11 month’s ago I headlined a blog “Is a designer ‘cheating’ if they use 3D modelling packages that are incredibly ‘easy to learn and use’?” https://annmarieshillito.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/cloud9-cheating/
So this following quote from Nick Grace who runs RapidForm at the Royal College of Art in London is pertinent to my point that complexity of process excludes many talented and creative people from using digital tools as they do not have the time and resources to begin to learn software of any sort with steep learning curves.
“That’s why the debate between traditional craftspeople and digital designers is getting lively. “Traditionally,” says Grace, “the non-maker had to rely on another human being to help him out. Now they can do it all themselves. There’s a lot of Luddite mentality attached to it, a lot of fear. Some people think that in order for something to be good it has to be difficult to achieve, and for someone to achieve something easily, it’s just not fair.”
Nick is referring to 3D printing and being able with this technology to ‘make’ complex forms difficult to produce by any other method. I am referring to 3D software for creating the model to be 3D printed. Unlike standard CAD, the software should be as easy as picking up a pencil or piece of clay and of a quality to provide the balance between pleasure and challenge whereby it is possible to progress and to master the medium. That is our goal for Anarkik3D’s haptic Cloud9 3S sketch/modelling package!
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