Best way to learn something - teach it!

In early September last year I was asked to teach AutoCAD 3D to first year Furniture Design students at the Marleston TAFE campus here in Adelaide. The regular lecturer was on medical leave and I'd taught AutoCAD and Inventor to other TAFE classes, but never AutoCAD 3D. But what the heck, why not?!

There was a unexpected challenge for me as there was no coursework or lecture plan for the this 16 week long class. A bit of panicking was acceptable in the situation, but other lecturers at the campus were greatly helpful in loaning me AutoCAD 2012 books, and files and exercises from earlier classes. From those I was able to cobble-together enough exercises and lectures to be at least 1 week ahead of my students in the learning curve. And I'm always indebted to Terry, my former AutoCAD teacher at Panorama who lives and breathes everything AutoCAD or Inventor. 

During those 16 weeks I learned a LOT about AutoCAD 3D. But it doesn't seem that the 3D functions of AutoCAD are the most widely used aspects of the product. My guess is that the AutoCAD 3D functions were included before individual 3D modelling and rendering products were more widely available, and that Autodesk would really rather that you used Maya or 3ds Max for generating surfaces, or Inventor for creating machines. 

Despite that, there were 9 students who had to gain competency in the 3D functions of AutoCAD to be able to advance in their furniture design course. And I had the responsibility for getting them there.

They rose to the challenge. The final project that they had to complete was to design and model a pool table with balls on it, pool cues on the table or in a rack, and site them in a partial room with a two back walls and a floor. I thought they would appreciate this task as during lunch breaks they could regularly be found in the lunch room playing pool. To complete the task they had to add surfaces and texture to the objects, place at least 2 lights in the set, and make some high definition renders. The results were wonderful - imagination went wild and one young woman created a pool table with massive legs that ended on tiny supports on the floor. The great thing about designing objects on the computer is that they don't actually have to work. You can defy design rules, forget about gravity and mass, and have a great time! 

It was a good experience. I hope the 9 students have gone-on and become designers of exotic, exciting furniture for appreciative clients.