A Chat With: Jason Price, Motorsport Design Consultant

Our featured professional in the CDT sector this month is Jason Price, who caught up with us to explain a bit more about what his role as a motorsport design consultant looks like and the advice he’d give to those wanting to get started.

Chalk: Jason, you are a Motorsport Design Consultant. How did you end up in this sphere?

“When I studied design, there were no computer software packages! The first came out the year after I left - so a lot has changed in the 25 years I have worked in this industry.

“I began my career designing signage. Mainly for shops, however I then worked on the signage for the Festival of Speed. That’s where my journey into motorsport began.

“I used to design, print, manufacture, and install the liveries for motorsport vehicles. However, when I was introduced to 3D design, my career took another turn...”

Tell us more about 3D design and what your role looks like now.

“After much research and a few Udemy courses, I first started out with 3DS Max and then later Blender, a free and open source 3D creation suite. “

This software enables me to design and showcase any livery, merchandise, and garages, fully branded in 3D. It’s all about showing what the designs will look like in the real world, so there is a great amount of processing power needed to be able to get that exactly right. The client wants to see what the design will look like in the rain, in bright sunlight etc. I produce stills and video which enables a client to see all around the car.

“The level of detail is challenging but, luckily, I have many years of motorsport experience so I understand the shapes of cars and what happens when they are racing at 180mph!

“The 3D models I create are worked at real-world scale, the base designs created in Adobe Illustrator, then when the sign off happens the files can be sent to the livery manufactures quickly (motorsport moves fast in many ways!). I no longer do all the manufacture and printing myself, but manage those relationships on behalf of the client.

“I have also created pitch decks for clients, which they use to win potential sponsorship. I create designs of the livery and branded merchandise (hoodies, watches, mugs etc) for the potential sponsor to see during the pitch. These sponsors are worth millions and mean everything in terms of enabling teams to invest in the speed of the cars. The bigger the cheque, the faster the car! So it is worth my clients spending a lot of time upfront to have something really impressive to showcase.”

What would you advise someone interested in a career based around 3D design?

“3D design is often assumed to be gaming. But it has so much more potential than that. Unlike games design, I get to design something that is then made in the real world. I have Scalextric car models of all the liveries I have designed! And when I’m watching motorsport, I get to see the cars I have designed racing around the track. That’s pretty cool!

“If you are a 2D designer, whether as a print, creative, or technical art worker and want to get into the 3D environment - don’t be scared. Do your research and then give it a go!

“There are lots of courses on Udemy, so find a good one and just absorb it. Don’t try and play with any of the software until you have done this.

“When you do download Blender, I recommend not going with the very latest version - with all the latest updates, as it can be buggy. Download the version before.

“You will also need a very powerful PC (Macs cannot handle Blender!). You will need to invest a min of £2K in your machine and then keep upgrading it as you get more money to invest. You will push your machine to the limit with all the rendering required.

“Pick a market you want to work in. It could be interior architecture, exterior, automotive, or motorsports. I love motorsport because it covers interior and exterior design. But it could be shop fitting, for example, or product design.

“There is so much untapped potential in 3D design and there are not many people out there with the high-level skill set - especially in the motorsport arena. So give it a go!

“I am happy to speak to anyone that is after advice about getting started in this area, so please just email me at hello@jasonprice-mdc.com.”