February 12, 2021
New Online Education Courses Launch
Car Design Classes and Workshops Offer Immersive Learning Pathways for Adults and Teens
ArtCenter College of Design launched a new online gateway to provide art and design education, reimagined for remote learners. The first curriculum offered is aimed at anyone curious about the world of automotive design. From teenaged car fanatics to mid-career professionals, individuals from around the world are now able to learn the skills required for careers in the popular field of transportation design. Course fees range from $49 to $499. To register and sample a free first lesson, visit http://artcenter.edu/online.
“We’re thrilled to kick off this experiential opportunity to a global audience and help students discover their designer within,” said Rosemarie Piccioni, associate provost of online education at ArtCenter. “As we launch this online learning collection of art and design courses, it made the most sense to meet the growing demand for knowledge about car design. These virtual courses are an ideal opportunity to amplify the impressive legacy of ArtCenter graduates who have gone on to contribute to some of the most iconic automobiles ever made.”
ArtCenter College of Design has been home to a world-class transportation design program for more than 80 years. Graduates have designed many of the most memorable and well-loved automobiles of our time including the Corvette Stingray, Mazda Miata, VW Beetle and Ford F-150, not to mention the Bugatti Chiron and Tesla’s innovative vehicles plus almost all of the modern era Batmobiles.
Among the distinguished faculty teaching the new online offerings are Leon Paz, who teaches visual communication fundamentals; Dennis Campbell, who has worked for Ford Motor Company, Lincoln/Mercury, Dodge, Chrysler and directly influenced the aesthetics of Toyota and Lexus vehicles from the 1980s to 2003; and Richard Pietruska, a veteran automotive designer and fine artist specializing in automotive sculpture.
“The skills taught in the visual communication course are what you need as a designer to express the vehicles of your imagination clearly on to a page,” said Paz. “Learning the techniques in this class demands a lot of time and effort, but it will elevate your skills tenfold if you play hard.”
Students in Paz’s course will gain a solid design foundation and be capable of understanding perspective, sketching and vehicle construction.
Currently, the following transportation design courses are available for enrollment:
Professional Car Design: The Basics | Live Interaction
This course is the most structured and rigorous course offered. It is a nine-week course that replicates the classroom experience with weekly lessons, live sessions and real-time feedback from ArtCenter faculty. Following this class, students will have developed key foundational skills and gained knowledge of the design process. Each participant will have several completed sketches in their portfolio.
Professional Car Design | The Basics | Self-Paced
Designed with flexibility in mind, this self-paced experience gives students access to the full Basics course, from sketching and shading, to modifying shapes and speed forms, to practicing basic vehicle construction and proportion, to finally producing professional side-view vehicle sketches. Students are able to complete all of the lessons on their own schedule to build proficiency.
Professional Car Design | Free Sketching Primer | Open Enrollment
To get a taste of what it’s like to become a car designer, ArtCenter Online offers this free lesson to all who are interested. Learn more about the field of design, the importance of warming up, and sketch a car using all of the techniques taught in the lesson.
Professional Car Design: Intermediate | Live Interaction | Adult Learners
Designed to build on the lessons and skills of Professional Car Design: The Basics, this rigorous, structured, 7-week course begins with a live kick-off session at the end of the first week; weekly self-paced instructional videos with assignments; feedback on each lesson from ArtCenter faculty; and a live, final project critique on the last day of class. Students build upon the skills developed during “The Basics” by advancing shading skills; refining side-view and perspective sketches; and engaging in iterative design.
Professional Car Design | Workshop 1: Intro to Sketching | Self-Paced
During this first workshop, one of four in the Car Design foundational series, students will learn the basics of sketching, shading, perspective, and the fundamental geometric forms professional transportation designers use to create the vehicles of the future. This is a self-paced workshop for students to watch instructional videos and practice on their own time during the scheduled four-week duration.
Professional Car Design | Workshop 2: Modified Shapes & Speed Forms | Self-Paced
Building on the knowledge gained in Sketching Workshop 1, this second workshop in the series introduces the concept of speed forms, teaching students to create shapes and master the forms used to convey movement. This is a self-paced workshop for students to watch instructional videos and practice on their own time during the scheduled four-week duration.
Professional Car Design | Workshop 3: Basic Vehicle Construction | Self-Paced
In this third workshop, students are introduced to the basics of vehicle construction by exploring key differences in car models – from SUVs to luxury sedans. Students will learn the most common car proportions, how to identify them, and gain exposure to industry jargon to be able to “talk the talk.” This is a self-paced workshop for students to watch instructional videos and practice on their own time during the scheduled four-week duration.
Professional Car Design | Workshop 4: Professional Side-View Sketches | Self-Paced
In this four-week workshop, students will build upon the fundamentals of car design by learning to sketch five different vehicle types. Students will learn the overlay technique to create a foundation and gain the ability to indicate basic details, like DLO, wheels and wheel openings, and headlights/taillights. This is a self-paced workshop for students to watch instructional videos and practice on their own time during the scheduled four-week duration.
The new Bruce Heavin Media Production Studio was established to support the new online learning programs and create greater awareness of the College through this more accessible educational platform. The studio boasts a state-of-the-art film stage, sound isolation rooms, editing bays and a viewing lounge. While open to students, the studio is intended to support faculty and administrators in delivering online courses.
ArtCenter Online will ultimately offer entry level courses for high school aged students, continuing professional education and courses of general interest to the public. The next series of classes offered will explore the role of a creative director in a marketing and advertising capacity.
About ArtCenter College of Design Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. ArtCenter offers 11 undergraduate and seven graduate degrees in a wide variety of industrial design disciplines as well as visual and applied arts. In addition to its top-ranked academic programs, the College also serves members of the Greater Los Angeles region through a highly regarded series of year-round continuing education programs for all ages and levels of experience. Renowned for both its ties to industry and its social impact initiatives, ArtCenter is the first design school to receive the United Nations’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status. Throughout the College’s long and storied history, ArtCenter alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live and important issues in our society.
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Contact:
Teri Bond
ArtCenter College of Design
teri.bond@artcenter.edu
626 396-2385
