2/3s of the CDF crew were down at the ol’ College for Creative Studies last week for their annual “hire me I am good day”. We saw some great work and some not so great work. We talked with a few “me speak a no Engrish” students as well as some well versed “I speak 11 language students.”

The work was better then it has been in the past few years, and the event went well this year. When our staff was not fetishing over clay models, or licking exploded view drawings, we were taking pictures. We have over 100 pics of work, but only the best of what we saw will be posted. CDF staff saw big wigs from DCX, Ford, GM, the Suppliers, and I am sure a few product firms. In attempts to keep who we are a secrete, we used for the 1st time our extra discrete button on shirt camera.

My biggest concern is the lack of thought the students gave to presentation. Many of the students just put their best sketches on the wall without thought of how to go through a cohesive presentation. Starting with the project brief, going through initial development, then refinement, and onto final build and renderings, it is not that hard, but many students seemed confused how to arrange a cohesive story. Designers are story tellers, both through sketches and presentations; get it right guys and gals.

The next concern was the lack of purpose. A pretty sketch is just that, nothing more and nothing less. Design is about so much more then creating a pretty piece of art. I was hoping to see user scenarios, some innovative features, possibly a reinterpretation of the automobile, but none of this was presented.

CCS did deliver what they are best at (beautiful, fresh automotive art) There were plenty of beautiful sketches to drool over, and we will post some of them here.

Here is the teaser; we will be posting more as we sort them.

Enjoy.

Scott the Digital