Ferrari 275 GTB Pen Sketch + ramblings

Ahhh morning time again- time for coffee and to plan the day out a bit. Fortunately some of yesterday will make today a little easier content wise. Last night in IG I did a Live vid for about an hour where I went thru the process I use to sketch in ball point pen. Simultaneously while I'm drawing I'm reading the chat and trying to answer as many questions as I can which is a lot of fun and a great to way to really interact with folks. Admittedly I was initially going to draw a modified Chevy C10 (very out of character I know), but ultimately decided that since I end up keeping/hanging on to a lot of these sketches, it might as well be something I personally really enjoy. While yes of course I love C10's, so naturally I have pleeenty of drawings of them around. Enter the Ferrari 275 GTB. My list of all time favorite cars is mostly occupied with Ferrari's, and if you've read far enough back on this blog you'd have seen that I used to work on them exclusively. So to say they are special to me is an understatement. I am indeed a Porsche 911 enthusiast and owner, but nothing quite strikes me as deeply as Ferrari's and that has been the case for many many years.But I digress- back to the drawing. The live vids are some of my most favorite content to make, partly because it's so interactive and partly because I feel more space to actually be me. In a photo I post Im left to caption it in a way that gets people interested in what I'm doing, which is totally fine, but in order to keep it to the point I often have to leave a bit of 'me' out of it which is a bummer. In live vids it's just as much a chance for folks to see/hear the person behind the artwork as well. Plenty of people think that Im actually older (not that Im particularly young), or went to school for this, or my dad did it before me... all these things are easily addressed in videos. Sure, I could write out these answers, but the story telling element and connectivity isn't the same. Maybe it's surprising or maybe it isnt, but I love being in front of an audience. Probably a carry over from my days as a musician being on stage, but I always enjoyed a crowd and I never get nervous about it. In a lot of ways it creates an energy that you just cant synthesize. I think the general consensus is that artist's are more introverted and that may be true, Im just not one of them. I've had to learn how to be more introverted so that I can still be productive and happy working at home, but most days I would way rather be out in the world with people. Dont even care if their strangers. I can draw anywhere, so so long as I have a sketch pad and just a pen I can actually get a lot done. 

So if you've gotten to this point and you're like "Hey, are you going to talk about how you actually did this drawing?". Sure, I guess I could do that. If you're new here, welcome to my ramblings! I don't intended for these posts to be anything but me typing what I'm thinking and doing, and life isnt really a straight line. The moment I have to be more precise about what Im writing is the moment it stops being fun and let me tell you how much time im going to spend on something that I dont think is fun. But anyways, the Drawing:

We know it's a Ferrari 275 GTB, yes we've covered that. We know it's pen on paper, but there's a little more to unpack there. I use 2 pens to sketch with- a Pentel Fine black pen and a Bic Medium Black pen. Why? Each has a different tip size giving a little more overall range. Yes I can sketch and line weight with 1 and be fine, but if Im at my home studio Im going to use everything I have. In this case, Pentel for the initial sketch and Bic for the final lines and line weight adjustments. Everything is roughed out freehand and then tightened up a bit with Ships Curves, but there still has to be a lot of freehand to keep it balanced looking and not overly rigid. I say this in all my vids about the wheels: They really should be round. So if you're not good at free handing them, grab some ellipse tools and use them to get ultra precise shapes. Wheels being out of round is suuper distracting and even tho its just 1 detail, it diminishes the look of the entire drawing. From there, start to balance line weights allowing some bolder areas to grab attention while some thinner areas and transitions can show flow and shape with a lot more interest then simply using a 1.0 mm micron and making perfect, precise lines. Sure that can be done, it's not my jam.

I suppose I should also mention why I like to sketch in Pen as opposed to pencil. In short, pencil is messy and unattractive. Yep, it has an eraser. That's great. I dont draw with the intention of making mistakes (although of course I make them, a lot sometimes) so I prefer that a tool force me to be a bit more confident with my lines. I want to spend more time drawing, not erasing. And ultimately I like a nice bold sketch, and ink does that so so well. Plus I only need 1 tool to do everything at this stage, so I can take it anywhere and still be able to get work done. Of course there are times when I sketch in pencil- complex drawings that I know will need a lot of rework- but that doenst make it my preferred method. True of everything, use the tool for the job base don the scenario you're in, and adjust as needed. I have 1 of everything here at the studio, so if an approach isnt working I can change it up and try a different way so at least Im trying to make progress.

