Sketch Monkey

Personal Security Detail

2011-12-14T19:11:00.000+01:00

I recently saw images of PSD (Personal Security Detail) operators training. I did this painting to redesign their weapon of choice, the MP5.

Game Design

2011-12-11T17:46:00.001+01:00

Here is the newest character concept. I'm intrigued by the idea of cross-marketing games with product placement-and market research. Everything from eyeware and watches to weapons...in this image I've designed a polymer based .45 sub-compact weapon-and a wristwatch inspired by shell-ejectors...the eyeware is just wishful thinking and nostalgia-they are inspired by my favorite glasses ever, cycling specs by Briko...they were lost years ago!

Old Graphics and Logos

2011-12-11T17:38:00.001+01:00

This slide turned up today while going through some old work. While in California I designed for a large bicycle company-one of my responsibilities was creating logos for our "in-house" clients-WalMart, Kmart, Target, and ToysRus...basically creating branding for their in-house brand bicycles. Some of the logos are quite funny...

Character Concept

2011-12-09T13:51:00.001+01:00

This poor sod has a miserable job: Outpost sentry at four in the morning. With advanced optics, and an upgraded AK-47, and reactive personal armor (RPA) he has some sense of security...but you never can tell...

Communicator Design From 1993

2011-11-15T13:48:00.001+01:00

I found this old photo while going through my files. The pictured device (a hard model) was made in 1993. A school project-the goal was to do a charrette-and show a use of technology which would enhance one's life. My approach: as our professors were mainly from Apple, or contracting to them at the time, I chose a popular theme at the time, cross-cultural communication. To build a quick ethnography I spoke only with exchange and foreign students in my school I had not previously met. I would introduce myself, and try to learn a bit about them. I noted common themes in these "introduction" interactions-and designed this concept device to address some of the more challenging aspects of non-native speaking interactions. The device is meant to disappear during the interaction, simply providing audio cues to both individuals via a headset and speaker. 100% translation is not the goal, as people do very well with non-verbal cues. It gives simple clues, translations, and information about the dialogue taking place. I got a good grade on the project...

Sketch Mode: On

2011-11-15T13:41:00.001+01:00

...that's actually the title of a cool sketching blog...it just triggers the fun image in my head of throwing on my headphones, and starting a series of sketches. This is a slide of some first-phase sketches from a project I did for Pyramat Industries-the same company that makes Razor Scooters. I'm posting it not for the project itself, but to hilite the technique. I learned this "wormline" style from a Korean friend while in school. He once asked me: "...how many lines does it take to draw a car?..." My answer was somewhere in the tens of thousands...he proceeded to draw an entire car with one line, never lifting his pen off the paper. Lesson learned. It's an incredibly productive approach-giving quick results during product ideation. In the case of Pyramat-the owner later confided in me that since I had produced so many drawings during this phase, he wouldn't need to hire me for more freelance designing for another two years!
All in all he received over three hundred of these "wormline" sketches during phase one of the the project-that's customer service!

Would You Drive A Golf Cart?

2011-11-15T13:23:00.001+01:00

That's the question they asked of us for this Ford project done at Art Center College...the answer is, yes, if it is cool enough.
My design proposal utilized the open space in front of the driver provided by an electric cars lack of engine/drive train to make an over-sized windscreen which doubled as an info-screen. An embedded transparent LED screen transforms the inside of the vehicle into an entertainment center when the vehicle is stationary. In motion, the screen is used to project GPS/Data/Vehicle metrics and other transport-relevant information. The model pictured is made of clay, paint, starch-printed parts, blood, sweat, tears, years of my life...you get the idea. 1/4 scale...
This design, as well as those of my classmates were well received by the sponsor. Look for more electric cars on the road near you-once the oil thing is done.

Happy Birthday, Adi!!

2011-11-15T13:08:00.001+01:00

The brief was: To celebrate the 90th Birthday of Adi Dassler, propose a product that hilited his visionary approach to using any means necessary to "...make the best for the athlete..."
I proposed a design for a football boot which utilized EAP's (electro-active polymers) which exhibit a different state depending on the electric current traveling through them. The EAP would be used to construct the sock-liner of the boot and allow the wearer to create a highly customized fit for different styles of play. The boots could also be more easily washed after play in a "super-relaxed" state-allowing the removal of high-wearing dirt and debris, lengthening the performance life of the boot.
My design was selected as a winner in the footwear category, and published in the company magazine...will we see EAP's in performance footwear any time soon? Stay tuned...

