From Photo to a Watercolor Painting -It’s Car art
Hot Rod Art
It started as an email to MyRideisMe.com to see if I would grant permission for an artist to use a photo he found. Thanks to artists Paul And Kimberly Buford for doing the right thing! Turns out, it wasn’t my photo, it was taken at Viva Las Vegas by Paul “Swanee” Swanson. Turns out, this is a popular photo:
Cars like this Chevy fit right in at Viva and original “Patina” has never been more popular. So I asked Paul some questions about his artwork. Keep in mind, about all I know about artwork and painting is what I like…
Why watercolors? – I’ve worked in several different media, and always come back to watercolors. The idea that you are staining the paper is what I love, and the way the colors mix together either in the palette or on the paper.
Why this image (and others similar)? – I have always been drawn to decayed or decaying items (whether it be old buildings, collapsed barns, or abandoned/aged cars). The more I studied them and thought about what it was I got from them the more I realized that it isn’t the image at all… it’s the history of the image. At some point all these items were new, someone took pride in building them, events happened in and around them as they aged. Dents, rust, rot, algae, etc, are beautiful representations of just this, they are visual characteristics that there is indeed a story there. However, you may never know the story, and that lets your imagination go wild! What “could have” happened here? Things like that… THEN, I came across rat rods and what most would consider “unfinished street rods”! This was pure controlled chaos! They are like someone is able to harness all this decay into functional art.
Kinds of cars I like? – Rat Rods, no doubt. It literally takes a genius to pull off a rat rod. Also, as mentioned above, the “unfinished” street rods… they are a testament to people who have enough control over themselves to resist the shiny new $5000 show quality paint job and maintain the visual “history” of the vehicle. I’m not discounting the other types of vehicles, I pretty much like them all, these are the ones that speak to me most. Oh, and motorcycles… fast, minimal, loud, NOT stock… can’t forget those!
Thanks Paul! Hopefully you’ll find a picture of mine you like some time… good thing I’ll be at Viva Las Vegas again this year! You can reach Paul and Kimberly Buford at their website: BreakNECK Watercolors
Turns out, this has been a popular picture to reproduce. Swanee out-did himself with this one!
To find out more about this image and the artist, go to his Deviant Art Page for Tony 231
We’d love to hear your comments and if you’re doing anything similar, let me know! Maybe we can do a story on you too!
For one of the best hot rod art stories at MyRideisMe.com, check out Tom Fritz’s work.
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Another great photo from Swanee! The car reminds me of this ’54 Buick Special I saw last March at the Scottsdale Good Guy Show and maybe even here on MRIM.
Mr. Buford may consider applying his talents to this car:
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/currentcarlist.aspx?aid=403&sd=01/20/2011&ed=01/20/2011
It was for sale at the 2010 GG Show, the guy was asking $14,500 —sold today at
Barrett-Jackson $27,500!!
Also, here’s a link some some incredibly inspiring rusted out beauties —seriously check this out.
http://www.pbase.com/dlgphoto/opc&page=all
Great story pikesan, love the art!
Whoa!! Dan Greenberg has some skills with a camera!! I’m gonna have to get to know this guy…..he has some great shots! Thanks Garrettero!
Paul did a beautiful job with the water colors. And Tony Perez just blew me away with his use of colors, textures and layers, to bad he has passed away.
Garrettero; I have taken many photos of that 54 as-well, before and after it was topless.
here is one of my favorite detail shots.
http://swanee3.deviantart.com/art/Rusty-Ports-112170780
if you want to see what that 54 Buick looked like before it was topless, you can check out the previous owners garage here on MyRideIsMe.
http://www.myrideisme.com/Garage/TheOPWK/
What a great car! Thanks.
Awesome artwork, i like them all.
That’s a amazing painting of my 53 chevy!!! I was wondering if you sell you’re work? I would love to buy those painting to go with my car.
Cheers,
Dustin
hey dustin, thanks so much man! i absolutely do sell work, trying to become a full time artist actually….shoot me an email at moc.liamgnull@sngisedkcenkaerb. also, i have a website (in case it isn’t listed in the signature) at http://www.pebarts.com. thanks so much for the compliments everyone!!
Great watercolours. I can see endless photo references in junkyard pieces. They are disappearing fast and we need to preserve these machines in artwork like this. The rat rods lend themselves to paintings, like soiled , hopped-up, beauty queens !
Jameswaterwolf.
moc.LOAnull@YRREPRHD
Can you make a painting of a car from my photo.If you can could you give me an estimated time and possible time line. Thank you Dan Perry
Greetings, here is my watercolor painting of a Rat Rod…I’d like to know what you think?
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/rat-rod-mark-spitz.html