Rasters and Vectors:

Illustrator:

I chose illustrator to work on vector files as I am familiar with photoshop and hope that using tools in illustrator would be easy. Illustrator is a product of Adobe

Apart from this a there are several videos on youtube explaining how to do specific tasks and drawing in illustrator.

I decided to create icons of my daily activities in illustrator. First I made a rough sketch of what I wanted to do. Then in illustrator made a new file and inserted this drawing to trace over

I used mostly the line tool, arc tool to do the tracing. It was quite challenging in the beginning and the tools were actually quite different from photoshop. After a while getting the hang of the software. Once I was done tracing this was the result.

I Realized that it looked blank and needed composition. So I started composing the icons and added some infills, like line and spirals to make it more presentable. This was the final output,

Krita:

The basic tutorials can be accessed from here but youtube has a lot more impressive tutorials and features that can be explored using Krita.

I thought I'll use krita to colour the vector I created using illustrator. First opening Krita it did look so much similar to photoshop. Also, most of the keyboard shortcuts were the same. I created a new file from the file menu and imported the illustrator file.

Where Krita excels is its ability in digital painting. Krita has a wide variety of brush settings depending on the end result that's required. The brush engine can be bought by pressing "F5"

This has various customization options from spray paint to drybrush etc.

But I primarily used Krita to fill solid color to my drawing. The UI as I said resembled a lot like PS so navigating through the software was easy. I made a selection using the magic wand selection tool and used the fill tool to color them. It was relatively simple to work with the software. This is my end result

Fusion 360:

 To explore a new 3d software I decided to go with fusion 360. Fusion 360 has tools for CAD, CAM, and CAE. Hence it can be used for design, simulation, and prototyping. Fusion can be used in the entire product cycle from designing-Engineering-Manufacturing. One of the most interesting features of fusion is that it is a cloud-based software. All files are stored in cloud and can be shared with anyone. This makes collaboration easy.As an Architect, I thought this would be good for me later as well. Furthermore, Fusion has parametric capabilities as well. I downloaded a student version of Fusion from here:

An account with Autodesk needs to be created in order to download. I listed my school as FAB ACADEMY. It wasn't available on the list yet I was able to download the software. Then I clicked on the .exe file to install the software.

On starting up the software prompted that it was a trial version and that I had only 30 days. Clicking on that I could change the license to students version.

Another important reason to choose Fusion is that there are several tutorials available online and even on Autodesk website itself:

The following are the basic toolbar and menu layout for Fusion 360

1.Toolbar -  Basic tools for modeling

2.Canvas   -  Space where the main modeling is done

3.Navigation & Dispal menu  -  For orbiting and changing the view style

4.Timeline -  History of drawing and modifications

5.Comments  -  Additional comments if required

6.Browser  -  Groups and Components

7.Worspace selections  -  To select between multiple workspaces

8.User Profile  -  User and settings

The only 3d software I've used is SketchUp. Fusion is different in every way. The whole process of handling the model such as pan, zoom etc was difficult as the commands are different in SketchUp. I went to the user preference first to customize certain controls like reversing the zoom option from default

The units settings can also be found in the preference menu. Usually, in Sketchup, the 2d drawings are done in cad and then imported into SketchUp. But here in fusion, there is a sketch menu, especially for such needs. Also, fusion has various workspaces such as patch, render, animation, simulation etc. Each workspace has its own set of unique tools. All this was a little overwhelming as there are so many controls.

I started creating my model with the basic tools and commands. Getting the hang of tools and moving around the workspace was a little challenging. Since fusion is cloud-based the system stores modification as versions and all that is done is stored in a timeline and can be viewed and modified if required. I created My model mostly by using the sketch, extrude and boolean commands.

The following is the process on how I created my model:

-Sketched out a base for the mode

-Extruded the base to form a pyramid by providing a taper angle.

-Then extruded the bottom base

-extended the base to form the vertical surface of the same width

-Added the roof by sketching and extruding

-Offset the outer perimeter to create a opening in the middle

-Increased the width on one side and subtracted the other using the extrude command

-Made the the sliding cover but sketching over the opening and extrusion

-Made the camera by extrusion and the taper by using the draft command.

-Then gave it fillets on the top and bottom with the camera holes by using extrusion.

Once the basic modeling was done I decided to try the render menu. From the Workspace menu

Started applying materials from the appearance menu. Another great feature of Fusion is that rendering can be done with the help of cloud computing. A system with low specs can use this feature to render models. I used cloud to render and these are my final results.

The 3D file can be accessed from here

Onshape

Like Fusion Onshape is another cloud-based 3d software. Both Onshape and fusion are incredibly powerful and perform multiple tasks other than modeling. Onshape since cloud-based has good collaborating capabilities. Onshape does not have onboard rendering but instead, it has an App store with various add-ons that can be plugged in. The greatest drawback of onshape would be that it cannot be worked offline. I like the user interface of Onshape better than fusion. Onshape can be accessed from  here:

I used the education version, hence the licensing was free. The complete tutorials for the software can be viewed from here:

Furthermore, there are webinars where onshape is taught. I found the tutorials were better and well organized on onshape than in fusion.

