Mr. Shotaro Naganuma serves as the representative of Naganuma Design Atelier, having previously worked as a first-class architect doing design work at an architectural firm. He described Shade3D as a reliable work partner that has supported him ever since his days as an office worker up to his current independence.

He leverages the app to the fullest across a wide range of CG production projects, including design and construction manuals for architecture and civil engineering, product catalogs, exhibition PR and technical content, product designs such as museum lighting poles and specialized electric vehicles, as well as amusement park ride design and model making.

What he values most is clarity. In civil engineering technical documentation, it is often necessary to explain structures and construction methods that become hidden upon completion. Creating 3D models to display cross-sections and internal structures from any angle allows users to intuitively understand complex content that traditional drawings and photos cannot fully convey.

Mr. Naganuma introduced Shade3D back in 1996. Mainly creating hand-drawn perspectives at the time, he adopted Shade3D for its reliable domestic support and ease of use. He has continued to use it ever since, as the core interface remains unchanged through every feature update, allowing him to maintain a familiar workflow that ensures great peace of mind in his work.

For large exhibition panels and technical brochures, he created "product index CGs" that featured dozens of products and construction methods integrated into an entire cityscape.

By adapting the software to his specific needs, Mr. Naganuma makes full use of its potential to boost work efficiency. When creating large graphics, such as a main visual for an exhibition, he first maps out his concept with hand-drawn sketches and then finalizes the direction through meetings with the client. After that, he creates the models by using the sketches as a template and adjusting the opacity to check his work as he goes. In this way, he has established a unique workflow that develops initial rough sketches at the conceptual stage into high-precision CG.

Moreover, he stream-lines his workflow by assigning all frequently used commands—including template display toggles and modeling tools—to keyboard shortcuts. When performing perspective matching or compositing with aerial photos, he instantly toggles between templates and models for side-by-side comparison, achieving high accuracy in a short timeframe.

In addition, he has built a custom library from the numerous models created over his years of work—such as construction equipment, cranes, vehicles, vessels, and structures—establishing a system that allows for the rapid creation of highly specialized CGs.

His advice for Shade3D beginners is to start by taking photos. Learning about composition and angles through photography directly translates to creating better CGs.

He will continue to leverage it as a means of expression to convey technical concepts clearly, as well as a tool to support communication with clients.。

Creating character models and providing animated explanations of safety education materials and work methods.