New Art: January 2012

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Golden Dream - Rolls Royce With a Hemi Engine

Golden Dream Rolls Royce with Hemmy - by Ivan Mitev Photography

I stumbled upon this ostentatious golden beauty tonight and had to put it up on art car central. Not only is it a Rolls-Royce covered in gold but its got a Hemi engine of epic proportions. This vintage 1970 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow had an "ordinary" 6.75-liter V8 swapped out for a 592 Hemi, complete with dual-stage nitrous system for a reported output of over 1,000 horsepower. The chrome engine that pops out of the hood might not be the Queens car since it take away from the usually-dominant classic grille, but the hand stitched leather-covered roll cage is both classy and safe at high speeds.

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

ONE LOVELY DRAWING, part 39

Howard Pyle illustrated more than 125 books.

Of those books, he wrote 24 himself.

Of those 24 books, one-- Pepper and Salt-- contained 90 of his illustrations.

Of those 90 illustrations, one was this small pen and ink headpiece of a girl with 17 geese:

Many thanks to Molly and Mary at the Delaware Art Museum for locating this drawing that I recalled seeing there 20 years ago.

The first thing you notice about these 17 geese is that Pyle treated each one differently, with its own angle or stance or personality. Each has its own dignity:

There are no stray lines to suggest geese in the background that Pyle didn't feel like drawing completely. No Photoshop. No photocopiers.

Charles Dickens wrote:

I should never have made my success in life if I had been shy of taking pains, or if I had not bestowed upon the least thing I have ever undertaken exactly the same attention and care that I have bestowed upon the greatest.

Friday, January 27, 2012

One of the Biggest Pink Colored Freighter Ships on Earth - Contship Germany

I think I found one the biggest pink colored freighter ships on earth called the "Contship Germany" owned by The CONTI-Group, one of the world's leading managing owners of container vessels and tankers. That's a whole lot of pink paint if you ask me but I think its just a starting point for what could be a beautiful art ship. They probably should call on Emily Duffy creator of the Vain Van Art Car about putting on the finishing touches on this transatlantic beauty and then reposting it here on art car central.

One of the Biggest Pink Freighter Ship on Earth - Contship Germany - Art Car_Central

Pink Contship Germany Art Ship - via

Contship Germany "Pink Lady" - painting - via

Pink Contship Germany Art Ship - via

Pink Contship Germany Art Ship

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Massive Armored Graffiti Art Truck by Mr Cartoon

Massive Armored Graffiti Art Truck by Mr Cartoon - Art Car Central

This Armored Art Truck was created by artist Mr Cartoon to promote the 2009 film, "Armored", starring the likes of Jean Reno, Laurence Fishburne and Matt Dillon, Mr. Cartoon and SA Studios created a one-of-a-kind armored truck in Cartoon’s signature Angeleno style. The only other armored art car vehicle I've seen so far was one covered in pennies I wrote about here on Art Car Central.

Mark Machado, aka Mr. Cartoon is a Mexican American tattoo and graffiti artist based in Los Angeles, California. At age of eight, Mr. Cartoon realized his passion for art and then went on to his first paying art gig at age twelve. He grew up in Harbor area of Los Angeles County were he begun began airbrushing t-shirts and Lowrider cars before adopting the legendary "Fineline Style" tattoo art.

Massive Armored Graffiti Art Truck by Mr Cartoon - Art Car Central

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Port of Seattle

Port of Seattle #2, Oil on canvas panel, 16" x 20"

Port of Seattle #1, Oil on canvas panel, 16" x 20"

Port of Seattle #3, Oil on canvas panel, 12" x 16"

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

BEFORE BOB PEAK WENT HOLLYWOOD

Illustrator Bob Peak was probably best known for his movie posters. As far as I am concerned, that's unfortunate.

James Bond: The Spy Who Loved Me

Peak has been described as "The Father of the Modern Hollywood Movie Poster." He created over 100 movie posters, including significant posters for blockbusters such as Apocalypse Now, Superman and the Star Trek movies.

Star Trek

Personally I find much of his movie work artistically disappointing. Opinions will differ of course, but to me these posters often seemed formulaic and uninspired. Worst of all, Peak-- or his Hollywood clients-- became enamored with a "diamond diffraction" gimmick which I find totally cheesy.

I thought about this recently when I visited the archives of the legendary Famous Artists School and came upon a lovely, neglected collection of drawings that Peak used for teaching in the early years, before he went Hollywood. I think these simple drawings have more enduring value than Peak's movie posters:

These drawings have originality and sensitivity, but most of all they have a truthfulness about them. Such qualities give humble drawings a strength and stateliness that outweigh all the budget and muscle of a Hollywood extravaganza.

Man, that's drawing!

These drawings have not had the same worldwide audience as the movie posters-- for the most part, they have only benefitted art students who pass through the Famous Artists School training-- but as far as I am concerned they are more inspirational and instructive than the movie posters for which Peak is so well known.

Monday, January 23, 2012

20 of the fishiest art cars known to humanity

Burning Man Mutant Vehicle Fish - via

Long time ago I did a piece about the bass art car.
So today Art Car Central proudly brings you 20 of the fishiest art cars known to humanity. This fish art car collection spans the gamut from street legal art cars, burning man mutant vehicles, classics and one very literal fish car from Africa, enjoy.