Why Modern Car Designs Are So Visually Complex | Q&A w/ Pro Designer

Head to squarespace.com/designtheory to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code DESIGNTHEORY . Why are modern car designs so insanely complex and complicated? How do you create a beautiful design? Why are consumer electronics industrial designs so boring?
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0:00 Intro
0:07 Why Are Modern Car Designs so Busy & Complex?
3:13 Electronics Are Spying On You
4:13 How to Create a Beautiful Design
9:27 Why Nicolas Cage is Great Design Inspiration
12:08 Which is more important: Form or Function?
14:20 How to Avoid Decision Fatigue While Designing
14:50 Elaborate on leather jackets
16:11 How to Avoid Creative Block
17:18 How Do You Handle a Clien't That Won't Listen?
20:10 Is Design Still a Boy's Club?
20:27 100k trophy unboxing, plus personal questions
25:30 Shout Outs
All content written by John Mauriello. Edited by Bradley Heath and John Mauriello. John Mauriello has been working professionally as an industrial designer since 2010. He is an Adjunct Professor of industrial design at California College of the Arts.
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Bradley Heath (editor): / bradley-heath-032299109
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Nicolas Cage B Roll: • Greatest Nicolas Cage ...
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Пікірлер: 1 100

  • @budja1501
    @budja15012 жыл бұрын

    Nono, there’s no excuse for the BMW XM. That’s an atrocity.

  • @rafatowers

    @rafatowers

    2 жыл бұрын

    Agree strongly

  • @scorebatgaming

    @scorebatgaming

    2 жыл бұрын

    Help i actually kinda dig the visual language 😳😳

  • @wrenn7473

    @wrenn7473

    2 жыл бұрын

    I think it looks pretty cool

  • @braunarsch

    @braunarsch

    2 жыл бұрын

    agreed, it's horrid

  • @aldenroswell8504

    @aldenroswell8504

    2 жыл бұрын

    I honestly don't really hate it, looks a little flashy but still looks cool.

  • @andrewnymeyer6186
    @andrewnymeyer61862 жыл бұрын

    I am a car designer at an OEM. The problem is actually more process based. Yes designers are trying to hide visual weight with extra lines but the main problem is really digital visualization and digital sketching within a car company. Internal Visualization standards within automotive design are surprisingly poor. Very often car designers are designing cars for shaders on there computer rather than for reality. This then effects sketching. Designers forget that cars are essentially mirrors and they design the car as if it is a matte object and add a bunch of extra details/ uncontrolled surfaces to hide this mis understanding. Also cars within the studios are only viewed in extremely sterile environments so the existing reflections are incredibly boring therefore causing designers to want to add more interesting reflection patterns that will be completely uncontrollable when the car experiences A more complicated environment. Along with this most designers when visualizing a car on the computer arguing it within unrealistic lighting scenarios. Which then impacts sketching and how they think they should sketch a vehicle. Also, it is easier to design more features within the vehicle through digital sketching designers feel as though they need to fill the page with more complexity again for getting the environment that the vehicle will live within. The companies that rely more on physical models with reflective Dinoc (film designed to cover the clay during reviews) tend to have more simplified designs with better control and more timeless approach.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for your insights! Things that look good in sketches don't always look good in real life, but I'm surprised to hear that these sorts of things aren't figured out as soon as you make a model early in the process. I know that every studio is different...but would you say that car designers rarely take their early physical models outdoors early in the process (ideally with dinoc)? I know they do it later in the process with full-scale models, but maybe by that point it's too late?

  • @budja1501

    @budja1501

    2 жыл бұрын

    As an aspiring car designer, this is some really good insight into proper design.

  • @MrDecaliostro

    @MrDecaliostro

    2 жыл бұрын

    It is so true

  • @ghost21501

    @ghost21501

    2 жыл бұрын

    This is what I always assumed as an enthusiast. I've seen so many good looking sketches of horrible cars designs. I'm just surprised that these companies have not remedied that. Seems pretty stupid to me.

  • @nougatbitz

    @nougatbitz

    2 жыл бұрын

    Same basic problem in architecture. The tools determine the design solution in many cases.

  • @TTTzzzz
    @TTTzzzz2 жыл бұрын

    1) It's generational. Designers have grown up with 'Transformers' and the likes. Many cars look like 30-year-old 14-year-olds have designed them. 2) With CAD there are no limits. Creases, convoluted curves, air intakes, etc are easy. There is no restriction. 3) Round is out. 4) The perception of beauty is less important. Aggression, power, and speed have taken over and exaggerated.

  • @simonhodgetts6530

    @simonhodgetts6530

    2 жыл бұрын

    I agree with that - for a while, most SUVs resembled Star Wars stormtrooper helmets from the front view!

  • @beauxr.benoit1374

    @beauxr.benoit1374

    2 жыл бұрын

    All that you see is rounded off boxes for the bigger vehicles, all of the sharp edges are gone. The rest of them are eggs and squashed jelly beans. And Super/Hyper cars are all designed the by almost the same computer.

  • @LightsOnMultiMediaMindArts

    @LightsOnMultiMediaMindArts

    Жыл бұрын

    @@simonhodgetts6530 Bingo!

  • @Random_dud31

    @Random_dud31

    11 ай бұрын

    Hold on. Why are you bringing up transformers? Isn't the cars in transformers normal looking? Thats the point of the movie/shows, right?

  • @TTTzzzz

    @TTTzzzz

    11 ай бұрын

    @@Random_dud31 It's not the cars but the things that they became.

