The hum of an energy field. The delicate movement of a tail fin as beams of light blast forth from a spacecraft. The rhythmic crush of color cutting motion into your mind, and the equally breath-taking depth of the darkest material reflecting every detail with perfection. There’s a lot that could be said about the work of Simon Williamson and more that can be captured by looking upon it. He has mastered the immobilizing feel of complexity that captures the imagination. He uses KeyShot to make his models come to life and we talked to him more about his inspirations, his process and how KeyShot has helped.
西蒙·威廉姆森
使用的建模軟體：
犀牛/SolidWorks
Simon來自英國，他的工作重點一直集中在工業設計領域。他畢業於紐卡斯爾理工學院（現為諾森比亞大學），並擁有皇家藝術學院的設計碩士學位。在全職任教之前，他的專業範圍包括設計和製造自己的台式機、消費品系列;玩具概念的產品開發直至原型階段（包括GI Joe和Star Wars等主要可動人偶品牌）;以及玩具發明。“在如此廣闊的範圍內，無論項目是什麼，我總是保持高度的細節，並且非常喜歡在物理上製作東西，我相信這給設計師帶來了內在優勢和深度，或者說是對定義產品設計多方面領域的許多層面的認識。
在加利福尼亞從事青蛙設計工作時，哈特穆特·埃斯林格（Hartmut Esslinger）的口頭禪很明確： “想法是音符，但模型製作是管弦樂隊”. 我自己一直傾向於這種理念，我採用了精心設計的模型來測試想法，這讓我對設計的每個階段都有更深入的瞭解。在我欽佩的眾多設計師和藝術家中，在專業和個人層面上激勵我的人是 Syd Mead;作為一個想像家，他的未來主義風格和品牌是最獨特的，即使是最平凡的物體也能變得聰明。現在，作為波士頓溫特沃斯理工學院工業設計系的副教授（WIT.edu), I teach studio classes, 3D visualization and intermediate CAD. As a Professor, each day inspires me; working with students who are excited to learn and search out new opportunities is very rewarding and makes it all worthwhile!”
“並行建模和渲染的流程”
Simon 主要使用 Rhino 進行 3D 建模，有時使用 SolidWorks，但多年來他受到其他軟體經驗的影響，例如使用 Maya 製作動畫和使用 FormZ 進行雕刻。他的過程與反覆運算發展相匹配，並輔以增加簡單性，以抵消和突出他的設計中內置的形式和戲劇性細節。“我的工作過程相當快，我稱之為 “並行建模和渲染的流程”，這意味著我工作到 CAD 模型的特定階段，然後將其渲染（使用 多 views) to get a better sense of the forms, proportions and details, much like building a highly detailed prototype. (I really like to get inside it all.) Then, I wind up with a progressive series of CAD models and corresponding images. It’s a complex world that I like to build from a simple start: “Start simple and add more and more simplicity”, ending up with a fair and satisfying degree of complexity. The combination of Rhino and KeyShot allows me to suggest a clean, colorful, energetic, pristine new world where nothing is old and beaten up. And, KeyShot really helps to keep it clean and fresh.”
純粹的創作過程
Simon came across KeyShot when searching for a rendering package to compliment the Industrial Design CAD progression at Wentworth. “It involved testing and trying many different packages. Ultimately, I was sold on the speed of the set up, the real-time render window, the stability, as well as the reliability and intricacy of the results. With KeyShot, you can begin on an elementary level and progress rapidly, resulting with very sophisticated effects. Also, it takes an awful lot of model complexity to bog down KeyShot, (whereas other programs get overwhelmed with less detail, much more easily); it holds up so well it’s downright phenomenal. And, since we needed a package that would help the students create fabulous images of their designs, and not get them frustrated or stifled by (getting in the way of) the complexity of the interface, KeyShot more than fit the bill and has proven to be a real winner!
The class I teach is CAD and there was no time for self learning the rendering component. KeyShot was perfectly suited to the (job) class: painless to pick up; simple to set up; and a wonderful aid to creating beautiful, visual output with extraordinary results. As with any design professionals, the students needed to focus on the process of designing products rather than obsess over the workings of a rendering tool. In other words, the program needed to support the agenda and not get in the way of their creative process. KeyShot does just that, and, so much more.”
Along with that, he has found KeyShot to be a tremendous value in terms of saving time setting up the image, due to the simplicity of the procedural workflows. “Personally, after dragging the model into the live preview frame and applying some standard materials and textures, and deciding on the environment, most of the work is already done. Passing this on to the students becomes very straight forward. The next stage of getting them excited about the possibilities of a quality render is a natural outcome. It’s the “Pow” factor. Exploiting all that KeyShot has to offer, it’s then time to go deeper with the final adjustments, like material and environment creation and editing, camera settings and lens effects. We have a massive, 24 CPU Mac – and I love to test the possibilities, set up very complex images, pump up the pixels, set the max time to multiple days and let it go. Then, when I come back after a long weekend, it’s like magic, the “Pow!””
With Simon being a Professor, we couldn’t help but ask if he had any advice for Industrial designers or tips on using KeyShot. “It’s difficult to keep it to just one piece of advice. Here’s what I tell my students: Keep practicing – (seems obvious), and look at all the fabulous images out there for inspiration! Focus on composition; imagine that everything you are modeling and rendering really exists; and envisage that you are physically setting up an actual photograph. Use the material templates to save time when correcting or making adjustments to a model before you re-import and rely heavily on the render queue feature. Give each image plenty of times to render: don’t undercook! And, set up multiple renders the very last thing at night; then, go to bed, and wake up to witness the magic!”
您可以在 WIT.edu 上找到有關溫特沃斯理工學院工業設計系課程的 Behance 產品群組的更多資訊。您可以在 Simon 的 Behance Portfolio 中找到更多作品。
