Oliver Stefani reveals sketching secrets for aspiring car designers

Skoda’s Head of Design Oliver Stefani demonstrates car sketching techniques, offering tips on warming up, perspective, and refining lines for better results.

Oliver Stefani, Head of Design at Skoda Auto, proves once again that art starts with the simplest lines. In a new video lesson, he shows how a car sketch takes shape from the very first strokes and shares the principles behind his design process. For Stefani, sketching is not just part of the job – it is a way of thinking and communicating.

His passion for drawing began in childhood, long before cars became the focus. Inspired by superheroes, Disney characters, and Star Wars, he filled notebooks with drawings. After studying at Hochschule für Bildende Künste Braunschweig and the Art Center College of Design in the US, he worked at Volkswagen and later became Head of Design at Skoda Auto in 2017.

Under his leadership, Skoda has entered a new era of design. The latest generations of the Fabia, Superb, and Kodiaq feature more dynamic proportions, while the all-electric Enyaq iV embodies the new Modern Solid design language. In interviews, Stefani has emphasized that Skoda design should create emotion while remaining clear and functional.

In the Storyboard video, he presents five essential tips for sketching. First comes the warm-up: circles and ellipses to wake up the hand. Then he moves to simple perspective boxes, letting the arm work freely. When the hand is ready, it is time to capture proportions – starting with a side view and observing rules for wheelbase and car height. Perspective follows, the most challenging step, and finally the details: loose lines, repeated redraws, and careful refinement.

Stefani sketches daily, even during short breaks, seeing it as a way to stay sharp and generate new ideas. For him, sketching is the foundation of team communication: “When we try to explain something, we sketch it. It’s more effective than a thousand words,” he says.

Modern tools such as VR and 3D modeling now complement the process, allowing designers to explore concepts immersively. Yet Stefani insists that paper and pencil remain the best starting point for creativity. His key message is simple: sketch every day – and enjoy the process.