The following are the basic toolbar and menu layout for onshape:

1. Document menu -  Creating and managing document

2.Part studio  -  Main modeling space

3.Features menu  -  Hold history of modeling

4.Workspace Tab  -  Shift between multiple workspaces

5.Toolbar -  Main tool bar for all modeling

6.User Menu -  To create and manage user profile

This software on many levels is very similar to fusion. The menu is obviously different but I find this easier to use than fusion. As in fusion, the sketch goes into a new window with different icons and the 3d models are in a different window. But there are certain feature missing in the onshape. But the most of the features remain the same between the two software. I find navigating easier in onshape. I decided to make a model of a nut and bolt as I can experiment with most of the tools by doing this model, like chamfering, sweep, revolve, extrude, sketch etc,

I started my model with a basic sketch of a hexagon and then extruded them.

Sketched circles on top again to make a shaft and a hole

I took a long time to figure out how to make a chamfer all around. After trying multiple options I finally resolved to revolve. Made two triangles and swept them along the center axis

Repeated the same for the bolt

Now creating the thread was also challenging. In fusion the thread is readily available but not in onshape. I created a helix with the necessary turns needed. Then I made a triangle and used the sweep command- solid- remove- then select the triangle and then the path.

 The result was a clean model. Repeated the same for the bolt but instead of remove, I added the solid. The output is great but figuring out what is required takes time and how to achieve it.

The best part of onshape is the assembly. It is categorized as per the part movement and it snaps to the object once the axis is set. It was really easy to use.

Rhino 3D

I decided to explore rhino because, apart from being an extensive modeling software it has various plug-ins that make it more effective. Especially In the architecture community plug-ins like grasshopper(parametric), Ladybug and honeybee(Environmental) are quite popular. Rhino again has CAD and CAM capabilities. The geometry Is based on the NURBS mathematical model, which focuses on producing mathematically precise representation on curves and free-form surfaces in computer graphics. Rhino can be download from

I downloaded the evaluation version for windows which comes with a 90 days license.

Another great feature about rhino is that various workshops are conducted to teach the software. The basic tutorials for Rhino can be found here:

The following are the basic toolbar and menu layout for Rhino

1.Menu  -  All menu from file creation to modeling

2.History -  Displays all the command history

3.Command Line -  Displays the current command in use

4.Tool Bar  -  Basic modeling tools

5.View ports -  Space where model in displayed in different angles

6. Tool Panel  -  Panel for model properties and characteristics

When compared to the previous two software I tried Rhino is completely different. From the user interface to navigation and also the modeling method. There are a lot more icons and it's quite confusing after looking at minimal icons in fusion and onshape. The viewports are split into four showing top, front, right and perspective. This is actually good and gives a better idea of the model. Double-clicking on a particular vire port icon gives a maximized view of that particular viewport.

I wanted to model a hologram viewing device for tablets and mobiles with a base and a stand. I saw a few reference online as started modeling the same.

I started drawing the basic skeleton of the model from the curve tools

From the surface creation tools, I created a surface from the existing lines. Again to shift from SketchUp, it's quite a challenge with such sophisticated tools. I found it very difficult to understand the modeling process in rhino. Once a model is done the editing process didn't seem as easy as in Sketchup.

 Once the main pyramid was done, I started sketching the base. Then using extrude and extrude tapered commands made the first box and the stand was plain solid with fillets.

Once both parts were modeled individually I assembled them together and this was the final result.

Comparing the three software

I have not ventured in-depth with the three software. I learn how to do basic modeling in the three.

The menu and toolbar in fusion and onshape are much simpler and easily understandable than rhino. Probably once I'm used to using Rhino I might find it simpler but as a first time user, I had a hard time figuring out the tools. The navigation in rhino and onshape is great when compared to fusion but the fusion's workspace is better arranged and easy to use. But when it came to overall modeling experience I would have to say onshape was the easiest of all. The easiness to use the software and also the look and feel of the software is great. Another big difference between the three software is the cloud capabilities. Rhino does not work on cloud like the other two hence the import/export, starting a new document and saving are all the same way that we are used to from before. These are my first impression of the three software.

Conclusion

Developing models and sketching the same of a product gave me a better understanding of the design itself. Certain times the ideas and reality don't match up. I realized the ideas in my head actually were not possible and that I understood only when I actually started sketching and modeling. Also, such representations are great is visualizing and improving the final product. These tools are so advanced that apart from visualizing the end product they also provide feasibility information for manufacturing and production. All the three are great software and have their own pros and cons, but in the end, I would choose onsahpe fro modeling and rhino/grasshopper for its parametric capabilities.

Update

This is the comparison between gif and animated svg