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Week 10 - Completing the Loop

This term we were introduced to many new classes, but I’ve got to say this one was definitely my favourite. The weekly blog post reflection structure made the course very enjoyable and relaxed whilst I still was being challenged and learning new things.

This course taught me a lot, this includes;

How to complete engineering drawings

Create perspective drawings

Create and design sketch models

Use the 3D modelling software 3DS max

Learning these things were very helpful as I can see myself using these skills in the future as I continue this course. I thing I can say especially enjoyed was having no extra assessments. This helped me with time management and allowed me to focus on other subjects simultaneously. The tutorials were always very easy to follow and the tutors were very thorough and patient with their teaching.

Rob was also very organising with the structure of the course which helped me know what was required for each week. Having Gonz and Tom as the other tutors was also very good. Watching them draw and sketch models at such a fast but professional pace was very inspiring too. Seeing the work of other students on the tumblr page also helped me gain inspirations and motivation. I also found that providing and receiving feedback to others was very helpful as we could exchange tips and constructive criticism to one another to help improve.

There wasn’t much that I disliked about the course. The only thing I would say is having the class start at 9am. As someone that loves to sleep, it was sacrifice I had to make. However, in the end it worked out as we were put in lockdown resulting in no travel time being required.

Overall, this course was very insightful and informative. I really enjoyed the structure of the classes and the use of tumblr to upload our work. I enjoyed interacting with other students work and gaining inspiration. Thank you to Gonz and Tom for all the help and especially Rob for teaching such a fun course although we couldn’t do everything that was intended due to the lockdown.

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Week 9 - Prototyping

As a part of the week 9 pre class activities I viewed the video from Andrew Simpson regarding the design process of his cup. He mentioned many key aspects which involved insuring that models you make to represent a design have all factors considered. This includes the weight, the size and the material. By considering these factors the models made can either be very similar to the final design of the product or different. Although the foam I used to create my bottle model was to scale, I was unable to get an accurate feel of what the weight and texture would be.

In this week’s tutorial we were tasked with creating a 3D model of our olay bottle concept. Although I was quite unfamiliar with 3DS max, I was able to create my bottle virtually. Watching the many tutorial on the website helped to me learn how to use the modifiers and navigate the system. I made 3 attempts at creating my design and progressing until I was happy with the final outcome.

I was having trouble using the method Rob demonstrated so I attempted creating my design with my own method. The first attempt involved creating a box with multiple segments on all faces. By doing this, it allowed me to slightly shape the edges by deleting sections of the box. I then applied smoothing to the shape but it didn’t turn out the way I had anticipated.

My second attempt involved me creating the box through the editable polygon mode. This allowed me to play around with the contours of the bottle. This method was very useful as my bottle had symmetrical curves and this ensures all sides were equal. After much testing I moved onto my third attempt.

To create this model I mainly used the bevel modifier. This tool helped me create the contours I required. After the main shape of the bottle was created I testing using the NURMS function however it made the overall shape of my bottle too circular. Instead I divided the bottle into many segments and applied multiple layers of smoothing to achieve the final look.

Overall, this weeks lesson was quite challenging to me as I am not the best with 3D modelling. Although I am pleased with my final model, there could be further modifications made to the design to create a high quality finished model.

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Week 8 - Digital Iterations

As a pre-class activity we were to view a video on modelling by Andrew Simpson. In the video he showed us different models of a razor handle. He mentioned the importance of Fidelity. Low-fidelity is when models are created solely just for visual purposes so clients can get a representation of their idea. High-fidelity is when the model is near completion and can be operational. These different levels of fidelity are important when communicating information in model form.

In today’s tutorial we were tasked with getting familiar with the software 3ds Max. Although I had use other 3D modelling softwares such as Rhino and SketchUp in the past, I found this task quite challenging. Also, as I use a Macbook Air, it was hard for my computer to run the program smoothly. At first looking at the User Interface and the program I was very confused with how to navigate the software. However, watching the getting started tutorial videos before class was very helpful. I was able to familiarise myself with the interface.

After some time, found the interface comfortable and not too confusing. I learnt from prior class that when doing 3D modelling digitally you will suffer without a mouse. I highly recommend you use a mouse especially one with a scroll wheel as they make life so much easier. During the tutorial I was able to learn a lot from the software. I played around with forming different structures and shapes using a wide range of modifiers. Initially I had some trouble with creating polygons but after some practise I started to get the hang of it. I created some strange shapes such as a 3D structure with protruding surfaces, a rounded seat, a ramp and a pickle. 

