I had the great honor to chat with Dwayne Vance for this exclusive Designer interview!
Together we discover How to become a toy designer from his amazing creative journey.

He shares with us the winning mindset to build up to succeed at becoming a toy designer.

What It Takes to Become a Designer: A Heartwarming Conversation with Dwayne Vance

Dwayne Vance: A Journey into Toy Design

Dwayne’s path from a young boy dreaming of futuristic vehicles to a designer at Hot Wheels is a story of passion, creativity, and persistence.

Here are the highlights:

• Early Inspirations and Career Beginnings: As a kid, Dwayne was inspired by Star Wars and the intricate vehicles within its universe. This love for design led him to pursue a degree in transportation design at Art Center College of Design, where he honed his sketching and rendering skills.
• The Path to Hot Wheels: Dwayne’s big break came unexpectedly during a 3D design class when he met the design director of Hot Wheels. His portfolio, filled with imaginative sketches, caught the director’s eye, landing him a senior designer position.
• Design Philosophy and Process: Dwayne emphasizes several key elements for success in toy design:
• Show Your Ideas: Focus on effectively presenting your concepts, not just your drawing skills.
• Set Ambitious Goals: Big dreams propel designers beyond their comfort zones.
• Embrace Consistency: Regular practice, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day, leads to significant improvement.
• Maintain a Childlike Perspective: Design toys with the mindset of a child, constantly asking, “Would I want to play with this?”

Collaboration and Feedback

At Hot Wheels, Dwayne’s role extended beyond designing individual cars to collaborating on playsets and engaging with focus groups to gather feedback from children. This interaction ensured designs were not only visually appealing but also fun and engaging.

Current Projects and Future Aspirations

Beyond his work at Hot Wheels, Dwayne is currently developing a themed playing card deck inspired by hot rods, showcasing his love for car culture and design. This project not only reflects his artistic style but also supports a charitable cause.

Play

Advice for Aspiring Designers

Dwayne’s practical advice for those looking to break into toy design or any creative field includes:

• Pursue Side Projects: Engage in personal projects to enhance skills and promote your work.
• Stay Resourceful: Actively seek opportunities; they might come from unexpected places.
• Build Your Portfolio: Continuously update your portfolio with diverse work to attract potential employers or clients.

9 Key Points to Become a Creative Toy Designer

Here are the core lessons from Dwayne’s interview:

1. Focus on Showcasing Ideas: Your portfolio should convey your creative thinking, not just your technical skills.
2. Set Big Goals: Aspire to create something extraordinary to motivate yourself.
3. Consistency is Key: Even short, daily practice sessions can lead to significant growth.
4. Reward Yourself: Celebrate small victories to keep motivation high.
5. Think Innovatively: Always consider how to improve or envision objects in the future.
6. Sketching is Essential: Learn and practice sketching to communicate your ideas effectively.
7. Design Schools Nurture Ideas: Focus on thinking ahead and creating original designs.
8. Expect Intensity: Design school is rigorous but prepares you for the industry.
9. Volume of Sketches: Expect to produce numerous sketches and renderings each week to push your skills.

Know more about Dwayne Vance’s Art and Designs

To know more about him, here are some drawings and links to his fantastic work!

You can find more about Dwayne’s work below:

Dwayne Vance Behance portfolio: https://www.behance.net/FutureElements
Dwayne Vance book: https://www.facebook.com/MastersOfChickenScratch/
Dwayne Vance Youtube Channel: Dwayne Vance – YouTube
Store for the product: Master Of Chicken Scratch

Conclusion

Dwayne Vance’s journey teaches us that becoming a designer isn’t just about innate talent; it’s about dedication, a childlike imagination, and the courage to dream big. His story is an invitation to all aspiring designers to believe in their passion, keep practicing, and embrace the joy of creating.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your sketchbook, let your ideas flow, and remember, the world is waiting for your creativity!

