Pretending Pretentious

Flake in the wind tunnel

2012-01-18T18:46:00.002Z

Img of Flake in autodesk's project falcon with a cd of 0.17!

Breil Satellite wristwatch concept

2011-09-20T00:23:00.000+01:00

My entire for the Breil steel watch competition on designboom.

text:

The Breil Satellite sets a new standard for innovation in design and technology. Showcasing the different visual and physical qualities of steel, the Satellite is a symbol of strength, confidence, emotional reflection and effortless elegance, expressing the personalities of its male and female wearers. The watch face on the raised, waved dish displays a mesmerising jewel quality and signifies the cyclical, perpetual nature of time and space, while bold inverted hands circle around the face edge pointing towards the Breil logo, indicating the Breil brand to be the centre of the Satellite's micro-universe. Finally, a simplistic shackle strap compliments the piece, reflecting the dominating nature of time. This is a visually compelling and evocative timepiece that is backed by deep design intent.

The flakey story

2011-08-10T17:50:00.011+01:00

There has been alot of views for my Project Flake lately and i thought it might be an idea to show the full process for this project, and it hasnt been a easy one. Its also nice to show alot of unseen work that took too long to do, this should also explain alot of the reasoning behind the decisions for this design. Thanks for everyone who’ve viewed it, it doesnt really matter if you liked it or not, its always nice to get a discussion going.

This was my final year project at Coventry uni for automotive design, it took the best part of 2 years to do this project, and its still not complete. I did have alot going at the time on including a job etc, so really actual working time was probably only about a year or so. Since its conception everyone was very skeptical about the idea, even my self to a point, thinking about it, it was a ridiculous task. Transformers movie had teams rigging up their models, my car has almost as many part and im doing it all by my self, and note this is only my 2nd proper animation.

The idea started around mid 2008, most would think inspiration came from the Transformers the movie, however it actually came from Pixar Cars. I loved the movement of the characters, and how they leaned into the corners and wanted to translate that into a realistic vehicle, and thought it was an appropriate direction for my FYP. I didnt want to go down the route of a soft skin, 1- BMW already done it, 2- it wasnt very creative using something thats been with us for centuries, 3- there was a lack of emotion. The BMW Gina is a good example, every part was movable, and yet it felt... dead, without all the muscle structures under the skin it will be very hard to emulate emotion. Emotion is very important part of design, because my project is dynamic, just a face is no longer enough, its body needs to present body language. I did think through all the directions of a literal living car with muscle etc, but didnt think that was very creative. The flakes eventually came from my bad habit of smoking. I love the forms created by ash, how it was so random and yet all fitted together, this made me imagined cracking skin and how that will look over the car.

The original concept was actually alot more complicated. I wanted a mass of flakes that when closed, formed a sleek and elegant shape, like its sleeping or something, but when it wakes up it doors will open up like jaws and eat you whole.

Thats the feeling i want the user to feel every time he/she steps into the car. The rest of the exterior is designed to provoke the same sort of feeling with alot of jagged edges and fractures across the body work this style was apparent all over the car even in the interior. the original seat designs were just as complex. Designed to dynamically follow your body, physically grabbing the torso and holding the driver in the seat.

All this detail became a problem as I was working on my modest home computer, which had no where near enough power to actually bring the car to life.

So i took a step back and i stripped the design to its basics, tried to figure out the essentials and designed the mk2. The mk2 got rid of all the flakes, and essentially is a practical/buildable version of flake. It retains most of the fundamental ideas behind the project coupled with a more refined form.

I did try to make a physical model (mostly carved out by hand), but I never had the chance to finish it. The mk2 was very cool looking, but i felt it has lost alot of the emotion that i was talking about at the beginning, also the usp of the mk1.

So here comes the mk3. The mk3 is a compromise between the 2 previous designs, and also intended to look more like a car when in the closed position. this is because i wanted something that the viewer can relate to instead of making it 100% scifi.

