Party with the Arizona Sinners

I only heard it was a “Rat Rod” car show in Phoenix. My roadster’s a rat rod, whatever that means anymore, so I figured I’d fit in. Later I found out the party was hosted by my online friend Cadillac Cowboy (Bob) and his buddies from the Arizona Sinners. Bob’s got a few pics of his nasty Blown 427 Model T in his garage here at MyRideisMe.com.

The Arizona Sinners I’ve met have been easy going and die hard car guys. They build what the drive and they drive’m hard. One sinner at the party, Jerry, introduced me to the HAMB message board way back in 2002. If you want to find Jerry, look for his Hawaiian/Vintage style shirt at just about any swap meet in AZ. He’ll be there carrying a handful of vintage tools and an old gauge or two. He’s one of those guys that’s always there early then stays late to get the deals. I also think he’d drive his old Chevy truck (old cause he likes it that way!) across Arizona uphill both ways to help a friend.

It was cool to meet Bob face to face and check out his new shop. At 11th Ave and Grand, he’s right in the heart of Phoenix’s Art Walk. Building vintage style cars or motorcycles might not be art to everyone, but it is to Bob and his shop’s got room to grow and big plans. We’ll stop back buy when he’s had time to (clean up from the party!) get things organized. The Rockabilly style bands were jamming in what will soon be a custom showcase for finished cars and bikes, pinstriping and pinup art. Stop by yourself and have a look!

Until then, enjoy a few pictures taken by my man Paul Swansen. I think he enjoys sharing alot of pictures at MyRideisMe.com (he’s made several car show picture galleries) cause it makes my photos look like crap. That’s cool with me as long as he keeps sharing! To get a high res copy of any shot shown below, get in touch with Paul from his car show garage that’s stuffed with his original photos.

If this is your car, feel free to Join us here… and leave a comment!. Of course sarcastic or intentionally humorous and light hearted comments are strictly prohibited. (so don’t even try it)

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Scott Fisk, Car artist and Car-tooner

The artists and illustrators I’ve featured on MyRideisMe.com all are super talented and I could easily recommend them. In talking and getting to know them, I’m seeing a trend in the people that make art, especially car art, their living. In talking with Scott Fisk from Studio 669 and CAR-TOONER.com, I’ve found some of the same important features I see in Brian Stupski from Problemchildkustoms.com and from Jimmy Smith from Jimmyshotroddesign.com and it’s my suggestion you look for these 2 qualities in your next artist:

A true passion for all things cars.

A unique style they’re proud to use.

I think you’ll hear these qualities loud and clear after reading my talk with Scott Fisk.

Scott gave me his regular bio for starters. Like many other car artist, he’s been drawing his whole life finding inspiration from rod magazines and one of his instructors while getting his Fine Art degree in Signage and Graphic design in Boston. Struggling through college, Scott recalls drawing for drinks on cocktails napkins. He says, “I was good for about 3 drawings, then the quality started to go down hill, but the people loved it… so hey, way cool!” What great artist doesn’t know pain like that?

From their, I ask Scott a few questions and here’s what he said.

How do you choose the cars you draw?
….sometimes I pull them right out of a magazine..seriously..yet sometimes I just want to draw a particular “specimen” so I’ll google some pics for reference and go from there, but I always put my own spin on them… Once I had an editor call me and tell me that he had 2 features in an upcoming issue: a shoebox and a willys prostreet… Would I be able to get the artwork together in time to go along with the actual pics of the cars for that issue? What kind of time do i have?” I asked. “4 days” was his response. I got 2 ref pics of each to go by, that was it, and the end result was Feb. 08 issue of Rodder’s Digest with the illustration called “Shoebox-Willy”. The editor was tickled! He never had an artist smash something out in 4 days.. no egos here, get it DONE..page time is page time.

What was your first car?
…my first car was a TRUCK and it was GORGEOUS!.. this bad boy was a 1969 Chevy C/10 p/u.. 6 foot step side… 3 “on the tree” had a bad ass 8-track deck with 1 working speaker… wool blanket for a seat cover (that was before Mexican blankets became all the rage) it’s power plant was a mighty 292… I could pop the hood, sit on the inside of the fender well and change the plugs with ease (it was always fouling them out)… could work up a mighty sweat doing a 3 point turnaround since there was no power steering..thank god the steering wheel was 18″ around.
What do I drive now?..have a small handful… my daily is a dub (I’m a dubber to the core) also have a 90 fox wagon, have had it for the past 10 years, already gave it to my son (he’s 9)..should be a killer 25 year old ride by the time he’s behind the wheel…my last is the “ruby lounge” which is a work in progress..it’s a 1964 Olds dynamic 88…330 rocket, 2 barrel carb..Mexican blanket seat covers..YA BABY!

