Jeff West Baby driver
My road to digital artist has been, in some ways, the scenic route. As a very small child, I would point and shout the names of passing cars and my love of the automobile has continued to this day.
Drawing was also a talent I displayed and one of my favourite subjects to doodle was cars. This made my answer to the question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up, Jeffrey?’ rather easy: ‘Car designer!’
Formal training
Fast forward to my early 20s and I have a Masters Degree in Automotive Engineering and Design (with a Diploma in Industrial Studies) from Loughborough University of Technology. Fast forward further through roles in Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and various software-heavy design and engineering consultancy projects with automotive brands and related businesses to the present day, and FayJay. I have leveraged my design/computer/consulting professional pit-stops to accentuate the art.
London Art College assignment
I have continued to go back to school from time to time to fast-track my skills. One such detour was with London Art College. This piece was an assignment for my Digital Illustration Diploma. The challenge was “Making a scene” using GNU GIMP image manipulation software, similar to Photoshop.
I chose an image from a car brochure I was engrossed in at this time.
Digital painting process
This work was created using the paint simulation tools to give a rich, photorealistic result.
Reviews and feedback
My tutor had some encouraging words.
“Great background too, and there are so many subtle technical skills in evidence here … it is yet another example of your technical capabilities and artistic skill. Well done and nicely organised layers :)”
Background and published work
During my time working as a designer and a Knowledge-Based Engineering expert—that was the beginnings of AI in car design—the departments where I was working were featured in the Jaguar (and Ford Motor Company) internal publications. The ‘Technical Services’ function was at the forefront of knowledge-driven generative geometry creation, using the LISP-based ICAD System programming environment. I also used Finite Element analysis, vehicle dynamics, occupant crash simulation packages (MSC Adams, LS-DYNA, and MSC Nastran) and airbag modelling applications (TNO MADYMO) at the birth of their uptake in modern engineering design workflows.
My claim to fame, if any, is that I worked on the AI application that that the windscreen wiper designers used to design the windscreen wipers. It’s a cleaning job that somebody had to do….
Jaguar driving beyond 2025
I visited the Jaguar showcase at Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2025 where the two Type00 fully electric concept coupes were on show. The production versions of these cars will likely have windscreen wipers, maybe with my name on them?