The car was always designed to be viewed in white how ever white is a very common colour within the degree show, so i opted for a bright orange, this also made it seem more like an animal.

Unlike the previous 2, the mk3 got new wheels. Wheels with legs isnt anything new, I think something similar has been in the book Snowcrash and a few anime shows i think. How ever I did make it "plausable". To be honest i never added it for the technology, the car just didnt sit right unless the bottom of the wheels were cut off, so i had to think of a good excuse to remove the bottom of my wheels. The D-wheels track ground surface and adjust accordingly, making the wheel apart of the suspension system. This also enabled it to expand into buggy wheels allowing it to go off road making this a true next generation all terrain vehicle.

The number of flakes have also been reduced from over 400 to exactly 250, making this slightly more manageable to rig and animate. This was all done in 3D studio max, and since this was only my 2nd animation, and no one could assist me in doing it properly, i had to animate this my own way/old fashioned way. some parts were even animated frame by frame, which was a real pain. the whole process for the mark 3 from design to completion was around 3-4month. I know the animation isnt perfect, my machine just wasnt up to it, just to let you know how much trouble this was to animate, some scenes it would take around 5 secs-5mins for each of my actions to take affect, that including changing my view, not to mention i was under a dead line and could not actually preview my animation before i rendered it, so really what you are seeing is the first draft.

The original design also had wheel covers for the complete sleek closed form, but since i wanted to show off the D-wheels, regrettably the covers had to go.

One of the biggest arguments against the car is aero, Ive actually had the pleasure of talking to an ex-Williams F1 aero man about this matter. His view is the concept is sound, how ever the execution needs tweeks, which is what i expected.

When travelling at speed, the car will contract to its closed position to help control airflow, and when under breaking or turning the flakes will spring open to dynamically adjust down force. the open flakes will also allow the car to lean into the corner for better handling, meanwhile the inner chassis is designed to be aerodynamic channelling the airflow around the car.

The flakes serves a couple of other purposes, dissipating heat from a liquid cooling system around the chassis, and also could automatically track the sun for energy. To move the flakes, there are hundreds of mini solenoids within the car which pull on carbon nano-tube wires, that is strung around the car forming a puppeteering system. The solenoids can also detect how much air pressure is applied on each flake, allowing the on board computer to dynamically adjust the flakes.

The car is powered by synthetic fuel, imagine if battery fluid can be replaced like fuel, in-turn recharging the batteries. Similar to producing electricity with coke, but specially designed and alot more potent.

Like i said at the beginning, the project is still unfinished, there were going to be alot more interior details, a refuelling rig with station, the physical model you saw earlier, alot of animation tweeks... etc Will I ever finish it properly? ill definitely come back to it in a few years time, when my hardware can do this smoothly.

So thats most of the story, atleast the interesting(ish) bits, I know this car is ridiculous, and i know it wont work, but it was never intended to be a practical solution rather an inspiration for others.

For more imgs pls go:
http://pretendingpretentious.blogspot.com/2011/07/flake-final-renders.html
http://pretendingpretentious.blogspot.com/2010/05/flake-renderings.html
And if you havent seen the video already, its here:

Rooftop shoots

2011-08-07T14:11:00.007+01:00

I realised i havent uploaded many fotos for a while, so heres some from a very long time ago.

Turtle speakers update

2011-08-06T11:25:00.004+01:00

Design update for my turtle speakers . This will be the production model if this idea ever gets that far. I got rid of the eyes and went for a simple approach with just a head that can be pulled up or down to adjust volume/turn off.

SMS MEER

2011-08-06T09:39:00.008+01:00

Here are a selection of product renderings done for sms meer. These things make metal bars. Despite my cluelessness.. ess i do want to share these with u as i think they just look very very cool.

Models are from ProE, how ever they never come in perfect for rendering (edges, fillets and holes) so alot of it did have to be remodelled in 3D studio max. Rendered with Mental Ray

Inukshuk Shelves

2011-08-05T21:16:00.002+01:00

Another set of models done for Scot Laughton (http://www.scotlaughton.com/)

I only produced the models and colourings.

