/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

[Anonymous No.2162729]

I finished my BSc in Engineering and Computer Science. I want to become a product designer (and product engineer). My plan is to visit a university for this very purpose. Tuition is not too expensive, it's not in the USA.

However they have selection criteria. Portfolio, interview, assignment, all the jazz.

I cannot draw. The assignment is being released late February. until then I should be able to draw everyday products, such as a hair dryer etc. How do I proceed to learn the skills necessary in those ~7 months available to me?

I guess the usual route of figure drawing and Loomis doesn't quite apply to the situation?

I'll have 2 hours per day on a workday as well as a large part of the weekends available.

I'd be very thankful for input.

[Anonymous No.2162734]

>Rapid Viz
>Sketching The Basic/Sketching
>maybe Scotty the Hotty's How To Draw

Those books should get you okay enough-ish, if you actually practice 2 hours a day, 7 months in a row.

[Anonymous No.2162762]

>>2162734
Thanks a lot, anon.

I'll monitor this thread further if there is some other input. Maybe even experiences ? Not sure how many here are product designers. Most likely not so many.

[Anonymous No.2162769]

>>2162762
I have a couple infographics on product design and rendering, I'll scan them tomorrow

[Anonymous No.2162778]

>>2162769
I'd be very thankful if you'd do that. Especially rendering would interest me. My drawings are rather flat.

Sharing is caring, I appreciate that you'd take the time to do this.

[Anonymous No.2162843]

>>2162729
>BSc in Engineering and Computer Science. I want to become a product designer
This was my dream too.

But it never came true... I still think about it every so often. Below is a list of stuff I studied up on before applying to jobs. I made two groups - in PD there is usually a "looks like" and a separate "works like" model.

Stuff to know for Looks like model
>drawing objects like you said
>building models - even plastic models like gundams and figures help
>experience with CAD
>3D printing and laser cutting
>PS and illustrator also a plus
>foam prototyping and painting etc

stuff to know for Works like models
>App developing
>Firmware engineering (arduino and microcontrollers)
>basic circuits and bread boarding
>some power electronics for motors or actuators
>MechE stuff for manufacturing etc

As an engineer it is probably easier for you to construct the works like model. If you haven't done so already, make a website now and start uploading your projects.

Also, as dumb as it sounds, start a kickstarter project (something small) so that it can show you are able to conceptualize a product from an idea all the way to its completion.

Good luck - I hope your dream comes true!

[Anonymous No.2162941]

>>2162843
An informative and kind reply, thanks.

The kickstarter idea is damn good. Well, I thought of developing a portfolio of actual products/prototypes of course, but having a product that actually gets to be sold through people who took the risk to back it is quite an argument.

I should do well in the works like category. The looks like section is where I want to gain some skills.

Makes me wonder why the dream didn't work out for you.

[Anonymous No.2162988]

>>2162729
draw from life everyday no matter what, use the weekends to go to a life drawing class. Find one that does long form poses 3-4 hours. You can push portfolio quality pieces within that session with just pencils or watercolor, use the pencils if you're a beginner. Make a self-portrait. Make some still lives, yes draw the hairdryer. Include a couple color pieces and original finished looking pieces.

Draw stuff like in your OP piece. I believe Feng Zhu makes stuff like that. He had some 3d perspective spiders from multiple angles. The most base form of drawing is the following elements of art, line/shape/form/space, ignore color and value in these practices. Basically you're building 3d wireframes on paper.

Eh goodluck OP.

[Anonymous No.2163336]

>>2162941
>Makes me wonder why the dream didn't work out for you.
I got a FW job straight out of uni thinking that it was just a starting point, and I thought would switch to PD and change companies. But then a year turned into two... and that turned into several more...

Now I'm way too comfortable to move my fatass. I feel jaded and old, and I sometimes think that getting paid to do what you love / want is selfish, but getting paid to show up to work and then doing what you want in your free time is more realistic.

My advice is don't getting suckered into doing the engineering work - it might pay better, but it's easy to fall down the rabbit hole. Once you get labeled as an EECS person, it's hard to switch to design without the paperwork (the degree)

[Anonymous No.2163381]

>>2162778
what book is that from anon?

[Anonymous No.2163489]

>>2162729 Hello Annon I was pretty much in the same situation as you a year ago. I had studied Science and Engineering but wanted to study Industrial Design and only 9 month to get good enough to get accepted into a very good school in Europe. You should see if you can find some old assignments online, you can often find something on their Facebook or website or maybe email someone at the institution. The assignments i had was to design 2 products, 1 figure drawing, 1 still life and show them a physical model of something I had created. In my opinion what you should study from:

>Figure Drawing: Design and Invention
>Sketching The Basic
>How to Draw/Render

You don't need more then that when it comes to books. During my interview I got a sense that they like it if you have some-kind of 3d modeling experience so If I were you I would pick up Google Sketch-up and do their tutorials. Sketch-up is a really easy 3d modeling program and only takes a couple of days to get good with. In my class most people have an design or art background so it could be good for you if differentiate yourself from most other applicants by pointing to your background in Engineering.

I will be starting in a month I hope it works out well for you too.

[Anonymous No.2163845]

>>2162729
Scott robertsons how to draw book is literally written for you.
Grab it from the book thread and don't skip exercises.

7 months is enough time to learn how to draw like your picture, coloring might take a little bit more time.

[Anonymous No.2163900]

>>2163845
Sounds good
>>2163489
They ask for an assignment that is later being published (checking former assignments it's vague and only hints a theme), a portfolio with 20 pieces, an interview and an assessment center day. Sounds like a lot. The page has no example works posted, but they also offer a degree in game design. Example concept drawings by the applicants are published there and they look damn solid. Otherwise I think my pic in the OP should be sufficient (albeit I wouldn't have a chance if I wanted to do game design).

Good input with the 3d modelling. I should work on this as well. I have a little bit of CAD experience due to the degree, but I'll have to brush it up. Sketch up sounds useful.

>>2163381
I think I got it from some Chinese image sharing site similar to pinterest. So I don't really know where it really originates from.

>>2163336
I see... in a way I wouldn't mind sticking to engineering, but I don't consider it too interesting. It would eventually feel just like another job (I don't know how you feel about it). In both cases one is producing something... this alone probably feels better than most jobs that are mostly servicing and paper handling.

[Anonymous No.2163951]

>>2163900
>>2163381
Head and hands by loomis.