Be Your Own Universe

Snapchat Filter

Explore the world and functionality of AR through the Lens Studio program to create an engaging Snapchat experience worthy of being shared.

The Design Challenge

The most difficult aspect of this project for me was navigating and teaching myself the Lens Studio program and figuring out exactly what was capable in AR. I felt like learning this program was a complicated dance. You would take two steps forward toward achieving the ultimate look but one step back because there was always some small technical issue that was hidden within all of the settings that kept you from crossing the finish line.

Overall, I really enjoyed creating a Snapchat filter that brings joy to people of all ages!

Initial Concepts

Below are the three initial concepts for a shareable snapchat filter that I pitched to the client.

Concept 01 was about bringing the energy of Madison Square Garden right into your own home by donning virtual New York Rangers face paint.

Concept 02 was to bring awareness to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and to celebrate women for battling a chronic illness every day of their lives during the month of September.

Last but not least, the final concept that ended up being chosen was Concept 03 which focused on making you the center of the universe because in real life you’re the only person who can make yourself happy.

Exploration Process

The far left image is the very first pass of my filter that was actually functional. This was the very first time I had ever stepped foot into an AR program and the look of this first pass certainly doesn’t hide that secret. One of the upcoming challenges for the filter would be the file size because of all of the textures that had to go on all of the planets as well as the look for sun beams.

The middle image shows a progressing toward a second pass of the functional filter. The hardest part of this pass was figuring out how to put the sun beams behind the head so that the filter emphasized the head being the center of attention. I continued tweaking the sun beams all throughout the rest of the project.

The next middle image shows a drastic change with a star background and text to give off some cockiness. The trickiest part of this pass was trying to get the star background to work without breaking the figure or the illusion of a solid background.

The last image was the final product that was given to the client. All of the planets, a star background, and text that express self-centeredness all made it into the filter to give the user the feeling of being at the center of the universe.