5 Minutes with Tavis Highlander of Highlander Concept Rendering
If you’ve ever wondered about who does those cool renderings of project cars you see online or in magazines, meet Tavis Highlander. Tavis combined his passion for cars with his love of drawing, designing, and learning how things work to form Highlander Concept Rendering. Today he consults with top builders like Pure Vision Designs, DJ Designs, and Ironworks Speed & Kustom to design vehicle concepts and components from taillamps to interior door handles.
A vehicle sketch or rendering isn’t just a fancy piece of art to have on the garage wall. It’s a tool to direct the build and provide a shared goal. Even for home builders, having a sketched vision on paper can be helpful to keep you on the right path. We were lucky to catch up with Tavis for a few minutes to get his thoughts on modern technology, design concepts, and his art process. Check out his work at Highlander Concept Rendering.
Goodguys: How did you get started in hot rod rendering and when did you feel it could be a career?
Tavis Highlander: During my junior year of college in 2006 we were expected to get an internship. I had an interview with Boeing, but that ended up going nowhere, which was probably a blessing. I decided to push forward with an idea which was circling around in my mind. Cars had always been a passion of mine, so I created a portfolio flyer which I mailed out to several hot rod shops. Steve Strope of Pure Vision Design was the first to reply and he kickstarted my automotive design career.
GG: Did you have any formal automotive design training?
Highlander: I have a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from Western Washington University. Most of my knowledge is self-taught though. I’m just curious about learning new stuff and that’s the most important trait that I try to lean into.
GG: What are the benefits of having a rendering or sketch done for a project vehicle?
Highlander: There are so many benefits, and a rendering can serve different purposes. Sometimes it acts as a visual understanding between owner and builder. Other times it’s a tool to visualize different options like wheels, paint, and other finishes. On more in-depth projects, it’s not just rendering work, but sketches and other methods to develop ideas for individual items. At that level it becomes especially important to maintain a consistent theme.
GG: What is the process of doing a rendering? Do you interview the owner or the builder?
Highlander: On some projects it’s as easy as the owner or builder shooting me over a bullet list of knowns and unknowns. Most projects involve me putting together several options for presentation and then getting feedback. From there it’s just whittling down the details until everyone is happy.
GG: How much interaction do you have with the builder during a project?
Highlander: On some simpler builds I’m just doing a rendering and there is no other real communication until it’s done. I work with a few shops on a modified retainer model. Every week I work a day or two with Saltworks Fab and every detail of their builds gets designed. Engine parts, sheet metal, wheels, interior components, etc. You name it, I’m helping to design it.
GG: Do most completed builds look like your original rendering?
Highlander: Most everything turns out spot on. It’s cool to see something come to life that only existed on paper as an idea.
GG: What design trends do you see coming in the next few years?
Highlander: Things have gotten so technical and deeply complicated that there might be a reversion to the mean. Simple builds but done well with the use of technology.
GG: Do you think there was a “best era” for automotive design?
Highlander: As a kid I was enamored with the muscle car era of the late-’60s and early-’70s. The lines and proportions were just peak aggressiveness. Later, I became more sympathetic toward prewar cars since they have seen less attention lately.
GG: Any advice for younger artists with a passion for automotive design?
Highlander: Learn everything you can about all aspects of design and fabrication. Simply drawing cool stuff is great, but if you can back up a design with thoughts on how it can be made that’s even better. Being multi-faceted is very valuable.
GG: How has technology like CAD, 3D printing, and accessible CNC machining affected your approach to design?
Highlander: These tools have absolutely changed the game. An upholstery shop in Australia can send me a 3D scan of an interior that I can utilize for designing parts that will fit when finished. I can mock up the design in CAD so important parts are anchored in place and the design is rooted in reality. Nowadays I can design something and there will be a way to get it made.
GG: Do you feel AI will affect the hot rod design world?
Highlander: AI is so divisive. Artists hate it, but modern design and architecture firms embrace it for some aspects. I constantly experiment with it, but I’m not shipping out work that’s completed by AI. It’s just not there yet. Right now, it’s at the stage where it’s more work to constantly prompt for the results you want than to just draw the idea.
GG: What was your first car and what is currently in your garage?
Highlander: My first cool car was a ’53 Chevy truck I bought in high school. I loved that thing so much! Later on, I had a ’53 Willys wagon that my dad and I built together. So many fun memories. Right now, I don’t have anything cool, but I’m on the hunt for a big old wagon. Something that could haul the whole family around.
GG: Did you ever get in trouble in school for drawing cars in class?
Highlander: I never really got in trouble, but teachers did notice that the back of my tests were always filled with car doodles. Even in college I was told to stop focusing on cars so much since there weren’t many job opportunities in that field. I guess I didn’t listen very well!
Images courtesy Highlander Concept Rendering
