Without a nudge from an art teacher, a visit to an art school or just plain luck, some of the world’s top automotive designers may never have made their mark on history.
Mark Trostle, head of Ram Truck Design at FCA, wants to change that. Eight years ago, he revived a contest he won as a high school student that helped drive him to where he is today, leading the design efforts for some of the most desired vehicles on the road.
The 2020 Drive for Design contest challenges U.S. high school students in grades 10-12 to sketch a Ram truck of the future. And, just like in the professional world, there is a level of urgency – entries are due by May 1, 2020. Three students will be named winners from all valid entries received.
“The landscape of automotive design has changed and today’s automotive designers not only sketch cars, they create some of the most advanced user experience systems, work with 3D technology, research color trends and create interior spaces that are multifunctional and beautiful,” said Trostle. “As the field of automotive design grows, it’s vital that we increase awareness and educate students and parents about the career opportunities available.”
The Drive for Design competition kicked off during the EyesOn Design commemorative poster unveiling held at the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan.
Coming back for a second year as a guest judge is Josh Welton, writer, artist and owner of Brown Dog Welding LLC fabrication and art studio in Detroit. Welton is an accomplished welder, fabricator, teacher, artist, writer, social media influencer, podcast host, entrepreneur and automotive enthusiast. He writes for a variety of outlets and shares his artistic creations on social media. Welton will help review submitted sketches and select this year’s winners.
Three winners will receive an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the FCA Product Design studios in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with leading automotive designers.
The winners also receive a scholarship to attend the Precollege Summer Experience Transportation Design program at College for Creative Studies, a leading art and design college in Detroit, from which both Trostle and Gilles graduated. The summer program curriculum includes the fundamentals of gestural sketching, drawing automotive concepts in perspective and how to translate designs into 3D models.
The FCA Product Design Office is again partnering with EyesOn Design, which focuses on the automotive community and students coming together to commemorate, reflect and appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of classic and modern vehicle design. Drive for Design winners will receive their awards on Sunday, June 14 at EyesOn Design’s “Vision Honored” Black Tie and Silent Auction and will serve as Junior Judges at the prestigious EyesOn Design Car Show, held every Father’s Day weekend at the historic Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan.
For detailed contest rules and information on how to submit sketches, click here.
