[message border=’yes’ background_color=’#e6e6e6′ size=’large’] GO HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CONTEST AND TO SUBMIT YOUR DESIGN! [/message]
The future is an endless source of inspiration. It has always been and always will be. Many idealize future. They see it as utopia where everyone will live comfortably and technology will go so far that no one will have to work, just enjoy. But if you analyze events in the past 200 years you will easily understand that following 200 years might not be so kind to you, your successors and all other forms of life on Earth. On the contrary. So be prepared…
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GRAPHIC ELEMENTS & VIDEO: NYKO DE PEYER
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After watching this video you might ask…
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[accordion_item caption=”Is this a challenge?”]
It is THE challenge? Maybe the greatest challenge you have ever been a part of.
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[accordion_item caption=”Will there be any awards?”]
Many awards!
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[accordion_item caption=”Where can I submit my designs?”]
The correct question would be “when can I submit my designs?”. Come back on Tuesday, March 4th 2014 and you will get your answer.
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[accordion_item caption=”Who is behind this project?”]
Boonar Studio, Local Motors, Pixologic, Auto®… and you of course :)
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Exciting, right? You want to know more? You feel you have the right to know more! You want to participate! Don’t worry, we understand. Have patience. There’s plenty of time to save the Earth. You might first want to meet individuals behind this project. The easiest way to do that is to read the interview bellow.
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Marko Prpic Zets / Boonar Studio / Boonika Association
Why did Boonar go with this contest in the first place?
Actually, I would say that this contest, in it’s current form, is the result of a series of happy coincidences. At first Boonar just wanted to do a “Vehicle of the future” contest for ZBrush users. It should have been an announcement for ZBrush User Group Meeting at #TDZG2014. That’s how we have approached Paul Gaubory and others at Pixologic team and got green light. But later things got all crazy. In a good way of course.
How was the team of the contest assembled?
Since we work closely with Daniel Tomicic (Auto®) on the organization of #TDZG2014 festival, he suggested to get us in contact with Local Motors because he saw them as perfect partner for this occasion, and also because he wanted to do something similar with them for Auto® conference. Daniel is a big LM fan and Nyko De Peyer (LM) is a big Auto® fan so, naturally, one thing led to another. To be honest, at first I didn’t know what Local Motors is but as soon as Daniel explained it a bit – I was thrilled. Rally Fighter and all other things they do is so different from what I would expect from a car company. But that’s not the only thing that got me excited. Local Motors has huge community and a web platform built around contests similar to this one. So for them this is just another in a row. Also, every year Auto® organizes a contest for car designers. Of course, our friends from Pixologic were also very happy because some of them already knew about Local Motors story. I myself am very happy because finally there is a challenge that will show why ZBrush is becoming more and more popular among automotive designers.
How do you see the continuation of collaboration between Boonar Studio with Pixologic and Local Motors?
I think we will continue to develop projects around ZBrush. We already offer education for everyone interested in 3D but there are also other ideas which we didn’t share with anyone. We see Pixologic as a great partner for projects that make sense and which can benefit both sides. We are small, they are big but we both have something in common – an endless list of ideas. For some of those ideas you need partners and that’s what we are counting on.
Local Motors is another story. If they ever decide to invite us to join on other projects we will be ready. Until then we will watch closely what they do.
Who are the guests at ZBrush User Group Meeting in Zagreb?
We have invited two very special guests, Ben Mauro and David Bentley, both well known ZBrush users. Croatian CG artists will be happy to attend their lectures. But there will also be many others. You’ll find out who they are soon enough.
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Nyko De Peyer / Local Motors
Local Motors team is very excited about this contest, you don’t even try to hide it. In what way will you participate in it?
There are some opportunities in life that come up in which you just have put the pedal to the medal and run with it. This is one of those magical opportunities. You are right, we are very excited about the challenge, and we plan to participate in every level that we can, from working to help set up and manage the challenge, to making some very unique prizes for the winners. And even if we can’t win, you might see some entries from the LM Design team too. We are totally inspired!
LM > MakerBot > Futu(r)Vision. Will we see some 3D prints of winning designs?
We love Makerbots! We have a bunch of them in our Micro-Factories and we actually use them to make parts for vehicles. For example the door mounts for the side view mirrors on the Rally Fighter are printed on the Makerbot, as is the Air Scoop for the Local Motors Racer Motorcycle designed by André Costa. So we actually put the printers to good use, and they are humming along printing cool things every day.
With the partnership of ZBrush in this challenge, we have a unique opportunity to bring to life the winning design from the ZBrush submitted entries, and we DO plan on making 3D prints of the winning designs. We are very excited to see what we will get and can’t wait to present them in Zagreb!
