From illustration to CAD to Casting...

[callirrhoejewellery]

Hello everyone. I have started to become more custom based and have been considering moving towards possibly sketching out designs to have them created into a CAD design and then cast.

As I am self taught and have ZERO in the way of knowledge about what a CAD designer would need from me, perhaps someone who does CAD work could tell me how I can properly sketch out designs and send them off to be made. I have a degree in illustration so drawing would not be a problem.


Thanks!

[ps_bond]

Personally, I'd like a 3 axis view, ideally with dimensions, and a perspective view. Notes where appropriate too, but most of the info in the drawing.
Why not put up an illustration (a simple one) and we can go through it?

[callirrhoejewellery]

Oh excellent idea, I will do that.

[josef1]

I agree with peter, the more information the better stone sizes etc finger size the more information you can give the closer the model will be to what you want.

[callirrhoejewellery]

I still haven't got round to sketching out a proper design yet but just wanted to see if anyone could tell me what kind of prices I am looking at for a CAD design. Do CAD designers charge by the hour or by the piece?

[josef1]

Its one of those questions. You really need to find someone that is good before you worry about price lots of people can CAD but not everyone can CAD workable jewellery models. If you do your sketch I can cad the model and post the process on here (as long as you dont mind) and then give you an idea of cost. I only really CAD for myself so its not a sales pitch lol just thought it would be interesting

[ps_bond]

...not everyone can CAD workable jewellery models.

Hah. And then some. IMO, if someone has zero bench skills, they don't have the basic language to be able to design e.g. a ring - is it too heavy, is it going to be comfortable, can it be cast, can it be assembled (should it be split into 2 or more pieces?), can it be polished, can it be set? If you've got a basic grounding in those skills the chances of creating models that work for all aspects of the process are far, far higher.

[callirrhoejewellery]

Hi would something as simple as this work? Sorry it's not to scale.

1060210603

[enigma]

Would that not be just as easy to make by hand?

[josef1]

The info you gave was ok if the rings turned out like you wanted it !!! It took me 45 mins including the renders, The model shown is the render model I would also make a production model which is almost the same, but with longer claws and slightly bigger to allow for shrinkage. So probs about an hour all in all.
http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq182/JosefOne/forum3_zpsjnj2f0kc.jpg (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/JosefOne/media/forum3_zpsjnj2f0kc.jpg.html)http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq182/JosefOne/forum2_zpsdznxehn1.jpg (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/JosefOne/media/forum2_zpsdznxehn1.jpg.html)http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq182/JosefOne/forum1_zpsiagzkkbi.jpg (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/JosefOne/media/forum1_zpsiagzkkbi.jpg.html)http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq182/JosefOne/forum5_zpsdagjq4ho.jpg (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/JosefOne/media/forum5_zpsdagjq4ho.jpg.html)

[enigma]

You are very clever Josef.

[callirrhoejewellery]

WOW I can't believe you did that in an hour, that's amazing! And so I suppose if I made it a little bit more complicated it may add a half hour or so to the working time. Thank you for showing me such a good visualisation!

In CAD is it easy to create organic textures, such as a reticulated texture? I create some of my bands by fusing gold and silver and it creates a kind of organic shape like this10604

[josef1]

Its difficult to recreate organic stuff you may be better off using a sculpting program, which is not really my forte, Also I suppose you could not really cast them if they were mixed metals? Its just another tool I suppose, Its great at somethings but not so good at others, There is also more clean up associated with CAD and printed models you get grow lines that are a pain to remove in tricky spots. I will have a go at the organic rings if I get a chance just to see. You can apply textures to the renders. But on the cad you struggle to keep them if you want a polished surface

[callirrhoejewellery]

Interesting. Thank you so much for the great insight, I'm really glad I got to see what it can do and in such a short amount of time!