Case Study
September 9, 2020
5 minutes

[Student Spotlight] Beatriz Junquera: 3D Graphic Artist Turned AR Storyteller

by

Circuit Stream

The XR Development with Unity course from Circuit Stream is a project-based 10-week live online course, which is tailor-made to help you develop your skills for a career in virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR).

In this segment of our Student Spotlight series, we chat with Beatriz Junquera to find out how she discovered the magic of augmented reality, and how the Circuit Stream course has set her on the track to her dream career path.

Meet Beatriz

With a background in 3D animation and several years as an experienced freelancer, Beatriz studied in one of the most beautiful places in the world: the coastal city of San Sebastián, located in northern Spain.

After stumbling upon augmented reality technology a few years ago - by way of a GoFundMe campaign featuring a children’s book with AR character animations- Beatriz was ready to learn more! As a 3D artist, the idea of taking her existing skillset to the next-level through augmented reality was an entirely new concept.

She fell in love with it instantly. “I found it magical,” Beatriz recalls. Inspired by what she saw, she knew she had to get involved.

The Right Course, at the Right Time

After that initial discovery, Beatriz began researching AR technology online, trying to find a way to learn more about it. More importantly, she wanted to find a way to start working with AR.

She started with online tutorials on YouTube. While these pre-recorded lessons stoked her curiosity, they weren’t quite what she was looking for.

As Beatriz continued her search for a more in-depth course she discovered Circuit Stream online. Even though it took a few months to ensure she had the time and resources to jump in, Beatriz eventually took the plunge and signed up to begin her journey into the 10-week program.

My objective was to learn about AR, and have a couple of portfolio pieces so I can get access to work on more AR projects in the future,” explains Beatriz.

Img

With a little more research, she realized that Circuit Stream was a more comprehensive program than competing courses, and ultimately, was the one that would allow her to achieve her goals.

The description of the course was a good fit, and the chance to work on our own projects was something I really wanted,” she recalls.

With that, she was all in!

A Modern Twist on a Spanish Classic

Aside from the basic tips she picked up from online tutorials, Beatriz had no prior experience of Unity, coding, or augmented reality projects. Nonetheless, she didn’t let that stop her from diving in with a potentially tricky project.

On the course, she set out to create an AR experience based on a very famous piece of Spanish literature, Don Quixote. Beatriz envisioned an AR app that would provide users with information about the book, such as details about the author, the history behind the book, and the literary period.

Img

To leverage augmented reality in a more impactful way, she planned to include an entertainment section, where users could watch some of the greatest scenes of the Don Quixote story through AR animations.

For a newcomer to AR technology, this concept seemed ambitious and would be a challenge to complete in just ten weeks. However, Beatriz proved her mettle as she was able to set all the technical aspects for the application during the program.

After the course, I worked a little on the look of the assets to showcase the app on my demo reel,” she said.

While she admits this was more of a personal project to use in her portfolio, she is not opposed to the idea of continuing work on her app if a viable commercial opportunity arose.

While it’s not currently ready for commercial purposes, I am very pleased with how it’s come together. To take it to the next level I would need copyright for some of the assets like the book cover and voice overs, that I used during the course,” clarifies Beatriz.

The Future: Ready for the Next Opportunity

With the Circuit Stream course behind her, Beatriz is looking forward to the next opportunity in the AR space: “Now, I’m jumping into it, not only because I love it, but because it also opens up so many opportunities for work.”

Currently, she continues to work as a freelance 3D artist for non-XR projects but she says she: “would be happy to create 3D content for any XR project” when the chance comes along.

The course gave her the knowledge, skills, and confidence to create AR applications, and now she has an innovative addition in her portfolio that proves what she can do.

I want to explore the technology, and to build my network with clients or organizations that fund these types of apps,” says Beatriz, “I know there are opportunities out there, so I just need to discover them.”

In the meantime, she plans to build upon this foundation by creating other fun apps in her spare time. With her passion for this technology and its immense capabilities, Beatriz knows precisely where she wants to be, and she's excited for what comes next.

Beatriz’s Big Takeaway

If you have an idea for an augmented reality project, this is the right place,” asserts Beatriz.

Like so many of our students, Beatriz was a big fan of the one-on-one sessions with their instructor, which every student has for one hour each week. This additional support gives you the chance to work on your personal project, in AR or VR.

"I know everybody raves about the one-on-ones, but it is really wonderful. Particularly if you have a great teacher like Ozzy. He is very calm and very, very patient, and he can guide you wherever you are on the project. He is really great!"

She explains that you will need the time and schedule to focus, but says that Circuit Stream provides the support and expertise to go to the next level.

"I am very happy I took the XR Development with Unity course at Circuit Stream. The quality of instruction in the program is excellent, and the content of the classes is well organized. I enjoyed the classes, and most importantly, I learned a lot."

XR Development With Circuit Stream

Are you passionate about XR or looking to keep your skill set relevant? Take the next step and enroll in Circuit Stream's 10-week XR Development course!

Related Reading

XR Development with Unity

Upskill in 10 weeks and get to developing your own AR and VR applications.

Share this