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.

What is your story Ondřej?

I was born in 1991 in the Czech Republic and live in Brno. I will tell you all the important bits later :).

What are your earliest memories of cars?

My first memory of cars is travelling in our Skoda 120. It smelled to petrol, Marlboros and vanilla fresheners and we were listening to Jethro Tull from a cassette recorder.  I really like recalling this.

Do you come from an artistic family?

I inherited my love for cars and motorcycles from my father and my talent from my mother. But neither of them made art for a living.

Where did you study art and can you give some specifics?

As a kid I was attending an elementary art school, mainly painting and ceramic lessons. Later, I chose an art school in Ostrava as my high school. I studied Industrial design program. I guess I wasn’t too bad because I won a scholarship to universities in Torino and Detroit, thanks to my work. Unfortunately, I didn’t have resources to study abroad, so I started to study at Technical University in Ostrava. It’s funny because at Czech art universities I was labelled as a person who was too practical and without a futuristic imagination.

Car Art by Ondřej Balak

Did your studies involve car art?

I always wanted to do car design or motorcycles, but I realized that in our bonded and unified world it wasn’t possible for me.

What kind of jobs did you have or have you always been an artist?

In Ostrava, I was working as a construction designer on electromobiles in a Research and Development Department. Today I would love to be an artist and do it for a living but I am not so famous yet. So unfortunately, I have to do a “normal” job. Last time I was trying to be a graphic designer, but I hate sitting the whole day in front of a computer and do stereo-typed work.

How did you become an artist and why cars?

I’ve been painting and sketching since my childhood. But classic painting wasn’t tempting for me. A few years ago I tried to change designer’s markers to brushes and paints and after several horrible experiments, it caught me.  My father used to take me with him to car racings. He knew a lot of famous drivers from CSR personally, so I think that was the first big influence.

Do you only paint cars or also other topics?

I don’t paint only cars but I like cars the most. If someone wants a custom painting, I enjoy that too, no matter what the topic is. Except painting people. I hate painting people.

Do you have a certain theme in your work and which techniques do you use?

My main theme is the Masaryk Circuit in Brno and its’ history. But if I see something interesting, I just need to paint it. I don’t use any special techniques, I like to paint by acrylics, dyes on canvas and aniline dyes on paper.

What inspires you to start a specific artwork?

I don’t have only one line of inspiration. I try to combine different components in order to create something special for a specific artwork.

Ondřej Balak's Automotives

How do you start with an artwork?

I find an old photo which catches my attention. Usually I search on the Internet, in books or I get them from contemporary witnesses. I also need to find out the theme colours and other important details. Then I start painting. Mainly I try to picture some curiosities – for example like in one of my paintings – Drion and Stohl – they were captured during their last race in Brno, where both of them died.

How do you feed your inspiration and what is your creation process?

Sex, drugs and rock n‘ roll!!!  It pretty much depends on the specific artwork. Sometimes I feel almost angry about it and spend a lot of time finding the best compositions, colours and style. Then other times it goes well and I just enjoy the process.

What do you want to express with your artwork?

I am trying to capture the moment, the era. As I said before, my main topic is the old Masaryk circuit in Brno (from 1930 to 1986), which has been all but forgotten. I didn’t experience it’s time of glory but its spirit deeply charmed me.

What does your studio looks like?

I am just a poor young artist, so my studio is my kitchen. But my big dream is to renovate the old mill in the country, which belongs to my family, and create my own studio there.

What are you most proud of and what is your best artwork so far?

I am most proud of being successfully accepted by Czech automotive artists. In my opinion, my best artwork is the painting of Hans von Stuck in Auto Union type D. It’s one of my first paintings. At that time I was not using canvas, but fiberboards. But I still like it.

Which artists inspire you and how do you practice and improve your skills?

Not someone in particular. I am inspired by so many artists, I can’t name them individually. Quick sketches by hand and little aniline paintings.

How do you develop your style?

That’s such a secret, even I don’t know

Do you prefer any specific materials or tools?

Nothing special, I prefer canvas or handmade paper.

Ondřej Balak's Automotives

Do you work alone and do you work in silence or with music?

Yes, I work alone, but I discuss my ideas with my friends. I listen to music while I work and love rock music and Celtic punk, but it all depends on what I paint. Then I can listen to Bach or Vivaldi.

What does a normal day in your life look like?

If I have a job, I wake up at 6:30 a.m. and go to work. So I can create after returning home in between cooking and my relationship duties.  So I don’t have too much time for painting. But if I don’t have a job, I also wake up around 6:30 so that I can almost immediately start creating. If I need some inspiration, I take a ride around the Old Masaryk’s Circuit.

Do you have any preference, brand, make, year or style of car?

I don’t have any specific type or year. Unfortunately, my interest in cars ended about the year 2000. Modern cars are so boring! I just like the combination of the engine, wheel/handlebars and the driver. Modern improvements destroy the joy of driving. I used to have a Fiat Punto MK1, engine 1,0 l. Driving it, a man feels pleasure and fear simultaneously, even when the speed is 60 km/h.

Do you own such a car yourself?

I don’t own my dream car (which would be sooo many). But I have a motorbike, ČZ 125 from 1948.

Have you had any expositions and is your art on display in a museum or elsewhere?

Last year I exhibited my work at a Classic Show in Brno and this year I would like to present myself on some veteran events. The main place where I present my work is currently Facebook. I also have websites but I don’t maintain them.

Do you have contact with other artists or Automotive artists?

Yes, my friends are Tom Havlasek, Daniel Šenkeřík and Jan Sachr. All of them create art much longer than me. They are my inspirators and and also my critics.

Car Art by Ondřej Balak

Are you a member of an artistic group?

No, but I was thinking about creating one. But I am afraid we would spend much more time talking and drinking, than painting.

What is your dream for the future?

To do art for a living.

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

It’s a long and difficult path. If you want to do for example Abstract Art, the only thing you have to do is tell the story about a blue circle on a blue background. If it’s interesting, no one wonders if you actually can paint. In Automotive Art, a man has to be a designer, a constructor, a sculptor, a photographer and insane all together. But it’s important not to slack but to find your way. And practice, practice, practice.

Any advice for people who want to buy automotive art or start a car art collection?

Buy my art!:) I am just kidding. There are so many young automotive artists, so one can choose among them and find exactly what they like.

How and where can people buy your art?

Currently the only way to buy something is by contacting me or write me a message on my Facebook page or send me an e-mail.

Do you have any upcoming exhibitions, awards of new artwork related to automotive art activities?