Happy designing!
Cheers,
Chou-Tac

PS: Discover the interview with Product Designer Michael DiTullo

TRANSCRIPT OF DWAYNE VANCE INTERVIEW

Alright. So hello, Dwayne. Thank you for joining us for this designer coffee chat interview for the blog of designsketchbook.com. I’m Chou-Tac, and I’m very glad that we met on Facebook, pretty much randomly, and got to know more about you. You told me that you were working for Hot Wheels, which really interests me because I was born in the eighties, and it reminds me of my childhood.

So, I have a few questions for you. Should we start with the first one?

Yep. I’m ready.

Alright. Can you tell us a few words about yourself and your background?

About myself? Oh man. Well, since I was a young kid, I loved to draw cars and vehicles, stuff like that. One of the biggest influences in my career was definitely Star Wars. I know that a lot of guys my age say the same thing, but when I saw those movies and all the vehicles they created for that world, it just excited me as a kid. I was like, man, I wanna do that really, really bad. So that kinda set up my whole artistic career.

But since then, you know, I’m a dad. I’ve got four kids and a wife. I’ve been married to my wife for 22 years this year. Wow! That’s pretty cool! Other than that, I guess we’ll probably answer more about me during the interview.

Go ahead.

When you were saying that when you were a kid watching Star Wars, did you already project yourself into designing things?

I don’t know. You know, I think when you’re little, you don’t really understand design—at least in my area you didn’t—because there was no such thing as art books. You didn’t know who the people were behind movies or video games or comics even.

That’s true.

And really think about it… Well, with comics, you didn’t think about people having to draw them either. But for movies and video games, you didn’t know about designers in the background; we never really projected ourselves in that way.

Right.

But as I got older, my parents actually got a hold of some art books from the movie; they’re pretty old now but I still have them in my collection, which is pretty cool. They would buy Star Wars posters and coloring books too.

Oh! So your first introduction was coloring books?

Oh totally! The thing was with the coloring books though: I would try to change the scenes—add my own characters or add more lasers or lights or stickers and stuff like that. I never left the coloring book as it was.

Okay! You were customizing them and creating your own stories from there.

Exactly!

May I ask you some more questions about your experience at Hot Wheels?

Yeah!

How did you arrive there? Because I believe it might be a dream job for a lot of people to work at such a company.

Yeah! Hot Wheels was one of the funnest jobs I’ve had! It was a blast!

I ended up going there after working in the motocross industry; I took a 3D class at school because I actually went back to learn more 3D stuff. In that class, there was this guy who saw my work; he knew that I graduated from Art Center with a degree in Transportation Design. He came up to me and said he was looking for some car guys but didn’t really want to tell me what he did. When he found out that I drew cars, he asked if I had a portfolio or anything—and at that time I had just made like a small portfolio collecting all my work together.

I gave it to him and he looked at it and said wow; he was impressed! He goes: “I’m actually the design director of Hot Wheels.” He said he wanted to find some people so I told him I’d love to apply!

So that’s how it started! It was kind of a cool experience! He said to come in and bring my portfolio so he could show it to the rest of the team and see what they thought.

I had been pushing myself to keep drawing every day—especially drawing cars—and I’d just gone through drawing all these crazy Batmobiles. That series specifically caught his attention because they were drawn in all these little crazy perspectives; they were all different but you could tell they were back on wheels. He loved that whole thing!

Long story short: they hired me as a senior designer right away!

Okay!

I started working on basic cars and then worked on probably one of my biggest projects called Acceleracers.

Okay! I’m gonna hold this up—this was actually the title right here: Acceleracers!

Yes!

It actually became an animated series on Cartoon Network!

Oh wow!

If you want to see better pictures of it, I do have them on my enhanced site where I’ve got better shots because it’s been hard to see some things in the past.

So it’s very important to keep the car inside the box right?

Well yeah—for collectors!

Of course!

