Who is a car designer?
A car designer is an expert who is involved in the creative design of cars. They create innovative designs that can be realized practically. Car designers work hand in hand with other professionals who are involved in the car manufacturing industry. For a design of a car to be realized practically, a prototype of the design is first created to allow professionals to do the necessary testing.
What education (qualifications) do I need?
A demonstration of creativity and artistic talent is necessary for one to be admitted into any of the transportation design courses. Good drawing skills, especially in 2D, are necessary for those interested in the course. A good grasp of art and design subjects is also a vital requirement for those interested in pursuing the lucrative career. A good understanding of mathematics is necessary to enable learners cope with the various calculations involved. The course features engineering calculations in areas such as aerodynamics, model scales and 3D volumes.
In addition, a good performance in physics is considered as a prerequisite requirement for those interested in pursuing the transportation design course. The course involves expressing ones ideas and writing reports especially in the final year of study. It is therefore necessary for interested students to have good grades in their national language. Since the career has an international outlook, foreign languages give learners an added advantage.
Pick and learn how to use Car design software
Car design software has wide applications in the design of automotives. Software tools enable designers and engineers to work quickly and easily. 3D creations make visualization easy for prototyping. Some illustration software tools offer professional designers vector workflows allowing them to create complicated designs with ease. Some feature a hybrid of paints suitable for realizing a wide range of designs.
Sketch tools are indispensable design tools suitable for creating car drawings. This car design software enables designers to set desired dimensions. In addition, designers can apply this software tool to have a 3D view of their drawing. The major strength of car sketch tools is their feature that enables engineers and designers to represent the automotive proportions.
It is therefore necessary for interested learners to familiarize themselves with the various software tools used in car design. Some of the car design software tools are available online for free whereas others are only available upon purchasing. Students pursuing the car design course can learn how to apply various software tools by picking one at a time.
Work on building a car design portfolio
Prospective employers look for creative people to join their teams of car designers. Students pursuing car design should therefore ensure that they create a portfolio of automotive designs while in school and even during internship. A professional portfolio convinces the prospective employer that you have the much-needed capability to transform your ideas into compelling designs.
A good portfolio is not just necessary when looking for employment. Some car design schools require them before admitting students for the course.
How much do Car Designers Earn?
Designing a car is not an easy task. The task requires one to put several factors into consideration. Such considerations include safety, regulations, customer preferences and company specifications. The level of experience and expertise of a car designer determine the amount of money he earns. Generally, their salaries are attractive. According to various bureaus, the highly paid car designers earned an average salary of approximately $86,050 as of 2009. Statistics show that car designers working for motor vehicle manufacturing companies are the best paid car design professionals.
From the above information, it is very clear that becoming a car designer is not a mean feat. It requires some specific skills and determination if one is to make any impact. What is clear though, is the fact that the designers do earn some pretty good salaries. This has attracted more people to pursue the design process but then they quit along the way due to the demanding environment.
The competition amongst the car dealers has also made it such that only very competent and innovative designers are able to stand the heat. What that basically means is that to survive in the car design business, one has to be able to reinvent himself and his ideas to be able to stay afloat throughout.
