----> the af auto artist question/answer threads <----

[lemorris]

Ok folks.

In this thread I will have some of the working Auto Artists I know (or beg) come in and answer a set of questions about Auto Art and maybe post a few pics and other helpful stuff.

I feel fortunate to have been given access to some of the big names in the field right now and even more fortunate that many of them have actually agreed to come on over and just share a little about themselves and what they do.

Hopefully we will all learn a lot. I for one know that many of us will find that we are not as different as we may think and even the more well known artists have much in common with the unknown.

Now...I'm kinda new to this so "how" it gets set up may change, but the questions will be the same and it's just cool that so many of them have agreed to participate.

Anyway...just lettin you know.

Things will get really cool, really soon.

-Lemorris


p.s. Don't think for a second that many of you won't be asked. The work here is as good as anywhere.

[lemorris]

unlocked

you can comment

[seththaevilone]

when will this start? i, for one, think that this will be a very cool and informative topic.

[lemorris]

very soon

I have the first 2 filling out the questions now.

[Mark E.]

Hi gang, I finished mine...

[lemorris]

OK gang, here we go.

First up Is Mark Ervin. I know him from another site and his work is off the chain. As you will soon find out, you know his work too.

The questions I asked are in bold and his answers follow.

so...

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1. What's your back story?

Hi, I'm mark Ervin. I grew up in Omaha Nebraska with my 7 brothers and 3 sisters. My dad was a very successful graphic/commercial artist and each of us, to one degree or another,have been blessed with his talent.



I am married and have 4 great kids. We lived in the Los Angeles area for 12 years. I studied animation/character and story development as well as film making at Cal Arts. I landed a job on an upstart T.V. series called The Simpsons in the spring of '89 and have worked on it ever since. I had the opportunity to direct a few episodes of the show as well as 5 episodes of the show, Futrama. I moved back to Nebraska in the summer of 2001 and reside in my wife's home town of Neligh. Neligh is a small rural farming community and I work from home. I do most of my storyboard work for the Simpsons digitally now but in the past we had been sending hand drawn materials back and forth via Fed Ex. The new way is much cleaner and faster.

I have been a car nut since birth and can remember drawing my first car at age 5. My earliest recollections are of recording Mustangs, challengers and Camaros racing in the Trans Am series on paper. That would have been around 1970.



I am also currently working on a project for my church. It has given me an opportunity to break out the paint brushes and delve into some realism for a change. I hope it opens doors to many more similar projects and I plan to use the techniques I pick up along the way to enrich my automotive and auto related project down the road.

Drawing cars has always been one of my favorite hobbies. It is my goal to one day soon be known for my automotive, cartooning and illustrative work as an addition to my growing resume of artistic achievements.


2. What was your greatest auto art achievement to date?

To date? Other than Having several of my designs appear in the Simpsons, My greatest achievement came a few months ago, by circumstance. I had done a quick sketches of a custom,bubble top, 1960's modified that was bouncing around in my head. I threw it down quickly while the idea was fresh. There was an artist's challenge on another forum dealing with this subject so I shared it there but that was as far as I took it. A few months later I was contacted by a builder/fabricator in New Zealand who asked permission to use it for his next project. A deal was struck and it is currently under construction;



It is being powered by a multi-carb Buick nailhead. Another was the on the same forum and for a different subject. My artist colleagues and forum members alike were kind enough to bestow me with a 1st place for a pies I did called Mod Rod. It depicts a 1927 Chevy Modified doing a burn out in front of a Martian Drive-in Diner while little green people look on in shock.

3. Who inspires you as an artist?

My Dad, whom we laied to rest in 2004, continues to be my inspiration.
In the Automotive arena, There have been several: Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, Dave "BIG" Deal, The knuckle heads at CARtoon Mag., Harvey Earl's design crew, Virgil Exner,Battista Pinin Farina and his brother, Giovanni,... etc., etc. ...

Masters are Rubens, DaVinci, Monet, Manet and Renuer, Edgar Degas.
American Masters; Winslow Homer, Norman Rockwell, J. Pollock, Grandma Moses,Grant Wood, Frederic Remington, William Michael Harnett, ... as well as some 20th Century artists who helped with "the war effort". To name a couple: Gil Elvgren,Baron von Lind, Bill Ward, Jake Cole).

Other animators and cartoonists: Gary Larson (The Far Side), Charles Schultz (Peanuts) and Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes), Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Tex Avery, ...


4. What do you find is the hardest part of a vehicle to draw?

The hardest part for me are the Wheels and tires. That's why I like working fat and loose, that way it's not as noticeable. They can be time consuming and they require a level of detail that must be handled carefully because, sometimes, they will make or break the project. I do try to 'stylize' this feature to fit each drawing accordingly. Window glass can be a challenge as well.

