From paper to clay: creative journey at the automotive design summer camp in Milan

Your child spends two weeks in Milan, but not as a tourist. He wakes up, goes to the studio, takes the pencil and starts drawing. At the end of the program, he leaves with a complete automotive project in his hands: refined sketches, a digital rendering, and a physical model in clay on a scale of 1:10. That's not a trained designer's script. That's what young people from 15 to 18 years old experience in Automotive Design Summer Camp.

For many parents, the question is fair: what exactly happens within that experience? How can an adolescent without technical training manage to develop a real car design project? This article answers that question precisely, describing each stage of the creative process, from the first trace on paper to the final model in clay.

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What is the final project of the Automotive Design Summer Camp?

O Automotive Design Summer Camp its central axis is the development of a personal design project. It's not an existing car copy, not a loose exercise. Each participant creates an original automotive concept, from scratch, following the methodology used by professional studios. The final deliverable includes three elements:

• Refined sketches, with correct vehicle proportions and automotive visual language.
• A digital rendering, produced with professional design software.
• A 1:10 scale clay model, built manually in the program's laboratories.

This set represents the young person's initial portfolio in the area. It is a concrete product that can be submitted in applications for design courses, scholarships, or future opportunities in the industry.

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How does the project start? What is the sketching module?

It all starts with the pencil. The first module of the program, called Design Foundations & Sketching, introduces the fundamentals of automotive design. Participants learn to represent vehicle proportions, capture movement and visual identity on lines, and communicate ideas with speed and precision.

Sketching is the universal language of automotive designers. Before any software, professionals need to know how to translate a concept into lines on paper. In the Ferrari, BMW or Volvo studios, the sketch remains the first stage of any project. In the program, students practice:

• Vehicle proportions and perspective.
• Line language and visual weight.
• Representation of details such as wheels, air vents, and curved surfaces.
• Quick ideation sketches and refined presentation sketches.

For young people with no previous experience, this stage is often surprising. The program's methodology is gradual and practical: with guidance from specialized instructors, the learning curve is fast.

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What happens in the digital rendering module?

After the sketches, the project migrates to the digital environment. The Digital Rendering & Basic 3D Exploration module uses professional design software to transform drawings into digital representations. Here the young person learns to work with tools used by real designers in the automotive industry.

Digital rendering allows you to add materials, lighting, reflections and color to the project, making the concept much more communicative and closer to what a real car would be. Students are not expected to fully master complex 3D software within two weeks. The objective is to make the first structured contact with these tools and to understand the digital workflow of automotive design. Many participants leave curious enough to continue learning on their own at Discover the right program for your evolution.

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How does clay modeling work?

Clay modeling is, perhaps, the most surprising step for parents. Yes, clay. Still in the 21st century, the world's largest automotive design studios use physical clay models as an essential part of the creative process. The reason is simple: no screen shows volume, curvature, and physical presence like a three-dimensional model. Clay allows the designer to perceive proportions that escape the digital eye.

In the program, students work on the Clay Modelling & Volume Development module to build a 1:10 scale model of their concept. The process includes structuring the base volume with industrial clay, refining surfaces and curves, defining details that communicate the identity of the project, and finishing for final presentation. This module takes place at the program's laboratories in Milan, with professional materials included. The final model belongs to the participant.

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What visits are part of the project?

The project is not limited to the studio. A fundamental part of learning takes place in visits to real industry references. The program includes excursions to:

• Italdesign: one of the most important automotive design studios in the world, responsible for iconic projects for Volkswagen, Audi and Maserati.
• National Automobile Museum in Turin: historical collection that connects young people to the evolution of car design.
• Pagani Automobili: one of the most exclusive supercar manufacturers on the planet, where craftsmanship and engineering meet.
• ADI Museum (Museum of Industrial Design) in Milan: a reference in contemporary Italian design.

These visits are not tourism. They feed the student's visual and technical repertoire, who returns to the studio with new references to apply to their project.

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How is the project presented at the end?

The last stage of the program is the presentation of the personal project. Each participant presents their automotive concept to the instructors and colleagues, bringing together the three elements developed over the two weeks: the sketches, the digital rendering, and the clay model.

This presentation trains a fundamental skill for any designer: to communicate an idea clearly, to justify creative choices, and to defend a concept before an audience. It is a skill that goes far beyond the drawing technique. At the end, each participant receives a certificate of completion of the program. This document, associated with the physical portfolio produced, represents the beginning of International career of young people in the area of automotive design.

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Is the technical level required high?

No. The program is developed specifically for students aged 15 to 18 without prior technical training. The language requirement is B1 English, i.e. the ability to follow classes conducted in English. The methodology respects the natural progression of learning. The modules are sequential: sketching first, then digital, and parallel clay.

The instructors follow the individual development of each participant. The young person does not need to know how to draw before arriving. You need to have a genuine interest in design, mobility, and creativity. That's enough to get the most out of the program.

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How much time does the young person have to develop the project?

The program lasts two weeks, with 30 hours of classes and laboratories. The daily structure includes two classes in the morning and two blocks of laboratory activities in the afternoon, from Monday to Friday. This volume of hours is significant. For comparison, it's equivalent to one semester of weekly design classes at many schools.

Continuous immersion accelerates learning in such a way that regular classes are rarely able to reproduce. In the afternoons when there is no laboratory, there are excursions to industry references. The time is fully structured to maximize project development.

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FAQ

Does the clay model stay with the student at the end of the program?

Yes. The 1:10 model produced in the laboratory belongs to the participant and can be taken home along with the sketches and the digital rendering.

Does the program require prior drawing skill?

No. The sketching module starts from scratch, with basic proportion and line techniques. An interest in design is more important than any previous technical skill.

What language are classes conducted in?

Classes are conducted in English. The minimum requirement is English B1.

The certificate is issued by which institution?

The certificate of completion is issued by yourself Automotive Design Summer Camp. It documents the competencies developed and is part of the participant's portfolio.

Can the developed project be used in applications for design schools?

Yes. The set of sketches, renderings and physical models constitute the young person's initial portfolio. Many design schools abroad require a portfolio upon application, and this material represents a solid starting point.

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Be Easy: Boutique Exchange Consulting

At Be Easy, we follow the exchange project Of every young person since the choice of ours curating until returning home. Our dedicated senior consultant advises parents about the complete process, the ideal participant profile, and what to expect from each stage of Automotive Design Summer Camp. To learn more and Start your project, contact us.