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The prevalence of sustainability in design thinking has been one of the largest shifts and greatest triumphs of the green design movement over the past years and has led to a renaissance in the development of products and systems design with both the earth and humans in mind. However, even as advancements are made in reducing waste and improving efficiency, we must ask the question: are we truly doing Good, or simply a bit less Bad?
To make products that are truly beneficial to the earth system we must give back more than we have taken away. This means making products not to be XX% less polluting than last year’s model, but to question every stage of the process upon which those products are made. Are the raw materials for the product collected in a way that harms their surroundings? Are the factories in which products are produced putting out more pollutants than they take in? What of the logistical network that ferries the product around the world? And what happens after the product is used up?
If the answers to these questions are in any way negative, if the effort of making the products we design is a net loss for the earth system, then are we truly being sustainable? Breaking free from the polluting and dangerous systems of manufacturing and extraction that power the world is no easy task, but until we improve these processes, no amount of smart design and green thinking will turn a product into one that has a net positive effect on the world.
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/
Artificial Intelligence in Design
There is no technology that is more rapidly advancing and evolving that that of artificial intelligences (AI) in the world today. These new smart machines have numerous exciting applications in every aspect of our world, none more so than the field of design.
Already, the most advanced AIs can create incredibly detailed and imaginative product concepts at hundreds of times the speed of a human designer. Though they may still lack on occasion an eye for what is possible, algorithms such as DALL-E 2, StableDiffusion, and Midjourney, among others, represent a new frontier in the field of ideation and concept generation. Beyond the drawing board, AIs have seen widespread application in the manufacturing sector, where increasing smart machines unlock faster and more complex methods to create objects that would have been impossible even just a few years before.
Though some may express concern about the possibility of robots taking over the field, if not the world beyond it, such fears are largely unfounded. Like computer-aided design (CAD) and many other disruptive technologies before it, AI-aided design represents the next step in the evolution of the design world, and one which can open the doors to innovative products and imaginative forms that are truly beyond what we can imagine.
For any designers or hobbyists looking to learn more about AI design tools and how to get started on the path to mastering these tools, there are plenty of free resources on Youtube and other media platforms, about how to take the first steps. For those looking to jump right in, several options are available: For generating product concepts, sign up for the DALL-E 2 waitlist. For writing needs, check out NovelAI. For those with a bit of programming knowledge, StableDiffusion is a highly flexible program that can get the job done. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and new AIs are developed all the time.
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/
Additive vs. Subtractive Manufacturing and its Implications for Design Thinking
Before any great product idea can be launched, an important question must be asked: how can this product be made? Designing in such a way that your product can be cheaply and efficiently produced by well-established methods is a sure way to improve a product’s chance of success in the marketplace, and with incredible innovations in additive manufacturing, exotic materials, and more, the realm of what’s possible continues to expand.
To fully embrace the possibilities of additive manufacturing in addition to the traditional methods of subtractive manufacturing, new ways of thinking are needed at every step of the design process. The fundamental difference between these two processes is that additive manufacturing creates products through the addition of base materials layer by layer, whereas subtractive manufacturing creates products by removing parts of a material, generating waste material in the process. Due to the nature of both methods, the mediums that a designer can use, as well as the speed and efficiency of product are vastly different between the two processes.
The legacy of subtractive design is evident in the fundamental tools of design, most notably in the computer-aided design (CAD) programs we use to give products their shape and form. The language of these programs are spoken in terms of cuts and extrudes, revolutions and sweeps; terms that align with subtractive manufacturing techniques. With the incredible ability of additive manufacturing to capture complexity and smooth forms, the field of product design has begun to adopt the terminology traditionally used by modeling programs, the language of meshes, sculpting, and supports.
Not only do new methods of manufacture change the ways we can make and improve existing products, but they also change the very ideas we have about what products can be, and open doors to product designs that not too long ago would remain trapped in the realm of the impossible.
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/
New Coworker Jake
Hello, my name is Jacob, and I’m all about product design. Everyday I strive to put my skills to use in creating sustainable products that help make the world a better place. It’s my pleasure to work with the professionals at Design Interface Inc. as an Industrial Designer, and to continue their legacy of product design excellence.
I specialize in mechanical and biomimetic products, drawing from my background in both design and engineering. (Visit https://jsv-design.com/ for a look at some of my work) I’ve worked for some time as a Freelance Industrial Designer, and have joined Design Interface to take my work to the next level, and to learn invaluable lessons as part of a consulting design studio.