You said drawing “car-toons” so much fun, why?
Car-toons first bit me with the magazine, but the first artist that REALLY bit me was Lance Sorchick..this kat has some killer flow..lines always dynamic always deliberate..always “zooming”..like his stuff, but won’t copy his flow, dig?…I have done piles of “formal” renderings like the kind you find with Chip Foose..but it ain’t often that your average guy off the street can afford a 1500 plus rendering. So I do this dress down “fun” style where real people can afford ORIGINAL art..not a poster, not a likeness..but the REAL DEAL. This “car-toon” style allows me to do just that..I want to be the guy that draws for real people..there are no egos here, egos get left at the door in “my house”..if you have an ego that needs feeding?, I may not be the artist you’re looking for, but not just “car-toons” flow out of my studio. I also have my fingers inside of 5 different kulture clothing lines, my own 669 line of shirts as well as piles of tattoo flash..ya, you heard right…tattoo flash..ever want a 1-off tattoo just for you?..hit me up or even find my compilations @ kingpin tattoo. 3 artist flash books out as well through kingpin and poster bomb. I have also had the pleasure of working with Hasbro toys, Gennie shifter/Streamline Hot Rods and the U. S. gov’t (which is all classified, sorry) doing conceptual artwork for their applications. so nope, not just “car-toons”…

If you weren’t an artist what would you be?
Don’t even ask that question… I was put on this planet to be just this..an artist..was never about the money, that doesn’t drive me in the least..just need what I need to live.. and have fun along the way. take away my pencils, you may as well stick me in the looney bin. most important, it flows from my finger tips..”ol’ skool”..as time goes on there will be 5 gazillion graphic artists and a small handful of “ol’ skoolers”..that’s where I want to be, in the small handful. People search me out for my left handed finger tips, not the adobe generated prints. it’s kept me in pretty good demand for the past 3 years..let’s shoot for another 30, shall we?

With that, I’ll leave you a few select drawings from Car-tooner.com and Scott Fisk. If you ever see him at a show, say hi, you’ll be glad you did. And when you see first hand his passion for cars, maybe he’ll end up sketching for you too.

(all pictures with permission from Scott Fisk)

Artistic Photo Effect Applied to Hot Rods

A person seeing my photography for the first time usually pauses for a moment, gazing, trying to understand just what it is they are looking at. I start to smile, knowing what is coming next. I say, “No…It’s a photograph”. The reply is almost always, “Really, I thought this had been airbrushed or something.”

The beauty of a well-designed automobile, truck, or, motorcycle inspires me to photograph them. I have a true appreciation for all the time and effort needed to bring a vehicle to a prime conditioned state. I see photography as a means of permanently recording that beauty.

When I first began searching the internet for a more artistic type of photography, I came across a series of photographs from Trey Ratcliff at the website: www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms. Trey produces amazing photographs with HDR, a computer generated enhancement tool. To fully understand all the nuances of HDR, check out the website, www.HDR.com.

The HDR technique I use blends several photos together bringing to life the color and texture that is seen, but not recorded by a single photograph. Every reflection, color, and shadow is enhanced to a degree that emulates what the human eye comprehends.

To produce a finished photo, I begin by taking a minimum of three shots of my subject from a tripod, each at a different exposure setting. During bright days, the exposures are set at a full stop apart; and on more overcast days, I work with about a 1/3 stop. (in case you’re like me and needed to know more about “f-stop or what’s a “full stop”, check this wikopeida reference)

These next 3 shots show the three variations of exposures:

(you can click on these photos to see them full size. The change from one to the next is subtle withou studying them.)

Shooting from a tripod insures that the three shots line up when it comes time to merge them together.

Exposure blending takes these three shots and combines all of the highlights and shadows together, improving the overall tonal range of light and dark. The blending is done with the HDR (High Dynamic Range) software. Notice the subtle differences between the 3 shots above and the blended photo shown here:

At this point, it is time to add the final artistic details. This step allows me the freedom to “colorize” the photo. “Colorization” involves utilizing software like Adobe Photoshop to break down a photograph to its individual components and then enhance the colors.