As a designer though, I like to open it too and look at it because then you can see everything.

Mhmm.

But yeah! When I started working on that series—it was like a whole entertainment package—I worked on storylines, characters…a lot of vehicles too! That vehicle there? I’d actually drawn it during free time—on like lunch breaks or something like that—and one of the guys saw it saying “that’s perfect for our bad guy!” Turns out though—the bad guy was actually a girl—a bad girl!

It was funny!

But the inspiration behind that car…was taking Gundam and mixing it with Lamborghini—what would that look like?

Gundam? The Japanese animation?

Oh okay!

And mixing it with Italian Lamborghini!

Oh that’s so cool!

So yeah—it was super fun project! Just loved it! After that, I worked on like a collector line where we focused on Japanese cars—all those drift cars—and while you’re there as a designer it’s actually a small group so you work on multiple projects—from tracks and playsets to individual cars—to light sound cars that light up too!

So yeah—it was fun!

Actually I’m tempted to ask you—is it so much more fun working on toys than real cars?

You know—in my case—yes! It was way more fun working on toys than cars!

What led me down this path is when I was in school—I always drew stuff that was way out there—you know? Partly because I’ve still got Star Wars in my blood—I always loved sci-fi stuff! Yes—I love Gundam; Transformers; Robotech…I mean—I loved all of it growing up as a kid!

So yeah—when I ended up at Hot Wheels—that felt like the perfect mix between entertainment meets auto world—you could create cars that were fantastical—they didn’t have to fit people in them—and your imagination could just go crazy!

That’s cool because in automotive world you’ve gotta fit people in cars—you’ve gotta have practical cycling as far as stuff can be produced—and sometimes you can’t get too crazy for public sunlight—you know?

Yeah again—for my personality—that felt like perfect fit for me—it’s toy world versus automotive world.

Since you were a kid—it felt like this logical path totally aligned with what you were doing at Hot Wheels.

Exactly!

I would like to ask how does a brief look at Hot Wheels?

You know—the design briefs can be all over because it depends on what project you’re on! I’ll give an example—a really good descriptive design brief: For example—a car like this…

Do I have one out of the pack? No…actually don’t have any here but…

This car right here—it’s Mustang—and then they came out wanting to create like an entire line with what they call “tune”—cartoon proportions.

If remember right—they gave us design brief with different slots—they had multiple categories: tuner; domestic; etc.—they might want us taking one type of those kinds of cars—but create tune-look instead—you know?

So this is 68 Mustang—not 67—but took Mustang cartooned out so you’ll see engine bit bigger; proportions are altered; rear spinner is big; housing right up here is tiny windows…

That’s kind of design brief we were given—we’d fit our design language within what they had given us.

Yeah—it’s creating new vocabulary for this type of brief.

Exactly!

Now with other car—that’s little more fantasy…

So they can be extremely crazy—you know? Like—that other car showed earlier—it used narrow styling—they wanted ’64 Impala—a classic Chevy Impala…

So took modified bit—but still kept body style same—you know kind-of original car…whereas many people would take low-rider approach—this one’s low-to-ground…

Okay—I made into kind-of crazy model car—with exhaust coming out back; engine sticking up…Hot Wheels always want freedom—

Some specific design language is about fast—you know?

That’s kind-of math behind Hot Wheels—you have engine parts; turbos; exhausts…anything engine-related has power behind it…

And when presenting your project—all sketching? Everything hand sketched?

Yeah most time—I mean by time got there—I still did traditional sketching—and finished at Photoshop many times…

If wanna see examples—got some on Viant site too—all those are up there…

Alright—I will get them though—all work so old—but souvenirs from time doing this right?

Exactly!

And do designers illustrate toys’ back packaging—or is an illustrator handling it?