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/
The Death of Type 1 Fonts
Fonts are a basic staple of designers and are used for both print and online publication. Things are about to change in 2023 as Adobe ends support for Type 1 fonts which have been around since the late 1980s. The good news is the more versatile TrueType Fonts (TTF) and OpenType Fonts (OTF) are still acceptable. This could become a headache as designers will have to replace older fonts with newer ones, but the advantages are many as the modern fonts, especially OTF, have useful features that extend a typeface’s range. For example, designers have the ability to add ligatures, glyphs, small caps, and alternate characters to name a few. Type 1 data embedded in file types such as EPS and PDF will be unaffected by this change, as long as they are placed for display or printing as graphic elements. If those files are opened for editing in applications such as Illustrator or Photoshop, they will trigger a “Missing fonts” error.
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/
How to Create an Automation Droplet in Adobe Photoshop
Have a ton of photos or files to resize or do the same repetitive actions to? You need a Photoshop droplet! The powerful function of the Droplet in Photoshop saves tremendous time when you are dealing with a lot of pictures that need adjustments, and you don’t want to make the same adjustments over and over again one picture at a time.
The Droplet is an exe file that produced in Photoshop to simplified the process of actions function. It is created to be used over and over again. The way to do that is after you generate the Droplet file you then simply drag and drop all the necessary pictures you want to adjust onto the Droplet file, and the Droplet will do the rest. It will automatically open, edit, save and close one by one all of your pictures. Learn how to create one in this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h99QLmLAH8E.
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/
Ohio Regional Urban Sketchers Summit
Grab your art supplies and explore downtown Columbus as an urban sketcher!
Hosted by four Ohio USk chapters, the one-day Summit will feature workshops from six world-class instructors. There will also be opportunities for participants to practice and hone their urban sketching skills.
All skill levels and media are welcome. Participants must provide their own materials.
Summit Schedule: Saturday, August 13, 2022 Columbus, OH
Registration, 9:00-9:30
Keynote Address, 9:30-9:50
Session 1, 10:00-12:00 (choose one workshop)
Lunch and Practice, 12:00-1:00
Session 2, 1:00-3:00 (choose one workshop)
Summit Wrap-up, 3:00
Continued Practice, 3:00-5:00
Instructors & Workshops
Amy Bogard, Quick Captures for Beginners
Yuki Hall, Expressive Urban Sketching
Kay Bea Jones, Artists Have Perspective: Tools for Conveying Space
David Rankin, Sketching Better & Faster Using a 9B Woodless Graphite Pencil & Blender
Jeff Suntala, Sketching People and Cars
Terry Welker, Composition Techniques
Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ohio-regional-urban-sketchers-summit-tickets-359062023177Event Website: https://ohiousksummit.blogspot.com/
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/
Want design inspiration on vacation? Visit a car museum!
Haynes Motor Museum in Yeovil, England was a great side trip for design ideas. It houses 400 vehicles, the UK’s biggest exhibition of cars and motorbikes dating from 1900 to today. Car enthusiasts might know the HAYNES manuals for repairing autos. John Harold Haynes started it at age 16 when he illustrated a simple how-to-manual for repairing his Austin 7, which then grew to include the Austin Healey Sprite. The enterprise became a publishing powerhouse that continues today. Many Haynes Manuals bear a cover illustration of a cutaway view technical drawing of the vehicle, hand-drawn by Terry Davey. A good reminder for many us of the good old days before CAD when everything was hand drawn. BTW: Fun surprise…Stonehenge not far down the road. ~Carla
Photos: Morris Mini-Cooper from 1965, a tiny car at 10′ long, 4.5′ wide and 4.4′ high.
Terry Davey, the man with the xray eyes at work.
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/
Change Ordinary Skies to Extraordinary Using Photoshop
Although this feature has been around a couple of years, not many people know about it. Have you ever taken an outdoor photo, but the sky is disappointing? Well with a few clicks, you can choose from several optional replacement skies to instantly improve it. Presets included with the tool are categorized as blue skies, sunsets, storms, night, and spectacular. You can also import your own sky image or download more for free skies from Adobe’s website. Get creative!
Image from Adobe.com
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/
CIA 2022 Spring Design Show In-Person
April 19 through April 22 2022
Exhibition Hours:
Wednesday through Friday, 9am–5pm
Where: Cleveland Institute of Art, Design Studios, 2nd floor, 11610 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106
View and celebrate the latest work by our CIA students studying Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Interior Architecture and Transportation Design. These shows originated as a way for employers to scout talent, and have evolved into a crowd-pleasing exhibition that showcases innovation in design thinking.
COVID Visitor Policy
For the safety of the community, guests to CIA are required to mask and present proof of vaccination, and will take a brief health screening upon entering the building.
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/
