Showing posts with label design practice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label design practice. Show all posts

2 November 2014

Everyday Design ideas for CEED practice

you are here ........ Practice >> Design exercises


Welcome back friends, like I mentioned (numerous times) in my earlier blog posts, much of the concern has to be given to design ideas as they are more important and are prioritized even than sketching part of CEED exam. It calls your creativity/capability to solve such questions. I feel honoured; for one of my last year's design practice question (design of public dust bins) that I dealt in this blog appeared in CEED 2014 for 50 marks ! That's why just like I did last year, I will be updating some design challenges ever-day to let you practice at your own pace.

This year, I will focus on posting questions that might probably relate to self/community development, in other words it awakens your social responsibility as a citizen; and simultaneously let you prepare for CEED. I would be introducing you to some new trends and dimensions in design, in other words practical design approaches. Please understand the essence of the question before attempting. I hope you enjoy practising these questions.

Some quick note on good practices :

  1. Read the question twice or more times until you understand it completely
  2. Don't attempt before it's understood, at times you will find wasting time doing questions in WRONG manner 
  3. Focus on meeting the requirements of the design/question and then do attempt accordingly
  4. Set a time limit to your attempts, just to make it a habit. But you may take more time as this is just practice section. Remember framing ideas and delivering that roughly/simply within the time are most important
  5. Don't include unnecessary additional's to your design except what required, if you are running out of time in attempting the question 
You may get more useful design related tips in this design example - Walking stick design analysis with some RULES 


Warm-up exercise 

The Indian Government, under the administrative rule of our present PM Narendra Modi, took initiative and developed an online portal for the common people (citizens) to raise their voice as well as suggest ideas to the different sectors of India - all related to policy making, public developments, innovations through effective participation of citizens and through other awareness programs. In this context, they started implementing some online contests for participants to design logo's, themes and many other things. 

As a warm up exercise and to let you participate in the ongoing contest, I would like you to complete the design and submit to the portal (as per your wish). You task is to 

"Suggest theme elements, tagline and logo for India's participation at hannover Messe 2015" 

Here is the Indian Government portal  where you would find the contest - Gov India online portal
For you reference, here is - Details and website of hannover Messe 2015

I also recommend you to go through the Gov. website for more similar contest for your leisure practice
  1. Swachh bharat abhiyan logo design
  2. Digital India mission
  3. Financial Inclusion Logog contest
Hope, the above warm up exercise would introduce you to some new platforms as well as inspires you to participate for public welfare !


03.11.2014


Hope you enjoyed doing yesterday's warm up exercise. I would like to see your logo being selected for that contest by Indian Government ! Well, let me start the first exercise as part of your design practice.

Imagine you are a super hero with gifted supernatural powers, and you are just like other marvel comic hero's - helping people around whenever some incident happens. Once you are just passing by, but suddenly you found a boy in danger (any kind of danger). Immediately you jump in to the situation (as a super hero) to save the boy out of the danger. Fortunately you saved the child just in time and received appreciation from the surrounding public.

Now your task is to make set of comic strips (not less than 3 frames) illustrating the above story/situation. I recommend you to frame the characters in an interesting way,  You may select any of the following tips for situation or character selection. Else frame your own situation.

Tips for situation selection
  • Boy being robed
  • Boy was about to get hit by a vehicle (truck or bus)
  • Boy was about to fall from a building accidentally 
  • Boy was caught in a home that was in fire
  • Or any of your own

Tips for hero selection
  • Your hero might be either men/women
  • Your hero can either fly, have tremendous strength or even can do other wonders
Enjoy doing this fun exercise by learning how to do comic strips. For getting deeper insight on  story board framing, you may refer to this - Story board and poster making guiding website links


04.11.2014


Exercise -1

Today's exercise would help you with 'Writing skills'. Last year CEED exam included this kind of question; probably to test candidates story framing and writing ability. This exercise has been designed so that would cultivate the habit of creative thinking and creative writing.

Carefully observe the below scenario (picture) and frame a story that would fit to the given situation. Write your story in not less than 250 words.


Image attributes : dennyhellman blog


Hints and tips for attempting similar questions :

  • Spend time observing the given situation/sketch without jumping straight to write the story - Have a clear vision of what has to be written by framing the story
  • Take time !
  • Observe every individual/character of the situation 
  • Observe their activities - what they are doing
  • Most importantly note/mind the "mood" of the character - it's very important in story framing ! 
  • Mind the age and gender of the characters !
  • Look for surrounding things - like TV, books etc

The above tips would give you some clues on how to frame a story from a given situation with much ease.

Exercise - 2

I would recommend you to practice one more writing exercise - although this type of question may not appear in CEED exam, but this would help you with writing comprehension or essay's.

