Perfect Prefect

"Perfect Prefect" 

2010

7 5/8" x 12"

Coloured pencil and watersoluble crayon on Arches watercolour paper

The Ford Prefect was a car made by the English branch of the Ford Motor Company, in Dagenham Essex, UK.  It first came out in 1938, and models were made from 1938-1941, and again from 1945-1961, and it became the basis for the Hotrod.  It (he) was also a character in The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy !

My perfect Prefect was discovered while I was on vacation at Calabogie Peaks Resort last June.  I was driving down a back road and passed by an automotive repair shop that had quite a few old clunkers out front - rusting out classic cars and trucks that just cried out to be photographed.  I got out and asked the owner if I could shoot his car collection, and then spent a happy hour shooting cars and trucks in the warm sunshine.

This painting depicts the nameplate and the knob on the trunk of the Prefect (where the engine actually is, remember the British cars have the storage up front and the engine in back).

The above painting was made using Prismacolor pencils and Caran d'Aches Neocolor II watersoluble crayons on 140 lb Arches watercolour paper.  I first laid down the basic shapes and shades with the Caran d'Aches crayons, then used the heated side of  my Icarus Drawing Board to even out the tones.

Once I was satisfied with the tonalities I used my Prismacolor pencils to refine and add depth to the shapes.  Many layers were added, and both the Icarus board and a technique using odorless solvent were used to bring out the character of this wonderful old car.

I had fun getting back into coloured pencil, and it was a very zen experience layering on the transparent colours from the pencils. 

Wonder what I'll do next? 

Happy Mother's Day.

Terry