Dennis Hoyt just finished his solo exhibition in Shanghai, the premiere of a new direction in his art. CarArtSpot called Dennis to hear his story;

Dennis Hoyt Automotive Sculptor

Dennis Hoyt's solo exhibition in Shanghai

Dennis your new work is just wonderful. You mentioned some months ago that you had new ideas. So this is it?

Yes indeed. I just got tired of seeing the same old stuff. I wanted to be doing what I really want to do. I am just going for it and I don’t know if people are going to accept it or if people will like it but it's more me.

I think you have exceeded yourself Dennis. You have kept your own style but there is so much evolution. Like the red and white SV-16 piece.

I love the Formula I, and this is my take on the 2016 F1 Ferrari. The piece that is really special to me is called REDD. It’s the very first piece I did.

7 foot long ‘REDD’ by Dennis Hoyt

7 foot long ‘REDD’ by Dennis Hoyt

SV-16 Ferrari Formula 1 by Dennis Hoyt

I’ve always been a fan of cubism. I looked at that car and at some pieces of wood that I have and decided to put some stuff together. I didn't pay attention to the scale or the correct form or anything else. I just wanted something that speaks to me.

I have several cans of miscellaneous pieces of wood which are left over from other projects. I just dumped these cans all over and started picking up pieces and looking at how they would fit together to make it work. I want to kind of touch back to cubism and bring it into this century and be more interactive with the audience.

Dennis Hoyt's solo exhibition in Shanghai

Your works are not symmetrical like the real cars. You've played with the shape and it makes it so much stronger.

I feel that way too. As an art piece, it makes it so much stronger. It takes me away from my core audience but I want to push into a different clientele.

Dennis Hoyt's solo exhibition in Shanghai

You did this exposition in China together with some of your previous work, which was an overwhelming success. What can we expect for the rest of this year?

Well there will be two other exhibitions in Malaysia and Shanghai.

Dennis Hoyt's solo exhibition in Shanghai

Dennis Hoyt's solo exhibition in Shanghai

We will definitely let you know when we have the dates for these events and if, in the meantime, you want to see more of Dennis's work, check his website and facebook page.

One of Dennis Hoyt's earlier work

The post Dennis Hoyt Goes Solo appeared first on CarArtSpot.

David Chapple Auto Art

David, in your work ‘Majestic Glory’, I notice you have the word Jesus on the number plate of the car.

I wanted to do something with the licence plates to honour God and open the conversational doors with people and a lot of people do enquire about it. The licence plate on the actual truck that I drive reads the same thing ‘J3ZU5’and it’s just my way of thanking God for blessing me with this talent.  If you zoom in on the 1960 Empower, it says Lord. It has actually really opened the doors for me. I had a book published with a wonderful Christian writer named Ken Owen, who used to be the Head Chapel for the Raiders for Christ and he would bless all the dragster racers before they went down the quarter mile drag.

How did you get started painting cars?

I started sitting in front of the tv drawing sports figures when I was a little boy.  My father always loved VW’s and he bought a 1969 VW beetle for my grandfather and that just opened the doors for me. I was 14 years old when I started drawing cars and they quickly became my passion. When I was at senior high school, I won the Congressional Award for the State of Michigan with one of my paintings. I then received a scholarship to go to the Hope College in Holland Michigan and then in my junior year in college, I was commissioned by the Hope College to paint three large paintings for the student commission. It was a natural fit and it’s just been a life long journey with the automobile. After I graduated, I started doing certain car events and I haven’t looked back.

One of your paintings is titled ‘Love Bugs’. What is behind the name?

My wife and I have recently moved back to my home town and bought a house across the street from my Mum and Dad. We love being with family. My Dad actually loves that painting. The first paintings that I did were of his cars and he still actually has them in his collection, along with his expanded car collection. He has a ‘68 Karmann convertible, a beautiful 1958 VW Beetle convertible which is flawless, and I actually still have my original 1969 Beetle which was the first one that he purchased. We have a lot of fun with them.

Love Bugs by automotive artist David Chapple

I notice you are using the same kind of colour schemes throughout all your works. Is the choice of colours your signature style and how did you develop that?

Being an artist is finding your own path and I am someone who has always tried to create my own pallet, my own cultural work and something which no-one has ever seen. So it just came out and was a natural progression. I think as you get older as an artist, your colour choices become more complex. You try to experiment and come out with different colours which appeal to your eye.

Your ‘Love Bugs’ painting is quite unique and I notice quite a difference in your work between your commissions and your freestyle, which is much more artistic. Do you see that yourself?

Oh yes, the best clients are the ones who let you create exactly what you want to create and don’t give you parameters or tell you how to do your work. That’s when I do my best work. Back to the Love Bug, that was the first in a series of paintings. I don’t use a computer at all. Everything you see is from my mind’s eye and how I want to convey colours and the overlay. That style was very difficult for me to create. Sometimes it took me months upon months to finish a couple of pieces.

Ford GT40 by automotive artist David Chapple

I can imagine. They are kind of abstract, yet showing the iconic design of the cars itself. You did that with some non automotive work, like the coca cola bottles.

Yes and those were a lot of fun to do. Kind of a pop art style. I really enjoyed painting those.

Coca cola bottle by David Chapple

Your painting ‘Thrust’ has such a different perceptive than what you normally see in a car painting. How do you choose that. Does it take a lof of time to find the right angle?

