For all of the minor design miracles that the right software can pull off today, there are still some tasks that remain inordinately difficult to tackle. Until very recently, that included the ability to quickly mock up what a client’s new logo or product might look like in real-world settings.
The application Context promises to change all that. Currently in beta testing, Context, developed by Apple’s former lead packaging designer Joshua Distler, brings your 2D designs to life in 3D representations.
Suppose you’re brainstorming a new soap detergent box. Your client might have a hard time seeing your vision when looking at a printout of the front of the box head-on; Context allows you to see that box the way it would look in real life – say from a 3/4 angle so that the side and top of the box are also visible.
You can also show off effects such as foil stamping that would otherwise be lost on screen or in the usual print proof. Best of all, because Context allows you to experiment with risky design ideas early in the process, you can potentially save yourself time, money, and looks of sad disapproval from clients before things go too far.
