The BEST AI Tool For Designers (render collage board & brainstorm with AI)
Education
Introduction
Today, I delved into a remarkable mood board app called Fabri, designed specifically by and for designers. While my primary focus will be on architectural and interior design, Fabri's versatility allows it to cater to a variety of design processes, including fashion, graphic design, gaming, and industrial design.
Getting Started
To begin, I created a free account through a sign-up link provided in the video description. Once logged in, I was amazed by the plethora of ready-to-use templates that streamline the workflow for designers. One template, particularly useful for interior design, documented processes, feedback from clients, and decisions made during the project. Deciding to start fresh, I opened an empty canvas, intending to create an intro page with a reference board and furniture options for an elderly co-housing project.
Importing and Organizing Files
Fabri supports numerous file types, including images, videos, voice notes, PDFs, and even direct imports from Procreate and Photoshop files. I started by placing a floor plan into a frame for better organization, focusing on one unit to find suitable furniture examples for the studio flat. One of the features I found most impressive was Fabri's browser extension that allows seamless capturing of images from the web to my library. By simply dragging and dropping images into a popup, I organized materials for the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom furniture.
Utilizing AI Features
To enhance my reference board, I aimed to find a stylish sofa, coffee table, and plant for the living area. After selecting an image, I discovered Fabri’s range of image-editing features. Through clicking a purple AI button, I could extract text from the image, upscale it, or even remove backgrounds. I cut out the sofa from a chosen image and added other elements similarly, achieving a comprehensive collection.
Fabri's advanced functionality continued to impress me. With a right-click on an image, I could combine several into a single PNG to render. Under the image tab, I selected a generation model, adjusted inputs, and included a description. After clicking generate, I was greeted with four impressive render options that displayed good quality and accuracy in relation to my reference board.
Visualizing Spaces and Interactions
In a recent project, I wanted to visualize a long shared balcony to depict how residents interact in this co-living community. Selecting appropriate base images, I wished to add people and greenery for more dynamic visuals. Combining these elements into a single PNG and generating with a highlighted hand sketch style yielded stunning results. The generated render captured the energy and interactions I aimed to depict.
Brainstorming with AI
As I moved further in this project, I wanted to create a furniture idea map using Fabri's integration with AI tools. I generated mind maps, SWOT analyses, and brainstorming sessions to sketch out concepts for furnishings in small studio apartments. After generating furniture ideas, I decided to visually realize these concepts. I copied a prompt for Murphy Beds into MidJourney and generated several options, which I then imported directly into Fabri using its dedicated extension.
To streamline the idea organization, I built a comprehensive table that consolidated all furniture options, complete with room names, prices, materials, and images. Fabri allowed me to generate and edit this table seamlessly, with the capability to export it as an Excel file.
Conclusion
Fabri stands out for its innovative integrations, allowing designers to streamline their workflows significantly compared to other platforms I've used in the past. Once the project was summarized and analyzed, I could share the mood board publicly or with my team by generating a shareable link. I have provided a link to the mood board created during this process in the video description for anyone interested in exploring it.
In conclusion, Fabri has proven to be a helpful tool for designers looking to enhance their workflow through AI functionality. I encourage you to try it out, as it's currently free to use.
Keywords
- Fabri
- Mood Board
- AI Features
- Interior Design
- Furniture Options
- Image Rendering
- Browser Extension
- Brainstorming
- Collaborative Design
FAQ
Q1: What is Fabri?
Fabri is a mood board application designed specifically for designers, allowing them to organize their ideas, images, and projects seamlessly.
Q2: Is Fabri free to use?
Yes, creating an account and using all of Fabri's features, including the AI functionalities, is completely free.
Q3: Can I import files from other platforms into Fabri?
Absolutely! Fabri supports various file types including images, PDFs, Procreate, and Photoshop files, making it easy to integrate existing work.
Q4: How does Fabri's AI functionality work?
Fabri offers AI tools for tasks like image background removal, text extraction from images, and generating ideas, which enhance your design process significantly.
Q5: Can I share my mood board with others?
Yes, Fabri allows you to share a link to your mood board with team members or publicly, ensuring collaboration and feedback can be efficiently facilitated.