Designer David Beasley

Can you remember when you first realized you wanted to be a car designer?

Strangely, it must have only been in the last 6 months of school as I made up my decisions about my future career path and university. Originally, I wanted to join the RAF as a pilot (probably most young boys’ dream…) but I was more and more becoming aware of design as I was really in to art and technology. It was a combination of my technology teacher, Neville Crouch, who started me looking at cars and design and arranged trips up to see Coventry University and to Aston Martin as he had noted that I had tried to draw cars in the back of some note books, but also my will of wanting to get past the interview stage at Coventry which was long and full of applicants. Ultimately, it went well and the people I met were great so I decided to stick with it.

How did you prepare for applying to University?

I started to read about cars in depth, trying to draw them, watch car related movies and at the same time, start to integrate automotive themes in other areas of my work and hobbies. I could have certainly have done with a website like this back in 97 when I was preparing!

Having been through the process what advice would you give to those looking to apply in the future?

You have to have a wide breadth of work to show you are multi-skilled as I think just drawing cars is not enough. Within that wide range ( be it fine art, products, photography, and basic engineering) you must have some dedicated automotive examples of course, but also have the aptitude to apply non automotive themes and ideas. For example, whilst at school, I completed a work experience program as a pattern maker. This is a job where highly skilled model makers produce one-off scale prototypes ready for mass production. I was lucky enough to work with some men who were making a scale model of a car, so I learned practical skills such as craftsmanship and use of hand and industrial tools. For the end of my internship experience, I was allowed to make a small model of a car I had designed. It was basic, but it taught me some very valuable lessons about how sophisticated vehicle design actually is.

How did you find the transition from being a student of design, to being a fully paid professional designer?

Apart from a pay check, no real difference. With this profession, you are in a state of constant learning, being inspired and honing your skills.

Is there a person or piece of design which has really influenced your own work?

Too many to mention; all of them extremely talented individuals, and it all depends on the project or brand you are working for. But to those who have helped, tutored and inspired me to continue, I am forever in their debt.

What would you say are the most important skills to learn when studying design?

Developing a personal sense of taste and style, not just appropriating whatever you see. That’s not to say you can’t have very varied styles, but I think it helps if you can in someway create authorship to your work. The Italian greats are the perfect example. Others important skills are of course the basic ones: hand rendering skills, proportion and respecting brand identity.

Can you tell us what you personally find most challenging with a career in automotive design?

If you are going to be a designer, you have to believe in your work and what you stand for. Part of that is accepting criticism both good and bad and being able to evolve your work accordingly. But the frustration of having someone for no more reason other than their own ego change a design, evidently making it worse, has to be the most “challenging.” I love a challenge and working in this industry will challenge you every day as not everyone has the same ideals and ideas (otherwise life would be rather boring). Good leadership and clear communication certainly helps to reduce undue challenges especially when you realise that everyone wants the best for the vehicle and is willing to trust hundreds of millions into your team’s work. So the ultimate personal challenge is keeping the design true to the original sketch theme without excessive dilution.

How do you normally begin the design process when you receive a new project?

A cup of tea and think. I try to think of the user, their life, needs, etc., but also what is appropriate and fresh in terms of aesthetics. I then like to throw in a random inspiration and see if something develops. Most important is a story and linking images to this: language barriers are broken easily through the use of some simple diagrams and some great illustrative images.

Which tools do you find you use the most?

A black medium BIC biro.

Do you consider the design process to be changing, perhaps with regards to the growing use of computer aided design tools?

Yes and no. Obviously, lead times dictate we want more but faster and utilising the appropriate programs can certainly be advantageous, which is perfect for consultancy work. But there is a limit to how much you can cut away and go pure digital before the process suffers. A computer is merely a tool and depending upon personal preference and company process, you should use whatever you feel comfortable with. But sometimes if you or the process feels compromised, it is best to go back to your ‘analogue’ roots and try something new.

What advice would you give to those planning a career in automotive design?

I would seriously urge you to go to a university that teaches not just design, but everything around it; engineering, aerodynamics, structural science, materials, art history, colour psychology, branding, market analysis, and time management. If all you want to do is draw cars, I doubt you’ll become a car designer. Read into this quote by Olafur Eliasson and your choice is clear: “Art poses questions. Design offers nothing but answers.” In today’s climate, I believe we need answers more than ever.

Finally, what is the most rewarding aspect to you of a career in automotive design?

Sounds tacky to some, but being on a show stand with your team and seeing your creation in front of you. It is an incredibly rewarding experience to know that your peers and company management have trusted and invested in you and your team to create something that is now being photographed and talked about the world over. Some will love it, some will hate it. But that´s design, and when you get to that point, enjoy it!