If COVID taught the shoe industry one thing, it is the need to make the shift to digital creation and visualization, in order to more efficiently communicate online with suppliers, manufacturers, partners, colleagues, and consumers. During the past few months, Footwearology has seen a significant increase in students for all courses on 3D modeling and rendering. That is why the online academy has now combined all of them in an attractive bundle, which serves as a full education for those that want to specialize in 3D modeling for footwear.
The footwear industry is also expected to continue to see significant growth in the adoption of 3D printing technology for more direct shoe parts manufacturing, including uppers, midsoles and insoles. As we recently reported, AM for footwear applications is expected to grow into a $10 billion industrial segment within a decade.
“At Footwearology, all our teachers are footwear professionals themselves as well. Lorenzo Masini, our Rhino and Grasshopper expert, was recently asked to reinvent footwear design and construction for an exhibition on 3D printing that is currently being held at Cosmo Caixa in Barcelona. He made this shoe, which has a 3D printed “cage” and a knitted sock, using a combination of Rhino and Grasshopper.”
“At Footwearology, all our teachers are footwear professionals themselves as well. Lorenzo Masini, our Rhino and Grasshopper expert, was recently asked to reinvent footwear design and construction for an exhibition on 3D printing that is currently being held at Cosmo Caixa in Barcelona. He made this shoe, which has a 3D printed “cage” and a knitted sock, using a combination of Rhino and Grasshopper.”Nicoline van Enter, Founder at The Footwearists
This bundle is meant for footwear professionals that already have experience in footwear design and development. The courses don’t teach footwear design, as much as they just focus on how to model and render designs in 3D, either from scratch or starting from a 2D CAD. That is why these courses are also suitable for non-creatives that want to learn how to model shoes in 3D for others, such as product developers.
No prior experience with 3D software is required, but the organizers recommend that students already know Adobe Illustrator. Footwearology will provide all the necessary digital files, yet students will have to download the software (Blender is free, but Rhino, which includes Grasshopper, costs 995 euros). Students can download a fully functional 90-day trial version – and this will be long enough to finish the course – yet anyone who will want to specialize in 3D modeling and rendering – and use the software professionally – will eventually have to buy it.
Studentss can follow all courses at their own pace and ask the instructor and fellow students for advice on the Community Page. They can also request a live Zoom session with their instructor; this is included in the course. That does not mean that your instructor is available 24/7 – they are also all active footwear professionals – but you are usually able to get online help within 24 hours.