  • @pauljs75
    @pauljs752 жыл бұрын

    Sometimes it's so over-done that from a distance you question whether a car was in a wreck. Are those panels smashed up or broken? Nope, that's just the crazy angular creases they're going with in the latest model year. Seems that "fractured" has overtaken "flow" in some areas.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, I kind of agree. It's honestly too much for me, but it seems like a lot of these cars sell to their target market....so what do I know

  • @alx1338

    @alx1338

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Design.Theory Well actually BMW really messed up with those new designs in comparison to their competitors like Mercedes-Benz or Audi. There was a lot of criticism regarding their new choice of design approach. In my opinion it's like they focused too much on standing out of the market, ignoring the actual risks they are taking. New designs from competitors aren't taking that many risks and try to balance their design in such a way that it stands out and isn't too daring at the same time. Especially in automotive design it's important to adjust a design in such a way, that every change is reasonable and can be understood by taking a look at the overall language.

  • @roddlez

    @roddlez

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@alx1338 Agreed! BMW designs are becoming so polarizing (read: hideous) that the models, the worst offenders, only seldom appear in colors and trims other than those that downplay the design. For example, I see the 4-series coupe and 7-series most often in black with black trim, so as to mask the front kidney shape designs. These models were so incredibly popular in previous decades, and now they are just heading in a direction that is difficult to justify with plummeting sales. But this could also be due to so many trading their German cars for Teslas, which I can't argue against!

  • @ravenblackwing7888

    @ravenblackwing7888

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Design.Theory i kinda like it… but i can understand why others don’t

  • @speculative

    @speculative

    Жыл бұрын

    Mazda is a good example of a car company that has "modernized" their cars without losing the plot.

  • @anttitube8007
    @anttitube80078 ай бұрын

    Tbh I liked the 1990-2010 styling since you could instantly recognize the brand.

  • @axel3895

    @axel3895

    8 ай бұрын

    But it was mostly plastic bumpers

  • @MrD3000

    @MrD3000

    5 ай бұрын

    Things took a hard downturn around 2005 when the beltline on all cars got raised for side impact safety.

  • @f.u.m.o.5669

    @f.u.m.o.5669

    Ай бұрын

    I agree. All old Toyotas are so distinct, now I can't seperate them from Hondas. Or Lexus from Hyundai.

  • @DJPGB
    @DJPGB2 жыл бұрын

    I got sucked in by the "modern car design" title, then stayed for the whole video. Lots of good insights. Thanks. Just this: criteria (plural) versus criterion (singular). Those criteria are valid. That criterion is valid.

  • @abhas1
    @abhas12 жыл бұрын

    “Beauty is incredibly difficult to achieve in product design, because you have to balance it with functional constraints” 100% accurate, in any field of design

  • @NoQualmsTheArtist

    @NoQualmsTheArtist

    7 ай бұрын

    They never seemed to have a problem with this for the first 60 years of car design. Only since wind tunnels and computers, have cars gotten ugly.

  • @Mahlak_Mriuani_Anatman

    @Mahlak_Mriuani_Anatman

    7 ай бұрын

    ​@@NoQualmsTheArtist¯\_(ツ)_/¯

  • @rikuzonex

    @rikuzonex

    6 ай бұрын

    @@NoQualmsTheArtist yes cars started to look ugly somewhere in 1980-1990

  • @masterseeker360

    @masterseeker360

    6 ай бұрын

    Id rather have the cars be usefull instead of looking like an atrocious outfit from a fashion show

  • @crabbcake

    @crabbcake

    6 ай бұрын

    Beauty is not difficult to achieve if it follows functionality. I drive an OLD 4WD SUV because it works - the electronics work - the drivetrain works. You can't achieve beauty when these thing are 'GLOBS OF COMPLEX GARBAGE' THAT is difficult and doesn't appeal to everyone. Only to some with money, some with no common sense.

  • @deansiracusa3966
    @deansiracusa39668 ай бұрын

    As someone who graduated from Art Center College, I’ve always preferred designs that look like they were penned by one person, and pretty. You’re spot-on with the different groups at many car company’s design and engineering departments will be in different locations. This often causes disjointed results and it’s so annoying!

  • @ziploc2000

    @ziploc2000

    8 ай бұрын

    WE have a 2010 Honda Odyssey minivan, and the side lines are all straight and parallel, the bottom of the window line runs from driver's mirror back in one clean line. In 2012 they added a zigzag behind the rear passenger window for no obvious reason, and I think it looks hideous. I can;t tell if they lowered the roof or raised the door panels, but there's less window to see out of, making it look cramped.

  • @emjayay

    @emjayay

    6 ай бұрын

    @@ziploc2000 The 2012 looks like two vehicles welded together but the next (current) version continued the zig zag beltline but made the design more cohesive. Based on the current CR-V and (not in the US) Jazz I bet the next Honda Minivan will drop the zig zag and become more anonymous. They don't seem to be able to do a simple cohesive but distinctive design.

  • @JohnnyArtPavlou
    @JohnnyArtPavlou2 жыл бұрын

    One of the things that I think is so fascinating is that we are all so visually literate. I mean we are all educated consumers. And in the auto design business… Or the auto business, they’re so good at using certain cues to make things look exotic or expensive or upscale… When it’s basically the same molded plastic tail lights… But they use the clear plastic on the expensive vehicles, and dorky shapes on the cheaper cars. And we’re all aware of it consciously or subconsciously. Not to mention all the special badging. And not to mention the fact that planned obsolescence goes back At least the 1955 with Harvey Earl.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yup. It wouldn't be hard to make a cheap car look as good as the good ones. But then nobody would buy the good ones. Or maybe it would feel disingenuous. The old toyota celicas are basically just toyota corollas, but with a sportier body. The performance aspects of the car are identical. The Celica didn't sell well, if I recall correctly

  • @spaceman-pe5je

    @spaceman-pe5je

    2 жыл бұрын

    ​@@Design.Theory I can't be the only one who finds that Kia's recent vehicles don't have *as* dorky lines and shapes as other cars of their price point, right? The Kia K5 and the new Sorento, for example. Maybe it's because they don't have an upscale brand that they're scared of losing customers for?