It really does. When I am doing a layout for a painting, I will agonize over it because I want it to be a journey for the person looking at my painting. I don’t want the eye to just go to one section. I want it to have movement. In a lot of my paintings which have many cars, you will be looking down at the first car and then your eye will have to move through the painting to see the other cars. I like extreme angles when creating paintings with multiple cars. I work tediously at getting that perfect angle and I’ll work further to get it to that point and if it’s not the right angle, I don’t do the painting.

So which techniques did you use in your ‘Thrust’ painting David?

I had a lot of fun painting that. I like the extreme angle that no-one has seen before. I am on the ground, pretty much at pavement level looking at the thrust of the side pipe coming out. I like to paint sometimes from a ground level as if the car is coming right by you. How you would feel with that car inches away from you at that level?  It’s an extreme mean look.

Thrust by David Chapple

The rear tyre is wider than the car itself and it’s really a dominant kind of appeal. Which techniques do you use? Is it water colour?

Everything I do is hand painted acrylic and all done by paint brush on canvas, or on wood or substrate  I think the strongest point of my work is my blending. I love to blend a perfect graduation and I sometimes spend hours achieving the perfect blend. Someone who is not educated in art might think my work is air brushed but it’s all hand painted.

Sn8ke by automotive artist David Chapple

How do you select the car that you want to paint? When does it appeal so much to you that you have to paint it?

Being a lifelong artist, I’ve gone through the classics, the ‘30s Duesenbergs to the 50s Bel Air Chevy’s, the ‘59 Cadillacs and beyond. It’s a progression and I always have to paint something I like. I don’t want to create a painting that would just sell. I paint from the heart and I think that’s important.  Being an artist, you have to paint something that you can get really excited about and that’s when you do your best work. I’m really into the Ferrari’s now because I had never painted them and when your eyes are open to something new, you feel the excitement. I just love to paint them and I am all excited about it and can’t hide it. When it comes down to all my artwork, I like a clean, ultra refined, rich look. Everything that I do, I do to the best of my ability.

Times by automotive artist David Chapple

Do you consider cars to be art?

Yes, yes, yes.

Is your art being respected outside of the automotive world?

It’s mainly in the automotive world right now but I think that will change. Automotive art is a genre that the art museum world needs to take notice of. There are a lot of fine artists out there who are creating incredible automotive art and it needs to have its’ place. I think every automotive artist battles with that. I love my clientele and the position I am in. About two years ago, I became a member of the AFAS group and that is the pinnacle of every automotive artist. I also think the part of what makes automotive art so special is the people you work with and the people who come to these events. They are many of the nicest people you will ever meet. You can look at the grass being greener on the other side or you can make the most of what you have; that’s what I do, I make the most of what life gives to me. I love going to Pebble Beach and the Concourse in the USA and hopefully I can make it over to Europe soon and introduce my work there.

1959 Chevy Custom Bench by David Chapple

Besides paintings, you are also doing sculptures. How did that get started?

It actually started with my benches. I was given a raw flat bench for charity work. I got paid to paint on the bench. They told me to do whatever I wanted. So I painted a ‘57 Chevy on the side of it and it sold very well with their charity. So I thought ‘wow maybe I can offer this to my clientele’ and they responded well to it. Being an artist, when you go into a totally different genre or you work in a different medium, your mind gets tweaked and you become intrigued with it. If you look at the bench lines and the wood that is used, you can see that it was a natural progression into my sculpture work. My wall sculptures have the same line configuration. That was transferred from the bench to the wall sculptures and now I am doing custom furniture in the same exact lines as the bench and wall sculptures. It’s opened a whole new avenue for me creatively. I feel as if I am doing the most exploratory work of my career and I feel alive as an artist now. It’s very exciting for me.

Your sculptures look as if they can be hung on the wall or placed on a table top.

Yes, you can use them for both. I love creating that stuff. It’s very difficult but nothing that is good in life is easy. When you create something which has never been created before, there’s no set way of doing it. You have to explore with trial and error.

GT40 by automotive artist and sculptor David Chapple

Is working in 3D a lot different from working with flat paintings?

I took sculpting classes in college and knew that I wanted to get back to it someday. I just didn’t know quite how but it all fell into place. My current work has set me aside from other artists, so it’s very fulfilling.

The shapes and elements of your Porsche sculptures seem to follow the cockpit and the airflow of the car. Is that also the kind of involvement in your work?

Yeah, it depends on the subject that I am painting. Like ‘Ribbon Candy’, that is something I was designing in my mind and it turned out wonderful. I love that piece. That was the first piece I actually sold at Pebble Beach. I love the 917 and Porsches; there is something about the flow and movement of those cars. Pictures don’t do the sculptures justice because when you move around the sculptures, they move with you and shift to the image that show speed in a wonderful way. It’s fun when I see clients who see my sculptures for real and see first hand how they come to life.

Ribbon Candy Porsche auto art by David Chapple

There are a couple of AFAS members who also do sculptures. Do you share ideas and encourage each other?

I think we all encourage each other. The nice part about it is that we all have different techniques and styles. I am a painter and when I do a form, I have to think how a painting will balance on the sculpture. There are two different elements. It’s not just about creating a sculpture, I have to find a way to paint a car onto that form to convey the speed and the two work together. So it’s kind of a double edged sword when it comes to what I do. I paint on top of it and incorporate both mediums of sculpting and painting. So it’s a difficult process. At AFAS, we want the betterment of the fine art of the automobile and I think that’s the common ground for all of us. 

If you would like to see more of David Chapples’ work, please visit his website.

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César Pieri Automotive Designer and Artist

How does an Italian guy start designing British cars César?

That’s a good question.  I am Brazilian/Italian. I work at Jaguar and am running a project in Italy and travel back and forth from Italy to UK.

