About
Lanterns of Light: Dreams for a Brighter Tomorrow is an immersive artwork featuring a glowing installation and an AR experience that brings the Portland community together to imagine a better future for the city.
The project draws inspiration from global lantern festivals symbolizing hope and renewal, blending traditional rituals with contemporary technology. Participants use AR to release virtual lanterns carrying personal messages, which are then projected onto the physical installation.
At its core, Lanterns of Light is about hope, community, and imagination. It gives people a space to voice their dreams for Portland and connect with others through a shared vision.
Process & Tools
The piece combined hand sketching, traditional animation, and realtime AR. Each stage used a different toolset to translate rough sketches into a glowing, interactive public work.
- Sketches
- Procreate
- Storyboard & Interaction Design
- Illustrator & Miro
- Installation Layout in 3D
- Blender
- AR & Marketing Design
- Illustrator & Photoshop
- 2D Animation
- After Effects
- 3D Models / Materials / Animation
- Blender
- AR Interactivity / Particles
- Three.js
Community Impact
The project received hundreds of beautiful submissions, ranging from deeply personal to wildly imaginative. Seeing them illuminate the mountain and spark conversations among strangers was powerful and emotional.
This project reminded me how immersive art can create moments of connection and reflection — especially when paired with technology that enhances, rather than replaces, human expression.