I know that I will have a small exhibition in the depo at the Veteran memorial racing in Brno Soběšice in 24. 9. 2016. But this is the only event I am sure about at the moment.

To see more of Ondrej's work, please visit his website.

The post Ondřej Balak's Automotives in Masaryk Circuit appeared first on CarArtSpot.

Stanley Wanlass Automotive Artist & Sculptor

What is your story Stanley, how did you become an artist?

I’m just an ordinary guy who happens to seek beauty; no matter where it is found.  I’m also constantly searching for truth; but that’s much harder to discern.  I suppose that I’m a hopeless idealist & a romantic.  My goal is to aesthetically improve what I can and share my subjective vision of beauty.  I’ve always been an artist. When I was studying at the University in the late fifties and early sixties, it was almost impossible to make a living as an artist.  Mark Rothko was probably one of the first artists to sell enough art not to starve in N.Y. in the early fifties.  So to be practical, and in order to make a living, I went into my second interest which was medicine.  It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I finally came to the realization that my real love was the art and I didn’t care if I starved, I was going to follow my BLISS & my dreams as an artist. However, my sculpting & painting were immeasurably improved by my medical studies and made me a better artist and a broader human being.  Also, to this day, I am creatively inspired (everyday) by my studies of Literature and Music.

Sculpture by Stanley Wanlass

Spirit of Excellence by Stanley Wanlass

I had come to the conclusion that for me.  There is but one God - and his revealer is Art

Do you come from an artistic family?

Not really, with the exception of my Grandfather whom was an easel painter. My Mother was very artistic; but not in a conventional way. Indirectly my childhood naturally lead me toward artistic endeavors.  During the 40‘s & 50‘s I loved working with my Dad helping with the assessment work at his mines located all around the west desert, the Henry mountains, the San Rafael Swell and the Thomas range.  I was just a kid but my Dad put me in charge of the powder & blasting caps after they were flown to our sites in an old “Jenny” bi-wing which bounced over the sagebrush landing strip we had crudely made.  The pilot’s name was “Old Blue”.  His full name (I think) was Blue Archer.  I did a painting of him and his plane near our sagebrush campfire.  I still have that painting to this day.  it’s very dear to me and I can’t bare to sell it although I have had many try to buy; while I do offer it as a Giclee’.

Old Blue by Stanley Wanlass

While combing the deserts I ran across numerous old cars that were all rusted out and unusable.  One thing that fascinated me with these old wrecks was that they had this beautiful cloisonné emblem on the front of the radiator.  I started to collect and catalog them wondering how many different ones that I could find and indeed, how many varied car companies there had been in America up to that time.  Years later, when I was working on my Masters Degree, the emblems became a large part of my 500 page thesis on automotive design.  Most experts at that time estimated that there were maybe 3000 to 5000 different individual car companies producing cars from 1900 to 1930 in America.  My research revealed more than 12,000 during those years.  My thesis has since been published by Dover Publications, New York. One of my Dad’s mining claims was near the Bonneville Salt Flats.  I remember the very early hot rods during this period of time which I’m sure helped develop my love for racing from then until now.  And, I was always sculpting and or painting automobile subjects during these years which lead to building real hot rods during the 50’s at my Father’s service station.

What sort of jobs did you have before coming an artist?

I taught at the University of Grenoble and the European Art Academy in France in 1966 and again in 1969 & 1970.  I also taught for six years at Brigham Young University, then another ten or fifteen years at Colleges and Universities in Canada and Oregon.  I was sculpting and painting full time even while I was teaching but when I decided to quit, it really left me much more time to create.

Art around the corner by Stanley Wanlass

Cars are a recurring topic in your art, why is that?

My love for the Automobile and history have been paramount in my life and led to my passion for creating Historical Monuments and Automotive sculpture/paintings. I’ve always loved cars.  I have built them and collected them all of my life. They are kinetic and to me they symbolize the ultimate expression of human FREEDOM.  The Automobile was the only really new significant art form of the 20th century.  For thousands of years’ man relied on the horse and wagon for transportation.  Then this contraption comes along and revolutionized the world.  This came about within my parent’s lifetime.  This was an epic milestone.  This and other significant automotive events should be celebrated as iconic in world history.

I have a world history chart on my wall that is 162 inches long.  It represents the history of the world from 4000 years BC to present.  The invention and history of the automobile is only the last 3 inches.  What an impact the automobile has made in such a short period of time.  My sculptures “SPIRIT OF MERCEDES” & “THE BENZ CENTENNIAL” are in celebration of this milestone.  Another of my sculptures, “PASSING OF THE HORSE” represents the exact moment when this epic demise of the horse (for transportation purposes) came to pass.  The Automobile, along with the computer are in my opinion, the two most significant things to have happened in the last century.

The Benz Centennial by Stanley Wanlass

Passing of the horse by Stanley Wanlass

Your art shows a “Joy de Vivre”, enjoying life. Is that a reflection of who you are?

I’m mostly optimistic and try to have a positive & loving outlook on life.  And yes, I like to hide little “pearls” or “treasures” of whimsy as well as poignant gems of wisdom in both my paintings and sculptures; only to be found by those who take the time to participate in the work.  Some are nothing more than little visual “gems”, others are more serious.  One example is a message in Latin that I hid in one of my Lewis & Clark Monuments, (“Clark’s Tree”) that expresses a question mankind has asked itself since the beginning of time.  There has been a series of articles concerning this hidden message in the Seattle Times.  So far, lots have searched but no one has discovered it.

Clarck's Tree

Every person born to this world has God given gifts of genius (in varying degrees, of course) that are unique and different than anyone before or after him/her.  None are the same... just as no two artists are equal in inspiration, technique, temperament or vision. 

Too many artists believe they have to compete with other artists not realizing that it is impossible to compare.  The truth is that each individual is so unique that they can only really be in competition with themselves. I prefer to start every creation with the end in mind.  As I’m working toward my goal of creating the art it always evolves into something far better than my initial idea.

I would suggest to any artist, don’t be afraid to start.  Then, don’t be afraid to make mistakes.  It’s all part of creating.  Mistakes are part of the process and propel you faster and with more clarity and excellence toward the end result than by not making any mistakes at all.

It’s fun and exciting to see the results of your vision become a reality.  It is very satisfying.  But even more exciting is knowing that magic will happen as you are in the act of creating.  You instinctively know that the process naturally evolves way beyond your initial vision... making the process a very satisfying and integral part of creating. Just as a writer must write about what he knows and loves; which is his passion; regardless of a scanty or critical audience, the artist must refuse to surrender the subject of his bliss in trade for the acceptance of the critics.  Without choice, there is no creativity.  Creation demands genuine diversity.  It implies unity but not uniformity.

