Kuwait competition -- another project reworked.

Here's another blast from the past project that I worked on.  Some 12 years ago, this was built in 3D in AutoCad, then rendered via 3DS Max.  I'm still working on fixing the model up after importing it into Sketchup (there is a lot of work to be done!), but it's definitely going to be worth it.

I didn't do the design; I gave my input on the design to the head designer, though, and it reflects a lot of my personal style.

Here's a peek into where it stands right now.  When it's all done, I'll show the updated model.

Blast from the past: Wash. County Museum

I've been going through past projects, converting some 3D CAD files to Sketchup files, and putting in some extra work into adding flourishes, rerendering them and adding some extra stuff with Photoshop.  Back in the day, I relied on AutoCAD's built-in Max, and before then, the stand-alone Max to render.  Things are a lot easier and better now.

Here's one project that got the once-over treatment: Washington County Museum.  

When I first started working on this, it had been modestly designed.  In fact, it was ugly.

The project was never completed in the way it was intended because of a lack of fundraising to cover the total cost of the work, so the highlight of the project was axed.  Had they waited to start the work until they'd gotten enough funding, it would have had a spectacular entrance area and retail sales space, giving the museum a leg up for future growth.

Oh well.

Smart watch?

Thought I'd spend half a day building and rendering my own smart watch, since it seems to be all the rage this year.  Heh.

Alternative cardboard light shades.

A couple of shades from this past week -- different ideas about geometry for snowflakes.  Quite certain I need to explore a few more ideas before moving forward. I like the varying ideas coming out, though.

Cardboard shades for lights.

Working on a cheaper product idea, using cardboard, instead of other materials...makes it more convenient than having to use separate suspension supports when using heavier materials, too.

Took about 2 hours while at Starbucks on Tuesday, to design and model it...Add another 2 hours to add the context then render it.

Based on double-depth cardboard panels (see Ponoko).  The edge of the cardboard is a texture grabbed from online, edited and then added to the edges of the 3D model in SketchUp.  I have this idea that the vertical panels are interchangeable with 3 variations (to start with), so that no two snowflakes are alike, if so desired.

One could do a whole ceiling of replaceable shades for a pop-up store for the holidays, if so desired.

Up close rendering.

"Snowflake v.03"

New design work.

Another retail project -- a snapshot computer rendering of one of the furniture pieces.

Table light shade v.02.01.a.

Been going at it lately. This version "a" is in-process, so I've already moved onto v.02.01.b, which is currently rendering in different views. It started out with an idea of doing an all-metal shade with bent tabs to fix the shades in place, once inserted into a support base at the top and bottom.

Table light shades v. 01.01c

The other week I drew up a plan to design and realize new projects; this is the first in the series, with the first series based on simple geometry, designed around Ikea fixtures.  In this case, utilizing Ikea 14" Hemma and Ikea Sparsam bare CFL bulb (E12 - narrow base), first by building from scratch, SketchUp models.  Neither were in 3DWarehouse, so I had to create my own; I posted the Hemma model here, and the Sparsam model here.  These models are each under 200KB, so as not to create a buildup of size in a model -- something I notice is a problem with most people who have created models in SU and populated 3DWarehouse.

These photo-realistic renderings were made utilizing (the always free and recently updated) Kerkythea Boost x64 on my new machine with an Intel quad-core i7-2720qm running Win7 x64, using Nvidia's 555GT with Optimus.  Edited in Photoshop to add watermark and title.

The Boost version of Kerkythea made a huge difference in rendering times, but so does the new GPU / CPU engine in this workstation-class laptop.

It's going to require some modifications, but I really like the direction of this design and I think I'm going to get it prototyped shortly.

Table.

It's a first try idea utilizing Ponoko's CNC router option, rendered in 3D.  Like so many ideas, they're just conceptual designs to explore my personal design vocabulary.  Found a local firm that has CNC router, laser, and outsourced 3D laser-sintering printing (for one of the lights that will get produced for a retail project currently under construction).

This table, by the way, also has a piece of colored acrylic sheet, and a glass top.  With the advent of CNC at Ponoko, the possibilities of creating usable furniture has just gone up tremendously.

Some renders of an older (last October) idea with LED lights.

As a hung pendant.

As wall fixtures with different number of wings.

Three and four wing versions.

Six, three and four wing versions, as wall fixtures...more like light sculptures.

Close view of center.

Retail light fixture.

I think this is the design I'm going with.  Now, just need to finesse it and price it.