Gaming Headsets

2011-11-15T13:06:00.001+01:00

Gaming on the PC is amazing...the quality of the experience has made astronomical leaps in my life time. When I was eight years old, I played pong on a home-made gaming console my friends dad had made. He was an engineer at Industrial Light and Magic-and had some crazy ideas about technology, a gaming console you played in your home?! Crazy idea...
Here are a few doodles of some early form-language concepts for gaming headsets.

Redesigning A Legend

2011-11-15T12:53:00.001+01:00

Giving an update to a popular product in a large organization presents as many political challenges as it does Design challenges...my new theory is that the two are more closely related than I had previously thought...
Here is a proposal to update a classic Adidas shoe-using the same technology that made it a classic, I've reworked the integrated over-molded heel cage and proposed an updated mesh for the vented portion of the upper-modern material applied for added functionality. Over twenty-five proposals for an update were made. In the end, a color-update was selected and the face-lift was put off for another season. It was fun doing the drawings!

Sneaker + Tactical Boot

2011-11-15T12:48:00.001+01:00

This style of tactical boot is very popular with operators who find themselves in urban operations environments. Protection while fast-roping, or navigating debris-while also requiring lite weight and flexible construction for rapid movement across open ground-similar to a cross trainer. Suede+synthetic upper with wrapping molded outsole construction provides the best of both worlds...

Entrepeneur Client

2011-11-15T12:34:00.001+01:00

This project was very fun, dynamic, and always engaging...probably because it was guided by one very energetic individual; The Inventor! The touch-sensitive glove was meant to interface with one's digital device be it Blackberry, i-Phone, laptop, home server...he had built a prototype from a golf glove, with wires and metal mesh soldered all over the glove. I personally watched him "type" over forty words per minute with the glove. Early in the project I generated many possible product design directions for the product-these are a few of those sketches.

Ten Thousand Hour Theory

2011-11-15T12:22:00.001+01:00

The theory goes something like this; If you've spent over ten-thousand hours doing something, you are truly an expert. Well I figure I've easily spent that many hours sketching. I use drawing for Design-it is such a powerful tool when applied to the challenges of products, stories, or any other enterprise where a new direction is needed. One of my favorite applications of the Design discipline of drawing is using a conceptual approach in the early stages-like this example below-the challenge was to rethink equipment for goal-keepers (a topic near and dear to my heart) and possible new approaches. By drawing robots playing football, purely conceptual, I was able to play with ideas about new shapes and forms-in this case coming up with a concept where elbow protection and gloves are integrated.

Slides Successful

2011-11-15T12:09:00.001+01:00

There are some "sketchbook" versions of this slide earlier in my blog-but this is one of the final renderings. Working with great input from the biometrics/advance team we integrated some science into these deceptively simple pieces of footwear. They sold in to the American market, a first for this product-and something I'm very proud of!

2011-10-01T19:14:00.001+02:00

iPad Fail

2011-09-14T15:08:00.001+02:00

So typical of technology-my iPad, when opened this morning-gave me the message "IPad locked-connect to iTunes"...anyone who knows me knows I don't open iTunes unless life hangs in the balance-I find it to be one of the worst pieces of software ever foisted on humanity...instead, I broke out my favorite piece of tech-gadgetry-the ball point pen. The concept here is super high-tech sport shoe design language applied to the high-heel genre...this is definitely worthy of some renderings...stay tuned!

Bag Without Full Straps

2011-09-13T14:49:00.001+02:00

I've talked about this a lot with another bag designer-can you design a pack without full shoulder straps? I guess you'd need serious interal structure-perhaps a polycarbonate skeleton with molded foam housing...seems like the Crumpler form language would suit this concept well...

YouTube Video

Polymer Upper

2011-09-12T16:46:00.001+02:00

...reduce weight, improve handling.

High Speed Bag Beginning

2011-09-09T19:34:00.001+02:00

Here are the hard points for the high speed bag set up a bit...now for some smart fastening system design...

YouTube Video

Sketched Hardpoints For High Speed Bag

2011-09-09T19:28:00.001+02:00

Sketching hard points for a high speed pack.

YouTube Video

Ballistic Vest

2011-09-07T21:05:00.001+02:00

In this design I'm breaking up the ballistic plates and sandwiching them in an elastic chassis for greater operator mobility/breathability.

YouTube Video

More 3D Bag Sketching

2011-09-07T20:07:00.001+02:00

It's super quick to do these-and a whole new way to approach this type of product...as this is my third model-and took about two to three hours, I would say this approach is highly accessible. This is an assault-pack style format-narrow and deep to allow for arm swing with running as well as considerable loads.