Tell us about the contest theme idea, how did it develop? Do you think it will be a great of a challenge for participants? Do you believe that the Local Motors team themselves would tackle the building of this kind of machine in the far future with success?
One of the great things about working at Local Motors is the open collaboration that goes on every day. The contest theme idea came from a great collaboration with the organizers of Auto® and Zagreb design week. The original idea came from Marko of Boonar studios, but the idea was so strong that we took it to the next level. It was inspiring and thus easy to build a whole story around, and every day that has gone by since our team has not been able to stop dreaming and imagining and continuing to develop the story. Seriously, sometimes I wonder if we should be making movies or video games. I think it will be a great challenge for participants because there is a great story to the design brief, a true challenge for the Vehicle type (ROTUAV), and a great event and organization surrounding the challenge.
In terms of whether Local Motors would tackle the building of this kind of machine in the future, I think we could do it. If Local Motors was aware of the request for proposal that came from the World Governing Federation in 2214, we would definitely be part of helping to build a fleet of ROTUAV’s, but ours would differ from others because we would still try to make them look great as we do with everything we build.
Are you looking forward to attend this Auto(r) Design Conference at #TDZG2014 (Zagreb Design Week)? Will you bring something with you?
For me personally, I have known about Auto® since it first started, and have always wanted to attend. To not only have the chance to go to the design conference, but play an integral part in hosting the Auto® Design Challenge is a humbling experience I am honored to be a part of on behalf of the Local Motors team. As to whether I will bring something with me to Zagreb… we should leave some room for surprises don’t you think?
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Paul Gaboury / Pixologic
What do you expect from this contest? What benefits do you see for current and future Zbrush users?
I’m looking forward for the automotive designers to see how ZBrush can be used with in their design workflow. In fact ZBrush is being used in 10+ industries today, which include automotive, aviation, product, film, game, toy, collectible and many more. I know with the amazing community we have for ZBrush there will be a large number of entries which is for sure to inspire the 2D designers and I know that the ZBrush community is going to be chalked full of inspiration from the 2D entries. It’s going to be really exciting to see how both sets of artists get inspired and/or interest in the design techniques found in each workflow. I know that once the automotive designers sees what’s possible in ZBrush they will begin to add ZBrushCentral.com, our online community forum as a daily spot to visit. Maybe some day becoming a member themselves and a ZBrush user.
Are there any particular ZB users that you would like to invite to submit their visions of machines of the underworld?
There are definitely some users that I would like to invite to the contest. There are many hard surface sculptors in ZBrush today that I know will create amazing designs. It’s definitely going to be cool to see them design out a vehicle for this challenge.
This contest also announces ZBrush UGM and Auto(r) Design Conference at this years’s #TDZG2014 (Zagreb Design Week). The word is that well known ZBrush masters David Bentley and Ben Mauro will also be there. What about you?
You will have some amazing guest at this year’s ZBrush UGM and Auto(r) Design Conference at this years’s #TDZG2014 (Zagreb Design Week), unfortunately I will not be able to make the expo this year. However, I’m hoping to possibly join next year.
Looks like the future of ZBrush will be closely associated with the expansion of advanced technologies and their applications, such as 3D printing. Your recent visit to 3D Printer World Expo proves it. What can we expect from future versions of ZBrush when it comes to 3D printing?
Unfortunately I can’t speak to future ZBrush releases.
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Daniel Tomicic / Auto®
This year you got involved in two competitions. What does this competition mean for Auto(r) and is this, in terms of volume, the largest competition which Auto(r) was ever involved with?
Auto(r) Design Challenge is always great fun because we receive so many excellent projects and meet new great people. Challenge gives everybody a chance to experience design process with briefing full of requirements and expert evaluation process by professional automotive designers. FuturVision is special for me because it involves fantastic partners. I’m truly looking forward to see results and hope it will beat record Auto(r) 2012 Design when we received 119 projects.
What is your relation with Local Motors, and what is your opinion on their ideas and approach to producing vehicles?
I’m great fan of Local Motors from very beginning. Their innovative approach to product planning, design and manufacturing has never been seen in automotive industry. LM is on the forefront of indie car scene. They have evolved and changed through time, but always remained devoted to their values. Wish there are more companies like them. Auto(r) 2014 edition is inspired by Local Motors and indie car scene and will involve various innovative concepts.
What is your experience with Boonar Studio and Boonika?
Please tell us more about Auto(r) Design Conference and it’s plans for the future.
Auto(r) started in 2009 and ever since is the largest automotive design conference in Europe. It’s the only mass orientated event in the world where you can meet automotive designers. The Best Designed Car Award started in 2012 and is unique award voted by the largest and most expert jury made of around fifty automotive designers and theoreticians. Through time we included car culture in programe and last year organised Milano&Cars, automotive culture conference at Monza racetrack devoted to Milanese petrolheads.