Global design firm Frank Stephenson Design has partnered with The Glasgow School of Art (GSA), a Scottish institution known for its visual creative disciplines. This collaboration aims to nurture design talent for automotive applications, particularly through the Product Design Engineering (PDE) program, a joint initiative with the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering.
GSA hosted an event last week, attended by faculty, students, stakeholders and the Frank Stephenson Design team. The event featured immersive design seminars highlighting the importance of sketching and hand drawing skills in the design process.
During the event, Frank Stephenson, who is known for his contributions to automobile design and has worked with companies including Ford, BMW, Mini, Ferrari, Maserati and McLaren, discussed the significance of traditional sketching techniques in an era dominated by CAD and AI and conducted a sketching masterclass.
Students participated in a “Mars design sprint” activity, that underscored the practical application of design principles in automotive innovation, and Stephenson discussed his recently launched “Learn to Sketch with Frank,” an online course blending theory with practical techniques to foster creativity in design.
Craig Whittet, head of department for PDE, said, “The potential future careers of the students were also explored through discussions with PDE grad and FSD lead designer Euan McPherson. It’s always a proud moment for the dept when we see the difference that our grads make and the experiences that we may well benefit from.”
Stephenson, who is creative director at Frank Stephenson Design, said, “Sketching is a core requirement of design, imperative in my industry, and it’s so important to me that the human touch isn’t lost to AI and computers. We’re excited for this opportunity to futureproof design talent and work with such gifted students.”