Well that's all for now- thank you if you made it this far and have a great day!

#ferrari #vintage #classic #italian #sportscar #v12 #bic #pentel #ink #sketch #sketchbook #drawing #howtodraw #carart #cardesign #creative #process 

The Traditionally Non-Traditional Hot Rod

 

I know what it looks like- "Hey arent you just using the same content from IG and FB here?". Technically yes, but also no. What I've learned from my years as an artist on social media is that I basically have to do the abbreviated version of everything on those platforms. Two sentences explaining why what I do should hold your attention is quite difficult, especially every day the way I do it. And pieces take hours and sometimes days, yet Im still to try to fit it all in to this minimalist typed space because well, people dont social media to read long posts. At least not on my posts, as I've found. So that brings be back to the beginning here- part of what I had loved about writing blog posts years ago here was that I could be as long format as I want, share photos, videos, links, prints, paintings... pretty much anything without feeling constrained. In fact, some of the best things I was writing 10+ years ago was right here, long before I joined the IG and FB. Ahhh it was a different time. A simpler time. In truth, I loove to write long posts over explaining things and sharing more of who I am comes with a lot more words. 

Maybe now I can finally get around to the actual post here- the artwork it self. This drawing is from 2016, and is one of my favorite pieces of content to share on social media almost purely because of the style. A loose sketch done using a Blue Erasable Prismacolor pencil followed by marker tones done using Chartpak markers, a little airbrushing courtesy of an Iwata with Golden Fluid Acrylic paints, and final details done using White Acrylic Paint for highlights. What I like about this drawing is that it is incredibly simple, but also thorough enough to show the hot rod idea I had at the time. And even being a 4 year old drawing, to me it still holds up. Some of my paintings from last year dont age as well as this has. But that's the simplicity of sketching- ideas dont have to be the full story, they are more suggestive. In fact, the more you leave to the imagination, the better (up to a point). When I'm drawing/painting, im often trying to figure out what to leave out, not how to add more in and just make noise. Simplify Simplify Simplify. That doesn't mean dont add details, that means add details where it matters. Sure, a more fully realized painting is going to have more details, and it should. But a concept sketch should leave some room to move forward with. Even here I probably got a little carried away and in truth I often do. At the very least if I start really simple it's much easier to ramp up then starting with so much detail that it's overwhelming to keep going and it can just feel like it's endless. 

Well that's my ramblings for the day on this one. Already super excited to rediscover there's a place on Ocean Avenue... oh wait that's a song. What I meant was there's a home for all my wordage that I never get to use anywhere else. Doesn't even matter if no one sees this, Im still glad to be able to do it anyways. Admittedly if more people did see it it does make it easier to keep at it, so there's that. Also if you made it this far and are even remotely interested in a signed and numbered print of this particular piece they are available right here: https://www.pinstripechris.com/store/Traditionally-NonTraditional-Hot-Rod-p90495235

Have a good one!

#carsketch #cardesign #drawing #sketching #hotrod #concept #sketch #rendering #hotrods #markerrendering #designstudio #creative #process #carart #industrialdesign 

NEW Print Available today "Runner": a tale of robot esacpe

For Motor-Monday we're rolling out the brand new limited edition prints of "Runner": a tale of robot escape. Originally done using inks, markers & acrylics on marker paper, the artwork aims to capture Robot Number 3 mid escape- But from what? Well... we may never know. Or, will a future piece shed more light on the story...hmmm. These guys are signed & numbered out of 100 and available in paper or stretched canvas at pinstripechris.com/runner

Thanks for looking!

Big Changes as a New Art Direction Takes Hold

I see it has been way too long since the previous post so I thought I'd start by talking about the latest in the studio happenings here. 

