‘24 Lake Las Vegas Car Show

On Nov. 15, Lake Las Vegas Gear Heads held their 3rd annual car show. Set on the beautiful grounds of the Lake Las Vegas Sports Club, the wide array of cars were enjoyed by a wonderful crowd of attendees who also partook in food, drink and live music. I was fortunate to have my Delorean prominently displayed on the patio, with the amazing McLaren, and Auburn.

Load in for participants started at 1pm, and the event lasted until 8pm. This afforded photo opportunities in varying light, which yielded some interesting results. Gear Heads’ club members are an enthusiastic, amiable group with cars from many decades representing the US, Europe, and Japan. Kudos to Michale Khan for organizing the event… looking forward to 2025! Proceeds from the event benefit City’s St. Jude’s Ranch (Boulder City).

’24 San Marino Motor Classic — In the Books!

The ‘24 San Marino Motor Classic was amazing. Saturday afternoon’s artists’ reception was well attended, and afforded the opportunity to  socialize with the attendees and fellow exhibitors. The evening’s gala impressed, with food, live music, and a parade of cars from many eras. On Sunday, Lacy Park hosted a field filled with rare, significant, and beautiful cars.

It was an honor for me to be included in the Automotive Fine Arts Society’s art show, along side some fantastic designers/artists, including: John Frye, Tom Garner, Richard Lewis, Dave Marek, Ron Matthes, Rob Nickell, Richard Pietruska, Camilo Pardo, Jamie Schema, and Mark Stehrenberger. I wish I took more shots with fellow exhibitors/friends/attendees, but being lost in the moment… I forgot to get my camera out! :-P

A fun time was had by all, and many local charities benefited from the event. Congratulations (and many thanks) to Aaron and Valerie Weiss et al for organizing this wonderful concours and gala. I’m already looking forward to 2025!

Aspect Ratio

1967 Corvette in the Style of Roy Lichtenstien

In the digitally connected era, I believe that the vast majority of people consume art through their mobile devices. This is good, in that people have more access to art than ever before. But this also means that certain constraints inherent to these devices impose themselves on the art. At small scale, it becomes less important for the artist to worry about finite details. Fighting for attention on social media, art might need to be more brash or vibrant to compete for attention. And certain platforms mandate that art conform to specific aspect ratios to optimally use screen space. Square images, for example, are optimal for Instagram posts. While tall, thin posts work well for IG stories and iPhone screens.

Here, I’m breaking the mold by rendering this 1967 Corvette in an extra wide (3:1) aspect ratio. Because this doesn’t translate well to mobile devices, or Instagram, I feel that it is unexpectedly refreshing. Further, this wide format relates well to the low/long proportions of the car. On the internet, this piece is best seen on a website, like this. But this would be better viewed in person where it could be produced in an absurdly large scale! I’d love to see this displayed in a 2:1 scale (or larger)!

Delorean: New Week, New Render

My original intent was to create a new piece in the style of one of my favorite Pop artists, Roy Liechtenstein. I started with by using the primary colors — a pallet he often uses, then incorporating color halftones for the gradations. But as the piece progressed, I felt that the halftones were making it too busy… jarring to the eye.

Fortunately, working digitally allows me to easily walk back creative descisions, and freely experiment. I kept replaced the halftones with “conventional” gradations, and expanded the color pallet a bit… adding more variations of yellows and blues. The final result is more serious in tone, perhaps a wee bit like some of Guy Billout’s work from the 80s.

All of the colors used in the environment also appear in the car. This allows the car to “feel” integrated into the composition (though it still “pops” off of the highly saturated yellow ground plane).

Some composition tricks: note that the driver’s side tail light is clipped. This makes the subject look like it’s still moving into frame — implying movement. The car is angled as if it is being launched upwards to suggest speed.

Throwback Thursday...

Back in 2019, the Fireball Gallery at the Murphy Auto Museum (Oxnard, CA) had its grand opening, and I was honored to be included in the first group of artists to be featured. The whirlwind event was well attended, and received quite a bit of press… I was happy to see one of my pieces representing the gallery on VCReporter’s cover!

Getting some press is always fun, but more importantly… I had a great time collaborating with the great folks at the gallery and the Murphy Museum over the years.