YouTube Video

3D Backpack Sketch-Test

2011-09-06T13:17:00.000+02:00

What's the quickest way to "sketch" a backpack? I've found some pretty cool tools for the ipad-and doing a rough 3D model like the one pictured is quicker than doing Illustrator sketches...I'll definitely be using this tool quite a bit in the future!

Alias as Sketching Tool

2011-08-04T16:48:00.001+02:00

I've used Alias a lot for building quick "pre-visualization" aids...Marketing and Development colleagues have responded well. Here is a link to a short video showing a few samples.
Video of Samples

Location:Bahnhofsplatz,Nuremberg,Germany

Mobile Blogging

2011-08-03T02:59:00.001+02:00

...not just the blogging-but the rendering as well. Really loving the iPad. Some issues with my mobile blogging app though-namely that it posts the full size image in Picasa, so attempting to see the larger image takes longer than it did before, bleh.
This is a low-weight design with bonded seams and a one piece eyelet construction.

Location:Bahnhofsplatz,Nuremberg,Germany

iPad Render 001

2011-08-01T00:48:00.001+02:00

Well the iPad is quite the rendering tool-so portable with no other tools necessary to do some rendering...now if I can only figure out a work around for the missing "multiply layer" feature.
The shoe is a concept for a Nike soccer boot. A sleeve construction with layered adhesive sections over an expansion sock.

Location:Bahnhofsplatz,Nuremberg,Germany

Mobile Blogging

2011-07-24T19:11:00.001+02:00

I'll be testing a new mobile app to check the feasibility of posting multiple images-per-post from my iPhone...this could be a real time saver...

Doppio

2011-05-18T15:16:00.000+02:00

...I've tried using watercolor, which is totally new to me...the challenge of that experiment made coming back to this ballpoint and marker style very relaxed. A strong argument for medium/technique experimentation.

From the Old Hard Drive

2011-04-29T13:01:00.000+02:00

Here are some random sketches, and photo-retouches I found on my other (lately unused) machine...

These two gun sketches were done after meeting and talking with the head of MagPul Industries. Cool company, with amazing brand potential in the wider market.

This is one of several pages I did after a friend got hired at Industrial Light and Magic-very inspiring since she pulled herself there by her boot-straps!

I was at a bike shop getting some work done on my speedy fixed-gear bike, when this speedy fixed-gear dog just lay down at my feet like this-so I snapped a pic, and retouched it in Photoshop.

A Closer Look

2011-01-21T06:03:00.000+01:00

...a lo-tech look at Fly-wire...

Sketching In Class

2011-01-21T05:58:00.000+01:00

Teachers don't seem to understand that is easier to listen to a lecture while sketching!

Still Sketchy

2011-01-11T12:38:00.000+01:00

In spite of loads of German classes, or maybe because of them, I'm still scribbling...without any projects the default is of course sports cars. Touched up on the iPhone.

German Class Inspires Sketching

2010-11-02T20:46:00.000+01:00

Yes, I'm paying attention in class-but in the quiet moments a few quick ballpoints are possible.

Mid-Engine Madness

2010-10-23T15:54:00.001+02:00

Here are a few pen-sketches of mid-engine car designs.

Gaming Glove is now real!

2010-08-28T18:42:00.000+02:00

I did a concept design project for an inventor in San Francisco-he wanted design done for his invention, which at the time was a golf glove with wires soldered all over it! He could type forty words per minute with it, and he had a vision. Some of my concept sketches are here...I can't wait to try the production model myself!

i-Phone render

2010-08-25T17:21:00.000+02:00

Dont' call it a phone. This boot was rendered on my iPhone 3GS. The design is a pen sketch, photographed with the onboard camera, and then rendered in Painter. Can't wait for second gen iPads!

Soccer Shoes and Slides Concepts

2010-08-18T00:46:00.002+02:00

Here are some concept sketches of soccer shoe done in ballpoint pen, rendered in PhotoShop.

Pen/iPhone expriments

2010-07-29T10:06:00.002+02:00

How well can you render on the tiny iPhone screen? I set out to find out with this robot-an armed UAV...

More Ballpoint

2010-07-22T11:31:00.001+02:00

Ballpoint work

2010-07-16T23:47:00.001+02:00

Someone told me; draw and render in ballpoint-after that, other media are easier! Getting some practice here with a mid-engine design...

