8th Grade Web Dev and Design: Product Design

Professional Designers use the same programs you have been learning to design products and advertisements. Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop can be used to create clothing, posters, cards, sheets, wrapping paper and much, much more. For this project, you will be a product (or industrial) designer.

Part 1: Background information and Vocabulary

First we must learn some industrial design vocabulary. An industrial designer designs products.
Go to the Scholastic Word Wizard and write down the definitions to the following words.

• designer
• aesthetics
• materials
• ergonomics
• mass production
• manufactured

Now let's think about what a BAD industrial design is. Go to So Sue Me. Find the answers for the questions on your worksheet. Make a drawing of a poorly designed product on the back of your worksheet.

Part 2: Research and Brainstorming


Now you will design a well-designed product. You can choose between designing shoes, skateboard decks, a watch or patterns. Sign up for one of the products with Ms. Vermeer. First you will brainstorm and sketch some designs, then you will use Adobe Illustrator to create refined versions of your designs.

Your brainstorming sheets must be completed and in color.

Look through the links for inspiration.

* Shoes


Good tutorial on designing shoes in Illustrator
30 Fresh Shoe Designs
Shoe History

* Skateboard Decks
Look through these skateboard design links:
30 Deck designs done in Adobe Illustrator
More Skateboard Deck Designs
40 Beautiful Skateboard Decks

* T-Shirts

Look through these T-shirt design links:
50 Best T-Shirt Designs
How to design T-shirts
Design by Humans T-Shirts
The Tee Party





Part 3: Designing in Illustrator

1. Open the Adobe Illustrator template for your product. It can be found in the Templates folder.
2. Use the template as a starting point. You can delete it later.
3. Designers must present different options to their clients. Design 2 different versions of your product.
4. Remember to save your designs to your own folder, and when you are finished to the "HAND IN FINAL WORK HERE" folder.
Read through the grading criteria. You will be graded on craftsmanship and originality, as well as listening skills and time management.
Fill out the self evaluation form.

Have fun!