available at Apple Store locations around the world, are dedicated to offering hands-on guidance to Apple device users to get more from their devices.

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