Check the Compatibility page for a list of tested applications. If you choose one of the tested applications then follow the setup instructions (linked to in the “Setup” column in the compatibility chart) before continuing.
If you’re unsure which application to choose, I suggest Krita. It’s free, intuitive, and SketchPenVR’s default control bindings are setup for Krita.
Feel free to use a program that isn’t in the compatibility page. Just know that it may or may not work. If you do this, I’d love to hear how it goes.
Get and run SketchPenVr
As a playtester, you should have recieved a link to download the latest SketchPenVr application. Download and unzip the application. Before running SketchPenVr make sure that SteamVr is running and recognizing your VR hardware. The file to run SketchPenVr is SketchPenVr.exe.
Set handedness
Once you are in SketchPenVr, there are two or three settings you’ll need to set. The first is your handedness (lefty or righty). Go into settings and set this from the dropdown list at the bottom.
Turn on Pen Physics (optional)
If you’re starting out with SketchPenVr, you might find it easier to work with Pen Physics enabled. This means that the virtual pen remains on top of the virtual canvas, even as you push your real-life hand further into the canvas.
Pen physics hews closer real-life expectations, so it’s less jarring for a new user. However, pen-embed-depth ties directly to pen pressure, so having pen embedding be blocked by pen physics means you lose valuable visual feedback on the amount of pen pressure you are applying.
Set pen grip
The third, and final step is to adjust your grip on the virtual pen. This step is kind of complicated and requires some of explanation. It will be streamlined significantly before launch.
The problem: Everyone’s hand jitters to some extent. An artist needs to work around this to produce smooth strokes. The friction of the medium usually helps, but SketchPenVr has no friction (unless you use the experimental “RL-Plane Align” feature).
The solution: Luckily, hand jitter typically has a pivot point. Like the center of a see-saw, this pivot doesn’t move much at all. To minimize the effects of hand jitter we place the arm in a comfortable position and, most importantly, we place the tip of the pen at the pivot point of the hand jitter.
The implementation: Note that I repeat this explanation in the video demo below. First, as soon as you start the “Adjust grip” feature the pen is released from your VR controller. While in “Adjust grip” you need to actively press the grip button to hold onto the pen. To adjust your grip: hold, move and then release the pen repeatedly until it’s positioned where you want relative to your hand.
Adjust your grip so that:
The pen is in (or near) your hand
The pen is pointing towards the panel
Your arm, wrist and hand are in a relaxed position.
While gripping the pen, hold it in your drawing position, then exaggerate your hand’s natural jitter by continually adjusting the tension in your arm muscles. Watch the pen to find the point where it jitters the least. This is the jitter pivot. You might need to exaggerate your hand’s jitter a lot to see this. Adjust your grip until the pen’s tip is at the jitter pivot. The closer you get the tip to the pivot the better control you will have over your strokes.
When your happy with your grip, press the “Accept new grip” button. You can also press the “Cancel grip adjustment” button to return to the previous grip or “Reset to default grip” to set the grip to factory default.
The demonstration: Watch this video to see grip adjustment in action.
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