Working for Jaguar as a car designer must be a boys’ dream come true.

Becoming a designer for Jaguar working on sports cars is a very special thing. I even get paid.

Jaguar has a great heritage. How do you preserve that and continue with new designs?

Many other brands would be glad to have at least half of the Jaguar heritage.  Designing for a brand who has designed such beautiful cars in the past, is more than a normal job. You have to look at past designs, do a lot of research in order to understand the brand and be really attached to it. You need that as a reference. You can’t be retro. You must be forward thinking, keep your ‘mind set’ very fresh to keep producing new things

Jaguar Artwork by César Pieri

I can imagine the design history and certain elements which are every Jaguar limits you. Is that the case?

We have our design DNA and elements which every Jaguar must have. Every Jaguar must be elegant, powerful, have the right stance, the right kind of tension, surface and lines etc.  We need to keep that but in a very modern way and always looking forward. We don’t want to be retro. 

For the Project 7. What was your main challenge?

Project 7 was a very special thing. When I joined Jaguar, I worked on the F-type project and was very lucky to be able to work on that project and get into the company. But I had a D-type artwork in my desk.  I was working on the aero dynamics for a front wheel drive car and I had that artwork in front of me. The E-type was one of the most aero dynamic cars we ever had and I wondered what would happen if I mixed them both together. Nobody had asked me to sketch Project 7 and it wasn’t on the program. So it just happened.  I did a sketch and when Ian Callum saw it, he thought it was a great idea. He is completely responsible for the project moving forward. It became a personal project for me but the timing to deliver was the biggest challenge. We had an excellent interaction between our design team, our engineering team and all the people involved in the building of the car. So I think it was an absolutely stunning design exercise and very nice to be part of it. It is probably the only time that a sketch became a production car because usually the people at the top of the company decide the program and then the designers start doing a creative process. It never starts with a sketch. So it was a truly special project. 

Jaguar Project 7 sketch by César Pieri - Automotive Artist and Designer

Do you consider Project 7 to be a piece of art in itself?

It might be. I see the car in a very different way because I was part of it and it was part of my life. I don’t really know how to classify the car. I just really love it.

My future is a consequence of what I am doing now. César Pieri.

Do you think that cars can be art?

Sure, why not? If you think about the D or C type and other models, they are absolutely stunning. Take the XJS (I think he said XJS since that car has a very outspoken sportscar design); it was beautiful and at that time we had no restraints or restrictions. So it was pure intuitive design which can be considered art, for sure.

César Pieri Automotive Designer and Artist

On your website, you state that you are an automotive designer and in the evening hours, you are an artist. How does this blend?

It’s a very funny thing, I started doing artworks when I was working on the launch of the F-type convertible, the coupé, the F-type itself,  XF, FCR now. So for all the cars I had created a set of artworks, 9 or 10 depending on each car. This is very connected to Jaguar and to myself. As car designers,  we are always fighting for millimeters and everybody thinks it has a lot of glamour but it has a lot of pressure too. It is a very stressful career. We are always working with the engineers, trying to find the best way of dealing with the right materials, putting it into production, getting every part right, respecting all the laws, regulations of different countries etc. So it’s a very stressful and dynamic environment. I started doing artworks as relaxing moments. It was my way of doing something different and getting back to a more creative mindset and using it to almost restart my brain.

Jaguar artworks – New Jaguar XE by César Pieri

But if you paint your XJS bonnets in the evening hours, you obviously still have a lot of energy.

All the artworks I created for Jaguar, obviously belong to them but I wanted to do something for myself.

I wanted to do something expressive and different other than using canvas.  I kept thinking about what I could do, using my passion for Jaguars and their heritage. So I bought a bonnet in London and then tried to paint it and realized that no paint would stick to the metal. I wanted to work with very big brushes and didn’t want to be precise but show my passion with big strokes, while not really going into detail or a photographic approach.  I am doing that at work during my daytime.

I don’t know how many bonnets I lost but I needed to restart and try different things and in the end, I developed my own paint which would not melt or bubble up. The problem is, when you apply paint with a brush, it’s really thick and that will never dry because the material will never absorb the paint.

It was a very experimental project and in the end, I started to get passionate about it and bought more and more bonnets. In the end I had more than 25 bonnets at home. In my living room, my garden, everywhere. It was crazy.

Auto Art Bonnets and Design by César Pieri

You said you don’t put a lot of detail in your bonnets but there is still a lot of detail of the car.

Because of my background and how we work on a daily basis which is really precise and detailed, to me my artworks are not and I consider it as art because it is so difficult for me not to go into detail.

So it started as an escape from your day job and now it has become your own expression.

That’s the funny thing about it. I started about 1.5 years ago with no expectations. I did industrial design at university and worked for many years as a graphic designer in New York, Brazil, Italy and the UK. So I wanted to mix all that 'exPierience' and create something different. But I never thought about showing it because it started out as a single bonnet. Then one day a friend came to my house  and saw my garage was full of painted bonnets in the corner. He wanted to look at them. He asked why I didn’t show them. For me it was personal and for my own pleasure but he wanted to show them. There was Motorfest in Coventry and my friend found a place to put my bonnets. The feedback was quite stunning. People liked it and I thought that was really cool. Then I got an invitaton to take them to the museum in Gaydon, UK which is the biggest British automotive museum in the UK. I went to Gaydon and stayed there for two months. Then I got an invitation to take my artwork to Dubai, to Brazil and to Italy. So now they were in this museum in Italy and for me it was just stunning because it is the most important and biggest automotive museum in Europe. It was just fantastic and the feedback I am getting from that is so nice. Also from the Motorfest and in magazines all around the world. It was a ‘wow’ feeling and it’s really moving forward very fast.