I take license with facts if it will help the composition.  I change whatever I need to in order to establish a symbol.  Facts bore me.  I’m more interested in truth.  I feel comfortable stretching history and condensing time and space bringing together a dramatic depiction of the spirit of the subject...a symbol, a gestalt, a truth.  “Cold exactitude isn’t art, spirit and form are more important.  Content and meaning are also important, however, form (structure) is the first consideration.  Good design is the structure that supports the statement.  If the form and statement successfully interact a symbol is born.  It becomes more than the sum of its parts.

As I mentioned, an artist should be more interested in truth than fact, and not stunt intuition with reason.  Jean Jacques Rousseau, the noted 18th century philosopher said, “The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.”

Is that also what you want to express with your artwork?

Yes, beauty as well as dignity & success through struggle.  Man against the odds, and indeed, man & machine against the odds.  Heroic and Epic deeds and the pursuit of excellence.

Fast Company by Stanley Wanlass

Another element seems to be your respect for the history of the United States, is this important for you?

I am very interested in the history of the United States but more importantly the history of the world.  For example, the art history of Asia is so vast that most knowledgeable art historians refer to Europe and the rest of the world as “The small peninsulas of Asia”. I love many artists, writers, musicians and philosophers from all over the world; the United States being only a small part of my studies and appreciation.  Some of my favorites are Michelle de Montaine, Shakespeare, Chopin, Beethoven, Peter Helck, Goethe, Walter Gotschke & Voltaire; not necessarily in that order.

The automobile, arguably had its birth in Germany and eventually came to America. Then, sports cars were developed in Italy, France & England and emanated to America.  However, Hot rods are a purely American phenomenon having their birth here in the United States and are now represented in every socialized country in the world.  I was lucky enough to be a part of this initial movement; having built numerous hot rods in the 1950‘s... and, still at it.  My “Wanlass Windshield” that I designed and built (for 1932 -1934 Ford Roadsters) had its beginnings during this time.  Now, it is also on hot rods in each of these countries.  The altered windshield isn’t just about form, it’s about function.  The chopped, laid-back windshield with a one inch radius cheats the wind.  The aero look moves more efficiently through the air.  This provides such advantages as better gas mileage, fewer bugs and less water & snow on the glass. Plus, the relative wind flows over the cockpit while racing burbles above the deck-lid instead of the cockpit, giving more traction to the rear drive wheels.  This change in the lift/drag coefficient prevents the car from spinning at high speeds.  Although I was very interested in efficiency and function, the real reason for designing and building this windshield was to make the car look downright nasty and mysterious, mean and enigmatic; giving the roadster a real attitude.

Wanlass windshield

'32 Ford Roadster

Stanley Wanlass Alfa Drive

Stan Wanlass '32 Ford Roadster

Which techniques do you use and are they unique?

The origin of bronze casting is shrouded in antiquity.  It is a 6,000 (plus) year old process called Cire Perdue which is (French) from the Latin (Cera Perduta) currently called investment casting, lost wax casting or ceramic shell casting.  Even though some modern materials and techniques are incorporated today, the lengthy process remains surprisingly similar and is very labor intensive. For my monuments, I begin with a relatively soft #2 clay that is sculpted over a stronger armature to ensure that it won’t collapse under its own weight (thousands of pounds).  It is easier to move a soft clay over a large area than a more viscus clay or wax that is stiff and almost unmovable.  For my smaller pieces I use a relatively hard (Victory Brown) microcrystalline wax (a petrochemical) that holds its configuration.  I simply heat it to the consistency of clay while working.  It turns hard again as it cools thus bypassing the need for an armature.

When I have completed my research and the labor of sculpting.......the sculpture (whether clay or wax) is then taken to the foundry where the molding and casting process takes place. After ten to fifteen weeks of work at the foundry, I heat the bronze and apply a chemical patina.  Or, sometimes I paint (polychrome) the bronze.  I typically use acrylics, oils, egg tempera and or enamels.  After painting, I remove (through an ageing process) as much paint necessary to prevent the paint from looking like an apology for the bronze.

You can find a video of the lost wax casting process here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdTM5rSSJjk (not related to Stanley's work).

What inspires you to start a specific artwork?

That’s a hard question to answer as it depends upon whether I’m working on a commission or following my own creative inspiration.  It has to be emotionally positive rather than negative.  And, can’t have a derogatory presence without dignity.  It has to be uplifting to carry the spirit of the viewer to a higher state; as in inspirational music or thought.  Does not have to be religious, but must be spiritual and visually excite the senses.  That way I can have a passion for and accept the commission as my own.

That’s why I typically create my own ideas.  Although I do love the challenge of making a commission my own.  I am inspired to create through Music, Poetry, Literature, History, extraordinary feats by ordinary people and inspiration from unusual beauty.  Also, ideas and concepts that transcend myself and need to be out there to inspire others, now and in perpetuity; giving purpose and beauty to life.  Hopefully I’ll be able to leave the world a better and more interesting place than prior to my life here.

Tw-throughbreads by Stanley Wanlass

Over the last eight years I have been participating with and creating for Utah Fast Pass, eight paintings over eight years.  Each summer we have from forty to sixty super-cars come from all over the world.  We start out with a day at Miller Motor-sports track, then take a thousand mile run through the Red Rock country of Utah culminating in a Concours d’Non Elegance (exhibit of all cars with dirt & bugs) at the Grand America where we have a Gala Dinner & Auction. 100% of the funds go to 16 charities such as crippled children, Navajo Christmas, fallen Highway Patrolman’s families, etc. I donate a painting each year that is used for the route book covers, posters, advertisements and eventually, sold at auction to help fund the charities mentioned. There is much inspiration not only of speed and sound but the shapes and colors of the cars and the beautiful surrounding are beyond an artist’s dreams. Also, my love of history got me involved in creating four major Heroic Lewis & Clark Monuments on the Oregon and Washington Coast for the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial from 1982 through 2002.

What does your studio look like?

Oscar Wilde would say that it looks a lot like a “Picture of Dorian Gray”. A mess!  But an organized mess.  Yes, I do file many things, but I need specific items all in one place at one time when I’m creating.  My biggest frustration is to not be able to find a specific item when I need it.  If I file it, I might as well throw it in the trash.  It needs to be in a stack that I’m familiar with.

What are you most proud of?