No—that’s actually done by outside companies—I think…

I don’t know if they might do it in-house now too—but they build 3D models then take models applying Photoshop work putting colors…

Oh okay—all right—to get packaging designs…

Okay…and how do you keep kids’ spirit alive being there? Because when you’re designer—you’re adult already—but designing kids’ products—how make sure retain mindset?

That’s great question ’cause often ask myself same thing…

I think when working toy industry—and now having kids helps out little bit too…

Well—they’re young too so couldn’t play with Hot Wheels yet—but had nephews who did show them work…because they’d look at me loving anything drew…

But also part comes down myself too—that when interview people for toy jobs—they wanna see little bit kid-like experience behind drawings…

Understand…

And as long as draw—with style putting self-kid perspective—would wanna play with this? Could envision sitting driving…if felt bored move onto something new or change concept…

Felt pretty successful at doing this too…and reason hired me—they wanted Toyota energy mixed entertainment into one…

Oh—I see…

A lot times if sit down come-up idea hard designing tracks/playsets—for example little track put car on—we’d gather around playing seeing if had kind-of…

You can tell whether something’s fun—not wanting go back next day play again…if yes probably gonna be pretty good…

Once while—even making company sometimes stuff not great either…

It’s part game…yeah

I believe there’s momentum needing try risky proposals never seen before—and only way knowing is putting market seeing reactions…

They also do focus groups—not sure familiar with those…hire advertising agencies having bunch kids come watch videos see how react…

Oh…okay…

That’s fascinating sometimes too…

Would help…so as designer present during focus group—or marketing department who there?

Depends! Sometimes would sometimes wouldn’t—depend project…

Usually try having someone wasn’t close present…so can get feedback…

Okay…so when kids came focus before productions toys so designers could make amendments?

Yes—sometimes video sometimes rough prototype depending…

But built real crazy concept way out often video…

Alright?!

Which close enough feeling good about toys…

Right exactly…

How do guys come up with new stories Hot Wheels? Because believe before creating toys there’s story behind…

Like Acceleracers discussed previously—a lot times stem off sometimes cool sketch drew brewing stories…most time story created before products created around story—

Really just new different entrances—

Find movies/video games hear same thing today needs operate like—

Designers create good material put into story—you’ll also have good writers writing good stuff—

As designers create around that’s collaboration between both nicely—

As you’re definitely fan cars telling personal project card deck—can tell us more about it?

Oh yeah—doing card deck now—a playing card deck…for those unfamiliar playing cards—

Wanna do hot rod themed playing card deck—it’s popular lots people creating themed decks—

Alright…so not showing well—but this isn’t typical deck by guy home did nice stuff—

Started seeing themed card decks looking hot rod-themed ones…

Okay—all found were photos taken hot rods put cards—

Wanted something designed thought-out—

Started inking hot rods using Japanese calligraphy pen—

Always loved ink stuff wanted do for card deck—

Started drawing top rods beginning sketches—you can see all early rough sketches hands—

Took aces made engines shaped suit…if ace space engines shape space but all engine parts…

Oh so that’s kinda idea started from there—

Thought let’s make face cards cars—all kings trucks masculine theme—

Did queens soft clean surfaces—not hard details—

Jacks gassers jacked-up air tip—

Did joker funny car—all suits done behind designs making really fun ’cause didn’t just take car put cards illustrations created unique themes making truly unique fun possess—

Right right mhmm

Actually ideas came friend talking who started looking stinging hard desks—

He has charity called redeeming love helping girls coming out slave trade—

Charity helps girls getting out industry wanting heal focusing here mainly United States now—

This deck proceeds gonna go charity helping support cause long run…

Oh wow—that’s amazing!

Totally passionate project doing heart driven cause—which makes super special meaningful effort also advice aspiring designers beginners promoting themselves social media interviews portfolios…

Yeah absolutely several things say:

I’d say having side hustle—is what call it…always something working side—even if career wherever video game industry shoe industry wherever at always personal projects posting social media…

Hear lot students say man don’t know draw don’t know get started whatever come big project yourself–

I’ve done long time—even junior high sold candy side carrying lockbox school selling candy teachers knew sold candy too….

