12 Digital Sketch Pros You Need to Know
We recently held our first ever Sketch Jam in Portland, Oregon during Design Week Portland. The event consisted of sixteen competitors showing off their design sketching skills in front of five judges over the course of four rounds. All of this was done in front of a live audience and was streamed on Facebook. If you missed out on the action, you can check out a quick recap video here. Sketch Jam may have been the physical manifestation of the fact that the Coroflot community has always shown a real love and appreciation for design sketching. This is evidenced by the amazing talent we come across on the site every day and in the huge enthusiastic response received any time somebody shares a quality collection of renderings.
Last month we saluted the almighty analogue sketchers - those who know their way around a paper and pencils - by highlighting 10 Coroflot members you need to know. Now we are turning the spotlight on those who do it digitally with these 12 designers who show off some major skills on the tablet. It should be noted that some of these projects contain a mix of analogue and digital, and these descriptions are referring specifically to the digital portions of the project.
From ideating butterflies and snakes into snazzy golf clubs to exercise equipment and luxury vehicle interiors, Hsiao demonstrates a confidence to tackle nearly any kind of challenge when it comes to product design.
Rob's senior thesis may technically be student work, but his skill level is pro. His sleek concept car is reminiscent of a DeLorean but manages to preserve the Cadillac brand language. His interior sketches also take us right inside this luxury sports car.
Intel Concept Design by Boris Wang
Boris describes this project as a "futuristic beverage bottle concept". Each of these sketches is most definitely futuristic looking and each one is loaded with features, all of which are laid out in extreme detail. There's a sci-fi element to these sketches, but at the same time the renderings are good enough that it's easy to imagine them in the real world.
Transportation Design Sketch wall by Tomas Ivaskevicius
Audi, Mercedes, Mini Cooper, Nissan and more. Tomas' seemingly casual sketches show us some impressive skills when it comes to concept cars. He also takes advantage of digital effects by including features like dripping and more dynamic color combinations.
MIZUNO Running footwear by Tobin Dorn
We love seeing inspiration, especially in sketching, and that is exactly what Tobin presents us with for this project. His Mizuno running shoe sketches are inspired by luxury sports cars and he presents us with images alongside the sketches to allow us to see how he translated the design language of the cars to footwear. You can also read our interview with Tobin in Above the Fold!
Bose Developement by Zach Hastings
Just like Bose products, these sketches are clean and simple. Even in the early concept sketches we can clearly see the functionality and the way it falls in line with the distinct Bose design style. It's also worth noting that this project is over 10 years old and it still looks fresh today.
Presumably, this collection of sketches is named after the Facebook group where designers pick a new subject every week and vote on their favorite. We especially love Alex's clean execution of a Walkman, which triggered a bit of nostalgia for us, and we like his spaceship designs. It's always interesting to see the results when talented designers explore the realm of fantasy and, in this case, science fiction.
Here's another example of a designer making the best possible use out of having digital tools. Erwan's use of colors and textures are top notch and would also be difficult to convey these elements if you were sketching on paper. The concept watch is especially vivid as you can practically feel it on your wrist.
Process and Sketches by Richard Kuchinsky
You want process? You got process. With this collection of work Richard takes us inside his style and flow. Each sketch is super-detailed and Richard's work is highly creative. The craziest part is that these were supposedly done for fun.
George shows off a variety of different drawing styles and techniques in this collection. Our personal favorite is the Bianchi, which is futuristic looking and seems to be capable of shooting neon blue lasers. Just kidding, but in all seriousness, these sketches are real sharp.
My sketch book by Brian Foresta
They may just be sketches, but all of these shoe concepts look like fully fleshed out designs. Some of these may have ended up as real products. Though these are all Nikes, Brian has moved on and it will come as little surprise that he is a Design Director for Adidas these days as he is clearly a master sketcher.
automotive sketchbook by Radu Muntean
There's a certain simplicity to these automotive sketches, and maybe that's what makes them so awesome. Radu uses clean, sparing lines and electrifying colors to create an alluring collection of beautiful sports cars.