My best creations are my children; which I couldn’t have produced or been successful (as well as my career) without my lovely & talented wife Joy!  Actually, she does most of the work and I take the credit. Being a part of the “rebirth of Automotive Art” The resurgence of the art that formed around the invention of the automobile in 1885; only with a difference........

Sculpture by Stanley Wanlass

There was no “Car Art” when I was growing up; to my knowledge I was the only one doing it.  There were no automotive fine artists except those involved in automobile advertising or automotive designers.  There were a couple of exceptions to this such as Peter Helck (born in 1893) & Walter Gotschke (born in 1912) who were products of the birth of the automobile and its exciting freshness.  And, a few automotive designers who were looking for a way to break away from the car companies and start painting for themselves.  Many of these fine artists became the bulk of what was to become the Automotive Fine Arts Society who solidified and legitimized this important movement.

In the late seventies or very early eighties Charlie Schalebaum (who was a New York Agent) saw one of my ads showing some of my automotive sculptures that I had put in a national magazine.  He called and asked to represent me; which started a 40 year relationship as my agent. Ten years earlier Joy & I had lived in New York City where Joy was modeling for Francis Gill Agency.  Too bad I hadn’t met Charlie then while in New York.  Maybe Automotive Art would have been launched ten or so years earlier. I owe so very much to Charlie as he had an established world-wide clientele which helped me immeasurably.

What are you currently working on?

I am working on several projects. Automotive Art: “Horse Play” (early automotive toys) on the automotive design I am continuing with the Wanlass Windshield (1932 Ford Roadster), (1934 Ford Roadster), I am currently in the planning stages of a 40 foot "SEAFARERS MEMORIAL" that will be placed at the confluence of the Pacific Ocean and the Columbia River near the tip of the Astoria, Oregon Peninsula:  www.seafarersmemorial.com  simply click and scroll down for photos and information.

Seafarers Memorial by Stanley Wanlass

Seafarers Memorial by Stanley Wanlass

The City of Astoria and the Port of Astoria, plus the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are working in concert to make this monument a reality.  They are currently in the planning stages of building an island with pilings and structures to hold the finished memorial.  The Riverfront Trolley will have a 'trolley stop' at the walkway (land-bridge) leading to the island and monument which is adjacent to the West-end Mooring Basin Marina and the docks where the Corps of Engineers dredge the shipping channel.  The channel allows all incoming and outgoing ships (the maritime commerce of the world) to come within a few yards of the monument; including huge cruise ships from various parts of the world which dock within a few feet of the memorial.

What is your advice for people who want to become an automotive artist?

I would ask, “Where were you when I needed you back when I was trying to put together a market for Automotive Art.” I had to recruit my artist friends and convert them to automotive art (just to make a market). Then, not too much time passed until the Automotive Fine Arts Society (AFAS) got started; which really helped to legitimize the Automotive Art scene. Unfortunately, for a while it seemed as though we had been too successful in recruiting and it attracted some mediocre talent.  But the market soon separated the serious and talented from the opportunist.  There is however, always a prominent place for genius when it comes to the ever changing face and excitement of new innovations and different avenues of artistic statements.

Another suggestion to the prospective Automotive Artist:  Your second thousand drawings, paintings or sculpture will be better than the first thousand.  And, to always being sensitive, observant and aware.  Michelangelo said, “Some people are nothing more than passages for food; producers of excretions”.

I would say to any artist: Plan, Simplify & Be Strong!  Simplicity is Power. Our dignity lies not in who we are or what we do, but in what we understand. Understanding usually only comes in retrospect.  An artist asks the world questions and the world replies, “I hear you and I answer that I cannot answer; you must find out for yourself.”  Then as the artist creatively expresses understanding, the resulting message becomes art.

Dream Machines by Stanley Wanlass

It is unfortunate that all too frequently the most gifted never do much to develop their talents to excellence.  It comes too easily, so they just slide along, unconcerned.  It is the B student that tries and works unceasingly harder that ultimately become the creative heroes of this world.  Monet said, “Things that come too easily disgust me”.  Hemingway said of F. Scott Fitzgerald, “His talent was as natural as the pattern that was made by the dust on a butterfly’s wings.  At one time he understood it no more than the butterfly did and he did not know when it was brushed or marred.  Later he became conscious of his damaged wings and of their construction and he learned to think and could not fly anymore because the love of flight was gone and he could only remember when it had been effortless. So, not all great artists are strong & sure of themselves.  How do you judge the most fragile among us?  It is the finest blades that are most easily blunted, bent or broken.  Some artists are too fragile & vulnerable to be judged openly.

Eagles don’t chase butterflies.  Follow your Bliss

Do you have any advice for people who want to buy automotive art or start a car art collection?

Yes, give me a call! [laughs]. Collect only what speaks to you spiritually, it must feed your soul.  Don’t buy for investment, you may own it for a long time.

If thou of fortune be bereft, and in thy store there be but left two loaves, sell one, and with the dole, buy hyacinths to feed thy soul. John Greenleaf Whittier.

To see more of Stanley Wanlass's work, please visit his website.

The post Stanley Wanlass Automotive Vision of Beauty appeared first on CarArtSpot.

Hendrik, I am calling you in your studio, what are you working on?

I am doing a commission for a young man right now. His grandfather owned a Ferrari 212 in the fifities and I’m painting that car with his grandfather behind the wheel. I have to work of some old black and white photos which makes it a difficult task.

"MASERATI" by Automotive Artist Hendrik Mueller

When you are not doing a commission, how do you pick freestyle work?

Well when I see a car that I really like, I make sure I take a lot of photographs and get all the details and pick out a certain angle. Most times I see the idea already in my mind of how to paint that car.

I usually take only a small part of the car and paint that. The rest of the car is already on your brain.

"Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS, 1942" by Automotive Artist Hendrik Mueller

For the Alfa you painted the back side of the car.

Yes, the front is so different from the back side, which is so wonderful. By focusing on only a part of the car, I want to express the beauty of the whole car without showing everything. This is enough.

"The cat's eyes" Jaguar Lightweight by Hendrik Mueller

Like what you did with the E-type…

Yes, it’s enough.

What do you want to express in your paintings Hendrik?

It’s a kind of love of this car. A tribute to the car. I start with a sketch of the car. New cars are easier to paint because they don’t have so many details. They have a clean surface while older cars have more details on the outside. I want the full focus to be on the car itself. So I decide what to focus on, so I don’t give people a chance to focus on something else.

You did something similar with the Volkswagen  Beetle.

Yes, the colours of that car and the shape are not so interesting. I therefore added the lady and the shadow of the trees. The car is not complete, the lady is not complete which makes you become a part of the painting. Your mind has to come up with the rest.

