I haven’t posted anything for a few weeks since I was on vacation. However, the initial sketch for this series was done while I was away.
I got inspired by the floating shape in the background of my Cadillac Retro Futurism 2 post. I imagined a futuristic transport by adding wheels to it and placing it on the ground. I experimented with positive and negative sculptural shapes on the bodyside. I was intrigued by adding soft shapes that are sliced off creating dynamic patterns of creases.
Before putting pencil to paper, I try to work out much of the design in my head. I evolved the design thoroughly in sketch form before undertaking any Photoshop.
I chose the brand Citroen for this post to have the freedom to be avant-garde with the design language. It’s very liberating to design French cars since expressive design is their forte. The upper was influenced by the elongated head of the creature in the movie Alien which I had just watched.
I explored several design directions with multiple views to work out the design details. I abandoned the early complex themes because I had great difficulty getting Vizcom to understand the design intent of any of them. I had better results by putting one sketch into ChatGPT Sora to create improved AI versions and also simplify the design. I polished a still frame from the video using Adobe Photoshop. I then put it back into Vizcom and Photoshopped it to create the featured image. The AI video was generated from the featured image using Sora.
This design evolved considerably from the original concept. One lesson of car design I can’t stress enough is to simplify the theme to its core elements.
One Response
WOW , Robert. Another successful foray into the mysterious Design of the French Citroen.
When I was first starting out in Design School. Del Coates our instructor picked the Citroen for our class project. That was in 1970. There were 6 guys in our class. He felt that particular vehicle Design was more advanced than anything else. Most of us thought it was just weird. However, as we explored the flowing aerodynamic shape ( best of that era).
The dynamic suspension and of course advanced interior, that single stalk steering wheel. Just really cool stuff
Anyhow it was a great and enlightening project, that got everybody thinking outside the limited box of American
Design, and acknowledging that the French in their independent, don’t follow the crowd mindset were onto to something truly ahead of its time.
I love your sketching and of course the overall Design.
I truly love your Design Exercises and acknowledge you as a Master Craftsman.
Fun stuff. You always get me juiced up in that exciting magical Design
Process. I wish I was back in a studio again, but alas, my time has come and gone.
I live vicariously through your wonderful explorations, and for a moment my ability to see and feel things returns and it feels pretty good.
Thanks for sharing Robert
You are truly very Gifted. Cheers.
Chris. Take care and many blessings