Hélène Bert won the Grand Prize award in the KeyShot Render Weekly 3D Paint Challenge earlier this year. Currently a freelance designer based in Barcelona, she earned a master’s degree in industrial design at the Institut Supérieur de Design in France. Hélène has shown tremendous talent early in her career. Below, she shares with us her process and inspirations.

Helene Burt headshot

Hélène Bert

LinkedIn | Instagram
Modeling software used: SolidWorks, Rhino

What sparked your interest in product visualization?

Product visualization was part of my design process when I had to communicate my projects for school presentations. Today, I’m more aware of the possibilities with rendering programs. I like creating an ambiance by focusing on specific details, and I also like making a range of colors/finishings quickly. Sometimes, by randomly trying things, you end up with interesting material effects that you didn’t think of during the concept phase.

What did you want to be when you started in design and what are you pursuing currently?

I’ve been always fascinated by the design and art world, and after doing my studies in Applied Arts, I moved on to Industrial Design. Today, I’m also learning more about graphic design, illustration and photography, and I try to incorporate those aspects into my design work.

What inspired you to create the Mic/Brush project?

I took the idea from one of the Render Weekly contests. I like to have fun with these little challenges, going with a spontaneous idea that comes to mind. The idea is an homage to singers who like to take their hairbrush as a mic, so I wanted to design a mic that keeps a bit of the vintage essence of a mic and hairbrushes.

What is your primary 3D modeling software?

I mostly work with SolidWorks for 3D modeling because I used it during my last work experience. I like to stick with its approach to build something and efficiently edit it. In the past, I worked with Rhino, but it depends on the type of 3D modeling. I switch to Rhino sometimes because it gives me more flexibility to explore the design.

“I like the process of experimenting, the trial and error to achieve the best result.”   

How do you survive and thrive as freelancer/entrepreneur?

Currently, I alternate with product design and graphic design assignments, but I am also open to work for a company or agency. When I am looking for new clients, I make personal projects that inspire me and practice things I would like to master.

How do you explore new functions in Keyshot?

It’s really nice to have a design community where people share tutorials and tips. I started to get deeper into KeyShot when I started exploring the Material graph. Basically, I like to play with material possibilities, the lighting and environment based on new KeyShot scenes, and later I make my own setup.

“Keep an eye on what happens around you, learn from people and share your knowledge. Always look at the details and think about what can improve, whether it’s about your 3D model (proportions, edges, split lines) or the render setup (composition, lighting, CMF). Practice outside your professional projects and have fun!”