"Zwei flotte Käfer" by Automotive Artist Hendrik Mueller

Humour is important to you. You like a good laugh and I noticed that you painted this cup of coffee on the expensive Ferrari Dino.

You are right, some people replied “it’s not allowed to put a cup of coffee on this car”. But that is why I did it. Well, actually I did not, I only painted it. You see, I had painted the car but something was missing to excite it and I decided to add the coffee.

Ferrari Dino by Automotive Artist Hendrik Mueller

Another example is the big steam train.

Yes, that has the title “the best way to empty a toothpaste tube”. When men look at this painting, they start discussing the technical details. But mostly women and children see the tube.

"Resita & Ajona" by Automotive Artist Hendrik Mueller

What does studio look like?

Well I am very lucky to have this large studio It's 200 square meters and it's where I also keep my 1932 Renault. I just enjoy being here on my own, working on my paintings while listening to some good Jazz music.

I’m here all day, go home to have dinner with my lovely girlfriend and then I go back for some more painting. Sometimes until 10 p.m.

What can we expect from you?

I have many ideas and sketches for paintings and I enjoy painting every day, so you will see much more work of me hopefully.

For more of Hendrik Muellers work, please go to his website

Hendrik Mueller

The post Hendrik Mueller Automotive Beauties appeared first on CarArtSpot.

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

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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.

The post Olivier Gamiette Automotive Designer to Watch appeared first on CarArtSpot.

At the Retromobile in Paris recently, we saw the unique and artistic work by Amaury Dubois for the first time. His photographic modifications of cars are dynamic and intriguing! Of course, CarArtSpot wanted to know more.

Amaury Dubois - Artist & Photographer

Was your recent exposition at Retromobile in Paris successful for you Amaury?

It was a really good introduction and a surprising success for my new work.  There was a lot more interest than I had expected and I think I was successful in bringing my vision of photography from a different aspect, over to the public.

La Ferrari by Amaury Dubois

How long have you been doing cars?

I have been an artist for 14 years. My first work was with paintings but I studied photography in Belgium. I did photography at the weekends but my real work was paintings. It took about eight years before I figured out my own style in photography and I thought it was time to show my work.

You have been successful with both photography and your paintings.

In the past I have been more successful with my paintings but the last years there has been a lot of interest in my photographic work. I am self-taught and the difference you see in my photographical work comes from my painting style. I take photos in the same way as I paint.

So you use the same technique and principle for both?

Yes. I plan my photo’s in the same way as I would plan a painting. I look for the eye-line and at the anatomy of the objects in the photo.

Ferrari 250 GTE by Amaury Dubois

Looking at your Ferrari 250GTE which also provides a view inside the car, kind of showing all the elements. Is that what you mean by the anatomy?

No, my style is like a guide for your eyes.  It’s a way of looking at it which draws out your own idea of what you think about it. It is more about someone’s’ own dream or vision of a car, instead of just a photo of the car.

So what is your dream of the car? Is it the feeling of the powerful engine and sitting inside and driving this wonderful car?

Yes.  It’s not a static photo. It’s about the speed of the car.

You keep each element in place but also very detailed. You don’t blur it. It is in focus.

I keep all the elements and the line of the car and at first glance, you only see a car. But when you look at the photo more carefully, your brain starts working and you see that there is something different with the photo. You see the front, the back, the engine and all the parts of the car but what is this car? It makes someone think.

Aston DBS 2 by Amaury Dubois

Interior Design by Amaury Dubois

Do you start with a sketch before you start working with the photo?

Yes and I start doing the photos based on my sketch. So I know exactly which photos I need to take, it’s like a shopping list.

Do all the different images come from your database?

No. I have to find car collectors. Sometimes I phone them and other times it goes via word and mouth but the car collectors want to first see my work and meet with me in person before taking me to their collection. Some collectors have very expensive cars stored in very secretive places. It’s very interesting. They like the style of my work and this is why they want to work with me. It’s not just a usual photo of a car. It’s a very different style.

How do you produce your graphical work featured on your new website? Do you use real paints or keep it digital?

I start with a real painting, then take a photo of that painting and then I work with it on the computer.

Painting by Amaury Dubois

Looking at your gallery, I see most of your work has a black background and not yet all these graphical designs. Where are you going with this?

It is still in the experimental stage at the moment. I am not really sure. Maybe it will re-appear in a few years. For the moment, I prefer a black background.  But I always try something different and this is part of my research.

The audience only gets to see the tip of the Iceberg

Before I go to take the photos of the car, I make lots of sketches in preparation of how I want to photograph the car and from which angles. I am a painter and so I work like a painter. I am not like other photographers. It’s more my brain and spirit that do the photo’s which lead to my creations.

I think that is why you are reaching so many new people. Your work goes much further and deeper than other digital photographers.

Like an architect, I need a map and plan.

Corvette C1 by Amaury Dubois

Porsche 918 Spyder by Amaury Dubois

What is your dream for the coming years?

When I see a new car, there’s a new dream. I am going to Singapore soon for an exposition of my paintings.

As an artist you are very diverse, you do paintings, photos but there are also some sculptures

Yes, but for the moment it is only a stage. I am working on it but it’s not ready.

So you have a lot of ideas which still need to be created.

Yes, my brain is full of ideas.

Interior Design by Amaury Dubois

To see more of Amaury Dubois’s work, please visit his website: http://www.amaury-dubois.com/fr/

For his automotive art he recently launched a new website at http://www.art-photo-car.com/en/

The post Amaury Dubois Gives Cars A New Dimension appeared first on CarArtSpot.

CarArtSpot recently visited the Retromobile in Paris. Amongst the automotive artists exhibiting their work, was Unique & Limited which stood out for their large photo print of a Bugatti pit stop taken from above. An intriguing photo, since photos from that angle are only taken nowadays at F1 races and were not technically possible 50 years ago in the Bugatti era.

Bugatti T35 by Unique & Limited

Unique & Limited work is very different from other automotive artists at Retromobile. How was your work received?

It was a mix. Some people really liked it and the fact that it is something new on the market, which always helps revive the art industry. But some people struggle with which category to place it in.

Digital art in itself has been under some dispute by some groups such as AFAS. Is this something you encounter?

Well we actually tried to contact AFAS to become a member but they replied to say that they are kind of old fashioned and only really want to have artists in the same category. I think we will get there oneday but it may take some time.

Is Unique & Limited the first in the type of art which you are creating?