Lamp Models

2011-08-05T21:13:00.001+01:00

Cad Renderings done for Scot Laughton (http://www.scotlaughton.com/)

Venetian Blind Watch

2011-08-05T21:04:00.005+01:00

Wrist Watch thats designed to stop you from worrying about the time. The venetian blinds style loading bar covers the actual time and date, and gives a general reading of the time of day. if the actual time is needed, the user just slides down the cover to reveal the time.

Old Concepts-Some cars

2011-08-05T21:02:00.002+01:00

Another load of old concepts, just some cars, nothing special.

Old Concepts-Balloon Car

2011-08-05T20:52:00.002+01:00

Concepts done for something a very long time ago. Racecar thats inflatable/crushable. able to suffer large impacts without damage.

Old Concepts-Docking Crane Racer

2011-08-05T20:30:00.003+01:00

Concepts done for something a very long time ago, since it seems the project has gone dead, here are some images. Concept of a docking rig that's been modified for racing.

Shade of Blue Modelling

2011-08-05T20:20:00.003+01:00

Similar to hitz's jag, this was done the weekend before but for Liz Pinder and her fyp, again in one weekend.

Jaguar Lite modelling

2011-08-05T20:10:00.003+01:00

I did the modelling for Hitz's final year RCA model, shown here in showcase. I worked with him on his concept translating it into 3D, all done within a weekend.

Designer Horse Box

2011-08-01T17:07:00.003+01:00

A old project to design a good looking horsebox, the construction is realistic based on existing chassis. Designed to be customized in both appearance and functionality.
The project wasnt the most interesting thing but was quite challenging and is something down to earth for my portfolio.

Flake Final Renders

2011-07-27T19:12:00.005+01:00

I finally got around to doing proper final renders for the flake project, I am tempted to redo the video again.... but..... too lazy.

for the full explanation plus more pics:
http://pretendingpretentious.blogspot.com/2011/08/flakey-story.html

A380 Interior 3

2011-07-16T16:46:00.004+01:00

Front stairs

A380 Interior 2

2011-07-15T14:02:00.003+01:00

Downstairs interior render.... more to come

A380 Interior

2011-07-13T19:35:00.005+01:00

Concept A380 interior, the first project I worked on at Design FL. Super first class interior, with turning seats that can fully recline.

Was actually designed quite a long time ago, but this scene was very difficult to render, I have 12GBs of ram on my machine but it just wouldnt render. I finally got around to optimizing some parts, and I only just managed to get it to render.

Ill follow up with more updates as soon as they are finished rendering.

Dining set

2011-07-12T19:30:00.008+01:00

Dining set for the table.

Alias 2012

2011-07-12T18:49:00.007+01:00

I dont actually use alias, but heres what i did for their front cover :P I didnt actually pick the final pose, autodesk did, the chair in front shouldnt have been so straight but oh well, its good enough :)

Also i should mention that i worked on a team of other people for the design, cading is all me

Tbh i like the white version better, but group branding prefers green...

Shell Eco Marathon concpets

2010-05-24T21:26:00.005+01:00

Concepts that I did for a shell eco marathon project, everything is designed around real chassis and components. my body shell was never made due to lack of funding. The final version of the car did run but was covered roughly with cardboard lol.

Heres the cheaper version... but we didnt even have enough money for the fiberglass.

Flake Renderings

2010-05-24T18:16:00.003+01:00

Fashion Stuff…

2010-01-30T21:36:00.003Z

Dress i made for portfolio. Im applying for the fashion course on rca… so thought id try and make something fashion related for once.

Dont have the concept sketches cus the originals are in my portfolio so ull just have to do with these pics…

made from old table cloth and bed sheets…. lol

Lego Racers 2010

2010-01-19T13:48:00.001Z

My toys are finally here!!!!

i didnt design the models them selves, rather the direction of product line... inital concepts... market grouping... themes... all the kids testing... the way the toys are played... and the direction for the next 3-5 years.