Art for Crown Classics & Exotics

I’m very excited to be collaborating the wonderful folks at Crown Classics & Exotics (Ventura, CA), who recently approached me about adorning their new facility with my artwork.

Here, one of my pieces is being printed on an 8’x4’ aluminum panel. I’m very pleased with how the colors pop off of the metal background, and think that my highly graphic style will be quite impactful at this large scale.

Several of these pieces are being created, and I’m honored to have them included in their collection of automotive art! I’m looking forward to seeing my work on their walls soon!

 

Classic Car Card Deck

A few years ago, I rendered a classic car in the context of a poker card theme. Happy with the result, I then created a series of car card prints/NFTs (“Card Deco”), then a few large-scale prints.

In addition to the wall art, I’ve been working on a deck of poker cards featuring my art. Interestingly, to make a usable deck of cards, some design considerations had to be made. For example, the highly chromatic wall art had to be simplified to red/black theme for consistency, and readability.

Today, my first set of proofs arrived! I’m happy with the results, but I’ll be incorporating some tweaks… I think the card backs need more contrast (to help hide blemishes from extended use). I may also play with different paper stocks and coatings. Stay tuned for updates!

Want to get notified when they become available? Contact me!

Throwback Thursday

Back in 2022 I participated in a fantastic automotive art show (part of the San Marino Motor Classic). One of my fellow artists showed up in a fantastic gen 4 Thunderbird. Though showing lots of patina, the car was still quite striking… long, low, and sculptural, in a way that isn’t often found in modern cars. Here I’m paying homage to this car in a highly graphic render that I hope captures its energy.

Stop by Public Works for Car Art & Coffee!

I’m excited to have my work shown at Public Works – a cool, local coffee shop in the Water Street district of Henderson, NV.

Just in time for Las Vegas’ debut of Formula 1, on display are two of my latest “Car Cards” which celebrate this great race. Also featured are several of my skate decks, and my Jack of Clubs Mustang.

If you have an opportunity to stop by, please do! Experiencing these pieces in real life is vastly different than looking at them online… scale really changes them… the cards are ~56” tall! (Also, you can have a great cup of coffee in a hip, laid back environment.)

On display through November.

maserati birdcage: 4th term art center project

This was one of my earlier projects whist at ArtCenter (circa 2014). A fourth-term project, this was my first automotive model, and was sculpted in clay. I spent many hours on this, and though I was reasonably happy with its overall design, the paint job could have been much better! (To see the original project, click here.)

The Photoshop render is a new exploration… thinking about revisiting this project. Stay tuned!

channeling my inner lichtenstein, part deux

I enjoyed creating my last piece so much that I decided to pay homage to Lichtenstein’s style once again to represent this 1999 Ferrari F1 car.

This piece is not part of my “playing card” theme, which limits me to a portrait (vertical) aspect ratio. The landscape (horizontal) orientation here allowed me to emphasize the race car’s length. This orientation also allows for a quicker read of the shapes/forms.

Like my last piece, I’ve used primary colors, and halftone patterns to create a playful, energetic mood. However, I was a bit less strict this time… notice the light streaks in the background, which have a slightly greenish hue on the upper left.

I added typography to this piece to add visual interest, emphasize the theme of the piece, and further heighten the congruity with Lichtenstein’s work. I tried several words for this piece… vroom!, zoom, whaah!, weeeeee!, brrrrrap, and yow! just to name a few. I eventually narrowed the choices down to “vrooom” and “whaaah!” because I felt they were easily recognizable, and relatable to the subject matter. Because I work digitally, it was very easy to create both variants.

channeling my inner lichtenstein

I’ve always been an admirer of Roy Lichtenstein’s work, which encompasses vivid primary colors, and playful energy. In this piece I tried to pay homage to his style, while retaining my own aesthetic vocabulary (such as the extreme angle, graphic simplicity, and playing card motif)... (read more)

Most recently, I’ve been exploring a limited color pallet of black, white, two grays, and red in my series of classic car cards. But here, I’ve incorporated the primaries (red, yellow, blue), which make the piece more playful and vibrant.

I’ve also incorporated halftone patterns, which factor heavily in Lichtenstein’s work. However, I’ve used them in the background to give the piece dimension. Where as he often used them in the subjects of his pieces – making his environments more flat, like some comic book art of the era. (Not that I’m an expert in his work… this is just my observation.)

