NEWS
Lessons Learned at Design Interface – A Farewell from Jacob Sarver-Verhey
Hello, my name is Jacob, and I’m all about product design. For the past year, I’ve worked with Design Interface Inc. as an Industrial Designer to design products, meet customer needs, and innovate bold new ideas in a variety of fields. It’s been a wonderful experience, and as I now set off for Indonesia as part of the Peace Corps for the next stage of my life, I have come to reflect on everything I’ve learned at the studio.
Of the many skills I’ve gained, the most important to the success of our work at DI has absolutely been collaboration. DI is a tight-knit team of professionals who know how to get things done and learning how to not just become a part of the process but to insert my own ideas has been a challenging but very rewarding experience. When I first was given the design lead on a project and saw my initial ideas change and evolve over the course of months into a fully manufactured product to be bought by consumers the world over it was a deeply humbling experience to see how far my concepts could travel. Even when the work became a grind at times, knowing that each day would bring new experiences and ideas kept me motivated and engaged with improving my design skills, and working with others to bring each project to a close.
Design Interface, like many design studios, is a place that is always evolving and moving forwards with new ideas and new technologies. In my time here I have seen 3D printing move from filament forms meant to illustrate to resin creations that can be used as functional prototypes. With the movement of manufacturing capabilities into the studio, the roles and expectations of designers have changed as well, and I have had a ton of fun learning the ropes with my fellow designers and creating incredible products in-house that would have required months of manufacturing and shipping from overseas in the yesteryears. Perhaps even more exciting has been the advent of AI technologies in the design process at DI over just the time I’ve worked at the studio. I recall playing around with primitive image AIs in my first few months of working and to see the technology grow and evolve with such rapidity that it is now a common tool in the workflows at the studio is astounding. I’ll be away in Indonesia for my service for over 2 years, and I cannot imagine what incredible technologies and techniques will be the norm by the time I return to the States.
It’s truly an exciting time to be a product designer, and Design Interface Inc. has been for me an incredible step forward in both my career as a designer and in my personal journey of growth as an individual. When I stepped through these doors a year ago, I was nervous about all the challenges that having coworkers, increasing the scale of my designs, and having the expectations of a legacy of design work would bring. Today, as my time at Design Interface comes to a close, I am more excited about the future than ever before.
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 use Adobe Photoshop’s new Generative Fill AI tool
Adobe Photoshop’s new integrated AI tool is here, powered by Adobe’s Firefly AI algorithm. You can access it today by downloading Adobe Photoshop Beta and get right to creating within a few minutes. The tool is simply integrated into the Photoshop workflow, with just a few things that a creator needs to know before they can get started:
- To begin, make a selection anywhere on the canvas, be it a blank page or an existing image.
- The generative fill option will be available by default, or in the right-click menu.
- Click generative fill and type a short prompt of what you want to create.
- The tool will use the selected area and surrounding canvas as context to better blend the result with your image.
- Keeping your prompt between 3-8 words will help maximize cohesion.
- If you don’t like your result or want to see more options, just click generate again, and perhaps change your text prompt.
- The generated area will be saved as a separate layer from your base image, allowing for editing of the two separate or combined, and the blending of multiple generations.
- Just like adding something new to a canvas, you can also use generative fill to remove something. Simply select an area with the subject you wish to remove and perform a generative fill with no prompt, and it will be filled in based on the surrounding image.
- To generative fill a background, inverse your selection and then perform the generative fill as normal.
- To outpaint a canvas, use the crop tool to expand the canvas size, then perform a generative fill in the blank area to see your image expand!
- You can type in a prompt or not when outpainting. If no prompt is entered, the generative fill will extend the content of your original canvas.
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/
Try out this Free Image Upscaler
Here’s a great resource worth trying for graphic design, image editing, or personal use. It’s a free image upscaler that can increase the resolution of any image up to 4x the default, while maintaining the same level of detail and sharpness. Choose your image, upload it to the Upscaler, select a desired scale, and download your upscaled image in seconds. The upscaler can sharpen blurry elements in the original image with the enhanced quality option. Optional credits can be purchased to upscale images in bulk, but they are not required for single image upscaling, even when doing multiple images in sequence.
Uploaded images must be in png, jpeg, jpg, or webp formats to be upscaled. The link below is just one example of an image upscaler, and many more exist and can be found with a simple internet search.
https://www.upscale.media/upload
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 Design Interface Inc. turns Initial Ideas into Complete Products
For almost 40 years we’ve helped hundreds of inventors, doctors, and entrepreneurs create award-winning products that improve and enhance people’s lives. No matter where you are in the development cycle, we will collaborate with you at each step of the design process to bring your idea to life. Though every product’s journey is different, here are the general steps of Design Interface’s design process:
- Ideation
The first stage for creating a new product, after researching competitive designs that already exist, is to create a series of concept sketches that explore features, colors, and methods for manufacture. It’s at this stage that we ask the big questions about the future of the product. What forms could it take? Is the product going to satisfy the problem it was created for? What other possible directions could development take? What ergonomic analysis is needed?
