Prototypes are usually made from some type of plastic, and there
are many types of them. There are also many ways to make them, 
depending on the material your product is going to be made of. If 
you need to make a prototype; you will need and Industrial designer 
to create the digital files needed for prototyping manufactures to 
read. It also helps to have some kind of diagram or sketch of what 
you want made. If not then you need a sketch artist or have the
Industrial Designer create one for you. As you can see this is a real 
prototype of the virtual representation below. (Tolerances vary)

Every product or graphic image starts with the sketch. Even the best engineers and Industrial designers make sketches to get their thought on paper. Sometimes called the napkin sketch, every great idea starts with a simple sketch. From this point we can move to creating a virtual prototype, but without it, we have nothing. This is a crucial part when developing or creating new products. And can sometimes get hazy at times, because when can you differentiate who's ideas is who's any way? This is also the main stepping stone in business collaboration. One person may have an idea and that person may not have any drafting experience and cannot produce sketches or even a basic design of the product. From this point the parties involved can move to the legal or business model of the product.

A Virtual Prototype is basically an image of what the
actual prototype will look like. These images will be
the presentation of what is being made. Without
having to create the product first. By creating the
virtual prototype we can make changes and solve
problems first without creating an actual prototype.

Virtual Prototypes are also used for web development
and Printing Graphics.

This is a virtual prototype of a clip that was made
for a childs product.

Product Surfacing has a lot to do with the virtual prototype.
The outside surface is the starting point of 3D digital design.
From this outside surface the rest of the design can be
completed, or engineered. The great thing about 3D surfacing
is that the object can be viewed from multiple directions. 
The process is time consuming but well worth it. 
2D art is like a photograph and is limited when creating 
presentation pieces.  

This product I did for a client a couple years back.
The product was already designed though the client
needed a plastic package design to hold the product
in. I also did the Package Graphics as well. This
package to say the lease was time consuming.
Total product development time; 7 weeks.