1. First, I address the TONE of the photo by balancing overall lightness and darkness. I want to able to see details in the shadows, but not blast the sky to complete white.

2. Next, I address the COLOR saturation and temperature (the warmth or coolness of the photo) to bring out highlights. For this process I use the “Image Adjustments” feature of Photoshop.

3. Finally, I use the software to clean up small details as some colors may not look right after the other changes have been made, in other words, they may look “fake” or “brassy”. For example, if the grass around the car appears too green, I would tone down the green or yellow. If the chrome is reflecting too much of the sky, I would tone down the blue.

Throughout the colorization process, it helps to visualize what you want in the final photograph.

Every photo has to be treated individually-some photos scream for over-the-top colorization, while others may need all color removed, producing a dramatic effect in black and white.

During a car show, I typically take 300 to 500 shots. I really need to work with all the photos to see just what is going to be usable. Out of all of the blended shots, maybe a 100 or so are run through Photoshop to bring out all the details you see in the finished product. Photos that may have looked promising in the beginning of the process can turn out uninspiring, while shots that didn’t look so good to begin with can really turn out well!

The rewards for taking time to produce something special can really pay off! Car owners never tire of looking at great design. The HDR photo technique I use sets my photos apart from the rest, and keeps car lovers coming back for more. In addition, the personal satisfaction I get from seeing the enjoyment of others drives me to continue to produce my style of photographs.

Alan57

Alan’s Home page:www.alan57.com

Let’s give Alan a warm welcome to MyRideisMe.com. If anyone else would like to share their knowledge of photography or hot rod folklore, please get in touch. Thanks Alan!

More Hot Rod Pics from Car-N-Art.com

I met Keven Carter doing what I do best… surfing the web for the best Hot Rod and bike sites out there. Keven’s been sharing his work at Photobucket where old ladies looking for pics of grandkid and quilting pics browse. I talked him into letting MyRideisMe.com have a few. It’s a cool mix of black and whites and color shots of mostly period correct style hot rods and kustoms with a few pinups mixed in just for fun. Keven shared this brief bio… Ever since I was a young boy I wanted to grow up and own a car with fins. Since the automotive world looks to never go back down that road, I was compelled to look to the past. I have always been fascinated with old cars and vintage design elements, from packaging to advertising. I’m a graduate of The Center for Creative Studies (now College of Creative Studies, CCS) in Detroit, Michigan where I received my bachelors of fine art with a focus in Animation. My creative endeavors aren’t limited to animation, but rather they span from Video installations, Sound Design, Film Production, Music, Photography, Graphic Design, and even Painting. My focus here at Car-N-Art.com is to display my visual arts of what has inspired me as a native Detroiter. My muse can be found in traditional tattoos, vintage Halloween decorations, automobiles of nearly any age. I’m a self confessed junk collector and have often been seen picking through your trash and loading it into my truck.To learn a little more, check out Keven’s Myspace Page. I’ve inserted just a few of my favorites pictures from what Keven sent over. Please make him feel welcome by visiting his home page at Car-N-Art.com. In addition to the pics, he does graphic design and has this print for sale for $25.

The rest of his pics can be seen in the photo gallery (Click here). Dig it! Thanks Keven!

Or, check out all the Pinups here MyRideisMe.com Pinups Models & Hot Rods

Hot Wheels and Nintendo? Dwayne’s Blog

So I’m cruising the Grand National Roadster Show with ProblemChildKustom’s Brian Stupski. He freak’n knows just about everyone, so it doesn’t surprise me when he knows Dwayne. Dwayne’s got a booth at the Grand-daddy show and in the main hall no less. He’s selling these prints like hotcakes: (click to enlarge, it’s worth it!)

I’m pretty sure these are all $10 and available at Dwayne’s Website: FutureElements.net Store

These drawings are enough for a wicked blog, but that’s not what I’m writing about. As I was thumbing through some of Dwayne’s work, I see one of my favorite Hot Wheels, simply named 49 Merc.