  • @ctrl-alt-bingo

    @ctrl-alt-bingo

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Design.Theory design isnt the reason the celica didnt sell well, the 240z was, although the 240z is the most beautiful car ever made, so maybe design did have a part to play lol ;)

  • @AlexR2648

    @AlexR2648

    2 жыл бұрын

    You say that as if expensive cars don't have dorky shapes.

  • @JohnnyArtPavlou

    @JohnnyArtPavlou

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@AlexR2648 that’s not what I mean… But I am referring to are the styling cues employed by auto designers and manufacturers to differentiate say, a Cadillac from a Chevy. How to make a Buick look good but not too good.

  • @ctrl-alt-bingo
    @ctrl-alt-bingo2 жыл бұрын

    An interesting thing to talk about is how the mood of the era influences design, for instance in the 70's everything was about you so cars were flashy, beautiful, and felt opulent, the 80's was about a hopeful futre, naturally there were sleek, boxy, computerized designs, r31 skyline, grand national anyone? The 90's were simply a refinement on the 80's with enhanced futrisim, z32 vs z31 300zx, ect ect, the 2000's were a more melancholy time, so the designs became simpler, and more subdued, the 2010's were more reblious, and angry, so designs reflected that, and in 2022, the cultre has become almost jaded and angry thus cars look the same, but with some futrisim sprinkled in there

  • @Sunnykr275

    @Sunnykr275

    2 жыл бұрын

    Until 2010 car design were good for me, now it’s kinda look future and complex design which I don’t like IMO

  • @franfinesim

    @franfinesim

    Жыл бұрын

    Since 2020. cars look like they came from a trash can

  • @esphilee

    @esphilee

    8 ай бұрын

    @@Sunnykr275, because these generation of designer grown up watching comic and video game. They don’t get inspiration from nature. That is why their design is comical and cartoonic. The newer generation of buyers too would like this kind of design.

  • @dickJohnsonpeter

    @dickJohnsonpeter

    8 ай бұрын

    ​@@esphileeThis is true. It is important to think of the current generation of car designers and all that implies. I think that they, for the most part, were born in the 90s and really don't remember anything before the 2000's. They probably all grew up in cities, probably never been in nature, the universities they went to probably didn't teach well and were too socio-political. A lot of factors. Another aspect that changed things was the recession starting 2008 and carrying on for about five years. Automobile companies had to push the reset button and design radically changed.

  • @jose6378

    @jose6378

    8 ай бұрын

    ​@user-mf5pv8jo4v I mean, we can discuss the motivations and history of car design and how it has iterated to this point, but outright labeling it all "bad" and then attributing it to things you don't like is peak old man behavior lol. People in the 30s didn't like 50s car design, I guarantee it. Don't forget your tastes are themselves heavily influenced by what was popular when you grew up, whether that means you take influence from it or try to avoid it entirely. Nothing is objectively good looking, either. An opinion cant be objective.

  • @simonhodgetts6530
    @simonhodgetts65302 жыл бұрын

    Beautiful cars can still be designed - but designers need to be left to design. Look at the Gordon Murray T50, much of Frank Stephenson’s designs, or the work of Kia’s design team. These aren’t awkward or over complicated modern designs. Personally, I do wish that designers would draw and model more - part of the reason why 60s cars were so beautiful was due to the influence of sculpture on industrial design - a lot of the great car designers of the era studied fine art, sculpture or architecture, and this showed in their designs - many were literally moving sculptures, designed to play with light and shadow as they moved down the road.

  • @kaiserberserk3622

    @kaiserberserk3622

    8 ай бұрын

    Completely agree. Sadly most companies won't bother allowing designers to draw more and will prefer using a 3d modeling program to quickly make a design for less money (don't get me wrong, I'm not against 3d modeling, just that it seems most car companies make no effort with their designs made in computers and that's why most cars built nowadays look boring, devoid of any personality and undistinguishable)

  • @YangwanAuto

    @YangwanAuto

    8 ай бұрын

    Are you sick?? Kia hyundai design ARE NOT simple + they are ugly

  • @dfcx1
    @dfcx18 ай бұрын

    It's a bit weird to have to make car windows so small they limit visibility for the sake of safety. Only testing crash safety leaves out the avoiding crashes in the first place part.

  • @emjayay

    @emjayay

    6 ай бұрын

    It's not for safety, it's some custom car hot rod image in designer's minds. Subaru Foresters and Honda Jazz have big windows and pass crash tests.

  • @MrBrukmann

    @MrBrukmann

    5 ай бұрын

    @@emjayay that is an oversimplification of choosing where to put the beltline on a car. it is mostly for safety. you can make everything thinner and cheaper and still pass crash tests if the beltline is at the shoulder.

  • @j.b4342
    @j.b43422 жыл бұрын

    Still can't believe that these videos are free to watch. There's A LOT of great info here. Thanks!!

  • @manoman0

    @manoman0

    8 ай бұрын

    Amazing, right?

  • @YangwanAuto

    @YangwanAuto

    8 ай бұрын

    Lol stop overreacting fool

  • @RareGenXer

    @RareGenXer

    7 ай бұрын

    The videos are "free" because we are being tracked all over the web to then be targeted with ads. "When the product is free, you are the product."