- Develop Solutions
Once an idea is chosen, work on 3D models begins, along with graphics, and details. Often, we create 3D digital files of a new product idea and render them or create prototypes using our array of 3D printers. The goal of this step is to join together the grand ideas of what a product can be with the methods and techniques of how it can be made.
- Prototype, Test, Repeat
When a solid concept is found, prototypes are constructed and tested for usability, manufacturability, ergonomics, and aesthetics, to ensure it satisfies all our criteria for success. Repeating this loop of prototyping, testing, and gathering user feedback is crucial for making sure the design is right — that is, it works for customers, you can build it, and you can support it.
- Finishing Touches
With a completed and satisfactory prototype, all the other documentation and design work is finished up that is necessary for the production and sale of a product. From dimensioned drawings to logos to labels and everything in between, there can often be a tremendous amount of work involved with launching any design.
- Implementation
Finally, when all the work is done, the product can, at last, be sold or implemented in whatever role best suits it. Though the process can be a tough journey, there is nothing that makes a designer prouder than seeing something that was once just a sketch on a napkin grow into something real and powerful.
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/
Design Interface Inc. – Now featured on DesignRush
New at Design Interface Inc. – Formlabs Form3+ resin printer
Here at Design Interface, we have recently acquired a Formlabs Form 3+ resin printer for use in creating prototypes and parts for our clients. We are excited about all the potential creations we can make with the device and the Formlabs Form Wash and Form Cure that accompanied it. After setting up the printer and creating our first few test prints, we were quite happy with the results, though there was a learning process involving in the preparation of 3D modeling for printing, as the location of support materials and orientation parts plays a great deal in the success of the finished product. An issue that persisted during use was the chemical smell from the resin that filled any room the printer was placed in. To prevent any discomfort to our designers, we ordered a rolling cabinet large enough to fit all the Formlabs devices and connected it to the fume hood in our workshop to assist in ventilation and storage.
Fused Deposition Modeling or FDM 3D printing is the most common type of 3D printing technology in use today, and the one that most people think of when they hear the term. Utilizing a spool of filament that is deposited in layers, an FDM printer can be used to great effect for a tremendous number of projects, from creating figurines to professional prototyping. However, the limitations of printer resolution and materials selection have still limited the options of designers looking to create elastic materials, translucent parts, and ones with a great amount of detail. The recent innovation of Resin 3D printing, also known as Stereolithography or SLA printing has finally given designers and hobbyists the ability to create as never before.
Where resin printers excel is in their ability to produce smooth finishes free of layer-lines and blemishes that often occur with filament printers, and in the greater accuracy of the resulting part thanks to laser light that solidifies the resin into a desired shape with much greater accuracy. SLA printing is not without its downsides, however. Resin is overall more expensive than filament, and requires an alcohol wash, sometimes followed by exposure to a UV chamber to shed excess material and reach its desired toughness. In addition, resin printing is more challenging to prepare. The use of resin printing software is required to mark support locations on the part where structures can connect to a part to stabilize it as the laser creates each layer. For most FDM printing, one simply orients their part in a certain way, support materials are created automatically beneath under hangs, and the part is created. Though dissimilar in many ways, having both options available for different projects is an invaluable part of the workflow of a modern designer.
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 Pantone Color of the Year 2023: Viva Magenta
The Pantone Color of the Year has become a significant event in the design world, with companies and individuals looking to incorporate the chosen shade into their products and spaces. Viva Mengenta, which Pantone explains is “vibrating with vim and vigor,” is a natural shade from the red family and demonstrates a new symbol of strength. It is a bold red tone that could drive design to create a more positive future.
The Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, Leatrice Eiseman, said that this shade takes its cues from nature. Viva Magenta, Esieman notes, communicates power—but in an assertive, not aggressive way. “It’s a color that really vibrates with vim and vigor, that demonstrates a new signal of strength, which is something we all need for a more optimistic future.”
Viva Magenta is perfect for adding a pop of color to any design. Some examples of places where you might encounter viva magenta include logos, brochures, posters, websites, and social media ads. It can also be found in fashion, accessories, and home decor items.
Ready to immerse yourself in 2023’s Pantone color? Here’s everything you need to know about Viva Magenta, and how to splash this year’s color of the year across your designs and creative projects. Read more: https://www.pantone.com/articles/color-of-the-year/what-is-viva-magenta
Modern Monumentality
So as humans have walked the Earth, we have etched our designs into the face of it. From cave paintings to pyramids, statues to skyscrapers, design has come far throughout the ages, and some of the greatest examples of design ever wrought by our species have traveled through the ages with us. The idea of a monument is simple: to be an icon, a symbol of something larger than ourselves. Whether to commemorate religion, nationalism, war, peace, or otherwise, the creation of great monuments has continued to progress and evolve over time even until the modern day. How is it that today’s designers seek to honor the past and look to the future through the monuments they create?
