Digital tools and AI for Set Design Short Course
Course description
Course overview
Taking place over a single weekend this course aims to introduce students to the various digital design tools available to designers today.
Through a combination of hands-on exploration of leading digital design tools such as SketchUp, Rhino and Vectorworks and engaging discussions, students gain an insight into how to translate their creative vision into digital prototypes.
The course explores the advantages and disadvantages of a variety of digital design tools to help students decide which to use. Students build their knowledge through a series of inspiring lectures, tutorials and presentations as well as self-led work and discussions.
The course includes a small project which demonstrates how digital tools can enhance the design process and helps students understand how these tools work. AI image generation will be incorporated in the design process and critically interrogated.
Students gain an understanding of what digital tools are, how they can be used and how they will impact design in the future.
Who this course is for
This course is aimed at anyone with an interest in using digital tools in their practice, specifically practitioners working in the field of set or stage design, art directors or image creators.
It would be an excellent fit for students enrolled in design programmes or related fields who want to gain a foundational understanding of set design principles and explore how digital design tools and AI technology can enhance their creative process.
The course requires intermediate computer skills and a basic understanding of the design process.
Key information
Topics covered
- Overview of digital drawing and modelling tools for designers
- Introduction to one modelling tool e.g. Sketchup
- Introduction to an AI image generator such as Leonardo
- Introduction on how to use ChatGPT for prompts
- Critical interrogation on how to use and integrate these tools in the design process and their implications
Learning outcomes
- Have an overview of the digital design tools available to space designers and image creators and their advantages and disadvantages
- Have gained skills and knowledge to integrate traditional craftsmanship with digital tools and AI technology
- Understand how to integrate digital tools into their practice
- Understand how AI generators could enhance their practice
- Have participated in a critical discourse on the future of AI and the ethics around it, and gained an insight into how it has already impacted the design process
- Have an understanding of how to work with 3D modelling tools such as SketchUp
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance
Materials
- Laptop that can handle the online Sketchup and Leonardo programs
- Access to an AI application like Chat GPT or Midjourney
- Sketchup and Leonardo accounts set up prior to the course may be useful
Tutor
Bettina John
Bettina John is an award-winning, international freelance set and costume designer. She studied fashion design and photography in Germany and later Image and Communication at Goldsmiths University in London. Her first design experience was in the field of contemporary dance and for several years she collaborated with dance artists from the vibrant London scene, such as Arthur Pita, Ben Duke, Tony Adigun and Avant-garde Dance. After having completed a master degree in Theatre Design at Wimbledon College in London, she started working predominantly in musical theatre and opera. Her production of Rape of Lucretia in 2018 as part of the Arcola's Grimeborn Festival in London won the team an Off-West-End Award for best opera production of the year. Since then she has worked on productions in Germany, South-Africa and Russia, as well as continued her work in the UK. Bettina John has been teaching set and costume design at Central Saint Martins since 2018. She was commissioned to write a book about costume design in 2019, which was published in 2022 and is now available from all major bookshops.
www.bettina-john.com
Gene Ma
Ka Ming Ma (a.k.a. Gene) is a passionate designer with over a decade of experience, having graduated from the MA Theatre Design program at the University of the Arts London. His expertise encompasses various design realms, including film and theatre production design, advertising, visual merchandising, and miniature art. With a background in window display design, advertising, and interior design, Gene achieved notable success as the artistic director for Team Wang's "Standards" concept space in China, captivating over 2 million visitors with his compelling artwork. He has made significant contributions to global branding, collaborating with renowned companies such as Christian Dior, Arri, and Henderson. Gene served as the production designer for the acclaimed film "Far Far Away", which was selected as the closing feature at the 2021 Hong Kong Asia Film Festival. This highlighted his substantial impact on the cinematic world. Beyond film, he showcased his creative talents at the 2022 Hong Kong Technical Art Festival with his original play "Five Guys", which explored the intricate relationship between Mandola and the natural world. Furthermore, Gene collaborated with renowned German director Pan To Yan on the highly successful VR immersive play, "A Haunted VR Conference" in 2023. Gene is also renowned as a miniature artist for his scale models of film sets, reflecting his deep passion for handcrafting and creative video production. His talent was acknowledged as a featured artist in the 'Impressions' exhibition in 2023, curated by The Holy Art Gallery in London.Book a course
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