  • @elanthys
    @elanthys2 жыл бұрын

    13:39 that's my coffee grinder! 45 years and still works flawlessly. I love its minimalist design.

  • @rogerwilco2

    @rogerwilco2

    2 жыл бұрын

    I think it is a great design. I dislike a lot of the "modern" design, where it is hard to figure out where the controls are and what they do.

  • @thromboid
    @thromboid Жыл бұрын

    A pet peeve of mine is the upward sloping window sills on modern (like, last couple of decades) car designs. I find they make it unnecessarily hard for the driver to judge the car's orientation while reversing.

  • @Ben-jq5oo

    @Ben-jq5oo

    10 ай бұрын

    I changed a new car I had “chosen” for this reason, after only 18 months. Not a good financial decision but I realised shortly after the purchase there was something that didn’t work for me when either sitting in or looking at it. The Yaris represented a radical change of direction for Toyota, who had established a studio in France where the Yaris was designed. I found the steep upward waist line claustrophobic and, as you said, limiting rearward visibility. Thankfully this trend seems to have disappeared.

  • @samuelm7338

    @samuelm7338

    9 ай бұрын

    I’ve noticed that I will actually feel less carsick when the backseat windows are lower, and bigger.

  • @littledovecitydust

    @littledovecitydust

    8 ай бұрын

    Most people look at their center screens when reversing

  • @jerbear7952

    @jerbear7952

    8 ай бұрын

    ​@@littledovecitydustmany people still don't have backup cameras.

  • @littledovecitydust

    @littledovecitydust

    8 ай бұрын

    @@jerbear7952 it's mandatory since 2018.

  • @patrickm1533
    @patrickm1533 Жыл бұрын

    Great video. From experience, simple designs are easy to design, really tough to execute well. You need really tight tolerances to make simple look good and not cheap or crappy. Tight tolerances are expensive and really depends on your supplier. A little strategic complexity goes a long way to make cheaper production look nice. As far as looking good from all angles, I get a lot of success from designing in likely visible perspectives and focusing on attractive silhouettes. Attractive silhouettes make attractive designs.

  • @YangwanAuto

    @YangwanAuto

    8 ай бұрын

    You only said overcomplicated crap

  • @FlymanMS
    @FlymanMS2 жыл бұрын

    So nice of Nicolas Cage to stand still during the whole video.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    He is the pinnacle of professionalism.

  • @billmcdonald4335
    @billmcdonald43352 жыл бұрын

    One of my favourite examples of great design is the Contax RTS. It came out in the early 1980s, and it looked like no other SLR - it looked _organic._ In every modern DSLR, you'll see echoes of the Contax RTS.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    DSLR's are so incredibly interesting in terms of design. At some point I might do a dedicated video about it.

  • @billmcdonald4335

    @billmcdonald4335

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Design.Theory Please do! I'd really like to hear your insight - as would many others. The SLR form factor is one of humanity's most brilliant design concepts, imho. Even my entry-level kit feels perfectly designed to fit my hands. I used many SLRs over the years, including the Contax RTS and 139Q. They were the cameras that started the 'bio-look'. Apparently, Canon took on most of the Contax design team in the early 1980s, and put them to work designing their successful T-series SLR bodies. The rest is history.

  • @Tekapeel

    @Tekapeel

    2 жыл бұрын

    Eh looks like a neutered and less organic spotty f yet came out way later

  • @billmcdonald4335

    @billmcdonald4335

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Tekapeel I'm sure it does to you.

  • @jesuisjamaiscontent
    @jesuisjamaiscontent5 ай бұрын

    There's another reason for all the lines; the search for weight saving means that the metal skin is becoming lighter, therefore in order to give the panel stiffness a fold is incorporated.

  • @echelonrank3927

    @echelonrank3927

    Ай бұрын

    corrugated iron please 😁

  • @paulelephant9521
    @paulelephant95218 ай бұрын

    Love your attitude. I'm a sound engineer and have been training a few young people recently, and I totally agree about your point about the fact that nearly everyone can teach you something new. That greenhorn sound engineer might not know much about compression or setting a gate, but they might be a top notch drummer and be able to teach you how to tune a kick drum for a particular genre of music, and all these tid-bits of knowledge improve my practice. Hurrah for Nick Cage too!

  • @echelonrank3927

    @echelonrank3927

    Ай бұрын

    ure killing the dynamic range man

  • @crackedemerald4930
    @crackedemerald49302 жыл бұрын

    one car company who's design i appreciate is FIAT, their small (and consitently popular) pickup cars always tend to look good, and i've noticed they're really honest with their grills, not making them the width of the car, just about the width of the radiator itself. You can see that on the boxy Mille / old Uno, their compact economy sedan Sienna, their Pampa, to their newest small pickups.

  • @Martinit0

    @Martinit0

    8 ай бұрын

    and let's not forget the Multipla.

  • @erectiledysfunky8937

    @erectiledysfunky8937

    8 ай бұрын

    it looks ugly as hell

  • @s4nder86

    @s4nder86

    6 ай бұрын

    @@Martinit0 The most beautiful car of all.

  • @zaickho8359
    @zaickho83592 жыл бұрын

    The fact that you said that people who apply the things you teach in new ways that you couldn't even imagine is kinda funny because I have learned a lot from you Despite being an aspiring comic book author who had never really given design too much thought before finding your channel.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    I would love to see your work! Feel free to share it in the discord (link in description of the vids)

  • @OxymoronicTonic
    @OxymoronicTonic8 ай бұрын

    Mate. Of all of the 100,00o subscriber videos I’ve watched yours has bought me the most joy. Its a treasure to get a window into the head of someone who is so passionate about what they do. And to get insight into your journey. Keep up the great work! And great to see you've trebbled your subscribers since you posted this!

