About Me
Franklin Vallant
My Design Philosophy
I design products with an equal respect for form, mechanics, and manufacturability.
By combining industrial design, mechanical engineering principles, and high-fidelity product visualization, I translate complex systems into clear, intentional product experiences.
Why I love bringing ideas to life.
Industrial Design
I was accidently drawn to industrial design during a visit to the University of Cincinnati for a mechanical engineering college tour, when I stumbled upon a DAAP studio drawing cars and bluetooth speakers. After talking with a few students, I found out you could literally get paid to be sort of an engineer and an artist at the same time, two of my favorite things about highschool. After doing more research, I found that ID was sort of this perfect way to for me to connect my love for creativity and real-world problem solving. What interested me most was the ability to shape how people interact with products—considering form, usability, and intent as a cohesive whole. During my undergrad I learned how to evaluate problems, define constraints, and make design decisions that balance user experience with practical outcomes.
Mechanical Engineering
My interest in mechanical engineering developed through hands-on experience long before I started any education. I grew up working on cars with my father in the garage, building gaming computers for my friends, and taking my moms appliances apart to understand how they worked. My constant need to understand how these things worked has given me a unique understanding of mechanical systems and constraints of our world. Surrounded in the trades of rural Ohio, I was constantly learning new skills, and working with new materials. Woodworking, welding, wiring and doing electronics, plumbing, you name it, I have probably done it. This background influences how I design today—prioritizing functional logic, manufacturability, and mechanical feasibility early in the process rather than treating them as afterthoughts. Designs are just dreams unless you build them.
Product Visualization
I began developing my product visualization skills during my undergrad, where I learned how to render and communicate design intent visually. Over time, this evolved into a deeper interest in creating compelling concepts and pursuing realism through a digital lens. Visualization has become both a communication tool and a design tool—allowing me to iterate quickly, test ideas, and clearly convey how a product is meant to look, function, and be experienced. I love creating animations with playful motion that both tell and sell the story of a product.
