INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Product Design

Industrial design is the use of both applied art and science to create and develop products that benefit both the user and manufacture. Industrial designers also known as Product designers prepare drawings and illustrations of products that assist in the decision making process. Once the decisions have been made they then prepare the models or prototypes to be demonstrated or tested. However products such as textiles and furniture have designers who specialise in their development. From original idea to final product there is a long and involved process even for something as simple as a small home appliance. A large amount of development time is required to design a product that is marketing success.

Industrial designers Paul Taylor and Gerry Mussett designed the Axis kettle in 1993. Although Gerry Musset explains how Kambrook and The Key Centre for Design were involved in the concept development and models he left the project when it got to the production drawing stage. Kambrook then took over the kettle’s production.
The Axis kettle is designed for all demographics with safe, convenient everyday use, easy to pick up, cordless electrical connection, at affordable prices. Constructed mostly of stainless steal or plastic materials.
In time researchers observed that kettles were often over filled and that users would typically boil a kettle and walk away only to return and boil it again. To try and prevent this from happening the designers included three features to help encourage users to conserve electricity and water. Firstly a temperature gauge was designed and fitted to the kettle, to indicate that the water was at an appropriate temperature to make tea or coffee. Secondly a volume indicator was installed at the top of the jug, clearly marking the water level. Then thirdly the designers insulated the kettle with double thick wall, improving heat retention and reducing the need to re boil the kettle.
The diagram displayed is a visual, free hand drawing that includes illustrations of both 2D and 3D and is drawn simply with an everyday pencil and paper. The elements and principles that have been used are shape, line, form, tone, and colour. Shape has been used by drawing two-dimensional sketches with straight and cured lines to show particular feature on the kettle, displaying also the side of the kettle. Form has been used to represent the two- dimensional drawings as a three-dimensional illustration. This is used to show what the final product will look like and give it a more realistic look. Tone also adds to its realism and compliments form by adding shadow to the drawing. The use of colour has also been used to help display the different individual layers that are going to be included into the kettle.

Packaging Design

In industrial design a two or three-dimensional pattern can be used to produce a product. The development of a package can be a separate process, but must still be linked closely with the product to create the final packaged product. Spoonys is a new and creative solution for all soup lovers that are on the go. Its packaging and features consists of two soup cups with individual holders, lids and pots, two spoons and a soup cup holder. The benefits are that these two cups have lids that completely seal in its contents, while also been able to then use the lids as coasters. The pots that are placed on top of the cups further help to seal the contents, while also adding to the insolation keeping the soup hot. These pots that would normally just seal, can then also be used as additional cups if there are more than two people. The outer mid section of the cup gives even more insolation, keeping the soup warm while allowing the customer to grip and hold the cup without burning their hands. Your Spoony meal is then placed in a cleverly designed cup soup holder that will be quick and easy to grab.

The materials used to creat this fianal product also play an important part. They help with creating the final disired outcome. Corflute paper is featured on the outter mid section of the cup and the cup soup holder, while different types of plastic are used to produce the cups, lids, pots and spoons.

The image displayed on the Internet is in 3D form. This product would have needed to go through various processes. Starting with the original sketched design, to its construction, choice of materials and finally to the marketing of the products. Various prototypes would have surfaced to create this piece. Photos of the product would have being taken, capturing an image that would best visually display the product and its features on Internet. At that point the product and how to best market it and gain attention would have being taken into consideration.

The principles and elements used in designing this product are texture, colour, letterform and line. Texture is seen through the use of both smooth and cores surfaces. The smooth surface and shapes are created with the combining of curved, circular shapes and three-dimensional construction. Creating a clean, smooth finish to the product. Whereas the cores surface of the corflute paper displays a rigid effect, which helps create a repetition of line. The bag on the other hand while it features the same rigid effect, also displays elements of symmetrical and curved shapes, seen on the outer sides of the packaging, handle and labelling. This also helps to create balance.

The use of colour also plays a big part in this design, making it stand out with its striking contrasting colours of green, white and brown. The use of green highlights the key features of the product, the pots and brand label, this contrast against the brown as well as using a little amount of white for the labelling, the spoon and the cup gives the product and packaging a striking effect. Not wanting to take the attention away from the products the brand label and slogan although white is used in a subtle technique of a thin, simple lettering. All helping to create an outstanding product, which is also user friendly to the consumer.

Interior Design

Industrial interior design is the combination of both art and engineering. Industrial design is often selected for the redevelopment of loft apartments, which are re designed to create an open, modern living. Or as we see in this particular image, enhance and bring forward into existence what one would imagine being the look of a once old warehouse or factory. This particular style is a growing trend and is easy to achieve, it requires an unfinished look and is about using raw and pretty rough surfaces.

This concept is then often blended with minimalist interior designs, therefore you should avoid having lots of furniture or objects and the less you have the better it is. The image provided is an example of an open loft space, even if you don’t have the open space you can still easily achieve this by taking elements of this style and making it fit your own home. Due to its simple, open space design this style is appealing to all general public and builders who have an appreciations for this particular style of living. The media used to market interior design can vary, from catalogues, newspapers, designer shows on TV, ads and the use of Internet.

When talking about interior design a wide range of principles and elements are used, but the main ones used for industrial interior design and in this particular image are line, colour, tone, texture and balance. The use of line and balance puts things to scale and in proportion. We see this in the placement of furniture, evenly placed in the space available. Line also helps in creating space, as ones eye tends to travel along the length of the room. The visible lines running length ways in the floorboards and beams above in the ceiling further create this illusion. Your colour palette shouldn’t consist of bright, bold colours, to create this particular design. However a splash of a contrasting colour as seen in the image, may be used simply as a feature piece, creating a point of intrust. This helps to break the monotone appearance of the room. On the other hand the more warm natural tone of browns, greys, blacks and whites will help create the desired out come. Giving it an earthier, rustic feeling in keeping with its existing surroundings and era.
The materials introduced to create the desired out come and design are mostly natural products consisting of wood and leather, as seen in the furnishings, which are added to an already existing shell made up of metal, timber and glass. As we can see therefore texture plays a very important part in the final desired result when decorating your surroundings. The various materials, props and surroundings showcase their own character and that of the owners, creating a certain vibe that often is felt when one walks into a room. This particular design has being display effectively given one a good sense of what can be achieved in an unlikely surrounding.

Industrial Design regardless of product or format of imagery, takes into consideration both art and technology. Designers need to consider form and function to create consumer or industrial products, that will help improve not only our society, but enrich our culture and contribute to our economy.