What triggers me about your story is that you showed your own vulnerability by going public with your private work because you never know how it will be received. How was that for you?

As a car designer, I am under this kind of pressure of being judged all the time. People are always looking at what I am creating and sketching and judging.  So I am used to critiscm. I always say to my wife that I am in the ‘no’ profession and sometimes I get a ‘yes’.  So I am very used to this approach but I received a very different feedback from people about my bonnets.

Auto Art Bonnets and Design by César Pieri

Why do you think that is? Is it because you are using bonnets or is it the topic of your work?

I think both.  Using Jaguar bonnets and being a Jaguar designer, it makes sense. It has the right kind of thinking behind it. That’s why I decided to do this. Because of my passion for the brand and for what I am doing. Because I am a designer and maybe an artist as well, I am possibly discovering another side to myself. 

What is it that you want to express with your artwork?

That’s the point. I didn’t intend to show it to anyone. I wanted to satisfy my own request to have  a different artwork in my living room. It’s a crazy thing which you don’t expect to have happen.

I hear that from other artists; it’s a drive from within, to express themselves in their artwork. Is that the same for you?

I don’t have that necessity for expressing myself. I do that everyday in my work. I put ideas from my brain onto a piece of paper or a computer at least 8 hours per day. So it’s a very creative way of doing things. 

Artwork hand-sketch by César Pieri

Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale Artwork by César Pieri

Where do you find your inspiration César?

I think it’s my love for Jaguar and the automotive field. 

Do you study the work of other car designers or artists?

To be a car designer is a very complex thing. You must know a lot of automotive designs, know other designers, know very well the brand you are sketching because you must sketch that brand and not the other ones. So you must understand the other brands as well since you don’t want to put a competitor’s detail in your car design. You need to come up with something new. I have a Masters Degree and have studied architecture, so have always been connected to this field. I still study everyday and try to get better and better to constantly move forward. I work together with the advance design team, so we get the most exciting technology our suppliers can provide. They are constantly updating us and always show us what they might be doing in ten years time. 

Porsche Type 908K by César Pieri Automotive Artist and Designer

Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

I dream about it but I don’t think about it. Everyone is driven by something. I try to live in a very intense way and keep my life focused on what I am doing now, and do that really well and  try to prepare for the future. I am now sketching cars for 2025. We try to predict what will happen in the future. My future is a consequence of what I am doing now. I am trying to enjoy all the opportunites that I am having now. When I was younger, i was working for a bank drawing technical plans.  Now that I work with car design, I have to work with 3D programs and all the things I did in the past, is who I am today. So probably what I am doing now will be very important for me in the future.

To see more of César PieriPieri’s work, please visit his website and The Jaguar Bonnet Art Collection

Design Pieri Auto Art

The post Automotive Design & Jaguar Bonnets appeared first on CarArtSpot.

Olivier Gamiette - Artist and Designer

When I noticed that Designstudio press released a book on concept watches made by a car designer, I was intrigued. Cars and watches are worlds apart. The scale and dimensions of the components differ in magnitudes. Why would a car designer want to design watches and what is the link? As I started my career as a precision engineer, I have always had an interested in the precision mechanics of timepieces.  So when I received the book for a review, my expectations were high. And rightly so, since I spent hours studying Olivier Gamiettes' designs and figuring out how to read the time on some of his designs. I was eager to know more and contacted him for an interview. Here is his story.

SOON Timepiece Phenomena by Olivier Gamiette

How did you get into designing and cars Olivier?

For some reason I have always been attracted to cars. As a kid, I used to play exclusively with toy cars that I happened to customize myself and I dreamed of one day building my own car. I have also always liked to draw. Later I entered the world of professional design as a 3D modeler for the Peugeot brand. I was responsible for converting drawings for designers, the so called « sketches » in 3D surfaces and volumes respecting the technical constraints and mechanical bases of the project.

Through the years the creativity spectrum has broadened and today I enjoy designing manifold objects and basically anything that comes into my head. I only considered myself an artist quite recently. Right now, I am into watchmaking. I would say that being an artist AND an engineer has always been a great advantage for me, leading me to imagine credible design solutions, which are original and feasible at the same time. I believe that the work I have done recently, and my concept watches book in particular, have brought together all the pieces of the puzzle of my creative personality.

As an automotive designer what did it take to re-calibrate your understanding of dimensions when you started to work on these watch designs?

I started from scratch to design these watches, I do not know how it worked, what were the right dimensions, what was the size of the parts. I did drawing after drawing and realized how to articulate this huge puzzle in this small object. I had to dissect a watch to better understand the different plans on which mechanisms lay. I also printed my watches on strips of paper to give me an idea of ​​the size I was manipulating. It also allowed me to understand whether the figures, the details were sufficiently visible and realistic. Everything came gradually. However, I still have a long way to go. Working on a computer screen distorts the perception of the scale for such a small object. Everything is magnified on the screen and it is better to have some real references as a starting point.

Automotive Art by Olivier Gamiette

Several of your designs include car elements. Like the dials on “Copper shield”, “formula 3” and “la Magnifique”. What is your vision on car designs today compared to the past? Which ones inspire you more?