  • @maxon1672
    @maxon16726 ай бұрын

    You absolutely NAILED this. Thank you for putting into words something that’s been on my mind for some time now. Great video.

  • @hunterklugh5067
    @hunterklugh50672 жыл бұрын

    Hopefully the design cycle is close to recycling, modern design has become quite predictable & similar.

  • @sm00se
    @sm00se2 жыл бұрын

    Great vid, a few of these things really landed with me in terms of applying them to my music writing and producing. Thanks :)

  • @octaviomathias6269
    @octaviomathias62696 ай бұрын

    thanks for the video, John! it's definitely good with so many good content. I started following you some months ago and whenever i have time, i dedicate myself to watch and learn with you and your channel

  • @frankmalenfant2828
    @frankmalenfant2828Ай бұрын

    Thanks for this Q&A. I discovered it just a few days ago and I must say my favorite part of what you create is how humane you present yourself. I'm an industrial software engineer in a small business who also was a trash metal bassist for a good part of my life, and my favorite content on KZread is from people who just love what they do and are able to convey how their trade makes a difference in our everyday life. Dami Lee does this for Architecture, and you are the first designer who really had me really understand how their work can shape our world. The authenticity you bring on screen is refreshing and makes you very relatable. Keep the leather jacket for the shock factor, and keep using bass guitars as examples. 🤘

  • @tnt2369
    @tnt23692 жыл бұрын

    im a big fan of this q&a format, the time spent on each question is perfect for me

  • @TheGuillohm
    @TheGuillohm8 ай бұрын

    I have so much joy driving my 1992 car. The glass house is so big I can see everything. Since I never crash my car I really don't see the need for bug bulky "safer" car. It all depends on your life style. I really like your take on form follow function, but function is affected by the perception of the for. As for leather, as designers we tend to have a good appreciation for good material. Natural leather is almost eternal. My best snow mittens are from 1956!. The leather never cracked, they are warm at -20 Celcuis! The only thing to fail on them was the stitching.

  • @thememery767

    @thememery767

    8 ай бұрын

    “since i never crash my car” 💀

  • @MartinLewisEsq

    @MartinLewisEsq

    8 ай бұрын

    That nonsense about the design being the result of safety legislation can be ignored

  • @StreetForged

    @StreetForged

    7 ай бұрын

    Its pretty wild to compare my 90 volvo 240 and 93 940 to modern cars and see how little progress has been made. The 940 has heated leather seats, heated mirrors, power sunroof/windows, power seat with memory settings, door lights, a locking differential with RWD and a good turn radius, good visibility, very safe even by modern standards, with an engine that regularly makes it to 300+k miles. My friends gf just bought a brand new kia for 10x the price and it doesnt have any of these features.

  • @LGTheOneFreeMan

    @LGTheOneFreeMan

    6 ай бұрын

    @@StreetForged But we CAN add your heated seats to our subscription service!

  • @myownbiggestfan
    @myownbiggestfan9 ай бұрын

    MY DUDE. I never realized that I like to design in a Nic Cage manner as well. I like to go balls-out when I can, as long as it fits the work. Also, your answers here are on point. I'm an old-ass veteran designer and you touch on so many things that can be forgotten in the day-to-day, because the lessons have been internalized. Revisiting these points and thinking about them discretely are very helpful.

  • @Morcap
    @Morcap10 ай бұрын

    How is this channel not in millions subscribers, again? It has everything from technicality to societal integration with a touch of humor narrated in a sarcastic tone. If you are in a design school of any kind - industrial, digital, etc. - and you are not a subscriber you don't wanna learn. Simple as that.

  • @Alex-cw3rz
    @Alex-cw3rz8 ай бұрын

    A great example of how form over function / the other way round does not make sense is modernist architecture such as brutalism designed around function, yet is less functional than older buildings we consider being designed around form. Overhangs on building were seen as form over function and were deleted from modernist buildings and the 20 years later they realised that buildings with overhangs do not have water ingress and it turned out something considered to be made for form was actually functional as well.

  • @prince_nocturne
    @prince_nocturne9 ай бұрын

    Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly) a lot of what you say also applies to writers like me, at least in some broad strokes, not just visual designers. There are a lot of great concepts and advice given that can apply to both a hobbiest and a pro, especially about how the industry works. While the specifics are different, a lot of the broader ideas are the same across most corporate settings.

  • @saxon4065
    @saxon40658 ай бұрын

    I studied I.D. about 35 years ago, your videos are refreshing and informative for all. Thanks for your effort and time.

  • @MichalMarko
    @MichalMarko2 жыл бұрын

    Really enjoyed watching the video. Love the authentic vibe!

  • @alexchannel3187
    @alexchannel31872 жыл бұрын

    In 20 years, the Mazda 3 design went from adorable to John Wick. Every-time I am on the highway and I spot one, my fight-or-flight kick's in.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    I actually love the mazda 3 side profile. but your comment is still A+

  • @Incomudro1963

    @Incomudro1963

    2 жыл бұрын

    The Mazda 3? The Mazda 3 (all current Mazda's) are the exception to the current rule of over the top car design.

  • @inakab6650
    @inakab66502 жыл бұрын

    I’m a third year student in Russia (African by birth) I struggle with my studies here due to the language and it’s always nice to find study resources in a language I can fully comprehend

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hey Inakab, of course! Anytime :)

  • @4rl0ng
    @4rl0ngАй бұрын

    I just watched your video about quintessential designs and now I'm in love with your channel. What a gem.

