Looking for input - Artist

markwemple · 03-24-2004, 07:45 AM

Not sure this is the right area, and I know I will get a little flack, but........ My profession is not as an artist (couldn't afford a porsche if it was) but I am a trained Artist (undergrad) who loves to draw, paint, weld, etc. I was wondering if anyone out there thinks there would be a way to do custom art (I'm not thinking about the guys who draw your car) for p-car owners. Whether a metal sculpture or an oil or water color of a car in action or whatever. What ever your thoughts are, throw them my way! Thanks

CHILI · CHILI's Garage

I've spent lots o cash on Wallwerks stuff. Although they are actually photgraphs that have been "Photoshopped" they appear as water colors. Pelican sells them. Anyway, I spoke with the artist (really, really cool guy) and he mentioned custom work he has done for Seinfeld. Of course they have "first and last" which is a pic of Seinfeld's cars.
So, I guess there's a market for it. It would be cool to have a good painting of my car.

stomachmonkey · 08:24 AM

Quote:

My profession is not as an artist (couldn't afford a porsche if it was)

Hmmm, I think I may take exception to that comment.

I've been a professional graphic artist for 23 years, have a Porsche, a new fully loaded Tahoe, a TR7, couple of Mitsubishis' a house on the North Shore of Long Island, 2 kids and a wife that's a stay at home mom. Considering most of my staff earn close to a 6 figure salary with a couple well into 6 figures I think you need to do some more research.

In any event, not sure what you are trying to do but it sounds like you want to do custom one off's for people?

Risky business, sculptures won't be cheap. Oils or watercolors will only be as good as the artist creating them then there is the whole issue of delivering the customers vision the way the customer sees it in their head.

That's always a tough one since most people have a very difficult time explaining what they want and can only give you feedback once they see something.

If you work from a photograph it's easier.

Don't expect to make a ton of money. If you are doing it for enjoyment and a couple of bucks then I say go for it.

Scott

mudman · 03-24-2004, 08:30 AM

I'm a psuedo artist, the horticultural type (read: landscape designer) and have made a lot of extra cash doing custom stuff for my clients. I have made metal arbors, trellisses, sculptures etc., and a lot of cast concrete stuff too. I design and install a masterpiece of a landscape and then offer the client 'something I made and thought that they might like'. I keep materials and labor costs really low on these projects so if they don't sell I can throw them out or give them to my mum or put them in my back yard.
But I would never attempt to support my family on that alone, I definately need the contacts that I have from being in another business!

-Jeremy

bob tilton · bob tilton's Garage

scott,
i would like to work for you

.

Elombard · 03-24-2004, 08:35 AM

I would love paintings or drawings but I would think you would find more business with the 996 crowd. I know I couldnt justify the cost that would make it worth while for an artist. I am $25 or $30 print guy - no way i can pay couple hundred bucks min. for an original painting/drawing/sculpture.

markwemple · 03-24-2004, 09:14 AM

Believe it or not, this would most definitely be for pleasure more than for $. I know very well that most of us are not as rich as the general public believes. I am an attorney who is retoring a Victorian house, all on my own, and loves to restore cars (licensed welder in NY). I am highly skilled in many areas and find that working with my hands brings me more pleasure than my practice (solo guy here, no firm for me).

As to the first comments, I was trained at SUNY Cortland. Not much of a name school but, when I was there, every professor had atleast one piece in the Smothsonian. AN amazing bunch. When I got out, the only job I could locate was as a staff artist for Hallmark Cards. Not much money and the furthest thing from what I wanted to do. Not at all into graphic arts.

So now, instead of a struggling artist, I am a struggling Attorney (never thought I would be saying that).

Ultimately, I am a true Porschephile trying to share and spread the love. Heck, if I knew where to develop the business, I would be restoring cars for a living and giving each customer a custom piece of art with the final payment!

But alas, life is what it is.

Stomachmonkey, congrats! I have much less than you and am probably older. I guess my dharma is all srewed up.

Porschekid962 · Porschekid962's Garage

what about a full guache rendering on canson paper?

stomachmonkey · 03-24-2004, 04:10 PM

Oddly enough I have a degree in Bio Medical Engineering. Was thinking of getting into robotics cause I love to build "stuff".

Always loved painting and drawing as well. Got my first job in an art studio while still in high school, it actually started as a joke. Odd that it turned into my life.

Anyways, it taught me a valuable lesson, never do for a living what you enjoy doing as a hobby. As soon as I started getting paid to create art I stopped doing it for pleasure. Now I don't get to do what I want but have to do what someone else, the client, wants. No soul food there.

Mark, if it feeds your soul then do it and who cares if you make an extra penny. There are other rewards far more valuable than money.

And btw, I've got you beat by 2 years. I hit the big 40 this year. One other thing, my 1st car was a 124 coupe, freaky little car, never ran right but always ran.

Still got the URQ? Any more flexible on the price?