Automotive design has probably reached its limits today because the technical and security constraints and regulations as well as the will to make profit naturally, end up in ‘compromise cars’ as a result. This does not mean that we put less effort into making nice cars, it is just more difficult to make an original and strong design. Elitist machines that I cherish the most are becoming as rare as they are not market profitable. On the other hand, with the help of internet, car design trends spread out instantly. Design is too fast and becomes uniform worldwide. Manufacturers share design formulas that seem to appeal to customers and show less enthusiasm to take risks in order to push forward their proper design vision. I think they used to be more insolent in the past, especially in the 70s. It was an age that used to emphasize hard, strict shapes, devoid of gratuitousness. This is a great source of inspiration for my watch designs.

Breitling and Bentley are working together and there is a beautiful watch named “La Ferrari”. Do you see yourself working together with a specific car brand in the future? For example, your design “la Magnifique” could be related to Bugatti already.

Of course it would be interesting. La Magnifique is only a first draft, we should further develop its own watch philosophy and refine the choice of materials especially if we had to amplify the relationship with this prestigious brand. All car brands are not willing to go as far as Hublot with Ferrari. This is a watch that does not lack audacity even if I would have preferred a smaller size. Other brands may simply want a more wearable, less extravagant watch. Personally, I love strong design watches, that look different from the traditional watch, free from traditional needles to display new kinematics, but I am aware that not everyone feels the same. I would like to work on the sobriety and purity of the dial graphics in the next future.

Watch Design by Olivier Gamiette

Watch Designs by Designer Olivier Gamiette

In the 70’s, all Lincoln Continentals came with a Cartier clock. This came to mind when I saw your “Trion”. Have your watch designs influenced your automotive designs?

I think so, though it is not necessarily conscious. I guess all the ideas in my head talk together. As I said before, there are no borders when I create. There is a bank of shapes in my head that is fed by external images and by my own research which is used for a comprehensive creative process.

Your work reminded me of the designs by Daniel Simon. Do you know him? Are there any specific car designers that have influenced you and more specifically, your watch designs.

I know the work of Daniel Simon, just like him I like portraying interesting details. His work showed me that one should not be afraid to push boundaries. Beyond its style and its formidable design, it is the coherent universe that he managed to create that inspired me. The notion of creative universe might be hard to understand as it is not palpable nor visible to all. One has the impression of watching fantastic cars and mechanical gear with stunning design but ultimately, it is Daniel Simon’s universe as a whole that stands out. His world lies in our mind and does not stop at the book’s pages. This is what I find the most inspiring. I felt like I wanted to create my own universe around watches. I wanted to imagine a set of objects very different from one other but emanating from one consistent universe, my own creative universe.

Hot Rod by Olivier Gamiette

Do you have a certain theme in your work?

As my job is to draw mostly production cars, I escape in my free time by imagining forms which are more free. In my daily work life, there are technical and product specifications and a brand identity to respect, so it is quite complicated to have fun. I like hotrods, custom bikes and very mechanical machines with a metal body.

Which techniques do you use?

I do a lot of pencil sketches, usually with crayons but also with a ballpoint pen. I inevitably go through this phase because the relationship I have with paper gives me the creative freedom and spontaneity that I have not found with other tools. On paper I can throw down ideas very quickly and instinctively as they arise. I decant sketches for some time before looking at them with a fresher eye later on and select sketches that I will colour with Photoshop. I use Photoshop exclusively for colouring, I never draw with it on the graphic tablet.

I believe that the work I have done around the watches is quite unique, as representing such timepieces in a photorealistic way gives them a special identity Actually, watchmaking illustration standard is gouache drawings, digital sketches are hardly ever shown and 3D renderings are too explicit to be done by a machine. Even though I enjoy digital drawings a lot, one day I would like to explore other subjects with more concrete, classical techniques such as oil painting.

Watch Designs by Olivier Gamiette

What inspires you to start a specific artwork?

I try to imagine and draw objects that I would like to see in the street. My world is more conceptual than artistically. I'm not just trying to make beautiful illustrations, I am striving to show new and unique ideas, concepts, mechanisms at their best. I do not merely want to draw, I want to create and that is what drives me to draw.

Whatever the topic, I always start with a freehand sketch to find new ideas or new shapes. I make many very little drawings on a single sheet of paper. This way, I spend little time doing the design itself, so I can make more spontaneous research without getting tired and wasting my time with a big, detailed drawing. A beautiful design is based on a powerful idea and that can also be expressed in a small sketch. Today’s tools allow to resize the sketch in order to work on the right scale and I like reinterpret my old drawings which I had abandoned. I never throw my drawings away! I usually draw with pencil crayons or a ballpoint pen.

What do you want to express with your artwork?

In my work I seek principles, ideas that challenge the existing common knowledge. I like to believe that there is another truth than the one we know. For example, in some car illustrations, I imagine that the scene takes place in a world where light can be solid and therefore transmits efforts. As I have an engineering background, I like to use physical, optical and mechanical phenomena to create new things with style. I have an engineer’s head and an artist's hands. This becomes very clear when I design watches, looking primarily to propose new forms and shapes but also previously unseen kinematics. As many things have already been done before, the challenge is a lot more interesting.

Automotive Art by Olivier Gamiette

What are you most proud of?

Today I am pleased to wear two hats: one as an engineer and the other as an artist. This allows me to be very independent in my creations. As a designer, it is very important for me to create credible, consistent, meaningful and well-drawn objects. I am proud of the infinite potential that this represents. I am also proud to bring this knowledge and convey it to the people through my illustrations. Managing to provide pleasure or emotions by means of a drawing is a great pride and reward for me.

How did you develop your style?

