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Mind Maps, Mood Boards, Conceptual Models, Renderings



Back to second year.
Unlike the first year where all the newbies studied the same courses together, we were separated into our majors in second year.
Mine was interior design.
Well, a brand new year.
We moved to second year interior design studio (a small studio just to fit 20 persons) and we got new studiomasters! (as we have our studio project as the main subject, we called the lecturers as studiomasters, masters who lead the studio)

So, how to start a design?
Do mind mapping.
Take a subject and start to elaborate about it. The core is to think. 
After brainstorming, choose three design elements and principles that could make the design works.
Design elements: point, line, shape, form, space, color and texture.
Design principles: balance, proportion, perspective, emphasise, movement, pattern, repetition, rhythm, variety, harmony and unity.
A simple example: start with flower as the subject, we can elaborate into colour (design element), organic shape(design element), texture (design element), proportion (design principle), pattern (design principle), harmony (design principle) and etc that is relevant.
Another way of starting the mind map is to create fantasy or to solve problems.

Next, create the mood!
Moodboards are collages consisting of images and material samples to show the mood and colour scheme of the design. 
They give you a hint of the design, the look, the mood, the feel, the touch, in an abstract way. 
They are really helpful to do further concept and design developments. 
When you feel lost in the process, look back to your moodboard and start all over again.
You never know how the preliminary design looks when you see the final outcome! 

Top: Red, black and white as the overall mood for Cartier office design
Bottom: Dark tone and elegant taste for Ermenegildo Zegna retail design

Then, play with concept!
In the same time, conceptual model helps to develop design as well as to examine the design elements that result from the mind mapping. 
It could be produced from some scratches of papers, or any materials that could express your design ideas. 
It is still not the final outcome yet, but the process of design.


Conceptual model for Cartier office design with diamond concept and the alphabet "C"  that brings the identity of the luxury jewellery brand.


Conceptual model for Ermenegildo Zegna retail design inspired by wool fibre to express the use of high quality fabrics to make men's suits.

Finally, create realistic outcomes!
Rendering could be manual and digital. 
Manual renderings are those we did during our first year: sketches, colour pencils, watercolours or any rendering method done by hand. 
Before digital rendering was commonly used, manual rendering was the only way for every designer to express their thoughts and ideas. 
That is why everyone would be asking if  you are good in drawing if you are a designer. That's a wrong statement. 
A designer might not good in drawing but good drawing helps to explain the design.
Digital rendering has been a must-to-know skill for interior designer nowadays. 
There are so many softwares in the market but in Malaysia, we are more familiar with SketchUp, 3ds Max, V-Ray, Photoshop and Illustrator. (that is a lot!) 
This is just the begining, so lets's not asking why a designer design is expensive! 
We spend a lot to learn before we earn money!

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