KUCHING – An engineering undergraduate student from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus showed that he also has an artistic side when he recently emerged national champion in a rendering contest.
Mechanical engineering student from Uganda, Yusuf Buwanguzi, won first place in IME Group of Companies’ “Render like a pro” contest where participants had to demonstrate how well they could blend their 3D model into a reality image with computer software.
There were a total of 21 submissions in the contest and they were posted on IME Group’s Facebook page. The image with the most number of likes wins the competition.
Yusuf, who submitted a rendered model of a Mercedes AMG GT, received a total of 652 likes to emerge winner. He received his prize, a laptop, at the IME Solidworks Innovation Day in Kuching.
The international student had been drawing since he was three years old.
“When we had our first computer in the house in 2002, I was quick to learn the paint tool to draw some of the electrical appliances that we had in the house. I was very keen on adding every single detail,” recalled Yusuf.
In 2013, he was introduced to a 3D modelling software during his internship with an automotive company after high school.
“It was then that I pushed the designer in me to the next level. Because of this, I have been able to render lots of cars, aircraft, and machines, among others.”
But because he also has a curious side about how things work, Yusuf decided to major in mechanical engineering, to better understand the concept of blending art and engineering.
“At a very young age, I became very familiar with mechanical systems like gear trains, linkages, motors and many others. I had read engineering books to enrich my knowledge even before going to university. So, I would best describe myself as a blend of an artist and an engineer.
“I believe it’s not only the performance that makes a great product, but also its visual appearance. There is a popular saying: ‘Design is where art and science break even’. I am right at that junction.”