Being a citizen of the nation, you got motivated with other's social activities by going through this motivational website - The Better India and so decided to write an letter/essay about your views/suggestions  on any one or all of the following issues
How to change Indian Economy ?
What ways to reduce poverty in India ?
What are some suggested steps to reduce cost of commodities ?
Or any of your own social concern

You are required to write the letter/essay in not less than 250 words. Hope you will enjoy "the power of writing !"


05.11.2014

All right, hope you enjoyed doing yesterdays writing exercises. Well, last year CEED paper surprised me by introducing new type of design question - GUI - Graphical User Interface. UI/UX designs are emerging as an fastest growing design field in the current digital/mobile world. So, today let's practice a UI question. You may get a complete information on GUI along with some good tips to attempt GUI questions here - User Interface Design principles and rules

Design a Graphical User Interface for a a smartphone (mobile phone) of a online shopping company for selecting a mobile device as well as allow for purchasing the same with all the payment process included.

Present your UI designs in the form of screen shots. Draw minimum of ten screen shots that depicts all the process - from home page, phone selection to final purchase confirmation.

As said above, you may check the above link for tips and tricks to handle such design problems.


06.11.2014


Today, we will do some exercise on sketching. Although, having design ideas is the first most concern for any designer, sketching stands second and hence play a crucial role in any design process. Sketching is the mode of conveying your ideas. So, you are expected to have at least 'Average sketching' skill as a beginner. Here is a jackpot to you !

I have also included some online ongoing design-contest today for your benefit.

Sketching exercise

You've given freedom at your school (or office) to enjoy comfort conditions/environment by taking your own requirements and fulfilling that. In this regard, the administration has asked you to give your necessities (with design demonstration) especially in regard to your work/study place.  Design your own class-room/office desk (sitting and working table) that meets your own necessities and requirements as per your convenience, showing all the accessories and inclusions that you wish wish would help you, compared to the present table design.You may choose any shape, include any attachment and so on.

Hints -
  • How about a semi-circular shaped desk for easy access ?
  • You may show charging facilities for your laptops/tablets as well as other power devices
  • Place for water and other food related things
  • Place/sections for files/papers/bags with suitable compartments
  • Fanning arrangements etc

External contest !

Hope you have participated actively in the first day contest, now here goes some additional contests :

Typography design contest on hiiiband blog -

Photography design contest on hipa blog -

Poster design contest on 'home-design' website - (Just for practice purpose, be cartful it's paid in $50 !)

Okay, finally; since you are practising sketching work, let me include the below video as a reference for making you aware of some of the common mistakes that last year students did while they practised - Please understand the common mistakes to avoid, and also learn how to be productive while sketching by going through this video.




07.11.2014


Well, today we shall practice making of posters.

India is one of the fastest developing country, next only to China (in economy). There's tremendous improvement in almost all sectors of operations, but still poverty prevails ! reason why ?

Like the country is growing fastly, it's population is also increasing massively, I can say double than that of the other growths ! currently it's near 1.2 billions out of 7.2 billions of the world ! (nearly 17% in a single country ?)

 The big difference between China and India is, Chinese citizens took great steps in reducing their population growth, may be people realized or may be their government took measures with awareness campaigns or so. That didn't happened earlier in India. Citizens are yet to get aware of the outcomes of the  rapid population growth. Say when a family has 3 to 4 children without having a family plan of 1-2 children, then that family suffers in all ways. The family leader feels difficulty in feeding all those children, can't provide education to many, can't look for their nutrition provision and so on. The final result - that family ends in poverty !


source : aljazeera blog

If the same family took steps and ended up with 1-2 children, then all the expenses are reduced - costs, educations, food, etc, So ultimately that deters their poverty level. If the same thing happens in every family, then .......... holla............ poverty gone in India with better economy and prosperity.

Okay, here is the deal, you are an official government representative and was asked to make an eye catching poster that would bring an awareness of population growth to citizens (especially for rural and urban slum residents); you may cover opt to cover any or all of the above ideas. Hope this interest you !

08.11.2014


Today, we will practice on Product Design question.

You are working in a company delivery products specifically related to electronics or gadgets. Your company wants to design and release a mp3 music player with display included for volume controls, track/genre selections and other operation as a competition for the Apple's famous iPod Nano. You are a part of the design team and your team leader asked each one of you to come up with separate designs to select the best out of many or to mix different ideas in a single product.

Now, design your own mp3 model that is
  • Slim
  • Unique in terms of design looks, feel, operation - menu's, buttons etc
  • Select proper material that is - light weight, durable, aesthetic feeling and low cost (plastic is banned in your company)
  • Comfort and simple for carrying

The below pictures are included for your reference or idea, covering all the generations of iPod.

