Whirling Dervish
How can toys educate children about other cultures?
2014
Industrial Design
About
A simple children’s toy born out of a sketching exercise. I was inspired by the forms of the whirling dervish dancers of Turkey, and wondered how it would translate into a traditional spinning top. The result was a simple children’s toy, that also appeals to adults who are interested in foreign cultures.
Reference - Top
Reference - Dervish Dancer
Design Process
The design started with a quick sketch of what I had in mind. I then moved on to research, collecting references on the designs of tops, as well as photo references of Dervish dancers. The sketch was then taken into Photoshop, and the design refined.
Sketch
The design was then transferred to Rhino, and after checking the ergonomics and dimensions, I created the 3D model. The design was then rendered in Keyshot.
Dimensions