I have always liked to see the reflections that become distorted, especially on cars’ metal bodies. I have always wanted to represent this in my drawings. It's a way for me to bring realism to the object in the drawing because this will psychologically melt in its’ environment. The brain interprets the reflections and understands that the object is integrated in the scene. My math’s curriculum led me to understand the tricks of such deformations. And it is trying to imitate reality that I have found the effects and functions to translate it on Photoshop over time. Today my designs borrow certain physical phenomena from reality, but they remain mere illustrations of reality.

Do you prefer any specific materials or tools?

As a designer, my favourite tool is the black pencil which I use on Bristol paper which ages better in time. I am not looking to make beautiful designs in this phase but try to grasp the idea that lurks in my head and pencil crayons or ballpoint pen allow me to capture it very quickly with little loss. That's why I do not do my research on the graphic tablet; it disturbs my creative rhythm. Moreover, coloured pencils allow you to shade the drawing, creating the illusion of volume which is the best! It is more difficult with a ballpoint pen to draw the volume’s shadows. After defining the linework to create the shape, I quickly shade the drawing to mark down the volumes in order to keep the idea for the second phase. The second phase, in fact, hinges on the Photoshop tool. There are other digital tools to colour drawings on the computer but I have known this program for a long time. This phase is very technical because it consists in creating volumes with light and shadow and also to generate perceived material finish that is not borrowed from any picture. For example, for many of my watches I use a brushed copper finish which I draw exclusively with Photoshop. I like layer management a lot because the possibilities are endless.

Watch Designs by Olivier Gamiette

Watch Design by Olivier Gamiette

Do you work alone?

Yes, but I like to expose the topics that I want to develop to my creative partners (Nicolas Depierre and Alexandre Meyer). They are my favourite guinea pigs! They share my vision of design and their reactions tell me about the relevance of my concepts and intentions. Before moving to the colour phase which can take a long time, it is valuable for me to have some intermediate feedback.

Do you work in silence or with music? What type of music?

I find this question particularly interesting because artists’ work is usually shown without specifying the context in which such artists operate or the atmosphere in which they create. It is important for me to work with music, it is like taking a warm bath. I feel immersed in my world of vibrations, of feelings and inner exchanges enhancing the desire to create.

Do you have a favourite car design?

For me car design is a huge puzzle. That said I do not like a particular brand above others, but I like the stance of some manufacturers, I like cars that have a well defined character and a clear formal language. Finally, if there was only one car to remember, I would say that for me Bertone Stratos Zero is the most fantastic car ever imagined. The line is simply amazing and timeless.

Do you own a car yourself?

I own a Plymouth Prowler 1999 that I bought in the US back in 2003. It is a very original car which does not go unnoticed here in Paris. However, I bought it for its line and proportions that are very close to a designer’s fantasies. It is an uncompromising car; that is what I like.

Hot Rod by Automotive Artist & Designer Olivier Gamiette

What is your advice for people who want to become an Automotive Artist?

Be patient, because nothing happens overnight. It takes time to practice and find an artistic identity which is natural and consistent with your own self. One must get inspiration from other artists but it has its’ limits. You have to tell your own story and claim your uniqueness. Do not be afraid to be different or to see things differently, it is a chance to have this vision instead. You must practice regularly and learn to listen to others’ feedback because the purpose of your work is to be seen and appreciated by the public. It is that people see from the outside what we express from the inside as artists.

Is this a book for car fans? No, it's not. There are no cars in this book. But is it a book for anyone interested in car design? Then the answer is definitely yes. It will give you a deeper appreciation of what it takes to design devices and objects. How to bridge technical challenges and how to be innovative and break traditional boundaries.

To see more of Olivier Gamiettes work, please visit his website.

Book is published by Designstudio press. and available here.

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Tatra is not a car make that comes to mind when you think about innovation and car design but authors Ivan Magrolius and John G. Henry fill a gap in car history with this book.

Tatra – The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka

Tatra has been active under that name as a car and truck company since 1919 but started their activities way back in 1897. At first with carriage like cars but with Austrian designer Hans Ledwinka on board, the company entered into an era with many technical improvements. Designs and techniques were often way ahead of the competition. The authors place Ledwinka and Tatra in line with designers like Benz, Daimler and Porsche.

Tatra – The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka

This book follows the history of Tatra focused on the work of Ledwinka. The many technical drawings, photos and brochures wonderfully illustrate the many stories. One of my favourite photos is that of the “Titanic”. A special 18-seat open car made for factory staff outings. The photo shows Ledwinka himself at the wheel. Can you imagine a company building a special convertible bus for team building in 1912?

Tatra – The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka

Tatra – The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka

Tatra – The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka

While the majority of the book is about cars with specific attention to the famous T87 model and its' aircooled engine in the back, it also shows aeroplanes and trucks. The trucks became successful in the Paris Dakar rallies.

Published originally in 1990, this limited version is fully revised and updated. With only 1500 copies released, this book is a 'must have' for those interested in the history of car design.

This book is published by Veloce Publishing and available here.

- ISBN: 978-1-845847-99-9 

The post TATRA - The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka appeared first on CarArtSpot.

When you write about cars and art, the same car brands keep coming to mind; Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini. Brands that dominate the market of the supercars. Doing a review on Tachens' book 'Intersection Cars Now' made me realize how many other brands are out there. Rolling sculptured creations, pieces of automotive art.

Intersection Cars Now by Taschen

Take for example the BAC Mono. I had never heard of this car before but what a stunning car! And while it has the looks of a racer, the Briggs brothers claim that it’s street legal.

