As the saying goes, an image is worth 1000 words and this adage rings true for Augmented Reality applications as well. Images give necessary context to key details you are looking for in your scene and can help quickly clear up confusion about where, when, or why to do a certain procedure. We all know you can use images in Create but this week we’re going to look at some novel uses for images placed directly in-scene.

The first one I want to talk about is using images as quick references to key information. Instead of adding an inset onto the UI element of a step, you can add a transparent image next to key areas in your AR scene. To get started with images that contain transparent elements simply upload your content in PNG format to the asset library and change the material alpha mode to blend or mask. One example of this can be seen in wiring applications where color coding keys and legends are used to indicate where each wire runs.

Another creative use for images is as a 2D proxy model of highly detailed machinery. By simply taking a picture of key elements you can quickly recreate interfaces that give additional context to users. Some examples of this include recreating laptops, interface elements on a screen, and buttons on an electrical control unit.

Where Create really shines is in the additional layering of useful tools like making images clickable to move users to a new scene or toggle key contextual information on or off without the need for User Interface elements.

Hopefully this post can serve as a jumping off point for your journey to make the most of images in AR!