Vehicle and Props Design - Exercise & Projects

22/09/2025 - 01/08/2025 / Week 1 - Week 15

Lim Pei Jiun (0372548)

Vehicle and Props Design / Bachelor of Design (Honor) in Creative Media

Exercise & Projects

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TABLE OF CENTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Exercise & Projects

3. Feedback

4. Reflection

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INTRODUCTION

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EXERCISE & PROJECTS

Week 1

For week 1,  we required to create a new artboard and fill it with drawing. We need to show different angles of any object. The object I chose is camera.

Fig 1.1 Different angles of camera

This exercise has enhanced my observation and perspective abilities, and helped me understand the perspective changes of objects at different angles.

Week 2

For week 2, Mr. Kannan taught us that when we don’t have any inspiration for a design sketch, we can get inspiration through silhouettes. The silhouette does not need to be too complicated at the beginning, it can be a few simple shapes, and then you can delete or add to the shapes later.

Fig 2.1 Silhouette

According to Fig2.1, the top two rows are water vehicles, and the bottom two rows are land vehicles.

After that, I start sketching based on the silhouette. I didn't draw it in great detail, I just used geometric shapes to express.

Fig 2.2 Sketches based on silhouette

When you're out of ideas, silhouettes can really help. When drawing a silhouette, we can show every variation of the silhouette, which makes it easy to review the process and get ideas when we get stuck.

Week 3

For week 3, I adjusted the silhouette based on Mr Kannan's feedback. Labeled with numbers and car types. I wanted to do Cyberpunk, and water vehicles weren't really suitable for that theme, so I only focused on land vehicles.

Fig 3.1 Silhouette

Besides, I constructed and deconstructed water, land, and air transportation. This exercise helped me understand the composition of the vehicle, allowing me to design a more logical and convincing shape.

Fig 3.2 Construct and deconstruct (Air)

Fig 3.3 Construct and deconstruct (Land)

Fig 3.4 Construct and deconstruct (Water)

Week 4

For week 4, I decided to create a Jeep, so I started creating a thumbnail silhouette of a Jeep.

Fig 4.1 Thumbnail silhouette

Fig 4.2 Thumbnail silhouette

These thumbnail silhouettes are primarily cuboid in shape, focusing on weapons, thruster and gear-tread tire. Then, I selected five of the more interesting thumbnail silhouettes to refinement.

Fig 4.3 Sketches refinement

Week 6

For week 6, I performed rough value painting on five refinement sketches to confirm the sources of light and the shadow surfaces.

Fig 5.1 Rough value painting

I liked the overall design of the second car the most, but the first and third cars also had elements I liked. After some deliberation, I chose the second one for my breakdown.

Fig 5.2 Rough value painting

Week 8

For week 8, I made some adjustment to the design based on Mr. Kannan's feedback. I shortened the front of the car and changed the tires to the design of the first car. Besides, I make the thruster more bigger and adjust the turret hatch bulge.

Fig 6.1 Sketch after adjustment

Fig 6.2 Rough value painting after adjustment

Then, I started rendering my design and focus on dark green, orange and silver.

Fig 6.3 Rendering

Week 9

For week 9, I change a little bit to my design based on Mr. Kannan feedback and do the breakdown.

Fig 7.1 Final Exterior Design

Fig 7.2 Design Breakdown (exterior)

Besides, I start doing a perspective drawing and line weight for this Jeep.

Fig 7.3 Perspective

Fig 7.4 Line Weight

Fig 7.5 Exercise: Fundamentals (PDF)

Fig 7.6 Project 1 Pre Production (PDF)

Then, I start doing research for my interior design on Pinterest. Inspired by some cyberpunk car interiors.

Fig 7.7 Interior moodboard

After doing the moodboad, I draft the interior of the jeep.

Fig 7.8 Sketches 1

Week 10

For week 10, I draft two more interior with different angles. I really like the angles of sketches 2 but it angles will lose some details, so I finally chose sketches 3 to be my project 2 base on Mr. Kannan's recommended.

Fig 8.1 Sketches 2

Fig 8.2 Sketches 3

Week 11

For week 11, I started coloring, mainly with black and orange. Orange is also the main color of my exterior, so I applied it to the interior as well. I didn't do very detailed coloring, mainly wanted to see the overall effect.

Fig 9.1 Testing color

Also, I decided to use sniper to be my props cause it suits the character I created.

Fig 9.2 Moodboard (props)

Week 12

For week 12, I have refine the interior and adjust the lighting.

Fig 10.1 Moodboard (props)

Then, I start to create the sniper.

Fig 10.2 Props

Week 13

For week 13, I add add more details to the interior and do the breakdown.

Fig 11.1 Final Interior

Fig 11.2 Design Breakdown (Interior)

For the props, I draw a hand and adjust a little bit to make it more reasonable. I also add a bracket cause it is a sniper and do the design breakdown.

Fig 11.3 Final Props

Fig 11.4 Design Breakdown (Props)

Fig 11.5 Project 2: Production

After doing project 2, we require to sculpt the vehicle out. I chose to sculpt exterior for my final project. This is my first time using blender so it is a challenge for me, I found some tutorials online and start sculpt the base. 

Fig 12.1 Base sculpt

Week 14

For week 14, I redo my sculpting and try to use mirror. It really help me to sculpt more faster.

Fig 13.1 Process

Fig 13.2 Process

Fig 13.3 Side view

Fig 13.4 Back view

Fig 13.5 Up view

Fig 13.6 Back 3/4 view

Week 15

After sculpting, I try to import it to ZBrush to do the coloring and rendering, but some part of the model became deformed and I can't fix it so I finally doing it on Blander.

Fig 14.1 3/4 view

Fig 14.2 Front view

Fig 14.3 Side view

Fig 14.4 Back view

Fig 14.5 Up view

Then, I do a poster on procreate. I try to add some formatting effects to represent the cyberpunk theme.

Fig 14.6 Poster

Fig 14.7 Final Project: Post Production & Profiling (PDF)

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FEEDBACK

Week 2: You don't need to draw very detailed at the beginning. Try to draw simple geometric shapes first and then modify them slowly. Shows the changes in your silhouette so you can review the process if you get stuck.

Week 3: Labeled with numbers and car types. Make more silhouettes.

Week 7: The front of the car is too long and the thruster can be more bigger. You can combine elements from different designs to create a new design and need to understand the function of everything in the design.

Week 9: Add more details. Make the thruster smaller and can add a thing for people easy to step on. Also, can try to make the door stand out to look like more cyberpunk. For the interior, try more different angles.

Week 10: Can go with sketches 2.

Week 11: The color is fine. Add more details, like the dashboard there add the km. Can make the armrest storage open.

Week 12: The screen can draw some pic, the gear shift too short, make it longer. Try to add more details like airbag and audio. For the props, draw a hand so that you can see how to use this sniper and see is the design reasonable. 

Week 13: It is better for you to use the mirror to sculpt your vehicle.

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REFLECTION

This module was both interesting and challenging for me. It was my first time drawing vehicles, and I needed to understand and learn about car construction and perspective. In the process, I learned that vehicle design needs to be rational, and figuring out how to match your design with functionality was a challenge I had to overcome.

In addition, I learned how to use Blender through this module. Compared to ZBrush, Blender is better suited for sculpting this type of item. Although it may be difficult to use at first and requires a lot of time to learn the various functions, the speed will be significantly faster once you get used to it.