ASID Design Excellence Award--Student Competition

I recently had the opportunity to attend the 2010 ASID Design Excellence Awards held at Puritan Mill in Atlanta. Though I went primarily to receive an award I did for a computer rendering, the designers I had the chance to meet indubitably made my attendance worthwhile. The table I was seated at must have been the table of good fortune because 3 of us, 2 registered Interior Designers in the Atlanta area, won design awards.

In January I had the chance to attend the yearly ADAC Conference for students in Atlanta and I was amazed at how enthusiastic the designers were about pointing us student designers in the right directions. They advised us on what to expect during an interview, how to make our resumes perfect, and how to approach certain fields of design. One aspect that I found particularly interesting is how encouraging they were towards our plight as students looking for internships and/or jobs. Of course they accentuated how important networking is and keeping in touch with our colleagues and other designers we have met because we never know what type of career or job opportunity we could fall into. I have just had an all-around great year in the Interior Design Program at UGA.

Sooooo, here is my computer rendering that I completed as my first project for my Time-based Media class this semester. Our objective was to find an interior in a magazine that had an array of materials that we could transform into a computer image, maintaining the integrity of the space as much as possible. I chose a sitting room from an article titled "Cadence of Grace" from a wonderful magazine I happened upon called "Interiors." Design credits go to Lynne Scalo while Observation credits go to, well, me! Enjoy



Following is my concept statement for this piece:

The purpose of my submission identified by my professor is to create a realistic adaptation of an existing space, while criteria I included for myself is that the space must display a grand piano. The beauty of the sitting room I rendered rests in the integration of straight lines and curves, producing an edgy yet traditional experience. Diverse textures are also displayed—from the chrome of the chairs to the carpet on the floor to the sleekness of the piano—which simply enhances the challenge of producing a realistic rendering. The accurate depiction of these different textures is an integral part of convincing the viewer of the genuineness of the portrayal.

To create the rendering I used Autodesk 3D Studio Max 2010, whereby I modeled the furniture, accessories, and the structure itself. I then used the program to add the lighting. By using the tools given I was able to create a space lit primarily by natural lighting, indicating a bright and sunny day outside. Once the lighting was finalized I began adding materials to my modeled creations. The blending of the lighting and the materials in order to create an accurate space is paramount and was, therefore, my focus. Successful usage of those techniques further highlights the minute details of the furniture pieces.

After fully rendering the image in Autodesk 3D Studio Max 2010, I altered its brightness in Adobe Photoshop CS3 as well as adding the brilliant glow of the windows until it was finally complete. A personal goal of mine was to model every detail of the image in Autodesk 3D Studio Max 2010 and not import any accessory images into Adobe Photoshop CS3, as that would subtract from the quality of the initial rendering.

However, the most significant part of a successful rendering is choosing a space that seems impossible to create, a space with interest in every detail. Rendering the texture of the coffee table, flow of the drapery, and embellishments on the armchairs with the highest precision in this sitting room is vital. Computer-rendering is a skill that I strive to perfect as I progress in my education and into my eventual field as an Interior Designer; nevertheless, I have only been able to do so by taking full advantage of the information taught to me during my time in school. This rendering is a conglomeration of skills I have obtained throughout all of my computer classes and by challenging myself further I was able to create a beautiful image and uncover a talent I never deemed possible.