As a graphic design student looking towards the future, I believe learning 3D modeling skills should be a part of us and future students in the program. 3D modeling is becoming increasingly important across industries from product design to motion design to video games and VR. Having a foundational understanding of 3D modeling principles and being able to create basic 3D assets would make us more well-rounded designers ready to work in a variety of fields.
I propose we use part of the $2,500 budget to add a 3D Modeling elective class to the course schedule. This would cover the basics of modeling in a program like Blender which is free and open-source. Over a semester, students could learn:
The interface and navigation of Blender:
– Modeling tools and techniques like extruding, edge loops, sculpting
Materials, lighting, and texturing of models
– Basic animation principles
– Applications like product renderings, architectural visualizations, game asset creation
Rather than purchasing any one piece of hardware or software, dedicating the budget to an additional class would allow both current and future students to build critical emerging skills. As more industries utilize 3D digital content, having these abilities will make us much more hireable and capable designers.
While an advanced class would be great as well, dedicating the budget to an intro course ensures we establish strong fundamentals. Then students could choose to pursue more training later. This sets up both graduates and the program for success when interacting with 3D.
In summary, I believe using $2,500 of the budget to add a basic 3D Modeling course would greatly benefit current and future graphic design students by enhancing our skill sets. Let me know if you need any other details!