Scott

dd74 · 03-24-2004, 05:01 PM

This is a business I understand. We are the licensing agent for Warner Bros. Consumer Products' Art Division, and get approached almost daily by someone who wants to create new products using Looney Tunes, DC Comics and Hanna-Barbera characters. Our role is to see what the product is, judge it as sound/sellable and then grant a license to the artist to produce more.

1) Have you already produced an art piece? If so, you'll have to go to Porsche and present the piece, explain why it's viable to the brand, how you will market it, what you estimate your target buyer is, how many units you plan to produce and sell, and in the end, pay Porsche a licensing fee plus part of your income off the product(s).

If you don't do this, then...

2) You will get a phone call from a lawyer representing Porsche to cease production of what they deem as a product illegally bearing their name. I've seen this done by WB many times. It's very nasty!

So you might say, "How will they find out I'm doing this?" or "I'll be producing this in small numbers and just for friends and family."

Like all marketing related companies - for example - Harley Davidson - they send representatives to trade shows where artwork is sold. That can be car shows to home shows. Now, if that rep sees anything out of the ordinary, they take a sample of the piece or a business card, and on the next business day, a letter is drawn up or a phone call made, telling the artist to halt production.

I am actively tracking a pirated Alex Ross superhero image that we happened to see at the Long Beach Wizard Con last Saturday. The purchaser wanted the piece signed by Alex Ross, who in turn showed us the piece. We asked the purchaser from where he bought the piece and he gave us the artist/supplier's business card. It was all we needed.

Now we have a website, phone number and address of the artist. The artist will probably get a call from me or the legal division of Warner Bros. One way or the other, he won't be producing unlicensed Warner property again.

Grady Clay · 03-24-2004, 05:21 PM

Guys,
I would like to hire an artist.

I want to do some pin & ink line drawings for the cover of a little brochure promoting kids go-kart racing in our area and possibly national.

The basic format is:

“WE WANT TO GO RACING TOO.”

First Illustration of five race cars from various series. PCA/Pelican, AMLS, NASCAR, CART/IRL, NHRA. Line drawings of easily recognizable stars in driver’s suits and their race cars. In front have the kids (8-13) in T-shirts and shorts with their hands in the air and the caption “We want to race too.”

Second illustration of five race karts with the kids in driver’s suits and holding helmets. Proud parents in street clothes standing behind them and the caption “Yes we can.”

“YES WE CAN.”

Who can do this?

My goal is to promote the young sons and daughters of all gear heads (stock car, drag, sports car, etc.) to get involved in a suitable form of racing. This is the next generation of racers.

Best,
Grady
gradyclay@hotmail.com

markwemple · 03-24-2004, 06:12 PM

Grady, I would say that it depends. I have experience in graphic arts, although I consider myself a fine artist (don't you love the semantics!). I have done covers for plays and books for some local universities (friends who are professors), but you may easily find locals who can do it just as well. SPread the word and get some ideas. Have them send you a presentation or two and see what comes of it. PM me if you wish.

dd, I am an attorney with some experience in IP. I know the constraints. Don't worry, I am not about to piss off any corp, especially the way Porsche and HD have begun to act like IP Nazis. They both should lighten up. That or we specifically stop buying their stuff 'til they do (I like the second proposal better)!!

dd74 · 03-24-2004, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by markwemple
dd, I am an attorney with some experience in IP. I know the constraints. Don't worry, I am not about to piss off any corp, especially the way Porsche and HD have begun to act like IP Nazis. They both should lighten up. That or we specifically stop buying their stuff 'til they do (I like the second proposal better)!!

Glad to hear it, Mark. Personally, I hate to see an artist go through so much work only to get nailed by the corporate entities who lack the artist's creativity to begin with.

Kraftwerk · 03-24-2004, 08:36 PM

Mark,
Artist! Heck it looks to me as if you already started a car museum! How many wheels is that, 26? How do you have time to even think about art? Anyway my question is: are you drawing / rendring from photographs, live action or memory? You should 'mach der kunst' if thats what you want to do, absolutely. I do the art for a living. In fact if I wans't an artist I certainly couldn't afford to drive what I drive. (My menagerie consists of a schwartz-metalic 911, a red 86 VW convertible, a coulple a bicycles sometimes a skateboard... lots of sneekers and a metro-card. From my experience ALOT of the people who have extra income to buy contemporary art have a PORSCHE somewhere in their life. Not everyone but , but quite a few. There are even lucky bastards out there who collect Robert Smithson and rare Porsches. Another thing: people who are busy making money usually find themselves inside most of the day, and who says they wouldn't mind taking a few seconds out of their busy day and simply gazing into a drawing of their country house or their tricked out ride?

markwemple · 03-25-2004, 05:30 AM

I work from all sources, although working from memory is getting harder

. I love all mediums but my favorites are metal and oil crayon. I would love to make a few extra bucks doing this of maybe trade my art for stuff to make my 911 a really fun de car. That or restore my college ride (the FIAT!!). I also have 4 bicycles, so add 8 more wheels. And the Audi had received a deposit so, I guess that is a minus 4. Feeling sellers remorse and the thing is still in the garage!