 
                     

09.11.2014

Today, instead of dealing with design practice exercise, I have covered this weeks Part-A practice questions set for your benefit here -

CEED 2014 Part-A Practice exercise, week - 1

10.11.2014

Today, I have reviewed yesterday's Part - A mock test questions has. I updated all the answers with explanations (wherever required). Find the answers here

Answer key for CEED 2014 Part-A mock test - 1

11.11.2014

Okay, we will start again our daily design exercises as usual ! Here's two exercise's for today

Design Exercise 

You probably might have come across 'Electric bicycles' that is famous in developing countries like China. Indian Government decided to launch public owned bicycles that would run manually as well as on electricity (whenever required - but not always !). You are assigned the job of designing the bike, such that the bike is

  • User friendly
  • easy to handle with less arrangements
  • Less energy usage (renewable type)
  • Cost effective etc
You are required to identify 6 (six) distinct factors in designing the bicycle, identify the need for such bicycles in cities (explain that in written) and also come up with not less than three distinct design ideas. You should present your final design with necessary rough sketches.

Evaluation criteria
  • Practicalness - reality in design
  • Application oriented design
  • Rough sketches and construction
  • Identifying the factors and need

Exercise - 2

Check the below messy picture and write a story related to the situation depicted in not less than 200 words.



Image courtesy - kidacne.com

12.11.2014

Once a wild dog happened to meet a pet dog. Both were having conversation about their life. The wild dog wept out and told the pet dog - how forests are being encroached because of human interventions, and what lead the forest wild animals to migrate to cities and near by villages, ultimately making them fell into human traps. It told the pet dog, that pet dog's life is appreciable as they don't have any issues with humans. Now, hearing this, the pet dog started laughing at her and told how even the pet dogs are getting troubles from humans. It said that life in cities (and especially in connection with human) is miserable and it's turning out worse day by day.

Now, your task is to frame the above story and depict the same in the form of comic strip, in not less than three frames.

13.11.2014

We have covered almost all parts of CEED design questions, but just remember guys, sketching has to be practised simultaneously. It's equally important in exams. So, today I will include an exercise on sketching through imagination. I'm also including links for some of the sketch practice sections that I hid from this blog long back. If you are interested in practising by copying those questions, I recommend you to save those pictures to your system, because I will hide these links again by this weekend.

Sketch the view of a person sitting in a sofa in a room (home) and watching a TV.

Sketch examples


Those who want to practice sketching are advised to save these pictures, because I will hide these links again by this week end.

Hope that helps.

14.11.2014


Creativity Exercise

Ice Cream packages comes in different sizes - ranging from candy to family packs. Family pack ice creams are usually packed in a large bowl like boxes as shown below.


Source prepac

Materials used for packaging range from paper or disposable card rolls to plastic. Now your job is make creative uses of these boxes - to identify alternative uses of used ice cream boxes (of any shape or size) for day to day or regular use.

UI Design Exercise - 1

Current mobile devices runs mostly on any one of the platforms : iOS, Android, Windows, Firefox and some other minor operating systems (OS). You are working in a company developing a new mobile OS software.

Design a User Interface system, that is different from the current top OS. Show the screen shots of top 10 functionalities like start screen, menu, notification bar, widgets design and placing, settings, picture gallery or any other function. Also choose an app to display in your UI system.

15.11.2014


Modern Indian toilets trend has been shifting from traditional pour flush type to cistern flush type (western toilets) as shown in the below picture; owing to rapid urbanization. In all those types of western toilets, flush buttons were attached to the water holder (as shown in the picture) behind the sitting posture. So whenever the user thinks of flushing while at use, he need to turn back and press the button (hands get twisted), and it's really painful with hands folded as if doing yoga. This might be not a problem for everyone, but for elder people, they feel bit inconvenient. Your job is to

  • State the problems with the current cistern flush design, 
  • State the necessity for new design
  • Identify a minimum of five factors to be considered while designing a new system
  • Make three distinct concepts and show them in rough sketches.
  • Show your final concept with all the details in proper views through clear sketches.



16.11.2014

Today, instead of dealing with design practice exercise, I have covered this weeks Part-A practice questions set for your benefit here -

Part-A mock test - 2 practice exercises


17.11.2014

Please take time to complete a 2 min survey by filling the below form to help me better understand your needs. This survey would definitely help you ! 

CEED and NID Survey form - 1

By the way, Today I have released answer key for yesterday's Part - A mock test. Do check the explanations and answers here

Answer key to Part - A mock test - 2


18.11.2014

Exercise - 1

Bulbs have usually less life and after they get exhausted, they are helplessly thrown. Now find five creative uses of bulb (as shown in the below picture) and show the ideas with appropriate sketches.


Exercise - 2

Design a multi purpose brief case that is probably meant to carry important documents and of course cash and cheques. The briefcase should be designed to let the owner use it with full security and with additional things. Something like theft and missing intimation through electronic way (may be by app inclusion in mobiles) and any other features. Show the rough sketches of different concepts and finally come up with a design with neat sketches.