I’m impressed. We all played (or still play) with Hot Wheels, so now I’ve met the dude who designed one of my favorites. So I started asking a bunch of questions…

1) How did you first get involved with Hot Wheels (Mattel)
That’s a very interesting story. I was taking a class for 3D using Alias Autostudio while working at Troy Lee Designs and I was learning how to build things in 3D. I got to know a few guys in class and they were all professional working for various companies. I started hanging out with one guy but I never asked what he did. We both had such a passion for cars that we just talked about cars all the time. Then one day he asked me “Do you have any friends that can draw cars well?” He was thinking since I was at Troy Lee Designs that I didn’t know how to draw cars. So I said “ Well I know how to draw cars, why? Then he said “ I am looking for someone to hire because we need help… I am the director of Hot Wheels and we looking for some good guys.” My eyes lit up and I said “I would love to draw cars for Hot Wheels, what do I need to do to apply” So he told me to bring my portfolio to him next time and he’d take a look. I brought my stuff and he basically hired me right there on the spot. I was at Hot Wheels about 3 weeks later and they gave me my first Hot Wheels to design which was the 68 Mustang “Boss Hoss” and the racing Lexus IS. Then I worked on various toy lines and several basic cars.

2) If you were a big hot wheels kid, (who wasn’t?) what was your favorite hot wheel?
Mmmm, good question. Well first I’m going to be biased and pick one of my own designs and that’s “Bully Goat”, What I thought the GTO should have looked like. Just for the record I designed it before the new Camaro ever came out, it has some similar characteristics. But as a kid one of my favorites was probably “Iced-T” I had several of them so if I lost one I had another one. I always wanted to do a remake of that model.

3) What kind of guidance did you get from Hot Wheel/Mattel about the design? Did they want a sled? If so, why do you think they picked you?
Yes I did have some guidance. Hot Wheels wanted several designs done that had different proportions for vehicles. Me and another guy Eric worked on this stuff and he actually drew the proportion with the big front end. So I added my take on it and I drew the 49 Merc to fit those proportions and everyone loved it.

(How cool are the extra hood pinstriping ideas Dwayne laid out?)

4) Anything we don’t know about the car/process that’s cool/unusual/interesting?
Well most of cars are built 3-up. So it is 3 times the size of the original Hot Wheel. I have My “Boss Hoss” and 64 Impala models. They look really cool when they are bigger.

So to wrap up the creative genius that is Dwayne, I had to ask him about this crazy drawing video he did on a what? Nintendo DS? (That’s still kinda freaking me out!)

Dwayne told me: I recently had a friend tell me about a drawing program for a Nintendo DS called “Colors”. The only way you can run it though is by modifying the DS with a Flashcart and a micro flash card. Basically it replaces a game cartridge and allows you to run new software on it. Then you install Colors and use it as a small digital sketchbook. It is really fun to doodle on. It is kind of like having a digital sticky pad with me all the time. It’s funny I draw for a living and I still love to draw in my free time.

So the drawing I did probably took about an hour and a half total. I did it with nothing in front of me I just started doodling and this is how it came out. Here’s a pic of the finished sketch.

Click on the picture of “Dusty Rod” to see the video over at FutureElements.net (it’ll be worth it!)

Too much! I gotta let my son see that so maybe he’ll give Star Wars and Mario Karts a rest!

Dwayne’s got some new stuff coming out soon. He’s making a book for the LA Roadster Show that will feature a lot of my sketches and artwork. I will also give an incite look on how I create a few of my drawings. He’s also got a few new pieces that will be on hand patined metal. Then, check out his website for a step by step process of how I work and get my art on the metal. The store for all of the $10 artwork and the tutorial section just went up.

I hope you enjoyed this blog as much as I enjoyed meeting Dwayne. Look for stories in the future.

Want to have a look around this website? Start here in the MyRideisMe.com“>Killer Garages. Thanks for looking! If you like what you see, please JOIN!

Foose-like, Start to Finnish

I was hoping Janne Kutja, our friend from Finland would add more of his Chip Foose-likework to his garage here at MyRideisMe.com. His garage is looking good.