Yes, so far we have only come across two or three artists who do something similar. Digital art is quite broad and there are lots of rendered images which are displayed but none like ours.

What is the mission of Unique & Limited?

Basically we want to travel back in time and give history a way of looking at it in a way it deserves to be remembered. Usually historical moments (especially from the 30’s) are all black and white and quite grainy. The stories behind them are just as interesting as the races of today and we want to capture those moments and give them the quality and respect they deserve.

Silver Arrows by Unique & Limited

But why is that important? There are lots books with grainy photo’s which have some charm already?

Of course but a car like, say the Ferrari 250 GTO is one of the most expensive cars these days and many people value this kind of car and its’ history. There are only 39 of them, so they are limited, special and very beautiful in their own way. We want to make sure they get the attention they already have but improve it and make it as beautiful as it can be.

Ferrari 250 GTO Collection by Unique & Limited

Do you consider those cars to be art in itself?

Yes. The thing is the cars themselves require the main work. We build them exactly the way they were with all their dents and dirt and scratches. You basically cannot see them in that kind of condition anymore today because all the cars have been restored and polished to perfection, shiny and almost brand new looking, even though they are not. I always like to compare them to people because we try to fake our scars and marks even though there is no way you can look like 20 if you are 50. It doesn’t work that way. The great thing about this technology is that you dan basically do anything with it. Especially looking at these historical moments from a different perspective. That’s also what we try to do. Every image you see is sort of captured in a way that was technically not possible back then. People see our images and look at them for about ten minutes and can’t work out why they look like a photograph when it is physically not possible to be a photograph.

Like the Bugatti T35 which is my favourite.

Yes and that’s a great example because although we know that we have this view today in the Formula 1 races when they stop at the pit stops, back then it wasn’t possible. It’s the same for our work on the Silver Arrows where you are basically standing on the road and you have the cars coming at you. If you were the photographer, it would have been your last picture. It’s that kind of look that makes you feel like you are drawn into the scene because you become a part of it.

Burn and Crash by Unique & Limited

Unique & Limited tells a full story with just one photo and you do a perfect job in your marketing activities. I was surprised to see that you are creating a whole storyboard for your art.

Yes. It’s necessary and you can actually compare it to a movie production because you have to have a certain concept before you can actually start the work, due to the scale we work from. It’s a lot of work. We have to get all the details right. Everything of the car needs to be modelled in 3D and that takes a lot of work. For example the Bugatti which was modelled from the top; we had to make sure that everything was perfect from the top but if you were to rotate the camera and maybe look from the underneath, the car wouldn’t look the same. This is because we know you wouldn’t see it from that angle and so didn’t spend much time on modelling it. This is why you need to have a concept first, so that you know exactly which parts of the car need to be modelled. And it’s the same for the photoshoots. You have to know where the car is and what the people are going to be doing in order to actually do the photoshoot. We use Hollywood backgrounds aswell.  We worked for Lucas Film. So we know what the standards are there and it’s pretty much the same production work. You have to have everything set up and know how many people you need to hire and give them instructions as to what they need to do. You need to guide them.

So it is actually like doing a movie shoot because everything has to match; the fashion, the clothing, the tools etc.

Yes and we are actually quite fortunate to have good connections to the ‘The Hollywood of the East’, a big movie studio which has this huge department of period costumes and props that we can rent. 

A Dampened Victory by Unique & Limited

How do you pick the topics?

It depends. We always try to have some kind of theme such as upcoming anniversaries. Last year we did the Battle of Britain. Some sort of event which we can contribute something to. People approach us and ask if we are going to do a theme. We have a list of cars which are the most outstanding ones within the classic car industry and a long list of things we can and want to do but it’s always a matter of time and funding.

You are quite unique if you compare yourselves to other artists at Retromobile.

Yes and no. We have to support ourselves because we are still in our start up phase. We only just started working officially as Unique & Limited last year. So compared to other artists, we do the same but the difference is that we are a group of 5 or 6 people.

You picture historical events which need to be as accurate as possible but with your own twist to it.

Exactly. Authenticity and accuracy is key to every image. So we do spend a lot of time making sure we have all the correct details, enough reference images for the car and details for the story and background. It takes a lot of time and work before we can actually start modelling the car. Around a 1000 working hours just to get the modelling done. Other artists maybe work solo painting one image. So there is quite a difference.

Defeat But Not Despair by Unique & Limited

Does it help you to challenge each other? What kind of synergy do you have for each project?

The great thing is that everyone in our team has their own specialty. We all bring in something that each of us is really good at. It all comes together and we couldn’t do our work without each other.

What is the definition of art in the view of Unique & Limited?

Well I don’t think that art can be defined. There are so many different types of art and I don’t think you can really put a label on it. We struggle with that because so many people call our work photography, which it is not. Then they call it a painting, which it is not. There is no label for it. We always say it is a mix of photography and computer generated imagery or 3D artwork.

I try to define artwork by the emotion and feeling it conveys to the viewer. Your image of the Bugatti and the setting definitely does that.

Thank you. That’s the great thing about this technology, you can use it for everything.  Although we don’t just want to make car art, cars are a passion and there is a lot of passion behind our work. We don’t just do it to earn money. There is a lot of work involved and you have to enjoy it. We do and we also have a very broad vision.

Have you considered taking a Bugatti or a Ferrari and creating something of a more fantasy setting?

We have been approached about this and people would love to see the more newer cars in such a setting or in a nice environment. We think there is no point in doing this because you can actually take the car and put it in a nice environment and take a photo of it. We wouldn’t say no to a more fantasy setting but it should be a project which someone wants to do and where we have support.  There are people who know everything about cars and drivers and can tell us very interesting stories.  I’ve had so many customers come up during exhibitions and look at our work and tell us really interesting stories about the cars and its’ history.

Let It Rain by Unique & Limited

What is the dream of Unique & Limited.

One of our specialities is creating unique moments. Specific moments which happened back in history when no-one really knows what happened, or there are not many images to show the facts. We want to use our technology to change this and show what happened. It could be anything. Maybe it’s the starting of a big company moment or a beloved family member who did something heroic back in the days and they want to capture that moment in an art way. Kings and Queens have always had paintings of themselves. It’s even possible to recreate faces and use the technology to put it into a scene. There are great possibilities.

While you are capturing one specific moment, have you ever considered making short movies?

We do have ideas that we are playing around with but it’s different kind of work. Right now it’s only an idea which may materialize in the future. We don’t rule anything out.

So there are no limits to Unique & Limited?

Exactly. We were actually thinking at some point to change our name to Unique Unlimited. Our ideas are unlimited but the work we do is limited to limited editions.