Concept Bags

2010-05-26T12:45:00.002+02:00

Three Hot Rods designed for Scion TV commercials

2010-05-20T15:22:00.000+02:00

This was my first job out of Art Center-and lot's of fun to see in their final form! I did the designs working with Attik Ad Agency in San Francisco-they even made custom music for all the spots, it rocks. Enjoy!

xA hot rod design

2010-05-20T15:19:00.000+02:00

Here is the xA I designed for Scion TV spot

Scion Hot-rods: xB designed for TV spot

2010-05-20T15:16:00.001+02:00

Here is the xB in it's final form in the ad for TV.

Hand football boot sketch

2010-05-06T22:39:00.000+02:00

Manual sketching remains my favorite problem solving design skill...ten sketches always result in one killer idea...nine more to go!

More football boots

2010-05-06T19:50:00.003+02:00

Here's another quick ballpoint colored in photoshop...

Football boot

2010-05-06T17:53:00.000+02:00

ballpoint plus photoshop...actually more fun to work manually only, but this is quicker.

Tactical boots: Form-finding sketches

2010-04-15T14:25:00.004+02:00

Here are some form-finding sketches for tactical boots-trying to find good proportion/lasting and details.

Old "Scan Sheet" Drawing

2010-03-27T10:36:00.001+01:00

This was done in preparation for a BMW design project-studying some of the great BMW's from history.

Now on You Tube: Drawing like a crazed monkey

2009-09-16T23:18:00.011+02:00

Best watched full-screen with bumping speakers.
I'm not sure if this is safe for work...
You-Tube, pedal to the metal...

'nuff said

2009-07-14T22:29:00.002+02:00

My daughter and I doing some ballpoint sketching-she is three and a half weeks old here.

Ballpoint

2009-02-22T22:29:00.002+01:00

These were drawn to hilite three different directions for a truck project-"Cut, Organic, Wraparound"...ballpoint on letter size paper.

Copic robots

2009-01-18T23:29:00.002+01:00

Just got a compressor for my Copic airbrush...so much fun after too much computer time (cintiq is very addictive!).

Ferarri photoshop

2009-01-18T23:26:00.004+01:00

Form finding drawing for an entry-level Ferarri. Had lot's of fun researching Ferarri owners in LA...totally crazy but interesting people.

Saab platform photoshop

2009-01-18T23:23:00.002+01:00

Here's a "platform" form-finding drawing. The idea was to design a platform similar to the GM HyWire concept for Saab.

Seat restraint ballpoint

2009-01-18T23:21:00.001+01:00

Sometimes you need to strap in at work...

Photoshop Saab coupe

2009-01-18T23:20:00.001+01:00

Photoshop painting exercise and form-finding.

Truck ballpoints

2009-01-18T23:18:00.001+01:00

Here are some first stage sketches for a truck design project.

Old architectural model

2009-01-18T23:15:00.002+01:00

Here's an old project done before I went back to school in LA. Model makers are some of the most laid back people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. The lead on this model was the owner of Architectural Models, Calvin Imai. I did lots of gluing, masking, painting, and etc. Back breaking work, but good result!

Photoshop robot

2009-01-18T23:12:00.002+01:00

Painted in photoshop for a sci-fi pilot that never came out...

Robot pen sketch

2009-01-18T23:11:00.003+01:00

Here's another helpful robot-maybe he can even write stuff down or sketch for you?

Boat pen sketches

2009-01-18T23:09:00.002+01:00

...ballpoint madness. I really "filling a page" with ballpoint. Jacques Flynn did really nice pen-pages in school, I shoulda stolen one of his for inspiration!

Opel "Vela"

2009-01-18T23:07:00.004+01:00

Sketches for an Opel concept inspired by surfers kites/kite shapes.

BMW Truck

2009-01-18T23:05:00.001+01:00

BMW full-size truck sketches...

Scania truck

2009-01-18T23:04:00.003+01:00

Got great feedback on these sketches not from a designer, but a truck driver...I still have to try some of his suggestions, especially re-forming the cab to a convertible format.

Audi charrette

2009-01-18T23:02:00.001+01:00

Here's an Audi project, rally inspired.

Black and white renders

2009-01-18T23:00:00.001+01:00

This was an exercise at school, using only black white and gray tone to render your forms...lot's of fun to do, like solving a 3D puzzle.

Jobsite Fan

2009-01-18T22:57:00.002+01:00

Here's an old project-a job site fan you can plug your DeWalt battery into. The bottom is shaped to prevent tipping over and the blade is molded rubber, so it won't chop off your fingers.