Panda

2009-12-25T12:11:00.002Z

Just a designer toy i made :)

Prime - Webcam

2009-12-25T11:44:00.004Z

Meet prime.... my new webcam!... hes not painted yet since im not sure about colours... etc so im gonna leave him like this for now. Focusing is controlled from canon focus ring... and boom mic works too.

-around 2 days to make

Cute stuff

2009-12-22T21:14:00.002Z

Painting for girlfriend.

Adidas internship shoes

2009-09-28T18:16:00.003+01:00

[UPDATE] - I forgot to mention that i didnt get the internship, and i only recently found out why. I was on my way to denmark, so i though id let my father post the material, it turns my dad didnt post tracked delivery and my submission never got there... lol

I decided to try out for an adidas internship, ended up getting a load of good ideas for shoes that i had to try. So heres two of the completed ideas, ill post more if i complete them.

First is jet stream… a shoe thats half air and half gel incased in a bubble of which is the shoe. The rubber will stretch at the thinnest parts, so 3 stripes can bulge when force is exerted.

Jet stream is for the alternative side of the market. Different yet stylish.

Second is Splinter. Designed to seen speed is the only thing it cares about. The ring around the foot (white part in the middle) is a stiff component that help transfer forces when running. This is towards the more competitive side, running shoes.

RhiRhi

2009-09-21T18:34:00.002+01:00

Turtle Speakers

2009-09-21T18:21:00.005+01:00

Aka Wellend.

Original sketches/designs were lost in my sketch book.

A working prototype, 40w 2.1 speakers with 4 satellite one each leg and a centre woofer under the shell.

took around 70 hours to build

Photo dump

2009-09-21T16:16:00.007+01:00

Sketches dump

2009-09-21T15:50:00.003+01:00

Wooden bike

2009-09-08T13:00:00.009+01:00

Something im working on right now.... been seeing alot of crappy wooden bikes online lately... tbh im not such a fan so designed one that i liked.

took pretty much a whole day to design/model/render.... gonna play with the textures a little more and add some more detail..... plus i really need to remove those .blogspot decals... lol.

Junk It UP

2009-09-05T22:14:00.003+01:00

Toy Design... Junk it up,

basicly make your own character with the crap around you... view the video if it works :)

Compact City Car

2009-09-05T22:12:00.001+01:00

Random project... "the naked car"

Watch

2009-09-05T22:11:00.003+01:00

Presentation page for something.... watch concepts.

Jag

2009-09-05T22:10:00.002+01:00

Painting of a jag i designered.... hmmmm i never knew it would be sooooo difficult to draw reflections on a hood.... SOOO SOOOOOOO hard!

Watercolour

2009-09-05T22:09:00.001+01:00

Watercolour on paper. was a copy of something... i dunno what, i cant remember

Sketches

2009-09-05T22:08:00.001+01:00

Car sketches

Clay Jag

2009-09-05T22:03:00.001+01:00

Some old stuff... thought it looked interesting :)

Mousehunt

2009-09-05T21:59:00.002+01:00

Mousehunt.... on facebook... got bored and started doing random sketches for it :) was fun!

Clown

2009-09-05T21:58:00.001+01:00

Was bored one evening

Pandixpress

2009-09-05T21:56:00.002+01:00

Pandexpress

vehicle inspired litrally from a panda... looks quite cute i think!

Pandixpress

2009-09-05T21:55:00.004+01:00

Something i did for fun for a car i designed.

Birdy

2009-09-05T21:55:00.003+01:00

Something i did for a friend.