To see more work by Unique & Limited, please visit their website: http://www.unique-limited.com/services/

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Benoit de Clercq

Today cars are convenient consumer goods to get us from A to B, mainly designed by marketing offices and rapidly becoming banned from large cities for pollution objects. As a young boy, born in the fifties, cars were a constant stirring of admiration symbolizing freedom, adventure, speed, pleasure, oil smells and beautiful body lines.

I fell in love with automobiles in my fourth year when I received a small French racing blue Talbot-Lago Grand Prix toy model for a Christmas present and when my father drove me in his new and futuristic DS Citroen. I knew then that cars would be one of my life’s passions.

Coupé noir by Benoit de Clercq

Although my parents offered me the best studies to become a diplomat or such other important person, I chose to become a mechanic. After my studies, I soon opened a motorcyle workshop in an old barn in the country. I tuned motorcyles for racing and reached an international level, building bikes for races such as the 24 hour Bol d’Or race in Le Mans. My racing modifications became more and more technical and drove me to learn the foundry practice, to be able to produce my own engine crankcases.

Oneday, I brought my foundry pattern of a technical item to an Italian industrial foundry. It was sculptured in wood as was then the practice. The foundry owner told me “with the care and attention you pay to detail and with such a finish, you should make art sculptures instead of mechanical parts”. I took his advice and to this day, my creations are a mix of art and technology. Although I didn’t study art, I have spent most of my life in Paris surrounded by wonderful monuments and museums and my background also helped mould my passion. My grandmother, who admired Pablo Picasso, helped me to open up my mind to modern art and my mechanic teacher at school had given me the basic knowledge to work on metals, using files and proper tools and many handcraft secrets.

My experience has been built upon many years of mutiple trials, success and errors, meeting other artists and foundry men, my curiosity and observations of museums and exhibitions such as Brancusi’s work in Centre Pompidou and reading many books.

DS green by Benoit de Clercq

I in no way wanted to stay confined in one box. Only to be a sculptor, an artist or a mechanic. I admire the 15^th and 16^th century when a man such as Leonardo da Vinci could be an engineer AND a painter!

After different occupations in motorcycles, planes and cars, I became a manager of Carrosserie Lecoq in the 80’s. It was then a famous coachwork company, founded in the 60’s and the first in France to be involved in very high level classic car restorations. There I had the fortune to work on the most fabulous cars of automobile history. Our customers were the most important collectors and museums in Europe and we had the opportunity to rebuild cars such as one of the three Bugatti Atlantic and the invaluable Bugatti Royale Esders Roadster. True sculptures! At that time, I also realized one of my dreams; building my own sportscar. A narrow bridge has always existed in my studio between creating sophisticated machines, real cars, different scale models and pure sculpture.

BRG roadster by Benoit de Clercq

My first sculptures were bought by private collectors. I was displaying them at classical motor shows and events, then permanently in art galleries in Paris, such as Galerie Vitesse and Galerie Marina de Bourbon on the Champs Elysees. For years my work has been represented in many car publications and national newspapers and magazines. Major companies and international organizations began to order my sculptures and trophies and I was very proud to make them for the FIA (Federation International Automobile) World Championships and Formula One Grand Prix. Watching Michael Schumacher brandish my work with joy at the end of his races filled me with pride and pleasure. Equally so for my more modest trophies for historical races and rallies which are always connected to happy moments. Giving happiness is the most pleasant reward for an artist.

During the years, some of my pieces have appeared in auction sales in prestigious places such as Christie’s in London, Artcurial in Paris, the Ferraris Museum in Maranello and the British National Motor Museum in Beaulieu. The arrival of internet, opened horizons worldwide and allowed me to offer my work and share my passion and emotions with collectors ordering from the USA, Australia, Russia, Asia, New Zealand and many other countries.

I like to present my studio as a ‘Dream Factory’. Some people are able to resolve very complicated mathematical equations, while others are very efficient businessmen or have talents which I do not possess. Differences and sharing give wealth to humanity. With my hands and my experience, I have the luck to help people realize their dreams. I am open to many projects and my curiosity and passion extend to automotives and the transportation world but also to other fields such as architecture and furniture. Whichever the field, I work with the same style, streamlined lines and a mix of artistic and mechanic past infuences which have driven me. It is of course, extremely interesting to create a real car from start to finish but pure sculpture has a special place in my activities. When you study and build a car, you have to adhere to many regulations which disturbs your creative freedom. With a pure sculpture, you are totally free.

P38 Aero by Benoit de Clercq

Some of my car sculptures are inspired by my own dreams. I call them simply ‘car studies’ or ‘mobile sculptures’ and they remain in that stage until I eventually find the opportunity to build them in full size. I would really love to drive my latest sculpture (the P38 Aero) in daily traffic. I just imagine the car; something of a plane with its’ narrow wheels and polished raw aluminium body with no plastics, as few electronics as possible, not by nostalgia but to try to give it a soul. If you compare a basic electronic watch costing around 30 or 40 euro to a mechanical luxury piece such as a Jaeger-Lecoultre costing a thousand times more, you will find that both give the exact time but the mechanical one is a wonderful craftsmanship masterpiecce, reflecting passion and human nature. Its’ mechanism may remind you of planets orbiting in the solar system. It has a real life which seems to go on forever.

In my studio, I look at my sculptures and dream and take pleasure in thinking about all the collectors worldwide who are sharing my dream.

Coupé noir by Benoit de Clercq

Black coupe by Benoit de Clercq

Other sculptures, such as my recent work on the XK Jaguar from the fifties, pay tribute to past masterpieces. My aim is to ‘distill’ the rough model and keep only the pure essence of the car and reflect the very first sketch done by the original designer on a simple sheet of paper. To do this, I try to become absorbed in the atmosphere of that period. Like an actor playing in a period movie. Reading or watching movies help, as does listening to the right music. Jazz, blues and rock were perfect to work on these Jaguar sculptures. I use only the traditional sculpture techniques. To obtain a bronze, aluminium or even modern resin sculpture, I need first to create a shape from wood, plaster, clay or any soft material. I obtain this first model, called ‘master’ by adding or removing matter. I may also work the same way as old wooden boat hulls are made; doing a shape with frame and rib bands covered by a thin skin and then shaping for hours before doing a mould. By using these old techniques which Romans and Greeks used thousands of years ago, you really feel the matter under your fingers and can work and refine curves until you reach your dreams. The result always has something very human, maybe by its’ imperfections which you never find in a ‘too perfect’ computerized creation.