  • @goldenmath4091
    @goldenmath40912 жыл бұрын

    teaching myself design and also my son is doing product design, love the videos watching all of them + link's it's great knowledge, thankyou

  • @franson53
    @franson532 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for giving your 100% on making these videos

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hey Franson, I appreciate you watching!

  • @phil4193
    @phil41932 жыл бұрын

    I don't buy the argument that they don't know any other way to stand out. Compare BMW's current design language (busy and hyperactive) to Polestar's (sleek and sophisticated). I think Polestar's designs will age much better than BMW's juvenile approach. Both companies are designing vehicles in the same market environment, but one produces designs that are a complete mess, and one generates cars that elegantly incorporate the engineering restrictions into a shape that looks good despite the restrictions. It's a matter of good versus bad decision making.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yeah it's definitely not the only reason. It's just one strategy that many car companies employ. But the other reasons I mention in the video are other contributors

  • @Keara113
    @Keara11311 ай бұрын

    Watching you break down the complexity of that car design. ~@6:00. WOW!😱 you can really feel the care and attention that went into the design.🥰

  • @sweettalkinghippie
    @sweettalkinghippie8 ай бұрын

    I'm not a creative person but I love your videos. I've begun to see the world in a new way, noticing little things that I'd never noticed before.

  • @TheJenSolo
    @TheJenSolo Жыл бұрын

    Simplicity is the result of a longer process of refining and editing. It takes a LOT more work to get to simple.

  • @echelonrank3927

    @echelonrank3927

    Ай бұрын

    no it dont. just dont bloatware

  • @ItsDaJax
    @ItsDaJax2 жыл бұрын

    I've always liked industrial design, especially in homes. If I could ever grasp doing computer rendering, I'd want to be designing such things.

  • @simonhodgetts6530

    @simonhodgetts6530

    2 жыл бұрын

    You don’t need computer rendering to design things, just sketch and make forms, use styrofoam, clay, wood, anything. That’s what I did when I studied ID!

  • @kinematics4999
    @kinematics4999 Жыл бұрын

    Great Video !!!!! your interest and insights in ID are very authentic and original thats makes your content unique. Traditional Industrial design "was" most common in reference to Objects in general, from a needle to a Ship.... then came "Product Design" which includes APP, I believe today is more jobs demand for Product Design APPS for Cells / Screen devices. I personally prefer the Shape /function design as development experience. Maybe some day you can discuss how things are changing. Thanks

  • @G-Confalonieri
    @G-Confalonieri8 ай бұрын

    Beauty is the form or shape of the object that meets its purpose, such as speed eg, with the least effort or complexity. And thank you for addressing this car design issue since I knew sth was wrong but I wasn't really able to figure it out.

  • @braunarsch
    @braunarsch2 жыл бұрын

    congrats on getting 100k subscribers! we are a small community (industrial designers) so we always gonna back u up! you're also doing a great service to novice designers or amateurs who would love to become designers :) . regarding the input you get from the youtube community, you should take a look at a community that was doing car design for a decade before shutting down, called Local Motors. I was one of the first members in the site, and it was a great community of car designers and car design enthusiasts, where people collaborated to create new vehicles. a few of them even reached production (Rally fighter, cruiser ebike, etc). If you're interested let me know, i can connect you to some of the past members and people who were running the site :)

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks MisterBraun! Great name btw ;) I'll check out local motors. feel free to email it to me or DM me on my discord about it.

  • @vitamc1213
    @vitamc12132 жыл бұрын

    See, Hyundai is a good example of a car company, with their 2022 i30 and sonata, of a company who has designed a very complex design, but in a simple shell. The angles are crazy for such a mundane sedan; however, it is still attractive to the eye perhaps because of the line flow and surfacing. I think majorly it's the surfacing and line flow that has become so complex.

  • @guardian6975

    @guardian6975

    Жыл бұрын

    Nah

  • @antoinehernandez135
    @antoinehernandez1352 жыл бұрын

    Congrats bro, realy love your channel. long live!!!

  • @lilaclullaby
    @lilaclullaby2 жыл бұрын

    Appreciate hearing the thought process behind stuff.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    lol don't worry, pretty much all design professionals have been involved in these projects in some capacity. You try to steer it in the right direction but it can be difficult

  • @XenonJohnD
    @XenonJohnD2 жыл бұрын

    A budding designer friend of mine has a theory that up until the 80's cars were quite angular because CAD software of the time could not handle complex curves. After then everything looked like a jelly mould as the software improved and the designers took advantage of all these new features. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on this?

  • @EvonneLindiwe

    @EvonneLindiwe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Much like Buildings.. like Zaha Hadid, her building were complex and remained unbuilt ( mostly ) until cad caught up.

  • @MMcGee91

    @MMcGee91

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yep. And then in the early 2000s companies relied too much on CAD and the cars became super stiff with no emotion. Not boxy, just....mathematical perhaps?

  • @minoassal

    @minoassal

    2 жыл бұрын

    aerodynamics

  • @Caphalem
    @Caphalem8 ай бұрын

    I'm so bored of the modern car look that even an old Lada is starting to looks pretty nice

  • @arpadhaigli6284
    @arpadhaigli6284 Жыл бұрын

    Why can't I like this video two times? 😩 really like the content, keep up the good work!

  • @rosemastinwood1606
    @rosemastinwood16068 ай бұрын

    I love how this channel makes me think about the world around me differently :)

  • @seekwhen1848
    @seekwhen18482 жыл бұрын

    oh yes first comment!!