Overall I found this week’s lesson challenging but insightful. I can definitely see the benefits of learning to use different 3D modelling softwares. I am now also looking forward to next weeks lesson as we transform our Olay bottle models from physical to digital.

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Week 7 - Model Making

In this week’s lesson the goal was to transform one of our designs of the Olay bottle from a 2D sketch into a 3D model in the form of modelling foam. To help us during the modelling process, we first were to draw an orthographic drawing of our chosen bottle design. Drawing the bottle at 3 different views helped me to have a good reference of what I wanted to achieve. 

Using the orthographic views we then created stencils which acted as a guide for shaping our block of foam into the bottle shape. The stencils were really helpful as I could directly transfer the design of my bottle onto the foam with accuracy. Before I began sculpting the foam, I also created 3 sanding blocks by attaching sandpaper to plywood with double sided tape. The grits of the sandpaper I used were 60, 150 and 240. Attaching the sandpaper to a flat surface made sanding process later much easier as there was some support. 

To model the foam into my intended shape, I first cut a block of foam which was slightly larger than the final dimensions of my bottle. I then began by. removed big chunks off the piece to get the piece closer to the final shape. I found that using a new blade made the process much easier and resulted in cleaner cuts. To ensure the pieces and foam particles weren’t going everywhere I completed this process outside within a cardboard box. This made it easier to clear up the mess. I also made sure to wear a face mask to prevent me from inhaling the particles.

After the foam was modelled to a rough shape of my intended design I began slowly shaving off smaller pieces of foam with a smaller blade. I then begun sanding the surface incasing in the grit levels until the surface was smooth. To sand the curved surfaces, I taped. some sandpaper to a cylinder roll/rod. This allowed me to sand the foam at a curve, creating detail and accuracy. 

To create the lid I repeated the same process, and then attached it using a toothpick for a secure but not permanent connection. 

Overall, this week’s tutorial was very fun and insightful. It was great to finally transfer my 2D design into a rough 3D model made of foam. I also learn’t many new tips and techniques for transferring a 2D design onto a 3 dimensional surface. Even though it took a lot of my time, I am very pleased with my final outcome.

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Week 6 - Digital Sketching

Designers that were inspiring:

https://www.pdfhaus.com/portfolio - Team of industrial designers.

https://eskildhansen.com/work

https://samirsadikhov.com/projects

Pinterest inspiration of digital sketching and model renders:

My attempt at digital sketching:

This week’s lesson was during the non teaching week and we were tasked with creating digital sketches of our Olay bottle concepts. I found the task very enjoyable as Rob’s tutorial was very straight forward and detailed. As someone who hadn’t used photoshop much at all prior to this week’s task I found it quite difficult to understand the interface. After watching the tutorial and getting familiar with some of the tools, I was able to complete the exercise. Although it was quite difficult to sketch using a mouse the small tips Rob suggested were really helpful, such as turning on smoothing. Overall I was very pleased with the final outcome of my sketches as I was pretty much a beginner when it came to using photoshop.

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Week 5 - Sketching

In this weeks lesson we began to learn the ways of sketching. I found this week’s lesson very fun and enjoyable as I could use my own creativeness to design different iterations of the same bottle. I was very amazed by the works of Rob, Tom and Gonz. Seeing them draw different models at such professional levels at such a fast pace motivated me to reach their level of skill. 

It was great to start with some simple sketching warm ups this lesson as I was able to loosen up my joints in my arm. I also learnt a very important tip, “draw with a stiff wrist and use the shoulder to provide movement.” Using this idea I was able to have more flow and smoothness in my drawings especially when drawing curves. 

Currently I am not too good at shading and adding volume to my sketches. I intend to practice more so that my sketches can become more precise and realistic. I also don’t have any markers which are good for sketching and adding contour and colour. I intend to invest in a good range of COPIC markers as they have been recommended and I have seen many professionals on Youtube use them. I also had some trouble with drawing the bottles in 2 point perspective as I was thinking that the bottles had to full the space of the envelope box. By changing my mindset I was able to slightly improve my drawings, but I still have a lot to learn. 

Overall, this week’s lesson on sketching was very intriguing and informative asI began to learn the basics of sketching and got an insight into what I could achieve through the example of the tutor’s skills.