For the past several weeks I have been working on nothing but paintings from watercolors, acrylics, digital paint, and large scale traditional and I love it! The subject is of course the same, but I had decided to let go of what was the norm and create the visuals in a different way. In letting go of what I would 'normally do' I quickly found it was a lot of fun (even tho Im making mistakes in order to learn) to start fresh. A traditional rendering type illustration very much gets the point across of a cleanly represented design- which is fantastic, but for me lacks a bit of energy (at least the way I was doing it). So leaving the cleanliness of a fine render behind I picked up large brushes and new mediums to create in a way unfamiliar at first; but only to feel very comfortable in creating something a bit chaotic. After having done just a few of these weeks ago I have been doing it non-stop and I can honestly say it feels quite liberating to cut loose and make a mess. The theme is still there and hopefully the drawing accuracy is as well- but the concept is more driven towards an artistic approach rather then a technical approach. 

The piece above is a painting I worked on last week to really open up to some size options and get comfortable in that realm. Working on a 30"x60" piece meant changing paint consistency's, sketching larger, bigger brushes, and ultimately a piece with a greater presence.

This particular painting is going to be Framed and will be Available for purchase- Please email us for details:   PinstripeChris@Hotmail.com

NEW Buick Art Available!

We've just added this new version of an earlier piece now called "Straight-8 V Blue.0" to the website as 13"x19" signed & numbered prints for $20/each- Check them out at:

http://www.PinstripeChris.com/Store

Or send us an email:  PinstripeChris@Hotmail.com

Post Apocalyptic 67 Mustang Fastback to kick off the week

For Mustang Monday brushing up on my graphic novel style for some up coming artwork- 67 Mustang Fastback with a post apocalyptic feel. It's such a great feeling to be back in the studio after taking a solid week off for our honeymoon and diving straight back in to energetic artwork. The time off gave me a lot of space to think about how I would like to approach some new artwork as well as some new avenues I would like to spend some time on.

The moral of the story here is: Personal time for reflection may feel like it's difficult to actually make time for and hard to feel good about (since you are physically stepping away from your daily norm) but ultimately can be very clarifying and help you redirect focus.

 This Original illustration is available- please Email me for details:
PinstripeChris@Hotmail.com

New Art for Ferrari Friday, and a Fresh outlook on Analog Art

For Ferrari Friday signing brand new prints of the F458 Italia Design as they are rolling off the machine. We're running just 25 of these 8.5"x11" giclee's on heavy weight matte paper, they are $20/each- check them out at http://www.PinstripeChris.com/Store  or Email me for details:
PinstripeChris@Hotmail.com

Also, I'd like to take a minute to expand on the slight change of recent artwork direction:

I could go on and on about how the digital art platform has raised the standards for many types of artwork, but I also think its created a bit of a disconnect with the viewer and the creator. That got me thinking about the types of "Analog" artwork I enjoy and would feel more of a connection with personally- the answer for me was more designerly artwork that emphasized almost an entire process of a single piece into 1 piece. Bu that I mean working the actual sketch out (not tracing), refining part of that sketch with line weights, rendering part of that refinement, then detailing just a part of that refinement. The end result is a window into my process that shows the layers in the most honest way from the roughest sketch parts to the refined parts. This, I think, gives a really great connection from creator to viewer without the feeling that something was mislead, post edited, digitally manipulated- This is RAW Analog art it's purest while maintaining my passion for the cars and designs I've always enjoyed.  Well enough for now, but stay tuned for lots more as I've been working on this series a couple weeks now and have lots more planned!