That’s cool!

Kinda kept mentality ever since always done something side being resourceful does two things:

Keeps posting social media improves skills constantly getting better producing work third thing hopefully thinking project doing make sell product end generate income–

May not ever get rich off doing but might produce anywhere extra $100-$1k month…could eventually go own wanted doing thing

Kinda done younger years did two books masters chicken crafts me thirteen hot rod artists knew nothing producing books—not one thing started researching learned since then learned publish books wasn’t entirely self-published didn’t publisher anything decided route because if go publisher get small percentage books without distribution

Kinda go out understand…but really wanna learn how do all stuff took ton time still working while doing these things sold promoted own work got good guys producing neat hot rod stuff networking helped knowing ton people visiting shows selling book getting places helping getting places

Another good advice don’t worry perfection—not worry being perfect

One thing learned doing side hustle better put something out there wait make perfect

Because never achieve perfection don’t think anybody ever achieves perfection

At least that’s way always seen some disagree find somebody better than always find something better produced

If actually producing getting set name reputation building skills—a benefit all around better put along way hiding everything room nobody can see take feedback neither–

Good thing posting daily even if don’t look perfections many people don’t dare post thinking not good enough—but actually good track record put social media see evolutions which quite fun also

I’ll post whole sketchbook got buy $2 put everything sketchbook good bad ugly rough times really ugly rough sketches end turning into something cool long run

So yeah don’t ever be afraid put something out there remind me friend student afraid showing publicly portfolio afraid people steal ideas–

Well—we’re age people steal stuff had stolen before putting reselling their money off it—but honestly anytime anybody done with work least keep putting work out there people recognize know doing

As soon as see should be counterfeit work didn’t do eventually figure out so designers meaning important create own style–

Yeah absolutely more do work that’s how get style eventually find something liking–

Does styles evolved along career?

Oh yeah style definitely evolved—I’d say known few different styles—the way Photoshop rendering little bit different mark renderings traditional stuff—

Little different approach some things—even not doing black-white eking work little different color stuff

Yes—as artists think established change bit people okay with it

When not economy still changing think confuse young artists say see great person doing watercolor oh wanna watercolor gonna try

It’s fine try stuff but find something liking don’t keep jumping around ’cause starting fresh every time changing media again gotta used media again constantly jumping around—not allowing getting really good craft understood–

Get good craft known automotive now craft can dance around try other ideas point now

Like over medias taking over medias serve style?

Mhmm I’d like ask sketching definitely journey achieved high level sketching learned sketching believe anyone learn sketching?

Yeah—I think product somebody worked tail off hard versus being talented okay when younger drew 3 years old drawing lots animals birds prey big draw loved draw birds prey fell away little bit drawn once while

Finally hit college honesty serious about went mechanical engineering first wanted style cars transferred major graphic design oh wow okay doing lots drawing then teacher said have thought building parts center couldn’t afford blah blah blah said why don’t take independent study create portfolio first said okay guess do did helped put together full portfolio Art Center oh wow did love work weren’t great though wasn’t super talented guy come draw any card wanted rough edges Art Center looking ideas pushing future not redrawing exists today…

When went school pushed hard training mind neck hand how draw can remember much sketching remember doing least 30 renderings week marker rendering rendering side sketching top week pages least constant barrage training mind neck hand how draw

I’d say really got good went school got teaching now how manage personal life school hard tough goals thought never achieve achieved now achieving goal not giving up now saying finish strong working butt grade get school

Would say motivation why doing more important actual skills absolutely yeah absolutely married went school oh wow tough wife nurse working lots night shifts days wouldn’t see each other several days made work rough thought worth totally worth beautiful story students true much love each other beautiful story students true much love each other beautiful story going through obstacles difficulties whenever facing damn hard whatever still motivation go through passionate last question ask advice aspiring designers hesitate step recommend him her?

