Abstract:
Virtual reality art is reshaping digital art experiences but may elicit different first impressions across disparate age groups. We investigate first impressions of VR colour pickers and the impact of a virtual companion via an online survey with 63 adults and 24 older adults. The colour pickers differed significantly in perceived hedonic qualities. We found no statistical differences between perceptions of adults and older adults. The virtual companion had no significant effect on participants' overall experiences. However, we found statistical trends where older adults rated the virtual companion higher in terms of companionship and making VR art more engaging.