19.11.2014

Exercise - 1

The below picture shows a typical Indian small-scale tea shop in rural villages. The owner of that shop decided to spend and re-construct his small tea shop to make it a hotel with all food provision. Now, that entrepreneur approached you to suggest him with the changes to be made, and what are the facilities to be added to make his customers loyal and regular.


Source - Kafila blog

Your job is to identify the customers (village residents) behaviour and design a new hotel for that location.

  1. Identify the problems with the present situation
  2. State the factors or inclusions that has to be made to change that situation
  3. State the facilities to be provided for the concerned population
  4. Show the owner your plans with sketches and explanations
Remember that the shop is to be opened in the same area (rural area) and so plan accordingly, although the owner is willing to expand his business, but he cannot afford for something like high-cost furnitures, aesthetically pleasing interiors and ore. That has nothing to do in such areas, right ? Remember both the user's preferences and location cum situation are very important while designing. So, do come up with this idea and make your sketches.


Exercise - 2

Now, consider the case where the above same village is now famous for international tourist and there's a huge population of travellers from around the world visiting that village. Now, imagine the same owner willing to develop a hotel, this time to the outers and he is ready to invest much greater than the earlier case. For this case, do the above all factors and analysis and come up with sketches for the proposed design.

20.11.2014

Design a poster for an awareness campaign to educate citizens of India, about the importance of saving electricity/power. The poster should also depict various methods or recommendations to reduce power wastage as well as effectively utilize them for sustainable future. If possible make separate posters for rural people, urban people and for school children's.

Picture Composition and design guide

Some of our friends came forward to help you with picture composition (framing story) and other design solutions I received their works and I'm now sharing with you. Please go through the below links and get some ideas.

Example of framing a story (Picture composition)

Solutions for Everyday Design works from Sameer Sapre


21.11.2014

Exercise 1 :

Make different designs of electric bulb (CFL, or any other bulbs). Designs that cover past, present and future. Go for different design shapes and creative your own design of a unique bulb design.

Exercise 2 :

Design a carrier/lunch box for kids that would also allow to carry liquid energy drinks like juice, milk etc. preferably in a glass or narrow jar type. There should be a minimum of two layers of boxes and the design should be unique and should also accommodate rest of the lunch box.

NOTE : I have included some more design exercises for the coming days in advance.


22.11.2014

This question is a bit time consuming but worth trying as this kind of design questions helps you with portfolio. Government of India decided to offer some battery-powered electric tricycles to the owners of the current human powered rickshaws, in order to support their economic growth with reduced prices and loan basis.

You are required to submit a design that seems efficient, easy-use, cost-effective, comfort-travel conditions and more. The rickshaws are meant to operate in different Indian terrains (road conditions). Below shows an example for your reference.


Image courtesy : modularmachines blog

23.11.2014

In the usual tricycle auto rickshaw design, designers considered placing of single wheel in the front, and two wheels in the back/rear.  Why not reverse ? I mean two wheels in the front and one wheel in the rear ?

State your design views, also compare both designs by bringing advantages and disadvantages with your final selection/choice.

Tips : Consider some vehicle stability design requirements like steering control, traction, front face area for wind, load and other stability factors.


Essence of Designing - 1


When you are designing any thing -

  1. What factors do you consider in  mind, state the factors ?
  2. What are the essential and optional factors in any design ?
  3. What is the requirement for any design in real life ?
  4. Why multiple choices/designs are required ? In other words, why designs usually gets upgraded ?
  5. What are the deciding factors to justify that your designed product/service is better than the previous similar design ? 
  6. What are some common tools for getting design ideas ? 
  7. What tools we usually use to communicate our designs ? 
  8. Are designs required in all fields/sectors ? When designs are required ?  


Essence of Designing - 2


Any new design should probably be for meeting any faults in the previous work. The new design should be simple and easy to use, understand, cost effective/economical, special future's, either multi purpose or single use. Also the current climatic situations demands the designs to be sustainable - environmental friendly materials, long life, efficient functionality and so on.

Design is not always required in every field. The reason or necessity or requirements are the main driving forces to look for new designs. Now a days customer complaints plays a crucial role in looking for better designs, so understand the needs and/or requirements in any design, be it is for CEED exam or for real life designs. How better your design performs depends on what advantages your design offers compared to others, or if starting from scratch, then whether that idea is feasible or practical. Designing without a reason is just considered as hobby or passion, and if that is practical and useful to at least one user, then it's useful, else it would just remain as a passionate idea !

Design ideas comes when you feel the need, when somebody suggests you, when you go through some other ideas.


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Thus ....... I end this years everyday design practice !

If you are further interested in practising exercises, then do check the previous years everyday design question and practice them. There's some good number of practical questions, check the below link

Everyday Design practice questions with some solutions


Hope you enjoyed practicing questions. 

