The Process
Though every project offers different challenges my journey from ideation to completion usually follows these steps.
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Daydreaming
Daydreaming, meditating, stewing. Whatever you want to call it, the project begins with holding the prompt with a loose grasp and letting subconscious ideas connect and bubble to the surface. I ask my self "What would I want to experience if I were a participant?" I love playful surprising experiences and I usually am drawn to a concept I would most want to see happen.
Sketching
Translating things from loose concepts to physical projects can be a bit like trying to catch a cloud. Quick, descriptive sketches help me pin things down and work out some immediate issues. I like to show the sketches to a coworker or friend to see if they make sense. Sometimes they don't but the misunderstandings often lead to new ideas and solutions I didn't think of.
Modeling/Rendering
The fluid ideas from the sketching phase start to take shape with more realistic proportions, materials, and lighting. The modeling/rendering stage not only helps to envision the project in a real world context but is another opportunity to solve design issues before physical materials are used.
Prototyping
My favorite stage, prototyping, is a chance to actually see if and how things would work. Quick and dirty mock ups are an important part of solving some 0f the bigger unforeseen snags in the design. The prototype varies depending on the nature of the project be it a motion prototype animation, VR experience for a space, or mechanical test for an installation.
Modeling/Rendering
The fluid ideas from the sketching phase start to take shape with more realistic proportions, materials, and lighting. The modeling/rendering stage not only helps to envision the project in a real world context but is another opportunity to solve design issues before physical materials are used.