I was 19 when I confessed to my father that I wanted to become a car designer. One week earlier I found on a car magazine a great reportage about Art Center College of Design, the californian design school one of the best istitutions where to study Design. At the beginning my father did not want to listen to me asking me to continue my economics studies at university, however after few weeks several talks and my mother's underground convincing activity my life started to change! My father told me that I could have studied a year the English language in San Francisco, follow a design college to prepare my admission portfolio and try to be accepted at the Art Center College in Pasadena. If nothing would have been accomplished I would have returned to Italy to get back my studies.In September (four months later) I left Italy and I took a plane for my first time.

On my side I worked very hard during almost 6 years between English college studies, night courses at California College of Arts & Crafts in Berkeley, later 2 years at Pasadena City College and finally full time at Art Center to follow Transportation Design course. Since the age of 10 I always sketched cars (what they look like in my head at that time...), when I discovered that this passion was a real job with a professional future...I had a real great sensation: I finally had a future project to propose to my parents in alternative to the economics studies. I will never forget the human sacrifice my parents went through to give me this opportunity, I'll never forget how much they supported me economically and with all their love. I was very far but I felt them very close. I worked very hard , believe me I did, Art Center is a very competitive school and the experience has been difficult but very rich,too.

Today I am a Design manager in automotive industry with already 15 years experience and satisfied with the fact that all the hard work served to accomplish the goal. I worked for about 10 years with some european design schools,too to give what I have learned in US, had the chance to meet a lot of beautiful young people with hopes and talent.

I wrote this real story to explaine to young design students that might read this artiscle that you guys have to fight for it, to be a car designer is not an easy thing. You need talent, strong will to overcome all sort of problems and negative times, you never give up, you must be disciplinated and you need a good design school so that the money spent will be returned thanks to the job opportunities you will have.

Good luck!

Luciano Bove

Image of Art Center College of Design students presentation via 'Cardesignnews'