All the best !

Important note :

You may avoid some common design mistakes by learning here - mistakes in design sketch works

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10 August 2014

Answer to CEED 2014 Product Design part



Design Problem solving is an important part of CEED exam and it combines application of your creativity with sketching. So, we will see one more example - by way of solution or answer to CEED 2014 Product design part for now.

Question :


Present road side waste containers are normally dirty, stinking and spilling over. Design roadside waste container bin(s) to be used in public places for segregation of the following categories of waste. 
  1. Different types of packaging 
  2. Wet and Dry organic waste 
  3. Organic food waste 
  4. All other kinds of leftover.
The container(s) should be rugged, movable so that the waste can be transported for periodic disposal. 
  • Present your design proposal
  • With a neat freehand sketch showing the form.
  • An exploded view drawing
  • Indicate the materials and processes used in manufacturing.
  • Support your design with a brief note on the design decisions taken.
Evaluation criteria 
  1. Identification of problem areas 
  2. Design insights and creativity 
  3. User Centric Design considerations 
  4. Sustainability parameters recycle, reduce, regenerate, refuse 
  5. Ability to meet specific requirements of hygiene, portability and Indian conditions 
  6. Originality of ideas 
  7. Appropriateness of materials to be used in the manufacturing of the final product.
(Appeared as question no. 6 in CEED 2014 exam paper)



Let me discuss a little about the importance of 'evolution criteria' before proceeding to the actual design. 

The examiner puts his focus completely on the evolution part and he checks whether your designed product meets the requirement or not, and if it met, then to what extent !. So, you should care for that and give much concern to the question, the requirements and the evolution criteria. 

To confirm this, I did some experiments while writing CEED exam last year (2014). For the first question of CEED 2014 design part - that is to make a freehand sketch of a person opening a door, I knowingly skipped two evolution requirements, and due to which I received very less marks, even though I spent much time to make that sketch look good. I also spared part of the time (that I was supposed to use for the 50 marks design question) to make this sketch look great and I can say, it was one of my best try ever. But even then, I only got very less marks for that attempt ! 

Now I did the second experiment - for the 50 marks design question (I preferred product design question as I'm good at product design) I made simple rough sketch, but I took care to meet almost all the requirements of the question minding the evolution process. But unfortunately, since I already wasted some time attempting first sketch question, I couldn't make the rough sketch better, it went below rough ! But alas, I got unexpected marks - suitable enough to clear and get good score !

I therefore confirmed - those ideas that have been communicated with all the need of the question succeed greatly than any other attempt to make that - visually better; but no much concern on the requirements. So, please be careful and understand the question as well as the evolution process.

Let's now solve the design question giving care to the evolution process as well.

Identification of Problem Areas

  1. Each kind of waste has some dead time - before which they should be processed - say dry waste can be disposed 3 or 4 days, while organic food waste is to be disposed within a day in order to avoid stinking smell. So, the dustbin could be capable of individual wastes at different times
  2. Most of the time, dustbin with wet and organic wastes requires periodic cleaning, pesticide control and other hygienic control steps to avoid unhygienic conditions. So, they need to be processed for some part of time. While dry and solid waste dustbins can be serviced after even a month. So, the dustbin should accommodate replaceable individual parts, without making the need for moving the entire dustbin thus eliminating the waste of men, machine and money !
  3. The dustbin should be movable, in other sense portable to make it usable wherever required in roadside.
  4. Since it is required to make the dustbin portable, it should therefore be simple, light weight and probably be handled with ease with minimum number of accessories.
  5. The dustbin should not be easily accessible by animals, insects and any other foreign disturbances.
  6. It should be unique to make it attractive and user-friendly.

Materials and process used in manufacturing


  • All the body parts were supposed to be made with PVC - poly vinyl chloride and extrusion process were employed to make them
  • The bottom circular trolley was proposed to be made with Mild Steel (MS) material coated with corrosive paints so as to make it strong, load-bearable and of course corrosive to environment.

Design Decisions taken


  1. These dustbins were designed so that individual parts can be mounted or dismantled with ease.
  2. All the individual dustbin parts (of 4 categories) were replaceable and any one or all can be changed with other similar dustbin parts, so as to make it continuous usage
  3. The dustbins were designed with less ground or width requirement so as to occupy less space but accommodate more waste.
  4. The dustbin is portable with the help of the circular trolley accessory at the bottom of the product
  5. Simple but tight fit lids were arranged for the individual dustbin product to keep it in closed position always so as to dis allow external/foreign contaminates into the bin as well as avoid disturbances to general public due to smell, insects and flies
  6. The dustbin can also be used without the need for the trolley also (if required) - if it is to be placed in some fixed location, so it's a multi purpose usage product
  7. These dustbins were designed to eliminate much of the maintenance cost as well as physical requirement - by the provision of individual replaceable bin.  
  8. Attractiveness and uniqueness will make the users feel the need for dustbin usage and hence they might not throw the wastes here and there - thus directly eliminating additional efforts and costs. 
  9. The dustbins were given tapering shape to make the top opening more for easy throwing of wastes as well as for easy maintenance

Below are shown my illustrations for the dustbin question.










