Those familiar with the wealth of high-quality artist impressions of rumored future models by the major German automobile publications may not have heard the name Larson, though we suspect they’d recognize his work. Few would argue the artist’s talent with photo rendering, though some might be surprised that this self-described Audi enthusiast is also an accomplished designer.
At the age of 36, Larson works as a freelance automobile designer/illustrator, living in Germany. With a degree from the Transportation Design College in Pforzheim, “Lars” began his career working with Mazda Europe and later on a show truck design for the German tire company FULDA - a job that would spawn a full-size example in 2000.
Today, Lars may best be known for his work creating images of future car models for several automotive magazines worldwide. His renderings are based on detailed information supplied by automotive journalists, photographs nabbed by spy photographers and on his own design in an effort to accurately portray an automobile that he has never even seen.
Given the broad range of automobiles that Lars is contracted to render, his own understanding of a given marque’s design language is critical. While many renderings today are done entirely in Photoshop by cutting, pasting, twisting and contorting existing images to create something new, Lars’ own renderings begin life in a much more studied fashion that is directly attributable to his design background.
Larson emphasizes the importance of his own understanding of the character of each car he designs. Once he has a grasp on of the car’s personality and direction, he begins by producing sketches that he prefers to create with a drawing tablet and pen that are eventually used as a foundation for his computer renderings.
Look at some of the images Larson created where a real car now exists and you’ll get a grasp for just how significant this approach can be toward the accuracy of a car. Using this approach to both the A5 and the second-generation TT, the resulting images are surprisingly accurate when you consider they were developed prior to any photographical reveal of the cars involved.
In the days before such heavy use of computer, Lars would create his renderings on vellum-paper with an airbrush. Today’s computer-generated era that allows for photorealistic renderings has certainly improved things, though the German designer points to his experience with a pen and airbrush that aids him in the quality of renderings he now produces.
In addition to his work creating images of upcoming cars for magazines, Lars keeps himself busy with numerous other automotive-oriented design jobs. With such a penchant for the design behind the renderings, it’s no surprise that these other jobs include design proposals and concepts for both car companies and aftermarket tuners. Perhaps it's no surprise that Oettinger body kits tend to be universally applauded by enthusiasts. We're told by other sources that Larson is also behind many of the German Audi tuner's body kit designs as well.
The next time you see a computer-generated image along with a spy photo from a big European publication, keep an eye on the credits. In many cases, it’s probably a work by Larson.
Independent Design Focus: Audi's Future Envisioned by Larson
