Clay Modelers:
Craftsmen with a Creative Human Touch (Part 1)
Without clay modeling, it would be impossible to bring Mazda’s “KODO – Soul of Motion’ design to life by capturing the emotional relationship between the horse and rider. A 3D object molded out of industrial clay by a clay modeler based on the designer's idea provides insights vital for translating the horse-rider relationship into the oneness between the car and driver through an actual car form.
Ryosuke Nozaki is Mazda’s chief clay modeler, an artisan capable of processing clay with a precision of less than a millimeter. For Nozaki, who says clay modeling is his true vocation, creating the model of the SHINARI concept car, which is the core of the “KODO – Soul of Motion” design, was one of the most memorable jobs of his career.
“In the case of the SHINARI, there was a clear image of what we should express right from the start. What we had in mind was a mix of the energetic motions of an animal and a kind of graceful beauty that may be unconventional for cars,” Nozaki says. “As we had a clear image, we finished the modeling process, from a 1/4 scale model to a full-size model, in just around six months.”
Although digital modeling is gradually taking over from clay modeling, the computer cannot entirely replace the creative craftsmanship of a clay modeler that is critical to reflecting the nuances of the design in the 3D model. The “KODO – Soul of Motion” design represents the ethos of Mazda’s car making with a human touch. That is why Nozaki predicts with confidence: “Clay modelers will never disappear, at least from Mazda’s design studio.” Nozaki’s calloused hands are evidence of his identity as a master craftsman with a creative human touch. (To be continued)
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