Dedicated to inspiring designers, inventors & the creative spirit in all of us.

For those of you who want to freshen up your rendering skills, or maybe just want a little help learning how to sketch, IDsketching  is for you. I followed along with this tutorial using Alias SketchBook Pro on my Wacom and step by step successfully rendered the earbuds as shown above. If you go into the tabs, you can even navigate through dozens of marker renderings, hand sketches and computer generated drawings posted by the authors. Novice or professional, check out this creative site!

Originality makes both of these items, the key purse and scrabble key board, one-of-a-kind creations. For those of you who love to type and can’t get enough of your keyboard keys, take the Keybag with you wherever you go. If typing just isn’t your thing, and you need to trick yourself into believing you are in the middle of the world’s longest Scrabble game EVER, maybe this custom keyboard by Datamancer is what you need.

This innovative design for a bike lane that goes wherever you go is brilliant! This is one of those great inventions I always end up finding and saying to myself, “how clever, I should have thought of that!” If they could only project shadows for daylight use, they’re golden!

This inventive bike marketed by Skip Hop lets your little one graduate from sit and scoot, to tricycle to bicycle with ease. By keeping your child familiar with the seating and handlebars throughout the transformation of this patented Wishbone bike, it will be no time before they are building ramps and jumping cars behind the garage!

Buying bottled water seemed like such a crazy idea back in the 90’s. Back then, it was all the rage to have a personal water bottle wherever you went. Now, as we fast approach a new decade, we seem to want to erase the idea of buying throw-away water bottles from the minds of consumers. Not only is the habit of buying bottled water expensive, it is troublesome to the consumer as far as recycling; even concerns about BPA content in plastics can flood your consciousness. So consumers are demanding an alternative solution. And with demand, comes supply. Creative designs from all over are stemming up — from glass bottles, to steel water bottles to water filtering steel bottles.

Some people choose to use other means of carrying water, making their own decanter for that precious filtered water they still feel the need to carry around. For me, the now obsolete line of Pom brand glasses did the job. The urban canteen, as it seems, is more and more a reflection of how you see yourself as a participant in this water consumer’s pipe dream.
So, are you the person who drinks from a throw-away plastic bottle, or do you fashion yourself with the accessory of a $6 bottle of ‘designer’ water? Maybe you find a way to transport your water with a reusable container of choice: stainless steel, aluminum, glass, plastic, BPA free plastic, hydration bladder. Maybe you’re old-fashioned and get it straight from the tap. Regardless of how you drink it, it is always good to have a better way to carry your water.

Simple and smart. No design makes it anywhere without being both. The problem: sliding coffee mugs when you serve to guests. Solution: nest your coffee mugs on a serving tray. Clean design, simple colors, great solution.

We have all heard the famed story of landing that big deal by sketching out an idea or invention on a napkin over lunch. For some of us, the sketching comes easily; just draw confident lines, work quickly and speak aloud as you sketch. For others it can be a struggle. Well, increase your chances of actually landing that big break by supplying your own stack of these grid napkins wherever you go.

Material plays a big part in design. Some of the more beautiful designs around us are made of wood, though you would never expect an electronics product to be. These examples of innovative computer products most commonly manufactured in plastic are so much more unique by using wood in the design. Yes, the hard drive functions just like that of its plastic counterpart; yes, the laptop case protects the contents inside as would any other case. The beauty is in how the assumed material is replaced with a not-so-conventional shell of stained wood, producing a one-of-a-kind appeal for buyers. So, like a glass vase or ceramic work of art, you can display your computer as a real work of art at your workstation.

This new age Murphy Bed makes any small space a bachelor’s delight (I really could have used one of these in my college years). This automated bed creates sleeping quarters in any room by concealing the mattress within a wall shelf system, and releasing it in an inchworm-like fashion. Use the above link to see the invention in motion and view other styles and sizes.

Emily Beros is a student at Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio. She recently co-designed the Certificate of Electoral Votes for the state of Ohio. On Jan. 8 her design was unsealed and read aloud before both houses of Congress in Washington D.C.

1. How did you come across this opportunity to design this special document? The President of CCAD was contacted about the possibility of the project, and the Dean brought my name up in conversation. It was really not a competition in terms of us having to go through rounds before being chosen. We were contacted on a Tuesday and on Wednesday we met with a gentleman who gave us past examples for research. The next day we took them to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office for a meeting with the communications director.

2. I understand you created a unique watermark design that will now be implemented in all future Electoral Vote documents, is that correct? Yeah, in the past, this has been formatted more as a document, but we designed it to include more graphics. After researching the history of this document, we realized they would only be seen together once before being preserved so we wanted to make it special. By including watermarks of state icons like the ladybug, the buckeye and a carnation, there is a once-only time when they are viewed as one single joining display together.

3. So where did the documents go after you presented them? We had a ceremony with the Governor of Ohio and the Secretary of State to whom we presented the official documents. From there, three portfolios were created. One portfolio went to Washington D.C. to the President of the Senate, one went to the National Archives for preservation and the last portfolio went to an Ohio Supreme Court judge for preservation.

4. It seems pretty exciting. Was it really fast paced and cut-throat doing this design work with your design partner? I’m afraid the work I was doing for the Electoral College documents was less than exciting. Historic, yes, but not so much exciting. Sorry if this isn’t nearly as exciting as you’d like… you can totally add some explosives or car chases where need be.

5. Now that you have some time to do some down-to-earth projects, not so presidential, what are you working on? I currently am working with the College of Design Group, a school based design job where I am a senior designer. We handle all design work like websites, promotional videos, flyers and view books for both current and prospective students. Anything design goes to us and we help to promote and educate our students and faculty.

6. How is it working out, being a full time student while simultaneously working for the College of Design Group? It is great; lots of experience. Working with both students and experienced faculty is great. My boss, Robert Cole, is an inspiration to me as far as working in design. He is a former designer for Victoria Secret and now does marketing and manages the design group for the college. He has really helped me realize how much target audience affects a design.

7. Who else would you attribute as a major influence to how you see things with a designer’s eye? My first impressionable moment in design was taking a class with an instructor here at CCAD. Doug Fisher, who teaches advertising and graphic design, has really played a role in how I see design. He is so knowledgeable, fully understands design as a profession and is accepting of newer technologies as well as seasoned techniques like marker rendering in this day of computer interface.

8. When was your first impressionable moment as far as designing goes? When I was in the fifth grade, after school I would spend time in my mom’s classroom. I would get onto her computer and “fix” her Clip-Art that she had used for teaching. As funny as that may seem, she still uses some of the artwork I created for her back then. Also, when I was supposed to be writing essays and school projects, I would go off on a tangent, adjusting fonts and layout, spending far more time on the graphics rather than the writing content.

9. What stirs your imagination and influences you when you are doing design work? I do a lot of online referencing. My day always begins combing through design blogs and current design trends. Most recently, I got a Swiss design book as a Christmas gift, which is a great wealth of information. I also love botanical illustrations. Since I was young I have always loved the appeal of the detailed illustrations and layouts.