CDN announces second edition of Car Design Glossary

Car Design New has now published the second edition of the Car Design Glossary. Designed to enable budding designers  - and those wishing to describe the products of the designer's imagination - to decipher the language used in automotive studios, the Glossary was devised by David Browne, Course Director of Automotive Design at Coventry University School of Art & Design. He created the compilation of terms as an academic piece of research and collaborated with CDN to help generate feedback on these terms from designers themselves.

While drawing is the basic language of designers and the time-honored way in which a designer will communicate an idea, designers are often required to describe or explain their designs - and the work of others - in words. For this, they need a vocabulary. The vocabulary designers use is one whose origins stretch back to another era and to different disciplines. But with the now multi-cultural nature of the profession and advances in computer technology, the vocabulary continues to grow.

Designers have evolved a vocabulary-based language to enable them to communicate with one another. The products of their creativity and skills are speaking another powerful, silent language of their own - loaded with symbolism which the consumer is intended to understand (or at least respond to) - and which is aimed squarely at their psyche, their aspirations - and ultimately their wallets.

But when does a feature line become a crease line? The terms are used somewhat indiscriminately, but there should be a correct definition of some authority by now. So while many studios have their own set of terms that are unique to that group of designers and modelers - how have these terms come about? There is a suggestion that this language and its vocabulary was deliberately evolved to exclude 'outsiders'.

The Glossary seeks to break free of this thinking, allowing all readers to fully comprehend the nature of this terminology and vocabulary in order to gain a better understanding of designer's language. And, as part of an ongoing series provided to you by Car Design News, we will ensure that no stone is left unturned in the quest to define the various design terms illustrated in this and forthcoming editions of the Glossary. Feel free to discuss, give feedback and suggest terms that should be included in the Glossary in the Forums

  Go to the Car Design Glossary - Part 2

You can also send feedback to David directly:
David Browne
Course Director, Automotive Design
School of Art & Design, Coventry University, UK
Email: d.browne@coventry.ac.uk

Related Article:
Car Design Glossary Part 1 

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