Warm Up: Becoming a Lens Creator
Hello there!
Welcome to the Snapchat AR Lens Challenge and to the Snapchat Lens creator community! We’re so pleased to have you join us.
You have probably worked with Lenses before in your own use of Snapchat. They are the filters you use to add effects, backgrounds, and interactions to the photos and videos you take.
Here are the types of lenses you’re going to be creating. Open the Snapchat app on your phone and use it to scan the codes and try them yourself!
Tutorial 3, like this:
Hotdog Face Lens
Jocker Lens
Smiley Lens
What you need to know:
Through this experience, you will learn to make your own Snap Lenses and share them with the world. This will be a self-guided, self-paced learning experience. The goal is to complete all tutorials by the time we all meet during our live Lens Lab.
Let’s start with this quick warm-up, where you will prototype your own Lens idea.
For each of the tutorials, you will need:
- 💻 A computer
- 📱 Smartphone with Snapchat downloaded
- 🤳 Digital photo of your face (selfie)
- 👻 Lens Studio software downloaded
- 📐 Image editing software, i.e. Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Canva (free), Figma (free), or Inkscape (free)
By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to ...
- Create your first Lens prototype using existing digital imaging software and abilities
- Warm up graphic design skills as your prepare to engage with Lens Studio software
Estimated time: 45 minutes.
Before you Continue, Open Your Phone!
The Snapchat app isn’t just social! Yes, it's known for funny lenses, but it enables creators and designers to build a different and creative environment onto our physical world. Take a peak:
Many people don’t know that the Camera Platform Team at Snap developed Lens Studio, the platform that enables any user to go from consumer to producer! The Snap AR Lens Challenge enables anyone to take their 2D designs and facilitates an opportunity to learn how to build for friends to enjoy.
Learn more about Lens Studio and download the desktop app. Let’s dive in further about the Snap AR Lens Challenge.
Step 1: Brainstorm
1. ✏️ Brainstorm five quick ideas for AR Lens filters. You can use the Lens Ideas Worksheet or draw them on a paper / on your computer. It doesn’t matter if they’re “good” or “bad”, since this just is to generate ideas. If you can think of them, you should draw them!
📎 Lens Idea WorksheetStep 2: Choose
✏️ Choose your favorite lens from your five ideas and draw it in more detail using the Lens Prototype Worksheet.
📎 Lens Prototype Worksheet Step 3: Design
📐 Create a digital version of your main Lens idea by using an image editing tool that you are already familiar with. Your final product should look as if you took a selfie using your new Lens filter.
Suggested workflow:
1. Learn about design software. If you are familiar with design software, you may skip this step. If you are new to design, welcome! We suggest you check out Figma or Canva, which are free apps.
- For Figma, take 10 minutes to complete this Getting Started guide.
- For Canva, take 10 minutes to look through this Graphic Design Basics guide.
- For Adobe Illustrator, take 20 minutes to review this Get to Know Illustrator guide.
2. Import a photo of yourself to use as the background layer of your image.
This photo should be a selfie with the same dimensions and a similar face-to-frame ratio as a regular Snap photo.
3. Create a new layer. On this layer, add one element of your new Lens. You can draw, import photos, use shapes, etc. Make sure that it fits well on your face.
Example: You are making a flower crown. Your first element is a headband that acts as a base for the flowers, on a layer labeled “Layer 1: Headband”.
4. Add more elements as you build out your Lens. Each element should have a different and clearly labeled layer to make it easy to edit.
Example: For your flower crown, you can add a second layer for big flowers (“Layer 2: Big Flowers”), a third for smaller flowers (“Layer 3: Small Flowers”), and so on.
You can use these prompts to gather useful feedback.
1. Does your Lens have audience appeal? Who is this Lens most suited to (in other words, what is their target audience)? Why might it appeal to them? What would you change to make it even more appealing?
2. Does your Lens have a purpose? What would you like your Lens to do for the user? What are its key features or uses? Are they clear to the user?
3. Is your Lens fun to interact with? How would you like your user to interact with your Lens? Could you make it even more interactive? Don’t be afraid to remind your user that this is a prototype and isn’t fully developed yet.
4. Does your Lens provoke a reaction? How would you like your user to react to your Lens? What emotions would you like them to feel? What could you improve to make this reaction even stronger?
5. Is your Lens sharable? If so, why? If not, what could you improve to make your user want to share it with others?
5. Edit each element until you achieve the desired effect of your Lens prototype. Remember: A good 2D Lens will always fit well around the face.
6. Save your work as a .PNG file.
Step 4: Share
Congratulations on creating your first Lens concept!
You can now upload your final work to the Warm-Up Unit Padlet.
In the caption of your photo, write your answer to the following question:
- How was the experience of creating your own Lens?
- What do you want to learn next?
Extra Credit
Want to know more about Lens Studio, how to use it, and how to bring 2D art to AR?
Check out this video series: