Thick-to-thin is a design term used to describe forms that vary in visual weight, from heavy to light. This technique creates dynamic surfaces that entertain a viewer’s eyes.
White said these forms are “used to keep surfaces looking dynamic.” He also noted that, “A lot of things going on at Hyundai use thick-to-thin surface techniques.”
Of course not all vehicles implement this styling practice. Some designers shy away. White said without it a vehicle may not be as expressive. “It could end up looking Teutonic, or simple, or clean,” he said. “Again you think of German vehicles from the late ‘90s to the 2000s … you don’t see a lot of it [thick-to-thin surfacing].”