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Week 4 - Perspective drawings

In this weeks tutorial we were introduced to perspective drawings. Although I. had done some simple perspective drawings in the past, this lesson was much harder than anticipated. I found myself stuck on activity one which involved drawing the provided shape, for a very long time. I was having trouble understanding the placement of the different lines and how they would effect my drawing. After receiving clarification from Rob I finally understood how to begin my drawings. I learn’t that placement of the lines were very important as it would contribute to how much of each face was revealed. As you can see in my drawings, the BL and HL were too close leading to a very minimal view of the top face. 

Through much time and practise I finally got the hang of setting up the page and drawing the required shapes. I also learn’t that the angle at which the shape was drawn at was very important as it would effect where the placement of the vanishing points would lie. I found that my lines would extend off the page, so I had to add more paper to account for the space. It was also good to learn and practise how to extent units to the original shape and draw circles in perspective. However,I found it very difficult to draw the circle in perspective. I think after more practise and time I will be able to perfect this technique. 

Overall, although I found the. tutorial of week 4 quite frustrating at times, it was a very helpful lesson for me to develop my skills in engineering drawings especially in the field of perspective drawings. 

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Week 3 - Sections and Auxiliary Drawings

In this week’s tutorial we were given task to complete an orthographic drawing of a provided object. This also include a section drawing and auxiliary drawing.  I learnt many helpful things for this task especially how important it is to do a rough sketch to visualise the final drawing. This step allowed me to confirm the. drawings at the different views and how I would arrange them on the page. Learning to draw a section drawing was also particularly challenging as I needed to visualise the cross section of the object in my head and transfer it onto paper. This part was quiet tedious as I had to ensure I had the correct image. The auxiliary drawing was also difficult to visualise and draw. However, I learn’t that placing the auxiliary drawing directly in line with where it would line up helped provide helpful information in an easy to understanding manner. Overall, this week’s class was very crucial to me as I gained additional knowledge about section and auxiliary drawings. 

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Week 2 - Tutorial Exercise

This week we began orthographic drawings. The first part of the exercise involved creating a 5 sided box which fit over our object we brought. My object was a single hole puncher. The box was created with tabs on the top and sides. I liked this exercise as it helped me get familiar with the different drawing views. The tabs also allowed me to check my object within the box and reference it when I was completing the drawing.

The next part involved a quick sketch of the object. I found this part very helpful as I could get a gauge of what the drawing would look like and also add some of the main dimensions for future reference.

For the final part, we had to draw out object with 3 orthographic views. This part was quick tedious as my object had many irregular shapes and lines. I began with drawing my object in pencil before cementing the drawing with marker. Since my object was quite small, I scaled it up to 2:1 so that it would fit nicer in the page. Although the process was tedious, I learn’t that you can’t rush these drawings as they need to be perfect. By slowing down and taking my time I was able to produce a well done orthographic drawing of my hole puncher.

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Week 1 - Drawing Instrument Exercises

In today’s lesson we learned how to use new drawing instruments and were given the opportunity to become familiar with them. Drawing these shapes was a new experience for me as they had to be done very accurately. I found that drawing constructions lines prior to drawing the final shape helped drastically in ensuring accurate drawings, this can be seen in images 1 and 2. A problem I discovered was that it was much harder to draw smaller circles using the compass. I realised that using the circle stencil would provide a more precise and polished shape for curves and smaller circles. When going over the pencil with the fine tip marker, I was very nervous as it was permanent. As you can see in image 3, my outlining wasn’t perfect but I tried my best to be neat. Overall for my first attempts using some of the new instruments, I was very pleased with the outcome of my drawings.

The second part of the task I completed at home. This required cutting out shapes of precise measurements to create a tessellating pattern. Although this task didn’t seem too difficult, the measuring and drawing stage was more tedious for me. I found it challenging to draw smaller equilateral triangles,  however after some practice I was able to draw the correct shape, as seen in image 4. After placing the shapes together to create the pattern, I realised I didn’t cut the shape as accurately as anticipated. The reason for this was due to the fact that I used 300 GSM paper. As the paper was thick, the edges of my cuts were sometimes at an angle. I learn’t from this experience that I should use thinner paper when cutting out accurate shapes. 

[dom5359381]

Hi guys my names Dom, I like to eat, sleep and workout in my spare time. See you all in class 😊