You mean hesitate become designer? Yeah feel want but may not…

It’s funny scared set start doing stuff I’d say man tough one you know kinda goes back talking outside box mindset thinking object go man improve or what take another object asking look twenty years what would look like if mindset thinks way well path being designer okay how get started literally sketching thinking about stuff one things can promising yourself draw ten minutes ten minutes turned twenty turned forty turned hour getting feeling going ramped again okay allow yourself look draw ten minutes today once done reward ice cream cone piece candy whatever enjoy do thing reward yourself going back question aspiring person wants become designer think few implement lives

Know gang lot people make goals make goals high attainable already accomplish ease start accomplishing goals feels good satisfaction have high goals goals achievable understood understood trying progress every day keep evolving Right And tell yourself hey post something every day Instagram or over social media Facebook whatever using Just say hey gonna do 365 sketches year simple heart knowing Michael guy interviewed last one did recently last year did what 365 sketches right well quite crazy what’s quite important target big goal low appealing has feeling impossible somehow still want reach if yeah if think spend ten minutes sketch every day but end 365 sketches Yeah getting better make book proud

Absolutely. Thank you very much, Dwayne, for all your precious advice. That’s really helpful and inspiring. Is there anything you would like to add? Oh, yeah. Also, where can we find more of your work, Soso?

Oh, yeah. I guess all those little things. Okay. If you look up Dwayne Vance, and it’s spelled D-W-A-Y-N-E, mhmm. And then my last name is Vance, V as in victory, A-N-C-E. You’ll find all my stuff. I’m pretty active on Instagram. Mhmm. I post there; I tried last year, I didn’t do as good. The year before, I was able to post every day. This next year, I promise myself to at least post once a day on there, whether it’s new work or something that I’m working on.

So that’s Dwayne Vance. Twitter is Dwayne Vance Art. Mhmm. I do go by Masters of Chicken Scratch on Facebook. Mhmm. And then on Behance, just look for Joining Behance on there as well. Alright. So I post most of my stuff on Behance—like, most of my portfolio and finished work.

Okay. So I work in the motocross industry as well as some of that setup up there—like, some of the stuff I actually work on. So you would recommend Behance as a more high-level work platform, while Instagram and Pinterest are maybe more about everyday life or something like that?

Yeah. All my Instagram stuff is like—I’ll show development sketches and rough sketches. Okay. I’ll show finished pieces on there too, but you’ll see the whole process. Mhmm. So you can see the behind the scenes—the work like you do on this desk, which is just beside you.

Oh, this is—we can see that! Alright. Well, thank you very much!

So is there anything else you want to add?

I don’t think so. Oh, I do actually offer products.

You offer products?

I still have my books for sale! Mhmm. And those are going for like $15 a pop now because I’m trying to blow them out since I want to introduce this card deck. Mhmm. I also sell a few prints on there and some t-shirts and some other stuff like that Mhmm—that you can buy.

And that’s on—if you go to the oh man—I don’t have the link to that!

I will—I can add all the links later on; you can give me them, and I will put them in the descriptions just below the video.

Oops! Yeah—all my stuff!

Alright! Matt, hey! Thanks for the interview; I really appreciate that! You know—a follow-up to you as well—he’s got some killer stuff if you don’t already know him! He has some great tutorials on sketching! In fact, I checked him out myself a bit out of the home—great instructional stuff! So if you don’t follow him, follow him as well!

I guess that’s it—I don’t know what else to say!

Thank you very much!

Thank you!

Alright! So I would like to thank everyone who has been attending this designer coffee chat. And yeah—just to conclude—that’s for anyone who wants to start designing sketching; they can also download the designer starter kit that I will also put the link below the video in the descriptions.

See you for the next videos and next designer interview!

Yeah—so goodbye everyone!

Bye guys! Bye bye!