Welcome back to Part 3 of my Creative Design Process. In this video series I take you through my design process while I design and make myself a new Golf Putter. If you missed the previous phases, you can check out Phase 1 and Phase 2, before jumping back here to continue with PHASE 3!
The DESIGN phase is when I take those crazy chicken-scratch sketches and turn them into 3D models that are ready for manufacturing.
This is a great time to experiment with the design and get right into the detail of what this product will become. As well as the functionality, it is also important for me to focus on the style and form, this can have a huge impact on the feel and emotion of any design. As with all my projects, I like to get feedback and continue to develop the product, so making detailed renderings and animations are vital during this phase.
Every time I design in 3D, I feel a surge of power! I have a lot of passion for 3D modeling and the power to create something from nothing is the best feeling you can get. Relying on my years of experience, I am able to model up complex designs and see them come alive in no time at all. I usually start by importing hand drawn sketches into the background for reference, while sometimes I go rouge, toss out the sketch, and directly create a 3D concept on the fly.
To kick off this design I decided to dive straight into SOLIDWORKS. I started with a few simple sketches, and then used a surface loft with guide curves to almost immediately get the shape I wanted.
Even at this early phase it is important to use the correct size and proportions, I try not to let rules hinder the creative process, but it is important to setup some boundaries to make sure that the design will meet the specifications set out in phase 1.
To create the transparent channel, the putter is made up of multiple parts. I needed a way to connect all these units together, so I created a “top-hat” shaped central part which creates the channel, but also acts as a bridge for all the parts connecting and blending together.
I find it helpful to create 3D prints of my designs as soon as possible. I do this to make sure I am working with the correct dimensions, to get hands-on, and really get a feel of the design I am creating. By doing this I ensure that I am not wasting time by heading in the wrong direction.
After putting around the shop with the prototype (someone has to do it), the putter felt good, but I realized that my putter is a little too large and lacks a bit of style.
With this new knowledge I created a list of adjustments and then jumped back into SOLIDWORKS to start the redesign. Once these tasks were completed, it was back to the 3D Printer to play, I mean test out the putter.
I was super impressed with this updated design, which increased my motivation to continue on my path.
Phase 3 is all about refining the design to work towards the best design possible. For this design, shot number 2 was a slam dunk eagle… It is ok to not hit the mark with the first swing! Keep designing and redesigning and then repeat until the design is right!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYCKLqjS8CU
Enjoy PHASE 3 and hang tight while a move on to the PASE 4 and MAKE this thing!
Jason