Have you ever wondered what a real Think Tank looks like?

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Norebbo

You may recall the first series of Think Tank illustrations that I uploaded a couple weeks ago (or not, it’s ok). Those Think Tanks were literally high-pressure containers with stickers on them, and they matched what a former colleague of mine had envisioned “Think Tanks” to be. Since that post, I have received a few messages from readers who agreed with me that it was kind of an odd representation of the metaphor. I knew it!

So with that in mind, I thought it would be a fun challenge to come up with my own idea for what a “Think Tank” should look like. I knew it had to be made of transparent glass. I also knew that the liquid inside had to be fully transparent as well. But what about some other features that would help identify it as a “tank for thinking”? That part was tough – best I could come up with was embedding the words “Think” into the rim of the glass. I also considered putting a sticker on the side, but I found that it covered up too much of the objects floating in the water. I guess there really isn’t one correct way of doing it, so I hope what you see here makes sense. Anyway, here is a more detailed description of what I have come up with:

  • A transparent blue globe floating inside of a large glass Think Tank
  • A big silver metallic medical symbol floating inside of a large glass Think Tank
  • Three large pencils sitting inside of a large transparent Think Tank filled with water
  • Two large magnifying glasses sitting in a glass Think Tank
  • An large brass padlock floating inside of a transparent glass Think Tank
  • A large wrench and screwdriver sitting in a glass Think Tank filled with a transparent liquid

Yes! I’ve got more Think Tank illustrations in my online store.

Posted in 3d Renderings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Navigation map illustrations with objects

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Norebbo

I built a series of generic road map illustrations for my stock image collection about a year ago, but I was never really happy with they way they turned out. I think I rushed the entire set without taking the time to make them look exactly like I wanted, and that kind of stuff really bugs me. I’m a total perfectionist (swear I can’t help it)! Anyway, maps and navigation concepts are really popular these days, and I have been planning on redoing the collection for many months – and these six images are the beginnings of that work. I’m not totally happy with the way they turned out, but I think they are much better than the original set!

Here’s a rundown of the renderings presented above:

  • A large acoustic guitar sitting on top of an unrolled set of generic road maps
  • Two large pencils lying on top of generic road maps
  • Two large red push pins sitting on top of a stack of unrolled navigational maps
  • Large metallic puzzle pieces connected together on top of an unrolled set of road maps
  • A big QR code graphic sitting on top of an unrolled set of generic road maps
  • A generic set of unrolled road maps over a dark reflective surface

If you happen to need these map illustrations in a larger size, they are available in dimensions up to 5000×3750 in my online store.

Posted in 3d Renderings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Conceptual fuel gauge illustrations

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Norebbo

I spend a good amount of time every day trying to think of new ideas for my conceptual stock image collection. Sometimes it’s a struggle, but other times it just comes to me without much thought. Case in point: this new series of 3d renderings featuring fuel gauges. I actually came up with the idea for this collection last weekend while filling up my car with gas, which is a bit ironic considering that filling my car with gas has never been creative activity for me in the past. I was just standing there daydreaming as normal, aimlessly looking around…until I took notice of the gas price sign. Holy moly!  Gas prices are not something that I notice (or think about) on a daily basis, so it was quite a shock to see them at such high levels. It was right then and there that I swear I heard the clicking noise of the pump turn into something that sounded more like a ringing cash register instead.

Everybody is affected by the cost of fuel, so I thought that it would be a good idea to create a small collection of images featuring a gas gauge as a central element. Here’s a description of this set:

  • Two large gold and black AA batteries positioned in front of an upright automotive gas gauge showing a full tank
  • A glossy gas gauge inside of the central part of an automotive brake rotor with a red caliper
  • A glossy fuel gauge resting on top of two generic credit cards
  • A large automotive fuel gauge floating in a glass of transparent liquid
  • A big magnifying glass hovering over top of a circular gas gauge
  • Top-down view of a silver trophy with a fuel gauge inside

Need more fuel gauge illustrations? I’ve got more over on my online store.

Posted in 3d Renderings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Conceptual high-pressure Think Tank illustrations

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Norebbo

A few years ago I had a discussion with a design colleague about “think tanks”. The definition for that which I have always had in my mind was something like a large room or container where people go to think. In other words, a large private room to brainstorm and think of ideas. However, my colleague jokingly made a comment about needing to purchase a “think tank” so he could come up with better ideas, and it was the first time I had ever heard the term used in that context. It sparked quite a debate, and it ended with him thinking I was nuts for thinking about it as a large room of some kind. Was I right, or was he? I don’t think there is a definitive answer for that.

I have never forgot about that discussion, and I have always wanted to make a series of stock illustrations featuring think tanks – just as my colleague had described. Here is the first set of images from that collection:

  • A large blue think tank lying on its side over a dark gray reflective surface
  • A big high pressure think tank standing behind a pair of dark sunglasses
  • A blue think tank wearing a large red and white lifesaver
  • A large blue high-pressure think tank with a thick metallic hose connected to the nozzle
  • A large blue think tank wearing two large gears over a reflective steel surface
  • A big blue high pressure think tank lying on it’s side over a white reflective surface with a thick metallic hose attached to the nozzle

Need these think tank images in resolutions up to 5000px wide? They are available in my online store.

Posted in 3d Renderings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment