Designing Confidence

How Designing a Vehicle Wrap Helped a Student Find His Direction

When a Pontiac Solstice from Hawkeye Community College's Automotive Technology program needed a bold new look, the project found its perfect match in Graphic Design student Cole Hartness.

Hartness, a second-year student originally from Sumner, is designing the decals and full wrap for the Solstice as part of a collaborative, hands-on project that brings together Hawkeye's Graphic Design and Automotive Technology programs. For Hartness, the opportunity combines his lifelong love of cars with the creative skills he's been developing in the classroom.

"I've been into cars just about my whole life," Hartness said. "They've been the basis of just about everything I do."

That passion made him a natural fit for the project, according to Graphic Design instructor Chris Hamilton, who was contacted by Automotive Technology instructor Gerrot Jacobson about involving students in the design.

"Cole was feeling a bit unsure of the graphic design path during the third semester," Hamilton said. "I knew his interest in cars would help spark an interest in this project, and hopefully a renewed interest in the graphic design field once we found his niche within our program."

Hartness said the small class sizes and close relationships with instructors at Hawkeye made that turning point possible.

"My class is small enough that I have a personal relationship with my instructors," he said. "They're interested in not just teaching you; they want you to succeed."

That mentorship led Hamilton to encourage Hartness to lean into automotive design, especially after noticing that many of his previous projects already revolved around cars. Soon after, Hartness was selected to take the lead on the Solstice wrap.

The project requires Hartness to work within real-world constraints, including Hawkeye's brand guidelines and the physical limitations of the car itself.

"You're working with a client, you're working with brand guidelines for the college, and then once I'm done designing it, we get to wrap it," Hartness said. "It's a real physical thing that I get to look at right in front of me."

Hamilton said that experience is exactly what prepares students for careers in the field.

"Working on an actual project for an actual customer within the confines of the classroom helps our students learn real-world experience within the safety and protection of a classroom environment," he said.

Hartness's design features Hawkeye blue, black, and orange accents, using bold shapes and "speed lines" common in race car design to create an eye-catching look at high speeds. While the wrap is still in progress, Hartness says the foundation is set—and so is his confidence.

"Because of Hawkeye, I have connections in the industry that will last a very long time," Hartness said. "And I have good experience to be set up to go straight into the workforce."

For Hartness, the Solstice project isn't just a design; it's proof that he's found his place.

Unleash Your Creativity

In graphic design, you use your creativity to turn ideas into eye-catching visuals that inspire and communicate. Every project lets you express yourself, bringing unique visions to life through colors, shapes, and design.

Study Graphic Design at Hawkeye