  • @KRawatXP2003
    @KRawatXP20032 жыл бұрын

    Modern cars looks same

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    indeed

  • @user-bn3qt6vt1l
    @user-bn3qt6vt1l Жыл бұрын

    Glad I've found this AWESOME channel !

  • @Citnos
    @Citnos8 ай бұрын

    That's why I love my 97' Chevy Tracker/ Suzuki Sidekick, such a simple design, simple lines, cohesive proportions

  • @johndoeradiok
    @johndoeradiok2 жыл бұрын

    Complex? You mean disgusting?

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    :O

  • @Chewy_GarageBandDad
    @Chewy_GarageBandDad9 ай бұрын

    IM halfway through the video and Ive almost gotten the online course, started a savings account for an Alpha Romero, rented (2) N. Cage movies, bought a bass guitar and pulled out my old leather jacket and currently have it on. What will the second half bring? This dude is a genius!1

  • @rivenmotors7981
    @rivenmotors79818 ай бұрын

    Algorithm led me here but I stayed for the articulate leather clad presentation. As an amateur (i.e. unpaid) lifelong devotee to design I appreciate insight into the subject. I am a generalist but in any endeavor that I tackle I bring my design ethos into it as much as I am able. Thanks and cheers!

  • @JMSouchak
    @JMSouchak8 ай бұрын

    "The client isn't giving you all the information" I love this quote, it applies to so much more than just design.

  • @svendkaffke5862
    @svendkaffke58628 ай бұрын

    I have no idea what made youtube suggest this video to me, but I'm glad it did it. That was amazingly interesting

  • @dksilber9500
    @dksilber950010 ай бұрын

    I have nothing to do with design, I am a public official in Germany. I just like good design (and propably may identify good design). And i love your videos. Thank you for doing such great and informative content 🙂🙂

  • @DianosAbael
    @DianosAbael6 ай бұрын

    Alfa Romeo 33 stradale in my opinion is the best looking car in history.. by various measures. No wonder you took that as an example of elegance, delicacy, balance and feel. Kudos to you for the video!

  • @corwin32
    @corwin322 жыл бұрын

    I'm a dietitian, a teacher, and a preceptor. Working with newer/upcoming practitioners is a fantastic way to keep my ideas fresh and my knowledge up to date. Few things motivate me as much as someone having a question that would force me to say "...I don't know..."

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hey Gordon, thanks for checking out the video! Fellows teachers unite!

  • @JorenVaes
    @JorenVaes6 ай бұрын

    A big reason I don't see mentioned is engineering progression: New techniques and materials simply allow us to make cars look more complex because we can mass-manufacture them with this shape.

  • @ajaygill7744
    @ajaygill774410 ай бұрын

    You have such interesting and intrigueing thoughts. Your Channel is definitely a cool find.

  • @stm22
    @stm226 ай бұрын

    Thank you, thank you, for the NCage playlist, especially Adaptation, how could I miss that film all those years!

  • @sinclairal
    @sinclairal Жыл бұрын

    I agree with most the things you said except about knowledge. I have never seen a time when a lack of knowledge brought about a good result much less better results than someone would have with knowledge. Every time I as a IDer learn more about a subject, I am much more equipped to design a better solution. Whenever I have tried to design concepts for a problem without a firm understanding of the subject matter- it has resulted in failure or poor results. That includes "novel" ideas- a good designer will have more "novel" and "usable" solutions if they possess more knowledge not the other way around. Would love to hear your thoughts.

  • @dinbabwa452
    @dinbabwa45210 ай бұрын

    This video answers a question I have had for years!

  • @adiboy010
    @adiboy0107 ай бұрын

    You have a very distinct and outstanding personality.. I like your no care attitude to what other think.. this is the first vid I watched and subd.. ❤ keep going

  • @Yomamakizmanuts
    @Yomamakizmanuts6 ай бұрын

    Beauty is beholden in the eyes of the viewer. What looks beautiful to one is ugly to another. Also, much of the consumer really doesn’t care what a car looks like so long as a it can get them from A to B.

  • @Rorimac67
    @Rorimac675 ай бұрын

    I instantly felt in love with the simplistic desigb of the Audi TT when I first saw it. Was on a screen of a colleague and was clear to me THAT will be my next car. Still by far the most beatiful car I ever had. Very simplistic and ALSO very outstanding and unique.

  • @entertainingandfun2719
    @entertainingandfun27195 ай бұрын

    As someone who occasionally disagrees with your statements but is regardless a big a fan of your channel. I must say your articulation of car design is very informed and accurate! I’m a car designer myself so I was thrilled to see your comprehensive understanding. Car design is far more complex than people realize. I am of the opinion that car design has become lost. Everything has become hung up on ensuring profits when cars should be a medium to take chances with creative ideas. Cars are not products they are souls. We must craft them to be so. Even at the expense of “flaws” which we are in desperate need of in today’s age. Flaws do indeed bring passion to the piece. I always reference Alfa Romeo as an icon of this philosophy. Nothing is more emotional than an Alfa. Ferraris are the girls you see in magazines, but Alfas are the ones you fall in love with. All Alfa fans have felt this lure and it’s all because of the humanity their flaws give. Currently I think we’re finally pushing back towards the simplistic sensual designs of old. I’m hoping with EV’s potential for packaging we can finally put aside performance and focus on beauty and proportions once more. When everyone’s suv goes 0-60 in 3 seconds do we really need to prioritize performance? I think not.

  • @silvestersze9968
    @silvestersze99682 жыл бұрын

    Well said. Can’t agree more! 👍🏻👍🏻

  • @john1995
    @john19952 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for answer my question, I appreciate it.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for asking such a great question!!

