Guest Lectures & Workshop Facilitation
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Universidad Anahuac, and various high schools in Mexico.
My commitment to design education extends to frequent guest lectures and hands-on workshops at institutions including Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Universidad Anahuac, and various high schools in Mexico. In these sessions, I emphasize fundamental skills like spontaneous marker sketching, guiding students to 'pull designs from their head' in rapid, conceptual ideation, distinct from highly rendered artwork. I focus on bringing practical industry insights and real-time problem-solving into the classroom, fostering critical thinking and tangible skill development. These engagements allow me to directly mentor aspiring designers, provide portfolio feedback, and serve as a guest critic, bridging the gap between academic learning and professional practice.
Leading Edge: Digital & VR Innovation in Design Education
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Virtual Reality (VR) tools
Pioneering innovative design pedagogy, I integrate Virtual Reality (VR) tools like Gravity Sketch into workshops at institutions like SCAD. These visuals are direct screenshots from the VR environment, showcasing its power for real-time 3D form creation, intuitive sketching, and collaborative virtual critiques with students, whether local or remote. Notably, this cutting-edge approach was featured during a Porsche event in 2022, where students could interact with complex automotive forms and explore design concepts directly in 3D. This method also facilitates rapid digital-to-physical prototyping (e.g., 3D printing forms directly from VR designs), demonstrating immediate translation from virtual ideation to tangible output. It represents my commitment to equipping future designers with the most advanced visualization and interaction tools.
Student Success Stories: Mentorship with Real-World Impact
Education
Beyond the classroom, my true passion lies in mentorship and fostering the next generation of design talent. The ultimate reward is witnessing my students overcome challenges and achieve their professional dreams, a testament to the real-world impact of dedicated guidance.
Case Study: Daniela Garcia Garcia
During my time at SCAD, I had the incredible opportunity to learn from Rodrigo on several occasions. His kindness and empathy truly stand out. I used to be the kind of student who was intimidated by rendering and using markers, but Rodrigo broke things down in a way that made it all feel approachable. He gave me clear examples to think through, which helped me overcome my fear.
Rodrigo always made you feel good about where your sketching skills were—he understands that growth comes with practice and encourages you to keep going. One of my most memorable experiences with him was when he helped me build a 3D model in SolidWorks. That model was for my first internship, and having his support during such a formative moment meant so much. It just goes to show the kind of amazing person he is. His explanations were clear, easy to absorb, and that day he taught me how to design a hinge, something I hadn’t learned in art school but quickly realized was incredibly valuable.
Case Study: Jose Casas
Another powerful example of this mentorship journey is the story of my friend and mentee, Jose Casas. We met during his high school visit to ArtCenter while I was a student, and our connection grew into a mentorship upon my return to Mexico. I had numerous sit-downs with Jose, meticulously going over his portfolio—deciding what to add, what to remove, and what needed to be refined. He was an incredibly talented and resilient designer with an immense drive to succeed. My guidance was a small, focused push to his success. Jose was successfully accepted into the College for Creative Studies (CCS), where he thrived. His dedication and talent ultimately led him to a key leadership role as Head of Exterior Design, Midsize & Luxury Models at BMW, a testament to the long-term results that foundational mentorship can achieve.
My Teaching Philosophy & Methods
The Evolving Nature of Design
I believe that every man-made product is an opportunity for design, and that true design is never finished. We may approach a product, like a simple doorknob, and design it to be ergonomically perfect with a flawless opening mechanism. But the work is never truly done, as the world evolves around it. My teaching encourages students to lo
I believe that every man-made product is an opportunity for design, and that true design is never finished. We may approach a product, like a simple doorknob, and design it to be ergonomically perfect with a flawless opening mechanism. But the work is never truly done, as the world evolves around it. My teaching encourages students to look beyond the immediate solution and consider the future. What if a doorknob could be a proximity sensor, detecting you and your phone to adjust the lights and temperature as you enter? This approach challenges students to think about continuous improvement and the dynamic relationship between a product and its changing environment.
