The design is modelled using Blender 3D and rendered with Yafaray Renderer, both of which are high-quality open-source programs. Path-tracing was used as the GI lighting method. Multiple anti-alias passes, coupled with tight threshold value were used to clean up the noise inherent with this type of rendering algorithm.

The concept development and work-in-progress can be found here.

Staying true to the spirit of using open source programs for this particular project, the initial ideation sketch (as shown below) was created using My Paint on a Tablet PC. My Paint is an open source digital painting tool that is rather similar to Artrage and Sketch book Pro.

Unfortunately, My Paint does not seems to be able to detect pressure sensitivity on the Tablet PC (although Artrage on the same Tablet PC is able to do so).  I have heard that My Paint running on the Linux is able to detect pressure sensitivity of Pen strokes. However, on my Win XP machine it failed to do so.

By the way, the concept is meant to be an unmanned reconnaissance craft.

After the ideation sketches, I proceed to the 3D modelling phase. Below is a screenshot of the initial 3D modelling done in Blender 2.5. Typical of this kind of modelling work, the mirror and subdivision modifiers are used quite a fair bit. As of this writing, there are still much to do.

For this piece, I intend to eventually render the final image using the Cycles Renderer. Cycles is a new GPU-enable unbiased rendering engine currently still in early development phase.

Update (10th August):

Below is the latest update of New Concept Craft. The surfaces have been refined and a test render is been done using Cycles Renderer. There are still much detailings to be done.

Packt Open Source specialises in selling books on Open Source software and actively contributes to the popular adoption and growth of open source technology. During March this year, it was announced that its donations to Open Source projects has exceeded the $300,000 mark.

The discounted books on offer now include those for open source applications such as Blender 3D, Inkscape, Drupal, Python, Php and Java. The title that is of particular interest to 3D enthusiasts is Blender 2.5 Lighting and Rendering. This book covers Blender lighting, compositing, and rendering.

For 2D graphic enthusiasts and designers, a title of interest is Inkscape 0.48 for Web Designers. This book talks about creating website layout designs, images, and icons using Inkscape the popular open source Vector Graphics and Illustration program.

This promotion will be on for a limited period of time only (until end of July ?)

For a complete listing of the books on offer, go to:

http://www.packtpub.com/article/packts-best-selling-open-source-books-offer

Blender 2.5 Hotshot is written in a practical hands-on manner. The tools and functions of  Blender 3D are introduced through actual creation of the various projects that are included in the book. The projects do not demand a high level of artistic attribute from the Reader. However, the reading can still be quite intensive at times.

Through these projects, the Reader gets to learn a comprehensive set of tools and techniques found within Blender 3D. The kind of stuffs that one will learn along the way include:

• 3D Modelling
• Node compositing
• Rigging
• Animation
• Video editing and compositing
• Game engine function and interactivity.

Of course, there are lots of other techniques being presented as well. For instance, the book also cover the usage of certain interesting scripts and add-ons that will help in accelerating certain tasks.

The advantage of such a tutorial-based delivery is that the Reader gets to appreciate and understand how certain things can be achieved instead of merely knowing how the tools work. For instance, instead of merely explaining what subsurface scattering is, the book’s presentation allows the Reader to understand this parameter through the application of material for certain 3D objects.

An interesting and nice aspect of the book is that the numerical settings for various tool options and parameters are systemically defined and laid out. This mode of presentation provides the Reader with insights into what are good value ranges to use for certain tool options in order to achieve intended results. In my opinion, this area is underestimated in many books but nevertheless have tangible benefits to a learner. The author puts nice attention into explaining sub options and parameters of tools.

Who will benefit from the Book? In my opinion, this book is for persons who will like to put the tool available in Blender into practice. Through the tutorials in the book, one will better appreciate how the various tools come together for the creation of certain results.

Although Blender is a professional-level 3D tool, it is also open sourced and thus free. What this implies is that anyone can download and use it freely either for fun or for commercial purposes. Personally, I think this book  will appeal more to persons who will like to learn Blender and 3D for fun and as a hobby.

Blender 2.5 Hot Shot provides a general all-round understanding of how 3D tasks and projects can be executed using Blender. It is not specializing in any particular area of 3D, but provides good practical tutorials on fundamental principles pertaining to 3D creation.

Click the link below to find out more about it.

http://www.packtpub.com/blender-2-5-project-development-hotshot/book

In my opinion, the understanding of personality archetypes and Gestalt psychology and theory are important skills that will help one understand how certain products and their appearance and function will be perceived and interpreted by potential users.

At the broad overarching level, according to certains schools of psychological thoughts, there are 5 aspects to a person’s consciousness, namely the Ego, Persona, Shadow, Anima/Animus and the Self. In my opinion, thses aspects can somewhat influence one’s inclination towards certain products. For example, the Persona may influence how one will acquire certain products or brands to ’strategically’ project or portray a certain image.

Traditionally, there are 12 Personality Archetypes. Personality Archetypes are sometimes used during market and target group research to gain better understandings of the attributes and character profile of users and/or buyers.

Quite often, ideas for products are enthusiastically conceived. However, without a corresponding match of product to its intended user’s perception, there will be few buyers. Products (and their interface) must match the Users (or Target Market User’s) perceived interpretation of them.

Products and artifacts are rarely just tools to users and owners. Human Being tend to attached emotional labels to objects that they desire or own. To illustrate how certain people tend to like certain products, we can look into existing brands and products. For example, Niche products are aimed at the Hero archetype. Harley Davidson appeals to the Rebel/Outlaw personality archetypes.

To sum up, a Designers role is not just in prettifying things… again this is a public perception. On a
different level of exploration, there are benefits in gaining understanding and insights into the psyche and mindset of audience and potential users.