Note : 

  • I used Adobe ideas software (iPad app) to do the above illustrations - just for my own convenience and practice. But this is not allowed in your exam and you need to really do this with pencil and importantly with freehand
  • Because of less time, I avoided showing complete exploded or part views - I instead showed views for some parts only; just to save my time (in this page and not during my exam)
  • I also didn't show rough sketches here, while I recommend you to do so.
  • In my exam, I also showed some details and shadings - very roughly

As we had gone through the Multi-purpose design aspects, I would like to share my ideas and thoughts (you may call it tips) that you might find useful while attempting similar design problems.
  1. First things first, The better way to deal with this type of problem is to try rough sketching first (instead of doing the perception and solution writing). Because when you start sketching, in the process you might get a better idea than what you had thought earlier. Suppose that you wrote the explanation and solution part first, then you might face difficulty in adding or changing the wordings. So better start with rough sketch, second comes writing part and then go for final sketch. Using pencil for sketching rather than colors will help to make easy changes.
  2. I noted two pages for rough work and three pages for final answer in the question paper and I planned to use this papers as follows :

  • I wish to use at least two papers (given for rough work) to show my rough sketches. Rough sketches should preferably be illustrated by a quick and simple pencil (part and overall) sketches. Preferably 5-10 mins can be spared for that.
  • I will utilize the first page (given for final answer)  to write the problem perception and solution part
  • Second page will be used for the overall drawing with construction and the third page for detailed part sketches.
  • Note that rough sketches could be impressing the examiners and in there you can show the construction part in exploded view format. 

  1. Exploded view are nothing but showing all the assembled parts individually. Just imagine and draw how the product looks if all the parts were removed like say removing bolts, connections etc. 
  2. No need to go for detailed sketch, just a basic and simple rough sketch do a great job. I avoided showing exploded view and rough sketches for this question (in this page and not in exam) because of less time. You should be showing that in simple way. 
  3. Exploded Sketching and rendering for this type of questions won't take much time (as there are no background themes or portraits to be drawn). So, utilize the time and try to give detailed drawings, especially the individual part sketches, like I did in my illustration for the design question - multi purpose walking stick design.
  4. If you find time, you may try coloring also only if specified in the question.
  5. You may reduce the number of 'identified problems', but let the problems be acceptable.

21 February 2014

Storyboard and poster making sites


<< back to Resources and books


Storyboard writing

A similar concept to comic strip is "Storyboardwhich is useful for animation and film making. Story boards are made by a sequence of pictures (similar to comic strip), but the pics can be shown very rough to give the basic idea of what actually the story is. we can also use "stick figures" to represent in storyboards. Stick figures are kind of cartooning in single line formats. 

I forgot to give details about storyboard in any of my Resource page. Storyboard kind of design questions were appearing in CEED these days. So, I request you all to learn some basic rules for storyboard making by going through the below web pages that I searched for your convenience (more detailed guide about storyboard writing will be discussed soon).

After going through the websites, you may do the exercises given next to web links. You may just have an overview (insight) of the following webpages but please observe how stories have been conveyed through sketches.
  • A very good website for storyboard making - here
  • A starting guide to storyboard - here
  • Some examples of storyboard - here
After understanding the concept of storyboard, You are required to do a storyboard for the following by assuming yourself as a tiger.

Problem :


Due to deforestation, most part of the forest became plain including the tiger. The tiger came to village and the villagers caught hold of her and handed over to zoo department. By assuming yourself as a tiger, do the following
  1. Narrate your story (in an elaborated way) in written
  2. Make five sketches of yourself (tiger) in various moods/expressions
  3. Create a storyboard to describe your story in 8 frames
You may also design the storyboard using stick pictures. Stick pictures are a kind of sketching using plain/simple lines. For your reference a sample storyboard with stick picture is shown below. (The idea of allowing storyboard with stick picture for this particular exercise is just as a beginning and learning. 

I assume that it is important to understand "how to express your thoughts rather than simple sketching". But in exams, stick picture is not recommended because these type of questions usually carries 50 marks (If the marks were less say 15, then you may go for stick pictures). For now you try according to your convenience.     

