Introduction To Product Design Short Course
Course description
Course overview
How do designers generate ideas? Where do ideas come from? A finished product is a combination of understanding of form, function and material. In this beginners course, you'll be encouraged to look for ways of arriving at new possibilities.
With an emphasis on the creative process and self-direction, it will take you from an initial brief through to your own product design and presentation.
The course will give you a taste of what practicing product design involves. While there will be some soft modelmaking, this is a studio-based, rather than a workshop-based course. The focus will be on the generation of ideas and design thinking.
This course is available both on campus or online.
Who this course is for
This course is ideal for anyone looking to learn the basics of practicing product design. It is an exploration into how to represent design concepts through drawing exercises and how to document ideas through sketches and photographs.
You will also be introduced to a number of processes and vocabulary employed in 3D design. There will be tutor briefs and presentations, but you can expect to spend a considerable amount of class time developing their own design ideas.
Key information
Topics covered
- Short introduction to the college’s design orientation and library resources
- Professional terminology
- 2D and 3D design
- Sketch-drawing
- Studio soft modelmaking
- Design development
- Manufacturing processes
- Orthographic drawing
- Presentation
Learning outcomes
- To allow the introduction and application of design methodologies to inform and expand your ideas
- Communicate the design through 3D means with the introduction of soft modelling
- A body of work which can presented for a portfolio for further studies
- An underpinning for your own personal projects
- Be able to translate and communicate your designs through the means of technical drawing which is a good basis for introduction into CAD
- Consideration about materials and construction
- Storytelling of the product through visual means to communicate the visual language and the function of the product
- You will gain insight into perspective drawing to explore your ideas through drawing
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance
Materials
On campus
- A4 layout pad
- Fibre tip pens, sizes 0.1, 0.5, 0.7mm
- Set of coloured pencils
- Scissors
- Craft knife
- 300mm ruler
If you are taking this course online, please see our Guide to taking online short courses.
Tutor
Panikos Panayi
Ben Panayi is experienced self-employed industrial designer an educator since 1997. He has worked for start-ups and for established brands creating designs that have been executed through many means, including licensing, strategy, commission and self-production. His work has been exhibited and published. Alongside this, he has taught in several prestigious colleges and universities.
Jason Allcorn
Jason Allcorn has a Masters degree in Industrial Design and over 25 years experience as a designer, maker and creative consultant. With a pragmatic, hands-on approach to design he is as happy in the workshop crafting bespoke solutions as he is leading ideation sessions for bluechip clients. Past clients include Lego, Design Museum, Southbank, British Council. Jason’s work as creative director of [re]design explores social and environmental issues and the designer’s role in response to them. Alongside this his studio output through WE make aims to demystify the design process and encourage others to make. Jason’s current research brings together these strands of expertise and two decades consulting in the toy industry, in exploring themes of play, creativity and sustainability. An experienced lecturer and workshop leader Jason has taught on UAL’s Foundation in Art and Design at Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon for the last 8 years.
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