ID [PNW]

Here's is Part 3 of 4 of Hoima Bicycle.  An experience in designing a bicycle with Ugandan bicycle couriers.  This part shows the reaction of the first prototype.

Here's the next segment of Hoima Bicycle.  An imperfect example of design for social impact. 

I've posted the complete documentary, Hoima Bicycle, on Youtube. This documentary shows the process of designing a bicycle for and with Ugandan bicycle couriers, known as Boda-boda. Filmed primarily in Uganda, it shows the realities of current day East Africa, from the chaotic streets of Kampala to the inside of gritty mud-thatched homes in rural Hoima. In Uganda many residents use cheap, clunky bicycles for their primary means of transportation. Through a unique collaboration between an American designer and Ugandan couriers, a new bicycle design was conceived and a prototype was made. The designer then traveled to Uganda to meet the couriers and to have the bike tested and critiqued. Would they like it? Or is it back to the drawing board? How can you use your talents and skills to help the poor of the world? This is part 1 of 4. If you would like a DVD of the complete documentary (30 minutes) it will soon be available on Amazon.com.  I'll be posting discussion questions...

A Biographical Documentary about Walter Dorwin Teague begins Development. Walter Dorwin Teague (1883 - 1960) is considered one of the founding fathers of industrial design as well as one of the most prolific American industrial designers in history.  He established his design office in the late 1920’s, which continues today as one of the important design institutions in the world.  His most notable design work includes all of Kodak camera’s from 1927 to 1957, Texaco’s art deco gas stations in the1940’s, the Boeing Stratocruiser and the 707 aircraft.  His legacy led to the design all subsequent Boeing aircraft including today’s 787 Dreamliner.  He directed the design and architecture of the 1939 World Exposition.  He was also an architect whose work includes the Texaco exhibition hall at the 1935 Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas, Texas, the Ford pavilion for the California Pacific International Exposition (1935) in Balboa Park in San Diego, and the 1961...

I've been teaching Adobe Illustrator to the Western Industrial Design sophomore students for six years now.  It's a powerful tool for doing design renderings.  Here's a few examples from last fall of some track bicycle frames.  The original line art is from the Teschner bicycle company.  I challenge the students to design the graphics, add reflections and shading, and play with different materials.  That way, they aren't spending time on the frame shape and can concentrate on the color and rendering.  The main Illustrator tools being used here are: the pen tool, adjusting the transparency and blending modes, stylize feather, blur, clipping masks, and lots of gradient manipulation.  These are all sophomores (2nd year students).   by Nolan Leh   by Elijah Hooper by Ryan Hume by Anna Perrela by Paul Linden

This a sample of 3 projects from Form Function, by Jason Morris and Western Industrial Design students; Erin Yoakum, Justin Lund and Phelan Miller. This purely visual short film shows an industrial design creative process that starts with abstract sculpture and ends with a functional object. Music by Moby. It premiered at The Doctober Documentary Film Festival 2009, Pickford Cinema, Bellingham, WA, US. Creative solutions are rarely found by using conventional methods. This short film shows a design process that begins with abstract form creation without knowledge of the designs purpose. The form creation is done with guidelines made by the instructor, who creates the rules to correspond with the designs objectives. Only after these abstract sculptures are complete is the designs purpose revealed. A selected form study is then evaluated for ideas and inspiration, which is refined applying the realities of the design functions. This film shows the sculpture spinning slowly and tra...

Above: mud thatched home for a family of seven in Uganda. Below: designer bedroom for one child in Paris. (lower photo from Dwell) How can an industrial designer make an impact on the poor of the world?  We might have some creative skills, we can visually communicate, and we can find unconventional ways of solving problems.  And one way is to immerse oneself into a different socio-economic culture, experience the problems to be addressed and work on designing a solution.  This is one obvious way, and it can be an incredible experience and make a real difference.  However, we can’t all do it, and sometimes flying to Africa and trying to make some helpful gadget has limited long-term sustainable impact.  Perhaps, instead of airfare half-way around the world, that money could go to supporting an orphan’s care?  Or building a well for a village, or a family’s medical care, or a child’s education?   These are very immediate needs for mo...