  • @MarkusLinnala
    @MarkusLinnala2 жыл бұрын

    Many new ideas, but my main new insight was using YT as testing platform, kind of unsafe space. And then using any proven concepts in your teaching and project work. Intriguing video all in all. I got here because of algorithm. I hope you get brightest of students.

  • @sukhrajhothi1542
    @sukhrajhothi15422 жыл бұрын

    watching your vids inspires me to go and pursue industrial design

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    DO IT!!!

  • @stephenrose1343
    @stephenrose13438 ай бұрын

    Excellent video, I'm a painter, your advice has universal value.

  • @elyasblondlet5862
    @elyasblondlet58622 жыл бұрын

    You actually teach me a lot about design

  • @martinhodge394
    @martinhodge3948 ай бұрын

    I love your frank and honest responses. :)

  • @ryanwatson3825
    @ryanwatson38258 ай бұрын

    So as someone who works at the BMW X plant I feel some insight might be helpful. Simply put cars are really…really complicated in modern designs. If you take any part off of a car to expose internals they will look like a massive mess of wires and bizarre clips and moldings to keep the countless sensors and control wires or lines in the right place. (My heart goes out to those who have to diagnose and fix problems on modern car’s mechanical and electrical) For better or worse our cars are now computers that also are interacting with the real world in real time. This is especially true with the XM. It essentially has every possible sensor and option available and it’s frankly quite impressive we’re able to get everything in there we can. So to actually get to the point with that context, designing these cars to be different and unique is quite challenging when they are going to be built in the same place and by the same people. There is no “Xm” line or building. So imagine trying to make a sporty and varied looking suv that is going on the same line as other SUV’s, oh and not to mention they have a million codes and standards to follow. (Also in person I personally think that a good deal of Xm’s with the right color and wheel look fantastic, though I’ve seen a fair share or rather “fascinating” combinations)

  • @darshanaalles6780
    @darshanaalles67808 ай бұрын

    awesome video. so much knowledgegained. thank you

  • @janstafford1490
    @janstafford14906 ай бұрын

    With all those sharp edges i can’t imagine they’d pass safty standards in Europe, we’ll see

  • @AB-ez4rm
    @AB-ez4rm6 ай бұрын

    Back in 1985 I was told that by 2005 we'd have flying cars. Still waiting on that.

  • @FilterYT
    @FilterYT2 жыл бұрын

    "Wild at Heart" Nice job with the video, thank you.

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    It's a great movie. Thanks for watching!

  • @petrvanek6328
    @petrvanek6328 Жыл бұрын

    @designtheory This is absolutely great channel. Love your videos !!!

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you very much!

  • @arealious25
    @arealious252 жыл бұрын

    Didn't know you released a new video. Guess I should have watched this first lol. Edit- Congrats on the 💯K

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks whoami, you've been here almost since the very beginning!

  • @jeffharmed1616
    @jeffharmed161611 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the thought-provoking video. Perhaps “function” via SS folding limitations dominated the cybertruck design and Franz was happy smashing the driver’s window with a ball bearing to vent his discomfort at the abandonment of “form”. The model S shape was based on the Mercedes CLS sedan design’ (read “Power Play” by Higgins). Franz extended its shape to the model Y.

  • @aonodensetsu
    @aonodensetsu7 ай бұрын

    sometimes the fractured look can also flow well, just in a different way from traditional flow i think there is a spectrum to this, and while something like the lucid air i would describe as "languid" and more typically flowy, the hyundai verna also flows in a more sharp, inoffensive way and then on the other side is the non-flowy part of the spectrum

  • @ajarofpotential
    @ajarofpotential7 ай бұрын

    When talking about the red alpha, the green lines look red on the car if you're colourblind. Would've been easy to see if yellow instead using green.😮

  • @Oho_o
    @Oho_o6 ай бұрын

    This was a great video!

  • @TheUltimateSimpan
    @TheUltimateSimpan2 жыл бұрын

    this is a great video mate

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!!!!

  • @codemiesterbeats
    @codemiesterbeats Жыл бұрын

    2:39 I used to want to be an automobile designer... Didn't work out really lol but I've been feeling like cars are over-styled and I had this same realization when I found out the design department is broken into so many compartments. I often find myself in love with one part of the car and hating the other part. Seems to me in the earlier days the design had a more cohesive overarching theme. Maybe it was simply fewer designers.

  • @leviathann175
    @leviathann1752 жыл бұрын

    Very interesting. Thank you

  • @Design.Theory

    @Design.Theory

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching!!

  • @CyrusFreeman
    @CyrusFreeman8 ай бұрын

    There is not much I like about Tesla cars, but the styling is definitely more mature and restrained than a lot of other companies these days, and I appreciate that. I really miss the styling from the late 80s in the early 90s. Of course I do, that's when I grew up, but I think there is something special about that era for styling, almost like the late 60s and early 70s… You get a functionalist approach to styling that still has room for expression, and I like that. That Alfa... beautiful!

  • @agn855
    @agn8558 ай бұрын

    Complexity is mainly done so it won’t make sense financially to remodel it in case of dents/accidents. Replacing whole parts instead of simply iron out whatever "imperfection“ is creating another revenue stream. Only a few years ago you were able to replace headlights on your own (not to mention a light bulb). Not possible today, in some cases you’ve to disassemble parts of the motor only to access it. The BMW E30 you’ve showed has become an icon for a reason. It’s "clean" lines are its main staple. I own the convertible, and it’s still a "head-turning-device". The visual "Batmobile"-isation of todays cars (attached to the rise of "tank like" SUVs) simply reflects the increasing aggressiveness of a modern society.