I think I’ll play in this space for a bit longer… it’s kinda fun! I see this as a stand alone piece, not part of the card series that I’ve been developing… or perhaps I’ll switch the rest over to this aesthetic, who knows?! That’s the beauty of working digitally… the paint never dries, :-)

1963 Porsche Cayman?

What if Porsche released the mid-engined Cayman in 1963, based on its iconic 911?

Well, perhaps fewer drivers would have soiled their shorts on unexpectedly tight turns. But here, I’ve explored what this hypothetical would mean for the car’s aesthetics.

To accommodate the new engine location, I firstI pushed the cabin forward, and increased the wheelbase. I then modified the rear roof line to create an inflection point where it meets the dec lid (with the engine now forward, a trunk is available). I also shortened the rear overhang, which no longer needs to be as pronounced. Next, I gave it modest haunches above the rear wheels, and kicked the side rear windows up to provide continuity with the modern car. Lastly, a side air intake was added… again, because of the new engine configuration.

Fun with Photoshop!

Delorean... Shooting Brake?

As a Delorean owner, you tend to receive all kinds of things over the inter webs. A few weeks ago, a witty friend sent me an image of a Delorean… photoshopped to look like a station wagon. As you could imagine, it was horrible. But it got me thinking… could a Delorean wagon look good as a wagon?

Above is my afternoon photoshop swag at the idea. Of course, the engine would need to be moved to the front of the car, but there’s plenty of room up there. (And in Photoshop, anything is possible. :-) Rather than making it a 4-door, I kept it as a gull-wing coupe. The doors are rather big, and when the swing up, they take part of the roof with them, so access to the rear seats should be fine. Because there’s added mass at the rear, I bumped up the wheels by 5%.

I think it looks even more exotic, and also a bit more purposeful. Now, if I only had a spare Delorean to mess with…

car deco - delorean dmc-12

The DMC-12 was conceived by ex-GM executive John Delorean as an “ethical” sports car — affordable, safe, efficient, and reliable. When introduced, the car proved to be comfortable, and stylish… but also underpowered, and pricey. A recession decimated sales, and (in an attempt to save his company) Delorean became entangled in an FBI drug sting. He was eventually exonerated, but too late to save his company.

In the ‘80s, I didn’t fall in love with the car because of “Back to the Future”; it was Giugiaro’s daring design… the origami shapes, unconventional bare metal skin, and dramatic doors. When I was a kid, a guy up the street from me had a Delorean. Every time he drove by, the world stopped.

As an adult, I now have the pleasure of owning one, of these cars. It’s not fast, but it is reliable, comfortable, and a piece of history. This piece, part of my Car Deco collection, celebrates my infatuation with this still-futuristic piece of kinetic sculpture.

Click for more from Car Deco

Clay Bar a Delorean?

Due to a lack of garage space, I’ve had to keep my 2000 Honda S2000 outdoors lately. To combat the ill effects of exposure to pollutants and the California sun, I decided to do a clay and wax job… which really brought back its paint. *Note: on the recommendation of a friend, I used an artificial clay bar, which worked well.

Inspired by the results, I thought I’d experiment using the artificial clay bar on my Delorean. Its stainless panels are in very good shape, and in my 17 years of ownership, I’ve never re-grained it. But I wanted to see if the process would improve its finish (after all, its brushed surfaces could hold lots of contaminants). I dropped a masking tape line down my hood, and proceeded to clay one side, to see if there was an observable difference… and (drum roll)…

Kinda.

The experiment took place in my garage, under dim artificial light. In this environment, a slight difference between the passenger’s and driver’s sides can be seen. I moved the car around to observe it with the light hitting it from different directions, and in all instances the small difference remains. However, when viewed outside, under bright, natural light, you can see the the difference is minute.

So, is it worth it? Using the artificial clay bar was quite easy, and not time consuming at all. But the end result was only a mildly cleaner surface. Perhaps if I started with a more contaminated surface the result would be more prominent, but based on this experiment I have to say “no.” I’ve never tried Scotch Bright, or Barkeeper’s Friend (more commonly used products), but my guess is that these would likely yield more dramatic results. Maybe another experiment is in order?

Cart (0)