Make Light Not War by Benoit de Clercq

By circumstance, some sculptures inspired from the automotive or aeroplane world may be serious. Such as ‘Make Light, Not War’; my contribution to remind us of the essential role of art. That is ‘enlightenment wins over obscurantism’. A concept art piece made from a missile, metamorphosed in a lamp. Serious for sure but colourful and optimistic.

To see more of Benoit de Clercq's work, please visit his website.

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Paul White Automotive Art - Yellow on black (Firebird) stack

Paul, do you consider yourself an Automotive Artist or a general artist?

I guess I am not an Automotive artist in general but I have always been into cars. Growing up with the car culture in the suburbs of Sydney, my Dad and family always had cars and I have always liked Australian Muscle cars. General Motors particularly. I’ve had a few Muscle cars and still have a 1974 Holden Torana SL/R 5000. It’s kind of like the Australian version of the Camaro. It’s bright green with black stripes. A real Muscle car.

Do you do all the mechanics on the car yourself?

Yes I like to do a bit but don’t have much time these days.

Your drawings show a lot of technical details of the cars and always a kind of deterioration. Can you share what is behind that?

Well I grew up with old cars and I used to go with my Dad to wrecking yards to get parts for them. This is almost 30 years ago and if you needed a part for your car, you’d have to go to the wrecking yard and explore there for the parts you needed. Maybe that’s where it began. Thinking back to that, the decay, obsolescence and the way old things pass away with time and new things are created. It has to do with the whole idea of the history which you see in those wrecking yards.

Paul White Automotive Art - Leftovers (sandwiched)

Do you visit those yards and take photo’s for inspiration? How does that process work?

I lived for a while in Los Angeles and I think a lot of my ideas about decay came from there. It’s such a big metropolis and is kind of in decay itself. I’ve been back a few times just to take photo’s and visit wrecking yards, where you see lots of older cars.

Your work is always about vehicles like old trucks, trailers and some campers etc. But there are never people involved. Why is that?

Well maybe that’s inspired by all the end of the world movies I’ve watched. Where there is nothing left in the world except the remnants of things falling apart which were once used and necessary for us to get around. I like the quietness you get from looking at those objects.

Is that a message you want to convey with your art? The deterioration and uselessness of how the cars become?

Yeah, because there is a kind of beauty in that as well. In looking at those things which are so neglected and abandoned. I try to make them beautiful and really nice to look at. I guess there is also a message in there about our culture and the state of our world.

Paul White Automotive Art - White knight end of night (Firebird) looking forward to

Paul White Automotive Art

You have done the Firebird on your homepage at least twice from different angles.

Yeah, I’ve done a few angles of that one. I guess there is also a personal connection with some cars because they are automotives which I desired as a kid, or saw in movies. I’m sure I drew pictures of them back then too. By presenting them in that run down state, it’s like time has passed and that is all behind me. But there are particular cars like that, that I have an interest in anyway.

Your style is always pencil on paper.

Yes I always use pencil on paper. I’ve probably been working in that way for about 14 years. Before that I made different artwork when I went to Art School.

How did you develop your style? Do you see some evolution in your work Paul?

I hadn’t drawn since a kid really and wanted to go back and teach myself. It was a personal challenge and I progressed further and further. I like the idea of seeing how far I can go with such a simple medium like pencil and paper.

Paul White Automotive Art - Dodgetown hazard meeting

You have a definite Paul White signature. Is it difficult to maintain that?

I guess it’s a logical progression and one thing leads to the next and it makes sense.

How would you describe your own signature style?

I don’t know. They are highly detailed colour pencil drawings but I guess what sets my signature style is how I present them. With a lot of white space around the image to give you more focus without any distraction.

You have a very consistent palette in the colours you use.

Yes, I guess I like the muted colours and with pencils you are a bit limited. It’s not like mixing with paints.

Paul White Automotive Art - Yin and yang (Camaro)

You use a lot of  Graffiti in your artwork. Is that already on the subject in the scrapyard or do you come up with that yourself?

I think it’s probably there a lot in real life. Like when you go to a big wrecking yard with 4000 cars or so. There’s quite a lot of graffiti with all those cars going to waste. It’s also maybe the intensity of my drawings which bring it out as well because they are quite detailed and that also elevates the sense of gravity. 

Do you have a bucket list of things you feel you really need to do?

I would like to look at using paints as another challenge for myself.

Don’t you have the feeling that it’s tricky to change and tend to want to stick with what works?

Yes, it is tricky when you become known for doing a certain thing. You feel as if you should stay consistent but it’s nice not to get stuck in doing the same thing as well. It’s also good to keep it interesting for yourself and for your audience and to try different things and evolve in different directions.

Do you speak to other artists for inspiration and feedback?

I have a lot of friends who are artists and I guess we inspire each other by seeing what the other does.

Who is your main inspiration at the moment as an artist?

Oh, there are too many. Lots of famous painters and a lot of my friends who are doing really great work. It’s inspiring to be a part of that community.

Paul White Automotive Art - Leftover chop shop second coming

Do you have contact with other artists who paint cars?

I’m probably alone in my group of friends for doing car art. Although we all grew up with Muscles cars and all appreciate cars. I know of another artist who is doing car elements in a very conceptional way but it’s not really about the car itself. His name is Aaron Martin .

What do you think triggers buyers to purchase and collect your art Paul?

Sometimes they are car people. Like the guy who bought the Firebird. He had a Firebird himself. Other people may not particularly be into cars but appreciate the image as an artwork.

How do you promote your work? I notice you have lots of awards and prizes.

Art prizes are always a great way to promote your work. They give you some kind of validation and often the judges are good people to have view your work. I have a couple of galleries who represent and promote my work but more people probably see my work via social media.

Paul White Automotive Art - Evolutionary extinction (commodore heights)

What kind of advice can you give to struggling artists just starting?

I guess you just have to follow your passion. If you have the drive to do it, just keep going and it will find an audience one way or another. Social networks are great to promote yourself and spread the images you make. It’s probably as good a way as galleries ever were. It’s a tough road being an artist and even artists doing extremely well can fall out of flavour. Those who are dedicated, just keep at it and don’t know any better.

What can we expect in the coming months Paul? Any new challenges?

Well, although cars will always play a role in my work, I am starting to think more about natural elements like botanical work, landscapes and more elements of nature compared to the mechanical. Or maybe a combination of the two. But I am known for my cars, so I will keep the consistency as well.

To see more of Paul Whites work, please visit his website

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See also Paul White Time-Lapse of a Drawing

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