The most obvious divergence from past monuments of stone and steel is the use of modern technologies to inform and inspire, most notably integration of digital technology. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City was designed to incorporate interactive displays and multimedia exhibits that tell the story of the tragedy in a powerful and engaging way. This approach has since been adopted by many other monuments, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the history and culture of a place in a way that was not possible before.
Sustainability is another important consideration in modern monument design. As we become increasingly aware of the impact our actions have on the environment, designers are incorporating eco-friendly features into their projects. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C., for example, was built using sustainable materials and features a rainwater collection system that irrigates the surrounding landscape. This kind of sustainable design not only helps to preserve the natural environment, but also serves as a reminder of our responsibility to protect it.
Accessibility is also a key consideration in modern monument design. Monuments must be accessible to people of all ages and abilities, and designers are incorporating ramps, elevators, and tactile exhibits to ensure that everyone can experience the monument in their own way. In addition, modern monuments are often designed to celebrate the cultural diversity of the nation. Public art installations, murals, and sculptures are used to represent the contributions of different communities to the nation’s history and culture. This kind of representation is essential in creating a sense of inclusivity and belonging in our public spaces.
The design of monuments in the modern day is a reflection of our values, aspirations, and collective identity as cultures, nations, and human beings. By incorporating digital technology, sustainable practices, accessibility features, and cultural diversity, designers are creating monuments that not only honor our past, but also inspire us to build a better future.
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/
Taming the Machine II – A step-by-step guide on how to use text generating AI tools
More than just art, AI tools can be used to write text as well. From short poems to lengthy essays, and everything in between, AI is changing the way we interact with prose. Chief among the text generating AI tools is ChatGPT, a powerful tool developed by OpenAI to assist with a wide range of tasks, including answering questions, generating text, and even holding conversations. As a user, there are a few key steps you can take to ensure you get the most out of ChatGPT, accessible for free at https://chat.openai.com/chat
First, make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Are you looking for information on a particular topic? Do you need help generating text for a project? Or are you simply interested in having a conversation with an AI chatbot? By clarifying your goals, you can better direct your interactions with ChatGPT.
Next, be specific in your requests. ChatGPT works best when given clear instructions or questions. For example, instead of asking a general question like “Tell me about the weather,” try asking something more specific like “What is the current temperature in New York City?” The more specific you can be, the more likely ChatGPT will be able to provide you with a relevant and useful response.
Another useful tip is to be patient and persistent. ChatGPT is a sophisticated system, but it may not always get things right on the first try. If you’re not satisfied with the response you receive, try rephrasing your question or providing additional context. With a bit of persistence, you can often get the information you need.
Finally, be mindful of the limitations of ChatGPT. While it’s a powerful tool, it’s not perfect, and there may be times when it’s unable to provide a useful response. If you’re working on a project that requires a high degree of accuracy or precision, it may be necessary to supplement your interactions with ChatGPT with other research or tools.
In summary, using ChatGPT effectively requires clarity, specificity, patience, and a willingness to recognize its limitations. By keeping these tips in mind, you can make the most of this powerful tool and leverage its capabilities to achieve your goals.
(This article was written entirely using ChatGPT, with minimal editing)
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/
Taming the Machine – A step-by-step guide on how to use image generating AI tools
The time has finally come, and our AI overlords have arrived. Between creating wild new pieces of art, writing entire essays from simple prompts, or even beginning to generate their own code, generative AI’s have taken over the discussion of future technologies in recent times. For most, the AI takeover is viewed with either a futuristic wonder or a justified concern for what changes these technologies might bring to our very idea of work itself. There are few, however, who understand how to take the reins of these AI tools and make use of them to lighten their workload, create incredible works of imagination (both human and artificial), and so much more. To the uninitiated, here are some simple steps on how to get started with image generating AI tools:
- Firstly, you’ll want to figure out which image AI you’d like to use. There are paid options such as DALL-E 2 or Midjourney, which can be used for a time before paying for generation credits, or open-source programs such as Stable Diffusion, which requires a bit of set-up but are free to use. For the former options, joining the waitlists for access (DALL-E 2) (Midjourney) is the first step. If selected, you’ll gain access to the programs and a tutorial on how to operate them. For the latter, an easy-to-use Stable Diffusion interface is available online at the AUTOMATIC1111 github repository. The site contains information on how to install and get set-up.