            

If you find time, you may also write a story and design a storyboard for the crow question. (thirsty crow putting stones in pot to drink water)

Poster Design


After understanding Storyboard writing, let us also see something about poster design. You may check the below links/web pages that will help you give some basic procedure as well as tips. Please study this and do the the exercise.
  1. The basic procedure in making a simple poster by hand and PowerPoint - Link here,  (Just go through the hand procedure, PowerPoint posters are not required now)
  2. Tips for making a poster - Link here
  3. More tips about academic poster - Link here
Leisure time study

Elaborated tips for Poster making from creatibloq - Link here
Some tips from dzineblog about effective posters - Link here

Problem :


Child labor has became a major concern in India. Most of the children were not aware of the policies available under government or private organization like free education, development help by non-profit organizations. Today's children are tomorrows future. Child labor is also a crime. So, it's important to bring awareness about child labor. You have to do the following
  1. Identify at least five distinct factors essential for representing the issue of child labor. Write briefly the factors
  2. Generate three distinct concepts through pencil sketches based on the factors identified above. Present these pencil sketches along with brief notes.
  3. Create your final concept of the poster and present this through drawing
You may use images/graphics, typography/tests and even colors also to represent your poster. Remember the text should be very brief and short and please avoid unnecessary texts in the poster. (This is a basic rule for poster making, you may check the same in the tips provided above).  



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17 November 2013

Design practice exercises for everyday - 2

you are here ...... Practice >> Design practice exercise - 2
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17.11.2013

Problem :
The municipality of XYZ town decided to convert the town into a metro city. The following pictures depict the current date typical street conditions of the town. As a city development planner, you are required to identify the factors; state the problems with the existing streets, clearly specify the possible solutions along with some sketches supporting your solution.   




18.11.2013

Design Problem :
Geezer are electric water heaters used at homes for providing hot water. It consumes electricity and takes some time to heat the water to given temperature. A XYZ company was working to innovate a product that will provide instant hot water by using household LPG gas. You are working in the company as product designer and were asked to design the above product with the following requirements
  • One inlet for water intake, one inlet for gas intake, and other outlet for hot water through hose pipes (3 to 4 meter)
  • The product should have a heating arrangement (by gas) and water will be pushed in coils of metal pipes to heat that
  • Suitable working switches, regulators are to be placed
  • Vents/holes for letting the gas smoke from the heating panel
 So, please do the following
  1. Disadvantages of the present Geezer
  2. Scope and advantages of your concept, advantages over the geezer
  3. Some simple rough sketches showing the construction of the concept (preferably in exploded view)
  4. A simple but detailed sketch depicting your overall idea
19.11.2013

Problem 1 :
Everybody might have come across the famous crow story. The short story of a thirsty crow, who make an idea of drinking water from a half filled water pot by putting stones/pebbles into it. Make a comic strip depicting the story of the thirsty crow. 

Problem 2 :
Below is shown a picture viewing the general ward of a typical Government hospital. Identify the problems faced by the general users by assuming yourself as a user. State your problems briefly. Give some possible inclusions or changes that can be made with proper justifications. Sketch the new room (you may neglect human sketching).

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For 18.11.13 design question regarding the Geezer, please check the below sample pictures that were commonly used at homes using LPG for your idea.

    
Solution for 18.11.13 Geezer design problem - shared with me by Varun shankar was shown in below pictures

 


20.11.2013
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I forgot to give details about storyboard in any of my previous posts. Storyboard kind of design questions were appearing in CEED these days. So, I request you all to learn some basic rules for storyboard making by going through the below webpages (at least for today) that I searched for your convenience. After going through the websites, you may do the exercises given next to web links. You may just have an overview (insight) of the following webpages but please observe how stories have been conveyed through sketches.
  • A very good website for storyboard making - here
  • A starting guide to storyboard - here
  • Some examples of storyboard - here
After understanding the concept of storyboard, You are required to do a story board for the following by assuming yourself as a tiger.
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Problem :
This question is same as 16.11.13 problem. Due to deforestation, most part of the forest became plain including the tiger. The tiger came to village and the villagers caught hold of her and handed over to zoo department. By assuming yourself as a tiger, do the following
  1. Narrate your story (in an elaborated way) in written
  2. Make five sketches of yourself (tiger) in various moods/expressions
  3. Create a storyboard to describe your story in 8 frames
You may also design the storyboard using stick pictures. Stick pictures are a kind of sketching using plain/simple lines. For your reference a sample storyboard with stick picture is shown below. (The idea of allowing storyboard with stick picture for this particular exercise is just as a beginning and learning. 
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I assume that it is important to understand "how to express your thoughts rather than simple sketching". But in exams, stick picture is not recommended because these type of questions usually carries 50 marks. If the marks were less say 15, then you may go for stick pictures). For now you try according to your convenience.     