Nuclear Dawn

2009-09-05T21:53:00.002+01:00

Some enviromental stuff done for nuclear dawn... was just practice really

Shipwreck

2009-09-05T21:51:00.003+01:00

Was suppose to be payed for this... but as usual... it just turned into good practice... lol

i remember comin back from the club in hk at around 3am before starting this.... finished by 7am not bad for drunken painting..... plus it cured the hangover! :D

Dystopia

2009-09-05T21:48:00.004+01:00

one of the first paintins ive done... was with a mod called neoshock... and a guy called jason boesh (or something i cant rememebr) designed the sniper/coat... i used his character and imagined a world around it....

about 4 years later when i was visiting a friend in the usa.... some other guy was showing his portfolio off..... IT WAS HIM!!!!!!!.... fucking hell its a small world!

Monsters

2009-09-05T21:46:00.004+01:00

What monsters do when they take over the world!!!!

urm... took about 8hours, again... another present for a friend... she likes monsters

Trigun

2009-09-05T21:45:00.002+01:00

Friends likes cats... so this was her bday present.

Birdy

2009-09-05T21:43:00.006+01:00

Smoking

2009-09-05T21:43:00.005+01:00

Painted with mouse/touchpad.... i cant remember, was very bored and wanted a smoke.

Tank

2009-09-05T21:42:00.006+01:00

Me

2009-09-05T21:42:00.005+01:00

Self portrait

Hands

2009-09-05T21:39:00.003+01:00

was practicing hands.... was a topic somewhere on "20 hands" or something so there should be around 20 hands there.... lol

Oldie

2009-09-05T21:35:00.002+01:00

I think this was my 3rd ps painting.... took AGES!!! was done for a competition called Grand Space Opera on CGTalk. Learnt alot while i was painting there... was good fun!

Sketch

2009-09-05T21:33:00.002+01:00

Random sketch for a competition or something, i never really had the time to finish it off though... i hope ill get sometime to do so :)

Dystopia

2009-09-05T21:29:00.002+01:00

Dystopia

2009-09-05T19:52:00.008+01:00

Dystopia Work in progress imgs

Sketch

2009-09-05T19:51:00.001+01:00

Sketch i did on the train.... was bored, i just wanted to do a red painting ... lol

Landscapes

2009-09-05T19:48:00.004+01:00

Initial concept sketches of a set of paintings for my A-levels. The topic was landscapes, so i chose to show landscapes through time, and each paintingis like a mile stone. The final peices are done on acrylic on canvas and took 10 hours in total (exam period)

Cindy

2009-09-05T19:45:00.004+01:00

Painting i did a while ago as an xmas present for an friend... took about 5 hours or so... so still a sketch really.

Autocar Design Project

2008-04-15T20:22:00.014+01:00

Autocar magazine's steve cropley has come down to Coventry and set us a brief..... An intercontinental cruiser (mother) that will get you there in comfort, yet has a smaller vehicle inside (pod) that will get you around a city. the mother vehicle has to be fully functional while the pod is out.

Team project total of 6 people:
(in no particular order)
Ian Kettle
James Burgess
Liz Pinder
James Trim
Hitz Panchal
and me (Da Feng)

whole project took about 2 months for the 2 vehicles.... full ex+int cad and 1/4 ex clay.

for non transformer version go here:
http://coventry.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=504964527771&subj=289000055

HDRI - London

2008-03-30T23:56:00.011+01:00

Just been down to london, had some free time so heres some HDRI photography that came out well.

hope u like!

2008-03-28T15:22:00.005Z

this is the project that ive been delaying... but it all came together in the end! 1 hour before deadline.... wtf.... i should be late!
but total thinking time was about 5-6 hours... but actual work time about 17 hours for the whole thing from start to end.

First Post....

2008-03-27T03:10:00.000Z

Im bored, this is basicly a excuse to waste some more time technically doing nothing. so i thought id start this blog, as it seems everyone else cool has one and being a submitter to pearpressure, i dont want to be left out :)

so heres me, Da Feng. I traded my writing skills for drawing, fair trade i think, parents may differ.

and this blog might contain stuff i do.

.... i better get bak to work.