Hot Rod's, Custom Porsche's, And an Aston Martin

Been a great week so far working on a variety of car's and artwork- always great to alternate things a bit to keep things fresh! Currently, the Porsche & Hot Rod drawings are available for purchase, check them out at :

http://www.PinstripeChris.com/Store 

Or by emailing us at:  PinstripeChris@Hotmail.com

Quick Sketch & Render to start the day; Dodge Viper

Quick sketch & render to start the day here of what a Dodge Viper might look like in a parallel universe. This is also a good example of why I think versatility is very important; With the amount of tools available now it seems unwise to limit yourself to only those tools you understand best. Branch out, try new things, try new mediums, and make mistakes- it's all part of learning. I think there's a lot of misconception about staying true to a medium, technique or style and this is part of what limits some people from doing more then what people already recognize of them. I think medium and technique changes are a fantastic display of knowledge, and in the design & render world versatility is really important right now. I work with a number of builders that prefer a digital platform for their renderings to give some design flexibility and space to make changes more easily. I also work with lots of builders who prefer a hand drawn traditional illustration- it's all personal preference, but if you havent opened your mind to the idea that you can offer your services in a variety of ways, wake up! When I do my digital renderings I am using a Wacom Cintiq which allows me to use a pen directly on to the screen where I select marker & airbrush tools to create artwork that very much has the look and feel of what I would do on paper. The bigger advantage at times is complete range of colors (im not limited to what markers are available) and no dry times so I can put in a dynamic, saturated background to enhance the concept with no apprehension. With that said, the digital platform isnt yet my go-to, even tho I do it regularly when jobs call for it. But as the technology improves I will likely get more involved with it to keep up with the times and because I love learning new things.

Okay I'm done ranting- just remember to try new things and dont be discouraged if you dont get it on the 1st try! 

C7 Corvette Blue Pen Sketch

Having some fun with this pen sketch over lunch today- I'll have a C7 with a side of Blue, please.

New 72 Riviera Print Available

I've got a few new prints to announce this week, and first up is this 72 Riviera- The original was done using black, red and grey Sharpies. Frame ready 11"x14" signed & numbered limited run of 100, $10- available here: http://www.PinstripeChris.com/Store 

New Custom 51 Mercury Original Piece & Prints Now Available

Late last week I finally got a chance to finish up this marker & airbrush illustration of a custom 1951 Mercury, as well as the hand painted to match frame which was done using enamels. Both the illustration and the frame were done completely freehand- no rulers or curves were used for the lines. This guy measures 22.25"x29.25" and is the original with an original frame, ready to hang. I also have 13"x19" signed & numbered limited edition prints of this piece- both the original and prints are available here:

http://www.PinstripeChris.com/Store

70 Chevelle Painting

I didn't have a chance to post any of the progress pics of this one since I started it on Monday- just having too much fun to stop. But any who, this was a commissioned piece featuring the tail section of a 1970 Chevelle- this was a one year only bumper/tail light combo. This one was done using acrylics on 16"x20" canvas. On to the next one!

55 Buick Ink Piece Part 2

Here's the progress on the 55 Buick ink piece- I've got the background and road just finished up, so now I can go back in and finish all the details on the car like the flake on the roof, highlights, door edges... things like that. This one will be available when finished!

Ink & Airbrush 68 Cadillac

Had a great weekend and got a chance to do lots of organizing here, and even managed to get this drawing done. This one is an ink & airbrush mix on 16"x24" bristol featuring a 68 Cadillac- free hand as always. I'll drop it off at the framers later this morning so it can be finished off properly and will available when done!

59 De Soto Painting Part 3

I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend! Here's the progress on the 1959 De Soto piece- pretty much have all the upped details down, some more will be donevery last. Meanwhile today is all about the massive bumper then putting down those finishing details

59 De Soto Painting Part 2

Makin' progress on the 59 De Soto piece- got the main tones down for some of the upper trim and tail lights, going to take a little break and finish up the upper bits before starting on the bumper

1959 De Soto Painting Part 1

Getting started on a new 16"x20" painting today featuring a very cool 1959 De Soto tail light section- I've got the basic body tones down so now I can start on the fin trim and tail lights

1966 Ferrari 275 Gtb Rendering

Over the weekend I got started on a sketch of a classic 66 Ferrari 275 Gtb- one of my personal favorites. I had originally intended to just do a rough sketch and save it for later, but couldn't resist breaking out the markers and airbrush. This was done using Sharpies, airbrushed Acrylics, and brushed Acrylics. This was a great opportunity for some great practice and a refresher course on some of the basics- it's nice to change things up a bit!

www.PinstripeChris.com