If you find time, you may also write a story and design a storyboard for the crow question. (thirsty crow putting stones in pot to drink water)

21.11.2013
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Today we will go through poster design, before going through today's exercise, we will see some links or websites that will help you give some basic procedure as well as tips. Please study this and do the the exercise.
  1. The basic procedure in making a simple poster by hand and PowerPoint - Link here,  (Just go through the hand procedure, PowerPoint posters are not required now)
  2. Tips for making a poster - Link here
  3. More tips about academic poster - Link here
Leisure time study
Elaborated tips for Poster making from creatibloq - Link here
Some tips from dzineblog about effective posters - Link here
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Problem :
Child labor has became a major concern in India. Most of the children were not aware of the policies available under government or private organization like free education, development help by non-profit organizations. Today's children are tomorrows future. Child labor is also a crime. So, it's important to bring awareness about child labor. You have to do the following
  1. Identify at least five distinct factors essential for representing the issue of child labor. Write briefly the factors
  2. Generate three distinct concepts through pencil sketches based on the factors identified above. Present these pencil sketches along with brief notes.
  3. Create your final concept of the poster and present this through drawing
You may use images/graphics, typography/tests and even colors also to represent your poster. Remember the text should be very brief and short and please avoid unnecessary texts in the poster. (This is a basic rule for poster making, you may check the same in the tips provided above).  

22.11.2013

Today we will do some creative and design exercises as practice

Creative Problem :
We had come across different types of dust-bins, it varies from small household dustbin to big street bins. Dustbins may be simple, mountable, hanged, mechanical operated and so on. Now, sketch the different types of dust bins by your own imagination stating their advantages and disadvantages. Also design a dustbin suitable for Indian bus-stops.

Design Problem :
Intelligence Bureau of India usually carries investigation. The Central government of India decided to issue specially designed Multi-purpose pen to the agents so that they can be used at times for secret missions. You are the designer of that pen. Now
  • State the factors needed for designing the multi-purpose pen
  • Create three distinctive concepts/ideas through rough sketches. 
  • Finalize a single concept with detailed sketch and construction (if possible with some exploded views)
  • State what opportunities your solution provides
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Useful pictures
The following pictures were included, as a reference for you to solve the problem - question no. 2 of CEED 2012 (Part- B) previous paper. The question goes like this :
Caps on glass bottles used for pickles and jam are often difficult to open for senior citizens. Many of these caps are screwed onto the bottles. Design an opener for screwable bottle caps to be used by the elderly.

Some concepts were given in the below picture (found in internet), please check and have some ideas

   

           
(Picture source - Link here)
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Concept for yesterday's poster problem shared with me by Neeta Chauhan, is shown below. I thank her for taking inspiration and putting efforts for doing that. Please go through that for your reference



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23.11.2013

Design Problem :

Women who have newly born babies usually takes their children outside along with them to markets, shopping, walking etc. It's always difficult for them to carry their child with hands. For that only a trolley type of wheeled cycle was introduced. You are working in a company where you are the product designer. You are asked to design a multi-purpose baby trolley  that will help women in most respects while outside. Please do the following
  1. State the perception of the problems (needs of the new design)
  2. Identify the factors needed to design the product
  3. Show the construction of your product through rough sketches
  4. Finally give a detailed sketch
Sketching Practice :

Sketch the view of a plate with some cookies on it and a basket with fruits on it; both placed on a table.
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Useful pictures
The following pictures were included as a reference for you to solve a similar kind of problem that appeared as question no. 6 of CEED 2010 previous paper.

 

 

(Picture source and similar kind of ideas can be found - Link here )
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Solution for yesterday's exercise done by our friend Ashita Jain, were shown in the below pictures.

1. Solution for Dustbin sketches




2. Solution for multi-purpose pen design for Intelligence agents


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24.11.2013

Problem Identification :


Below is shown a picture taken at typical Indian Railway reservation counter. After observing it, please do the following 
  • Identify the problems associated with the given picture; both from the point of view of the customer as well as the booking officer
  • State the factors to be considered for making changes
  • Give some ideas/solutions for a new system possibly with sketches


Do similarly regarding problem identification for the below picture also


Sketching Practice :

You are sitting in a room, right ? sketch the view of your room with all the accessories visible like bed, tables, windows/doors, PC and any other thing visible.
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The below picture was shown to give you idea for yesterday's baby trolley problem.

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24.11.2013

Problem Identification :


Below is shown a picture showing a typical Indian Government office. After observing it, please do the following 
  • Identify the problems associated with the given picture assuming yourself as a staff in that office
  • State the factors to be considered for making changes
  • Give some ideas/solutions for a new system possibly with sketches

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ALSO SEE

Design problem solving procedure - Walking stick

Problem Identification type - cooker example


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Note :

We covered more than 10 days of practice exercises; and now less than a week is left for CEED exam. I hope; I covered most part of Design related questions expect logo making (that I couldn't find related topics because of time factor). Now it's time for us to revise everything we learnt and any other new topics. So, I will stop giving further exercises from tomorrow and if anything useful found, I will definitely share with you.

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Hope my blog helped you ......
And I am sure all do well and crack CEED with good score. 

All the best ....... :)

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