BAC Mono - Intersection Cars Now by Taschen

BAC Mono - Intersection Cars Now by Taschen

Publisher Taschen is offering a kind of catalogue with this book. The authors categorize the latest innovations in alphabetical order.  So you won’t only see supercars listed, you will also find the Mitsubishi iMiEV. To entice the reader, they divulge secret details. And while most of these details are not really secrets, they do add to the appreciation. For example I for one, wasn’t aware of the fact that the horizontal body grooves on the Ford Flex evoke the woody wagon paneling. Nice to know.

Mitsubishi iMiEV - Intersection Cars Now by Taschen

Ford Flex - Intersection Cars Now by Taschen

The book contains graphics which show you the basic details of each car, such as speed, price and power. This is the graph for the Ferrari 458 Italia.

Ferrari 458 Italia Graph - Intersection Cars Now by Taschen

Published in 2012, the authors wanted to provide an indication on what was to be expected. Three years down the line, you realize that the purpose of cars remain the same. Beside the basic function of transportation, it offers the joy of speed and movement in so many ways and configurations. I am curious what the automotive future will bring us.

This book is available at Taschen.

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Are you in the US for an exhibition Jamie?

Well I live in L.A. but I’m actually from Australia. I moved here about a year ago after being offered a job as an industrial designer with General Motors. My full time job is as a clay sculpture/automotive designer and I do my artwork on the side which is my hobby.  I built a web shop and started showcasing my work here in the US and have done four exhibitions in the last year;  Pebble Beach, Las Vegas, Beverley Hills and a small exhibition at a Hollywood event. It’s doing pretty well and I am getting regular commissions.

Jamie Schena sculptures

Did you study automotive design back home?

Yes, I studied industrial design back in Australia. My passion has always been for cars. So even though I studied product and industrial design, I majored in transportation design and I’ve been working for General Motors for the past 5 years. I worked for them for over 3.5 years in Australia but quit because I wanted to travel. I came here to the US for a vacation and was heading for Germany to go to work there but this job came up and I decided to take it.

What are the differences between your own art and modelling clay in your day job?

I sculpt in the day with clay and in the evenings I sculpt with metal. It’s very much the same process. I’ve been clay sculpting for about seven years and metal sculpting for about 15 years.

Which gives you the most flexibility?

Well my clay modelling allows me to travel and is my core income but I am limited by the boundaries of the project. Whereas with my metal sculpting, I can do whatever I want.

Material wise, clay seems a lot easier to shape than metal. Is it?

Yes, clay definitely in a sense gives more freedom. The advantage of metal over wood (because I do timber work as well) is that if you make a mistake, you can just cut it, grind it and reweld it. Which is much the same as clay. If I want to take a bit off here, or put a bit on there, I can. But with metal, I do have to think ahead. For example when I’m making undercut surfaces, I have to clean them up before I can put another layer on top.  Clay is a bit more forgiving.

Jamie Schena sculptures

Jamie Schena sculptures

There are a couple of artists who use clay to make bronze sculptures, so they can make a limited edition. That is not the route you are exploring, I understand.

No, both my clay and metal sculptures are all a ‘one off’.  I guess that’s what sort of separates my work from bronze or other automotive sculptures. It’s all done by hand and can’t be replicated.

Where do you get your inspiration from for making these models?

I used to collect dye cast models when I was younger and have a wide range of all different makes and models of cars. My Dad eventually told me to build the ones I want myself. So I started building the cars I love. I go to car shows and see cars that I really want but obviously can’t afford because they are a couple of million dollars. So I go away and build them myself. About ten months ago, there was a 60^th Ferrari anniversary in California and Beverly Hills and they had about 1000 Ferraris on display. I saw the 1957 Testarossa. It’s such a beautiful car with a beautiful form and obviously stands out from all the other Ferraris. It’s such an icon. I was reading the history and there were only 18 ever made and that inspired me to build one and showcase it at Pebble Beach.

1957 Ferrari Testarossa by Jamie Schena

1957 Ferrari Testarossa by Jamie Schena

When you build a car it’s a kind of a replica but on the other hand it isn’t. Where is the balance for you?

I guess they are more my own interpretation of the car. I’m using all raw and recycled materials. Everything I make is out of scrap metal and is a sculpture, a piece of art, but I do try to capture as much as I can. It’s my own scale and if I am using bearings for the wheels that generally determines my scale. If I’m doing a piece for a client, we work to a budget or I build it to the dimensions of where they want to put it.

So if you start with a wheel or other dimensions, how does that work?  Do you use a  “calibrated eyeball “to get it right?

Pretty much. All the cars and motorbikes I make, start with the wheels and that determines the scale. Although I work to my own scale most times which is a good size to build, in terms of capturing the details but also to have on your mantel piece or put on display.

Ferrari 330 by Jamie Schena

Ferrari 330 by Jamie Schena

What is it that you are trying to capture in your sculptures to make it an original Jamie Schena?

I see a car and I recreate it from my interpretation. Whether I am trying to generate speed or more aggression in the car; it’s not supposed to be a precision model.  I try to exaggerate certain things and may make the car a little bit wider or lower and try to emphasize the elements and characteristics of the car.

Is the process of translating your thoughts about the car into your sculptures something you go through as an artist to develop your skills?

I guess I apply the same processes as I do at work. We have inspirational images or sketches given to us by designers or our leadership group and we have to create them as a clay model.  I also look at images of cars when doing my metal sculptures. I try to keep it loose and free because if I try to be too precise, it takes away from what it is. I do as much as I can to capture the car without over polishing it or trying to perfect it. I think its rawness and roughness gives it more character than the original polished car, especially when I put colour on them. The moment I paint them, is the moment it highlights all the imperfections and you still see all the raw metal, the scratch and grind marks and imperfections under the paint. I’m trying to show off my craftsmanship while accentuating it with the translucent paint. The processes I use are the same as is used on a normal car.