Here’s more about Janne, in his own words:

I’m Janne Kutja born in 1980 in southern Finland. I grew up there in small village, and got interested in cars was little kid. I used to draw my own car models back then, I didn’t look at any pictures. I guess that’s the reason I got interested in hot rods and customs. Hot rod magazines then fed my hunger and customs were the most interesting, especially when I saw Cadzzilla on the cover of the Finnish Street & Race Magazine (RIP), that was and still is really a huge hit. I did build model cars but I couldn’t find time, so focused more on artwork. I’ve drawn cars quite actively 12 years or so. I build cars too, but haven’t had time or money to do it much lately. My favorite’s sheetmetal work when it comes to building cars, and I even have chopped half dozen cars, some of them with my brother. My own projects are ´47 Ford Club coupe and ´63 PV both are customs.

I have been studying industrial design in Lahti Institute of Design four years now (almost graduated). Before that I was one year at art school. Nowadays, I do alot of illustarations and (custom) concepts mainly for private customers and friends. In many cases we discuss about the project and usually my customers agree with my concept. Once we agree, I start to draw, sometimes I’ll do a couple sketches before final work.

Janne is certainly talented! Be sure to check out Janne’s Garage and his website. Janne has also agreed to donate to the My Ride is Me membership drive. If you like his art work, maybe you’ll win an original print! Stay tuned!

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A Great Start - Concept Drawings

If you’re like me, before you even purchase a car, you’ve made the plan in your head. After buying the car, the next step is usually trying to find the parts you need to start building your dream, but that’s not how big time builders do it… their next step is always a concept illustration ala Chip Foose on Overhauln’. When your dream takes shape on paper, you’re miles ahead to getting what you want… You’ve got a real plan. That’s where Brian at Problem Child Kustoms comes in. How sweet is this illustration!

Brian’s a hot rod and custom car designer that actually builds HIS dreams when time allows. He grew up on the standard Hot Rod and Car Craft magazines and got the drawing bug from MAD Magazine (Mort Drucker’s his hero) and from CARtoons magazines. Now, after hard work refining his skills, Brian’s been published in the mags he grew up reading like: Hot Rod Magazine, Street Trucks and Custom Rodder, not to mention a bunch of graphic design, website design, t-shirts and logo work. He’s proud to be showing his backside to the doubters he met along the way that said he won’t go anywhere drawing cars!

Here’s an illustration of the sick Project Panther. It’s a hybrid Camaro and Nova spliced together made just for Brian. Look for this one soon…

So take a look at Brian’s website and the work Problem Child Kustoms has done. You’d be surprised to find that his illustrations are very reasonable and after you’re done, you can hang it on your wall! He’ll do a one view sketch all the way to routing your brake lines, all from the illustration.

Brian’s a member at MyRideisMe.com and has used his garage to showcase the work he’s done. Here’s a link to his garage. If you’re also an artist, please feel free to post your work and use the garage as an online portfolio with links to your page. Thanks to Brian for being a great friend to MyRideisMe.com! I’m trying to slip into his schedule to do a concept for my 61 Rambler American Wagon. Watch for that one too!

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Vintage Drag Racing Photobook

I’ve found a book I’ve got to tell you about. It’s called Speed Kings by the German Hot Rod & Pin-Up Photographer Dirk Behlau. Dirk was kind enough to let MyRideisMe.com use a photo he took, including Switzerland’s premier pinup model Zoe Scarlett, for a promotional flier at Billetproof. While I rush to get this photo printed, I’ll let Dirk describe the book in his own words:

It’s a Satanic drag thing you wouldn’t understand! It’s not what you think it is. It’s pure power, adrenaline, danger, suspense, Pin-Ups, passion and soul. Call it Rock ‘n’ Roll! Die Gestalten proudly present “Speed Kings”, the hottest publication this summer’s likely to see. “Speed Kings” presents photographs by Dirk Behlau that show the wonderful world of Drag racing. My photographs skillfully capture the primordial displays of power and high-tech, the eroticism of machines and the open flirtation with death and destruction. It was certainly not Jesus who built these Hot rods but dedicated people who create, drive and admire their time bombs like no-one else. Drag racing’s individual brand of aesthetics fascinates an ever-growing community of fans all around the world. Drag racing is down-to-earth as well as accessible and affordable. Like we said, it’s Rock ‘n’ Roll!

Buy the book at a nice discount HERE:

Speed Kings - Racing Photography by Dirk Behlau
Pages: 128
Size: 26×18 cm
Release: 16. August 2007 / Published by Die Gestalten
Price: $ 42 / 29,90 / £ 25.99 /
ISBN: 978-3-89955-197-6

Watch for the picture of Zoe Scarlett… coming soon!!