Duo offers 3D design, CAD training

by Jan K. Allen

SBJ Contributing Writer

Digital 3D and animated renderings are a specialty at Digital Graphics Inc., located in 1601 W. Sunshine in the Elfindale complex.

The company owners, Joel Beckham and Jason Dillbeck, said they strive to keep up with the latest in technology and produce the highest quality design images for their customers.

Joel Beckham received his degree in business administration from Drury College, where he also spent two years in the Hammons School of Architecture. During his seven years at Drury, Beckham worked for Slone Architects where he received practical drafting training.

After graduation, Beckham struck out on his own and started Beckham Designs, doing commercial consulting for Bass Pro Shops, St. John's Health System and other local businesses.

Beckham now wears two hats with his design company and Digital Graphics, in which he and Dillbeck share the workload. He combines both closely related businesses in the office suite at Elfindale.

Jason Dillbeck studied at the University of Arkansas and at Southwest Missouri State University.

He gained his first practical experience working at CADD Solutions for six years, becoming a certified trainer for the design software the company uses.

At the Elfindale location, a training room has been set aside where Dillbeck provides regularly scheduled sessions to teach architects how to get maximum benefit from the sophisticated computer-aided drafting software.

Autodesk computer aided drafting software is the leader in drafting software, Beckham said. Digital Graphics uses this program, along with Kinetix software, 3D Studio and Adobe Photoshop to produce both still and animated images to a customer's exact specifications.

Both Beckham and Dillbeck keep up with the latest software in the field. Using AutoCAD 2000, the latest release from Autodesk, they can produce a virtual reality model of a property, inside and out.

"Once you have the model built you can apply 3D Studio and scan materials to make the image look photo real," Beckham said.

He and Dillbeck scan brick, tile, fabric and any other materials used in a project into the system.

The software goes to work to reproduce the images with photo accuracy and applies them to the model. When the model is completed the client can view it and make changes, if needed. Any detail can be changed to meet the client's approval.

"Our expertise is computer models and all aspects of what can be done with them," Beckham said.

Digital Graphics can then produce the finished images on disc, CD-ROM, video or as printed material.

Digital Graphics not only works with clients to produce designs of products or building projects, but the company provides Web site design for clients who want to make their Web presence stand out.

In the competitive world of advertising, quality artwork is a must, Beckham said. Digital Imaging has endless possibilities and the company stays on the cutting edge of the software available, he stated.

"We're open to anything that can be computer-modeled," Beckham said.

Beckham said he designed the furniture for the Elfindale suite, creating crisp modern designs in wood and metal for a pleasant atmosphere. The tables and fixtures can easily be rearranged as the company grows.

The company has a full-time secretary and part-time drafting specialist, but the partners expect to add to the staff in the future.

"We are going to be looking for more people with strong AutoCAD drafting skills and knowledge of 3D Studio software," Beckham said.

Beckham and Dillbeck would like to get into more residential design in the near future. According to Beckham, they can display a house in a 3D fly-by view from the outside, showing all angles, then go into each room in an animated walk-through to show positioning of furniture, colors and textures.

This will allow the owners to make necessary changes and experiment with different color schemes before the house is built.

The two entrepreneurs said they plan to stay at the Elfindale location for at least another two years as the company grows, but they may consider a larger, free-standing structure in the future.