Tipton Design Studios

Tipton Design Studios- Design + Business + Environment + Technology

Welcome to Tipton Design Studios- Here you will find a mix of our portfolio pieces, presentations, and work we have created both as professional industrial designers for various organizations and as a graduate student at California College of the Arts. At CCA I was one of two people awarded a dual master’s candidacy, completed the three-year program, and received both an MBA in Design Strategy and an MFA in Industrial Design. Through the two Master's programs, I specialized in children’s design and rapid prototyping. I believe that creative self-empowerment and stewardship of our environment walk hand in hand.

At California College of the Arts I worked as a manager in the Rapid Prototyping Department helping students learn 3D printing, CNC and Laser cutting. Here I am feeding 3D CAD files to robotic router...

At California College of the Arts I worked as a manager in the Rapid Prototyping Department helping students learn 3D printing, CNC and Laser cutting. Here I am feeding 3D CAD files to robotic router...

The CNC then carves the exact shape into this piece of cherry wood…

The CNC then carves the exact shape into this piece of cherry wood…

…which becomes a mold that will be used to shape blown glass. This merges the traditional art of glass blowing to the high tech art of computer aided carving.

…which becomes a mold that will be used to shape blown glass. This merges the traditional art of glass blowing to the high tech art of computer aided carving.

The final product!

The final product!

Resurfacing 110 year old redwood reclaimed from a fallen barn. Pieces are split and laminated together to form the slab the sign will be carved from.

Resurfacing 110 year old redwood reclaimed from a fallen barn. Pieces are split and laminated together to form the slab the sign will be carved from.

Applying stain to the hand routed and carved sign.

Applying stain to the hand routed and carved sign.

Applying gold paint to mimic the original sign from 30 years before

Applying gold paint to mimic the original sign from 30 years before

Removing a hive of bees from the third story of a historical victorian mansion in Downtown Santa Rosa. The bees were moved to a new box and currently reside near a vegetable garden in the Davis countryside. Here I combine my knowledge of bee keeping…

Removing a hive of bees from the third story of a historical victorian mansion in Downtown Santa Rosa. The bees were moved to a new box and currently reside near a vegetable garden in the Davis countryside. Here I combine my knowledge of bee keeping learned on my grandparent's farm with my skills as a master carpenter

Although as an industrial designer I mostly use CAD(computer aided) software,  I still make the occasional hand drawings. Sometimes I just prefer the feel and classic look .

Although as an industrial designer I mostly use CAD(computer aided) software, I still make the occasional hand drawings. Sometimes I just prefer the feel and classic look .

As a lead carpenter and rigger here directing a crew of 8 riggers assembling "The Temple" at Burning Man in 2009

As a lead carpenter and rigger here directing a crew of 8 riggers assembling "The Temple" at Burning Man in 2009

The Design for a 3D interactive Map is developed in a program called Pepakura before being lasercut in cardstock then assembled by hand. Later an interactive map is projected on the raised polygons and controlled with the wave of a hand using a micr…

The Design for a 3D interactive Map is developed in a program called Pepakura before being lasercut in cardstock then assembled by hand. Later an interactive map is projected on the raised polygons and controlled with the wave of a hand using a microsoft kinnect unit.

Adirondack chair drawn in Rhino CAD program. This take on an old design features improved curvature of the seat that rolls into lower back support. It also features wide arms for holding plates of cookies or a cup of coffee and a book.