- Once you’ve be selected for access or have installed the necessary programs, you’re ready to get started! All image AIs begin with a fundamental input: the prompt. Prompt engineering is a field unto itself, and there are many excellent guides available on the internet, but here are some easy pointers to get you started:
- Basic formatting: Terms in a prompt a divided by commas and can have different meanings if combined or separated.
- Ex.) ‘A cyberpunk portrait of a neon robot dog’ vs ‘A portrait of a dog, cyberpunk, neon color scheme’
- Base: Defining what medium your image will attempt to imitate.
- Ex.) ‘A Portrait of . . .’, ‘A 3D-rendering of . . .’
- Descriptors: A few guiding words that will guide the style of the piece.
- Ex.) ‘Cyberpunk’, ‘Brutalist’
- Things: The nouns, or main objects of focus
- Ex.) ‘A skyscraper’, ‘Two dogs’
- Environment: The physical surroundings or lighting conditions
- Ex.) ‘. . . in a vast open field’, ‘. . . at dusk’
- Influences: The name of a style or artist that the piece can imitate
- Ex.) ‘. . . by Rembrandt’, ‘. . . in the style of Picasso’
- Additional prompts: Some keywords can aide in improving the quality of generations, without describing the piece itself
- Ex.) ‘artstation’ draws on the vast library of artwork available on that platform to add coherency, ‘in focus’ or ‘centered’ can help draw the focus of the image to your subject, and ‘highly detailed’ will reduce blurry areas.
- Negative Prompts: Some programs such as Stable Diffusion allow for the input of negative prompts as well to help guide your generation, such as inputting ‘blurry’ to help increase the fidelity of the output, but this effect can also be achieved by using a negative sign in the positive prompt, such as ‘-blurry.’
- Emphasis: Keywords in the prompt can be emphasized to add more focus to them in the generation by use of () or :X to increase the emphasis or [] and :-X to reduce it
- Ex.) ‘A (cubist) portrait of a dog, detailed:2, blurry:-1, [cat]’
- Ex.) ‘A (cubist) portrait of a dog, detailed:2, blurry:-1, [cat]’
- Next, adjust the output resolution (if available) to your desired size. Some image AIs can stretch or duplicate the subject of your prompt if the image size is set to an extreme, so it’s a good idea to adjust your prompt if the resolution is extreme, such as including ‘a panorama of a mountain range’ for a very wide image instead of just ‘a picture of a mountain.’
- Decide on the number of images you want to generate at once. When starting a new project, it can be a good idea to set your batch number lower so that you can alter and play with your prompt and settings, before increasing it to get a range of good final images to choose from.
- Change the sampler / model. Some image AIs allow for the download of different models from sites such as AI which are trained and specialized to create different styles or subjects. The sampler on the other hand is the algorithm with which the image AI creates the output. Samplers can vary in levels of detail or prompt recognition, though the most advanced samplers are usually selected by default.
- Adjust your sampling steps based on the desired level of detail. The higher the sampling steps, the more the image AI will go over the base noise that it starts with to add more detail to the image. A good standard range to work in is 20-50, though increasing this number will also increase the time to generate a result. Going too high or too lower will produce images that are overdetailed or underdetailed respectively.
- Finally, alter the CFG scale, if available. This is a measure of how closely the image AI will stick to your prompt. Reduce the number and you’ll get more creative (and potentially nonsensical) results. Increase it and you might get exactly what you asked for, but sometimes the result is a bit too literal. An average number of 7-8 should allow for a good blend of prompting and AI creativity.
- Hit generate and check out your result! Few attempts create the perfect image on the first or even tenth try, as a fair amount of effort is needed to refine your prompt, change the settings, and maybe touch up the final result in a drawing software. This process can often be enlightening however, as you discover new and interesting interpretations of what you set your prompt for, potentially creating something even beyond your imaginations.
- Basic formatting: Terms in a prompt a divided by commas and can have different meanings if combined or separated.
This is by no means all that image AIs can do, many have the ability to inpaint and outpaint, allowing the user to ‘expand’ an existing image to paint beyond its boundaries, or erase sections of an image and generate entirely new details, such as erasing an outfit and generating a new one. Another powerful function is img2img, which allows the use of an existing image as a base onto which to generate a new one. This function includes a ‘denoising strength’ slider, which affects how much the original image will be altered. For example, using a base image of a landscape and prompting ‘cartoon style’ can make the resulting image more or less comical depending on the denoising value, from completely identical to radically different. Finally, image upscalers can be used to increase the size of your outputs, especially useful as generation a high resolution image can take significant time and processing power. Upscalers use AI to ‘fill in’ an image as it gets larger so that no quality is lost, or pixels are stretched.
New AI tools are being developed at a rapid pace, and many of the tips in this post may soon become out-of-date. The world of AI is wonderful and rapidly evolving, but it can also be very fun, and allow works of creativity to be created by all. Give it a try and see what you can create!
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/