I love the Iron Man you made. It’s totally different from your automotive art. The anatomy is very different from a race car, but is there any similarity? 

It’s the same process and finish but in a different form. The reason why I built the iron man is because a guy I worked with in Australia had a limited edition of an iron man in a similar stance to the one I built but it wasn’t very big and was very expensive. I really liked it and built one four times the size. It’s just over a meter high. I’ve got a transformer which is twice the size of that. Both of those are my featured pieces and I have them both here in America. The reaction is funny, it draws people over to view my smaller pieces. I wanted to push myself to do something different and those pieces give people the assurance that I have the skill and ability to build their car or do whatever they want me to do.

Iron Man by Jamie Schena

Where do you see yourself going with your art? What is your dream five or ten years from now?

If you see my earlier work versus my work now, you definitely see an improvement on detail. I want to take my art in a different direction and the next level and see what else I can build. I just want to keep on going. Every time I showcase my work, a new opportunity comes up.

Do you envision being a full time artist or will it always be a side activity?

I want it to remain my hobby. The minute it becomes a full time job, it takes away some of the fun. Now I can do it whenever I want. When I’m at work, I think of things or get inspired and motivated. Then I go build it. I want to concentrate on things I’m passionate about and haven’t done before. Next year I’ll be going to Comic-Con which will be my first sci-fi exhibition away from automotive type things. So I’ll be doing a lot of sc-fi characters and super hero’s which inspired me back at uni. I’m limited by my imagination really. That and time. My art work is very labour intensive. I’ve got goals and have a list of things I want to build and when that’s done, I’ll write a new list. I’m building the cars I hope will one day be my own car collection.

Which artist inspires you the most?

That’s a tricky one. I’m more inspired by pieces of work and not by one artist in particular. It’s like brands of cars, I love certain models of cars without liking all the cars of that particular brand. So I get my inspiration from various sources. But I do work in a very inspirational environment which pushes me creatively in the automotive field. I take that passion and creativity and apply it to my art work. My background also plays a big part in terms of my upbringing and my passions outside of art. My Dad ran his own business from home and I was taught at a very young age to weld. I raced go carts for 15 years professionally. At age 12 I had a personal sponsor. I built him a little go cart and that’s how it all took off in terms of commission work.

Did your racing help you with building race cars models?

Yes, I was a mechanic and rebuilt engines etc. I know what makes up an engine from pulling them apart and seeing all the internals. I was very fascinated by speed, the mechanics and how things work. My understanding for racing and being my own mechanic from a young age has given me a good insight. I look at a car and think about how I am going to reproduce it from an artistic point of view. It’s a scaled down version but I use all mechanical components like spark plugs and whatever I can get my hands on. I try to capture the exterior of the car, the bigger picture, the feeling of the car, the emotion and movement. Everything from my background has inspired me and led me to do what I am doing today. The attention to detail definitely comes from my racing background. It’s taken 15 years of experience and 1500 pieces to get my work to the level it is today. Every time I showcase my piece or build a sculpture, it’s all word and mouth. I never have to advertise.

See more of Jamies work on his website and Facebook.

Jamie will be exhibiting next year at the following events:

Arizona -Barrett Jackson Auction Scottsdale January 23-31

Florida -The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance March 11-13

San Diego -Comic-Con International July 21–24, 2016

The post From Raw Metal to Automotive Pieces of Art appeared first on CarArtSpot.

Most of us think of Ferrari’s as Supercars.  The title of this book 'Ferrari Hypercars' made me wonder “what’s the difference?” Renowned author and photographer Winston Goodfellow answers this question in his book but leaves the reader with a new question at the end.

Ferrari Hypercars by Winston Goodfellow

So how do you write a book which adds something new for the reader? We let’s be honest here, on Amazon alone there are more than 10.000 books relating to Ferrari.

Winston has taken a different approach by focusing solely on the “fastest of the fast”.  He takes the reader back to the early days showing photo’s inside Scuderia’s machine shop and sharing stories on the races while shedding light on how he became successful in those days.

Ferrari Hypercars by Winston Goodfellow

Ferrari Hypercars by Winston Goodfellow

Besides being a great designer, Enzo Ferrari was a smart business man and he understood soon enough that the US would be an important market for him. Italian-born Luigi Chinetti became his importer for the US and was responsible for 25-30% of Maranello’s annual production sales.  This is also the reason why he named his most powerful road car the 340 America.

In order to understand the uniqueness of the designs and the technological innovations, you need to understand what was going on in those days. The best way was by referring to leading car magazines such as Road & Track, and by quoting journalists who drove those cars for the first time.

Ferrari Hypercars by Winston Goodfellow

The book is filled with nice anecdotes like how Mr. Ferrari and Mr. Pininfarina started their collaboration.

Of course the F40 is described in detail. A design which commemorated 40 years of car production and racing. From the production process to the race tracks, each photo shares the story of this wonderful car.

With the digital age entering the Ferrari arena, the book ends with an interesting paradox. What is the use of a hypercar when most supercar owners are unable to exploit even a fraction of it’s potential.  Hypercars have become four-wheeled iPhones and iPads. The challenge will be to maintain character and to provide that unparalleled experience. An unforgettable form of entertainment.

This book is available from Motorbooks

ISDN nr. 9780760346082

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