Bootsie

2009-01-18T21:49:00.003+01:00

"Bootsie" means...well, just ask my friend Chris, it's a funny story. These are my latest boot sketches-teaching myself some footwear techniques.

2009-01-18T21:37:00.004+01:00

Has this ever happened to your pen?

2008-12-15T23:46:00.001+01:00

...I'm guessing "no"...##$%^ computers!

Boot rendering

2008-11-30T14:11:00.004+01:00

I'm working on boot renderings...it seems to position of the foot is key-people are used to looking at feet, and know what would be comfortable. They "try on" the shoe in the drawing. These foot positions are from an Oakley boot.

Timelapse boot rendering part one

2008-11-25T08:14:00.005+01:00

In Progress

2008-10-04T12:59:00.003+02:00

The title implies I will finish these...perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. Mostly lately I'm into sketching shoes-Adidas is an amazing place to get feedback on footwear sketches-so many ninjas work here! But I always come back to cars.

Side of Rice

2008-07-28T12:50:00.002+02:00

been doing lots of pen sketching lately, mostly shoes though.

Seat

2008-07-08T08:09:00.000+02:00

Ok, try to figure out how many different pieces from other cars exist in this sketch ; )

Bleh...

2008-07-07T00:57:00.003+02:00

Got my studio set up-I've lost alot of wall space, which is soo nice to have...here's some value on an earlier ballpoint.

Images for Andreas

2008-05-01T21:44:00.002+02:00

Corporate Meetings

2008-04-16T13:50:00.003+02:00

...who says meetings are all bad? They provide the perfect opportunity for knocking out some ballpoints...just channel all that frustration and indecision into something you can really control-your own work! These two babies brought joy to my fatigue filled day
=)

post removed

2008-04-13T15:07:00.003+02:00

Worn with pride

2008-03-25T19:01:00.004+01:00

sketched out

2008-03-25T18:55:00.004+01:00

...drew so much for work over easter weekend that I'll just post some old drawings here-nothing new to put up right now. Top is GM design for China, bottom was part of application to Opel in Russelsheim(sp?) They have a beautiful campus there. If anyone can design a really sexy opel zafira, please let me know!

another KG

2008-03-22T21:51:00.003+01:00

KG madness

2008-03-22T21:40:00.004+01:00

The perfect antidote to sketching at work? Sketching at home! Was always impressed with the original Karmann Ghia...

Lunatic

2008-03-22T21:02:00.002+01:00

Some lunatic saw the designs I did for the scion ads, and built this sucker!
Here are the three original cars I did for Attik ad agency before leaving San Francisco:
Tc Shark
Xb Cube
Xa Cruiser

2008-03-22T20:54:00.006+01:00

Karmann Ghia first draft

2008-01-22T19:40:00.001+01:00

No real time for description-only that I'm sketching a karmann ghia idea here-more to follow.
Thanks again for all the inspiration all you crazy car-bloggers, you know who you are!

2008-01-21T02:04:00.000+01:00

I've been browsing some blogs-mostly found by reading angrysascha-his work never fails to inspire and scare the crap out of me...I can never sketch enough, and seeing his work reminds me. Found some great sketches on a blog- "countach+cognac" and other really nice stuff, which inspired me to post these.
I'm sketching bags like a lunatic for Adidas-no blisters on the fingers yet though, so I'll keep sketching until they show up.

Old sketches...

2008-01-07T22:23:00.000+01:00

...this sketch was done for a job app at Opel-needless to say, since I'm at Adidas now you can guess what happened...this car was based on some of the forms I found in kite surfing-the tension between the kite and the surfer...
-maybe I shoulda stuck with the "edge" theme they have now? I never knew 'til later, but Porsche designed/contributed to the design of the Zafira! Nice to have a Porshe designed mini-van.

sketching in a bunny suit

2008-01-07T12:45:00.000+01:00

btw-the scary rabbit-guy on my blog header is actually an entertainment designer from LA named Puddn'head. We have nothing in common, but he's sketching in a rabbit suit with a gas mask on, so we are kindred spirits.

My name is Noah...

2008-01-06T22:00:00.003+01:00

...and I'm a sketchaholic.
I used the holiday break to finally do some pen-sketching-I'll post as soon as they are scanned and cleaned. Also experimented with painter a bit-too bad I can't carry a cintiq everywhere! Pens still rule the day. Here are some sketches I did for my job app. here in Germany and a few personal odds and ends to get this blog off the ground, enjoy. Btw Adidas is a blast-they sent me on a development trip to Asia, visiting the factories and meeting the people who make all this stuff was a mind expanding experience I hope to use to further inspire my work.