Thank you for visiting my blog. It took me a while to finally act upon it, but it's been a lifelong dream of mine to become a car designer. I'm from New York, which has no school that offers Trans Design as a legitimate major, so I decided to pursue other fields. I worked professionally in advertising and graphic design for several years before I finally decided that Automotive Design is what I truly want to do. I left NY for California and took classes at ACAN (Art Center at Night) to build my portfolio for admissions into Art Center.
This is my admissions portfolio and sketchbook. I worked on it from the time span of January 2011 to about October 2011. This portfolio was initially submitted to Art Center, in which I was accepted to, but I ultimately decided to go to CCS instead. And so my journey begins here at CCS.
*These sketches and renderings were all done by hand.
This project was a slight departure from our usual routine of doing wheeled vehicles. The assignment was simple: Design anything you want that is outlandish and in the future. The rest is up to your imagination. So my idea was a subterranean mass transit system from U.S. to China. In hindsight I wish I put a little more effort into this project as it was a very fun concept to work with.
The following two projects were more sketching exercises than actual design ideation projects, with the final sketch being a more finished product of the smaller sketch. The instructor was Richard Pietruska, who emphasized heavily on sketching technique and style. What I learned from his class is invaluable.
The following images are from my sketchbook which supplemented my portfolio. I am not too proud of these sketches to be honest. I can already spot areas where I could've done better.
I added a third component to my portfolio called "Misc. Sketches". It is basically random sketches that are not part of a project and not done in my sketchbook. Most of the pages shown (except the last two) were exercise sketches from an ACAN class.
great sketches, did you go for the undergraduate program of transportation design or the master?
ReplyDeleteThanks! These sketches are pretty old now and I think my technique has improved a bit since then.
ReplyDeleteI went for the undergraduate program at CCS. I could've done the masters, but I figured I'd get more out of the undergraduate program since I never did Industrial or Trans design before.
The title of masters vs. bachelors doesn't matter to me as much as developing my skills and technique, and making the best portfolio possible.
Thanks for answering, I'm from Lima, Peru, I want to apply to Art Center undergraduate program. I think the same about developing my technique.
ReplyDeleteI finished studying Industrial Design last year, and this year I've been working on some freelance projects and building up my portfolio, but I've never really focused on improving my car sketching techniques until now. Are you currently studying at CCS?
Your page really gave me some guidance, check out my digital portfolio if you can, though I haven't uploaded any car sketches yet. I'd be happy to have some feedback.
http://gdleon.wix.com/gdesign
I like your website! Very nice layout.
ReplyDeleteTransportation Design is basically a part of Industrial Design, and since you already studied Industrial Design you already have the basic fundamentals of perspective down. The difference between Trans and ID/Product though is that in Trans the sketching style is more gestural and product is more tight. But I think you will have no problem transitioning from ID to Trans.
If you want to apply to Art Center, I think you have the skills to be accepted, but you must submit a portfolio of about 3-5 car projects with a lot of vehicle sketches.
If you want to apply to CCS, you will have no problem getting in. I think you could even do a Masters Degree at CCS.
Thanks Raymond, I haven't finished ulpoading all my projects yet, but for know I'll be working on my car sketching habilties. I plan on aplying to ACCD for next Summer term.
DeleteI'll keep reading your posts, helps a lot.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThese look great. I'm also planning to attend Art Center at Night with the hopes of getting into a Transportation Design Program. Can you tell me what classes you took?
Hi Jim,
ReplyDeleteAt ACAN, the first class I took was Intro to Transportation Design with Jason Hill. His class was taught in Irvine at the Mazda Design Center. There is a prerequisite for this class that you may have to take which focuses on perspective drawing. I was able to waive that prerequisite because I took an equivalent class at Pratt in NY (where I'm from) before I moved to Pasadena.
My second term I took Intermediate Trans. Design with David O'Connell and Vis Comm with Richard Pietruska. Those classes were in the South Campus.
For some reason they did not offer Advanced Trans. Design the next term (which I probably would've taken), so I didn't take that and applied after those two terms.
Good luck!
These renderings are amazing! I am currently working on my portfolio for Art School in Trans. Design but I have a few questions. Did you do your sketches in pencil or pen? Also, did you submit the actual pages you drew on or did you send in copies. If you are willing to answer, I would appreciate your responses.
ReplyDeleteHi Sketch_Monster, thanks for the compliments. Although I look at these sketches now and some of them make me cringe a little haha.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of my sketches were done with ballpoint pen as that is more comfortable for me to use than pencil.
I submitted the actual pages I drew on. I put them in sleeves bound in a portfolio book. Since I was originally planning on attending Art Center, they want to know that you can sketch and render well in analog, so they prefer actual work, rather than scanned copies. The only page that was not submitted as an original was the Mass Transit rendering, since it was too big to fit inside the portfolio book.
Hope that helped and good luck in getting into your school!
Hi Raymond,..your sketches are very good indeed. I am a recent graduate in mechanical engineering from India. I am really interested to do my masters in transportation/automobile design. What is your opinion,..
ReplyDeleteFollow your dream!
DeleteNice work Ray!
ReplyDeleteThanks, although this is some old ass stuff! Don't really update this blog often either. My newer stuff is in my icardetroit blog.
Deleteoh man, Great sketches and thanks for sharing! Did you use elipse guides for the more tight renderings? Why did you chose CCS over ACCD and what are you doing now? Happy to work in die industry?
ReplyDeleteThx,
Dejan
Hi Dejan,
DeleteSorry for the late reply. Thanks for the compliments, although this is some pretty old work that I wouldn't even show my mother! haha Yes I used ellipse guides for most of the marker and canson sketches.
I chose CCS because they offered me a generous scholarship while Art Center did not. The cost of living in MI is also cheaper and rent is much cheaper than Pasadena/LA. I'm still in school and hopefully will work very soon!
Cheers.
Great sketches man,would say awesome.I also want to make sketches like yours but how do i make them? Did you learn the techniques from somewhere.If you did please tell me that where can i learn the fundamentals of designing.Response would be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteIf you live in the U.S. and want to go to school for automotive design I'd suggest taking Art Center at Night courses to build on your foundation skills. Or you can apply to CCS where they will most likely accept you right away into their program.
DeleteIf you're not going to school and just want to do this for fun I'd say watch a lot of YouTube videos by Sangwon Seok or Scott Robertson (although he's more into entertainment arts now).
The book, "DRIVE" by Scott Robertson is a great book for reference such as perspective, proportions, and also inspiration. Harald Belker has a good tutorial DVD called, 'the techniques of Harald Belker.' Volume 1 is good for simple sketching techniques to get you started.
I would stay away from books with titles like "Learn to Draw Cars..." or "The 5 Easy Steps to Drawing Cars..." etc... Those types of books are usually one-dimensional and confusing to follow.
Hope that helps and good luck.
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ReplyDelete