I sat down with Frank Stephenson in Monterey this summer. One of my favourite quotes was this: "I'll tell you something that's really important that it doesn't seem like the youth of today understand: as a designer you've got to be able to draw. And that might sound funny, like, 'Obviously!' but what a lot of design students do now is they do everything with a computer. A designer needs to be able to draw quickly on a piece of napkin with a Bic pen. Because when you're alone with a clay modeler and he needs to know exactly what to do with the fender, he doesn't want you to go back to the computer, he wants it right there and then." The rest of the published interview is at http://autos.sympatico.ca/features/14906/life-at-the-top-frank-stephenson-mclarens-design-director Lots of great off the record stuff that I could never publish.
Yes, an interesting interview. So did he also talk about the others around the industry and the inside "trials and tribulations" of the various organizations? He has certainly been in a number of different places. Jeff
yes,it's orderly,because I told them I wouldn't tolerate the disaster scene from the last several semesters but wait a few days & they'll trash the place yet the 16 was done in the Advanced Design Studios,not in the Cadillac Studio never any serious plans for production because costs would have been OTT I think he would have liked it to be produced in limited #'s,but it just didn't have enough of a business case to make it successful
we drill that into the students all the time each student has to have a running sketchbook of their design progress
Hyundai Genesis Coupe for 2025 front engine/RWD establish a design vocabulary for a "premium" brand for Hyundai i.e. Genesis
Yeah, he did. If I published just the interview transcript, it would have been four times as long. Very interesting stuff.
So of the various stops he made who does he regard as having the best respect for the design operation? Jeff
i recall Cherry presenting the 16 once, but i hadn't realized Lutz' involvement was so much i also read Lutz wanted or tried to start up the Cunningham name, and wanted or intended to have the cadillac V12 or V16 as it's engine, but i don't know which came first? [b-mak]Yeah, he did. If I published just the interview transcript, it would have been four times as long. Very interesting stuff.[/quote] very cool, thanks for linking the interview edit: found some pics of the cunningham (C7) concept (looks more Chrysler styling of that time period IMO) Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
very cool, thanks for linking the interview edit: found some pics of the cunningham (C7) concept (looks more Chrysler styling of that time period IMO)[/QUOTE] that's because Lutz had just left Chrysler & his designer for the Cunningham was Stewart Reed currently at Art Center College of Design
He feels that his current job is his best job since he was able to create the department from scratch and set the direction for the marque's design language. I think that's in the linked interview, actually. The "what's above heaven" comment and all of that.
I read his comment about the create from scratch for McLaren. Yes, that is something to relish - create the operation in your own concept of how it should be organized, the people in the positions and what the facilities should be like too. But my questions has to do with all the prior stops. I expect this is what did not make it into the transcripts. Since he had been a series of different places I suspect he had strong feelings about each. Some may have screwed up and in spite of the organizations best efforts gotten it right on some of the projects he was part of. Maybe others usually got it right but the carnage of getting there made the process totally unenjoyable. And a last choice, and my question, is that some organization actually got it right because they really did understand and support the correct process. There is frequently a difference about what the press release says happened, the general public perception and then what it really is like for those toiling away inside. Jeff
There is frequently a difference about what the press release says happened, the general public perception and then what it really is like for those toiling away inside. Jeff[/QUOTE] yes indeed!
Jeff, you're asking questions, then, that I didn't ask. Happy to pass along your questions at the next opportunity.
I am rather expecting he has some interesting observations from his time at Ferrari. He was part of the transition from all Pininfarina to an in-house operation. It certainly is not hard to envision that there were a lot of politics and hidden agendas swirling all over the place. Did he talk about any of his time there? Jeff
Pardon my ignorance but are they ever given really malleable water based clay (preferably WED) that they can quickly form only using their hands as an exercise ?
the short answer Jerry is,no am i to guess that your theory would be that if they were able to quickly mold various shapes by hand,they would "discover" new forms? i remember the Lexus Design team back in the '90's say in a press release that the forms on the then new Lexus Coupe were "discovered"/developed by placing soft plaster inside of balloons and squeezing the balloons to create new forms and shapes.
Yes that is where I am going (though I dont really like the plaster in a balloon idea) In the effects industry we train new sculptors with speed sculpting exercises using really soft water based clay and only their hands. "Design a new creature in 15 minutes' type of thing. Happy accidents can teach a lot about form. You cant really get those happy accidents in a hard clay as every scrape is deliberate. Same with the modeling software, I dont think you can really compare turning a model on a screen with having it in your hands and lifting it over your head and turning it every which way right in front of your eyes.
I would agree w/you %100 it's too late for this semester,but i'd like to incorporate something akin to this for the Winter Semester in Jan. it would be a fun exercise to see what can happen some of the students have a difficult time developing "new" forms & surfaces they all know how to draw/render & copy.......it's that damn "new stuff" that seems to stump some
I can't tell you how often I hear myself telling the class........"I've already seen that before on the...(insert car brand name),show us something new" simple stuff.......just not easy
not at all believe me......I can use all the help I can get this teachin' stuff ain't easy see above post
John, I happened upon this thread today. You absolutely made my day with the links to the Roy Lonberger interview. What an interesting and educational read. We had lunch w/ Roy & Carol about a month ago. You were the subject of some of our conversation. It was all good! BTW, I had the chance to flog the CTS-V Coupe around Firebird Raceway in Arizona the other day. A beautiful, fast, and well handling car. Jim Smith in sunny Calif.
cool! yes,Roy is THE man! he has so many great stories glad you liked/flogged the CTS V........I do it everyday