Foundations of the Craft: From Observation to Visualization
My philosophy for teaching sketching is to master simplicity before advancing to complexity. At ArtCenter, I wasn't allowed to draw anything but cubes and cylinders in the first year, which instilled a deep, visceral understanding of volume and reflections. This foundational mastery allows me to sketch from pure thought, pulling a design
My philosophy for teaching sketching is to master simplicity before advancing to complexity. At ArtCenter, I wasn't allowed to draw anything but cubes and cylinders in the first year, which instilled a deep, visceral understanding of volume and reflections. This foundational mastery allows me to sketch from pure thought, pulling a design out of my head without visual reference. I teach students to think like a computer rendering a 3D model: to understand how light reacts to different surfaces, how a smooth surface gives a clean, identifiable reflection, and how a rough surface diffuses or traps light. This is why I stress that a red car is not simply "colored red"—it is a complex reflection of its surroundings. I teach students to capture that reality by mastering light, color, and perspective through my own techniques, such as drawing from the entire arm and shoulders to create incredibly straight, confident lines.
Professionalism & The Business of Design
Professionalism & The Business of Design
Great design must be rooted in professional and commercial realities. I teach students to value themselves and their craft, drawing an analogy to a heart surgeon no one would ask for free work. A designer's passion doesn't mean their expertise is free. A crucial lesson I impart, learned from my time in Europe, is the importance of work-li
Great design must be rooted in professional and commercial realities. I teach students to value themselves and their craft, drawing an analogy to a heart surgeon no one would ask for free work. A designer's passion doesn't mean their expertise is free. A crucial lesson I impart, learned from my time in Europe, is the importance of work-life balance. The "live to work" mentality gives way to a more holistic view where work, family, and fun must coexist.
I also teach students to navigate the complexities of pricing and client relationships. By calculating their monthly expenses, they can objectively evaluate if a project's pay is a truly viable opportunity over its duration. I share hard-earned wisdom about startup offers that promise "part of the company," teaching them to identify key red flags: if a startup cannot afford the designer, who is often the cheapest part of the process, they are very unlikely to be able to afford the immense costs of manufacturing, marketing, and selling the product. These lessons in professional self-worth and business acumen are not just about money, but about building a sustainable and happy career. Finally, drawing on my experience in both automotive design and entrepreneurship (such as my printer project), I teach students about the efficiency of modular design. This principle of creating systems with easily swappable modules ensures adaptability and serviceability, mirroring the logic of a Le Mans race car pit stop, and proving that brilliant design is often the one that is the most logical and adaptable.
Rigoletti Casa de Diseño (2008-2010)
Design Chair at Rigoletti Casa de Diseño
My pivotal role as Design Chair at Riggoletti Casa de Diseño began unexpectedly. I attended a final student presentation where the feedback was largely superficial. Drawing from my experience at ArtCenter and my time at Fiat, I gave honest, unfiltered feedback, pointing out both the weaknesses and the potential for professional excellence. Within a week, the owner of the school, recognizing the value of my perspective, offered me the position of Design Chair.
My vision was to elevate the program by fostering the same demanding culture of pride and excellence I knew from ArtCenter—where a request for 100 sketches would result in 130. However, I faced significant systemic hurdles: a lack of industry presence in Mexico meant experienced instructors were scarce, and the overall work ethic among students was a stark contrast to my own standards.
Undeterred, I focused on what I could control: nurturing a culture of self-critique and peer feedback. I also leveraged my network, bringing in my ArtCenter classmate and master sketch artist Kort Neumann, whose techniques left a huge and lasting impression on students. I persevered, channeling my energy into mentoring the few truly outstanding students who shared my passion for the craft. My efforts paid off, as many of these talented individuals went on to work with me at Conectado Diseño. To this day, the most successful students from Riggoletti are those who took full advantage of the high-level experiences I was able to organize for the program.
This experience, while challenging, profoundly shaped my approach to teaching. It taught me invaluable lessons in adaptability and mentorship, showing me that even in resource-constrained environments, a firm commitment to professional standards and a belief in individual talent can yield real-world success.