Soul Paint introduces a unique virtual reality journey that mingles 3D artistry with personal reflection.
Unveiled at SXSW 2024, this innovative project by Sarah Ticho and Niki Smit, with narration by Rosario Dawson, encourages users to “discover, meet and choreograph their own emotions” through cutting-edge immersive technology. As a participant, you exist as a 3D entity within an ethereal realm, armed with the ability to draw across both this vast space and your own digital form.
Employing body-mapping techniques fused with virtual reality, Soul Paint aims to help users delve into and understand their emotions. The creators envision it as an opportunity to “foster empathy and social connectedness by experiencing the journeys of others,” offering the choice to share these emotions at the conclusion of the experience.
I got the chance to try Soul Paint for myself during a 20-minute session at the NewImages Festival 2025 through the XR Market. The journey kicks off with a deeply introspective question: “Where are you feeling?”—a thought-provoking query that took a moment to resonate with me. However, as I navigated this dreamlike space, the experience quickly began to adopt a spiritual tone, warmly inviting self-expression.
The following moments are tranquil and relaxing, fostering a sense of self-discovery. Despite not being an artist and my drawings far from masterpieces, the act of creation felt just right. You can draw on your virtual self and even leave a voice message at the end, which can be shared with others—ideal for expressing feelings when words fall short.
Soul Paint seeks to reflect our inner selves in virtual reality. Although it’s a fleeting, linear interaction with certain limitations, the experience offers a profound sense of embodiment and player freedom that I truly admire. It’s a novel way to communicate, lacking depth as a straightforward experience but rich with thoughtful, meditative layers. I’m hopeful we’ll see more experiences in this vein.
Currently, there’s no word on a home release for Soul Paint, but we’ll be sure to provide updates if that changes.
