Blackjack Lighting

From residential chandeliers to custom LED pendant arrangements that fill thirty-foot-tall entranceways, Blackjack Lighting specializes in providing smart, engineered, design solutions for its clients.

Role

Jr. Industrial Designer & Graphic Specialist

Year

2022 - 2023

Project

Industrial & Product Design

Deliverable

Architectural Lighting Fixtures

Luxury Architectural Lighting

The role centered around designing and developing custom lighting fixtures for various high-profile clients. The primary challenge was to create visually striking, innovative lighting solutions that adhered to architectural specifications while maintaining ease of installation and client requirements.
My approach followed a structured yet flexible design process, which involved:
1. Initial Research: Analyzing the client’s project brief and identifying specific functional and aesthetic needs.
2. Concept Sketches: Developing initial 2D and 3D sketches to present various ideas to the client, incorporating their feedback into successive iterations.
3. 3D Modeling: Utilizing SolidWorks to create detailed 3D models and technical drawings, ensuring all designs were feasible for manufacturing.
4. Client Collaboration: Working closely with the client and internal teams, ensuring that feedback was incorporated at every stage to meet both design and practical goals.
As the Lead Designer for all custom lighting fixture designs, I was responsible for:
- Concept development and 3D modeling using SolidWorks and KeyShot.
- Creating detailed technical drawings for manufacturing.
- Liaising with project management, engineering, and external clients to refine and finalize designs.
- Overseeing the packaging design and providing digital files for client approval and production.

The design process for each project at Blackjack Lighting was a dynamic and collaborative effort, involving stakeholders across multiple disciplines. The key steps were:
- Concept Exploration: Worked closely with the sales team and architectural specifier to understand the project brief, including deadlines, space constraints, budgetary considerations, and the desired look and feel of the desired fixture. This collaboration ensured that the designs aligned with both aesthetic and practical requirements for each unique environment.
- 3D Modeling & Visual Design: Leveraged SolidWorks to create precise 3D models and photorealistic renders using KeyShot. These were essential for accurately representing the fixtures in the given space and ensuring the design met client expectations.
- Iteration & Feedback: Integrated multiple rounds of feedback from clients, internal stakeholders, and project managers. Iterations focused on refining both the visual design and technical feasibility to meet manufacturing requirements.
- Technical Documentation & File Management: Delivered comprehensive submittal drawings, product specifications, and BOMs (Bill of Materials) to support manufacturing and client approval. Ensured all design files were organized with clear naming conventions and prepared for efficient client use.
For each project, I leveraged a comprehensive suite of industry-standard tools to deliver high-quality results. Key tools included:
- SolidWorks: Used extensively for 3D modeling, technical drawings, and photorealistic renders to ensure precise product designs.
- Adobe Creative Cloud: (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) for creating renders, marketing materials, and packaging designs that aligned with branding and client expectations.
- KeyShot: For producing high-quality, photorealistic renders of product designs, ensuring visuals matched the final deliverable.
Several pivotal decisions were made throughout each project lifecycle to balance creativity, functionality, and client needs, including:
- Fixture Design: Deciding on the optimal dimensions and layout to ensure compatibility with spatial limitations and client floor plans.
- Material Selection: Choosing materials that met both aesthetic and functional needs while ensuring feasibility within manufacturing constraints.
- Modular Design: Implementing a modular approach to fixtures, allowing easy customization based on individual client needs, such as different layouts and sizes.

- Delivered fully functional and aesthetically pleasing lighting fixtures within client deadlines.
- Successfully obtained client approval for all submittal drawings and renders, ensuring smooth transition to the manufacturing phase.
- Reduced production time by 20% through efficient communication and file management.
Throughout this project, I gained a deeper understanding of:
- The importance of clear communication and feedback loops between designers, engineers, and clients to streamline the design process.
- The role of precision in technical drawings and submittal documents to ensure flawless manufacturing and installation.
- How to balance creative freedom with the practical constraints of product design, ensuring that aesthetic choices remained viable for production.
Working in a fast-paced environment and handling multiple iterations strengthened my ability to manage complex, cross-functional projects while maintaining design integrity and meeting client expectations.