Leaving Cert Art: Product & vehicle design
How often Product & vehicle design comes up on the Art papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.
HL Asked on 1 of the last 3 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025.
OL Asked on 1 of the last 3 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025.
Quick ones on Product & vehicle design.
- Decoration should come first, then use
- A design's shape should come from its purpose
- The form should hide how the object works
- Aerodynamics
- Aesthetics
- Ergonomics
- Retro design
- Deconstructivism
- Brutalism
Show the answers
(a) A design's shape should come from its purpose
(b) Ergonomics
(c) Retro design
Higher Level
Asked on 1 of the last 3 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025.
Every paper, year by year
| Year | Where it came up |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Q7 |
| 2024 | Not asked |
| 2023 | Not asked |
Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.
Ordinary Level
Asked on 1 of the last 3 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025.
Every paper, year by year
| Year | Where it came up |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Q5 |
| 2024 | Not asked |
| 2023 | Not asked |
Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.
More Product & vehicle design questions
Product & vehicle design, 3 marks
What does form follows function mean in design?
- Decoration matters more than how it is used
- Colour should be chosen before anything else
- Shape should come from what the object must do
Show the answer
Shape should come from what the object must do
A well-designed object's shape grows from its purpose. A good chair's form comes from how people sit, not from added decoration.
Product & vehicle design, 2 marks
What is ergonomics?
- Choosing the most fashionable colours
- Designing things to fit the human body comfortably
- Making products as cheap as possible to produce
Show the answer
Designing things to fit the human body comfortably
Ergonomic design considers grip, reach, posture and comfort, e.g. a shaped computer mouse, a car seat or tool handles that reduce strain.
Product & vehicle design, 2 marks
What is a prototype?
- An early test model of a design
- The finished product sold in shops
- An advert for a new product
Show the answer
An early test model of a design
Designers build prototypes to test size, function and comfort before mass production. Problems found early are cheaper to fix.
Other Art topics
- Art elements & design principles
- Fashion, costume & jewellery
- Galleries, museums & curation
- Graphic design & advertising
- Public art, murals & street art
- The working artist & career
- Visual Studies Framework
- Art & the environment
- Artists: processes & media
- Artists: theory & thinking
- Craft: textiles & ceramics
- Photography, film & animation
- Architecture & interior design
- Art as social commentary