5. Do you use photographic reference? How?

Yes. I study cars very carefully and draw them freehand from either memory or by having a photo or two propped up for viewing. I usually go from memory and the image in my head when one pops in. I'll do a quick sketch, sometimes several over time before I get one I want to tie down. It is at this point the reference material is broken out. Here, like a sculptor, carving into wood, I'll begin to work out the details. I rarely draw my cars at a Fixed angle like you get in a photo because I like the challenge of creating my own angle. This gives me a great appreciation for the work that goes/went into designing the cars. I've gained great respect for designs we might otherwise cast off as weird or dull. Sometimes I come away thinking other cars are even weirder yet.

6. Is there a vehicle or vehicle type you just don't like drawing? why?

Volkswagons........... Just kidding. not really, no. Each car presents it's own challenge and provides an opportunity for growth any experience. Pontiac Aztec is a pretty ugly one though. I'd still draw it, it just would likely be the butt of a joke in a cartoon. I even drew Ed Begley Jr.'s Solar powered car for the Simpsons. I based it on a micro design from Toyota.

7. What do you wish you did better in your art?

Time budgeting. Finishing more. There is room for growth in every aspect of my art, it is an ongoing process and a goal or bar every artist must continually move forward or up and never quite reach.

8. If you could be a toy, what would it be? Why?

G.I. Joe with Kung Foo grip and Life-like hair,... Except for the missing limbs and fingers; maybe withe the "Eagle Eye." He was cool. Maybe a Tonka Dump Truck, Jeep, Beetle (Man were they cool.) or little Hot Rod Pick-up.
I wouldn't be a Hot Wheel or Match Box because they're either used and abused and thrown in a box or buried OR kept in a box of people to ogle. That's just not me. I'll say this, if I WERE a Hot Wheel I'd want to be the Spittin Image or the burnt orange '68 Mustang my brothers had. Nothing could beat 'em. (Sizzlers were great too but they ran out of juice...)



(note: this is the actual picture M.E. sent. LOL)



9. What kind of car do you drive?

I have a rare 1969 Pontiac custom S convertible. It is a numbers matching car with a 350cid/400TH. Since I've owned it all I've changed is to add an Edelbrock Performer manifold with a 610 Edelbrock Quadra Jet carb and duel exhausts running off stock 'folds and through a set of performance mufflers with 2 1/2" dumps. I also have a'99 GMC Suburban, a '90 Buick Estate wgn, a
'79 Ford F-250,a '90 Honda Accord, and a non-running '76 Chrysler Cordoba complete with Police pursuit pkg.

10. What advice would you give to an artist who is trying to get better at drawing vehicles?

I used to trace cars out of magazines or around Model cars or off Bubble gum cards. There is nothing wrong with this as a tool It helps you get a sense of proportion and perspective. My advice to any artist is draw, draw, draw; practice, practice, practice. Starting a reference library is a good idea, Hot Rod Magazine can be a cheap way to get one started. A lot of times
you can get a years subscription for 8 or 9 bucks. This is also true of Road and track and Motor trend. I'd also recommend Rod & Custom. It costs a little more but it offers a real slice of American industriousness and tradition. There is also an artist's dream car feature every issue.

Learn to draw in perspective. Learn to draw basic shapes, cones, cubes, cylinders etc. and how to properly shade them. Circle and ellipse templates are a must. These are a big help for drawing tires and wheels. Draw cars from sight in the sketch book you keep with you AT ALL TIMES. I could go on and on but I already have so,...

Get Drawing,...ZOOOOOOOM!!!

Mark Ervin



************************************************** **

Mark, we are honored that you took the time to do this for us. The fact that you work in television and still find time to pursue your auto art is amazing. I can't thank you enough for contributing here.

Now

I think he'll be checking in from time to time so until we get the next artist ready, feel free to ask questions. I have seen a ton of mark's auto work and I don't think he'd mind sharing more.

Hope this is the kinda thing that brings some fuel back to our cold little cave. Knowing that you have access to true professionals like M.E. well....it should be inspiring to say the least.

so...post up!

-lemorris

[Mark E.]

Yes, uh, Mr. Harris? I have a question, can I edit my answers? They make it look like I
can't spell and, I'm pretty sure my car's engine is larger than 35 cubes... (350)
Thank you.
Be patient, as Lemorris said, I get pretty busy. But I will check in and I will be
available to answer questions.

[lemorris]

my bad

there ya go man

and I have a question too.

I have seen much of your work and I noticed the blue line right away, which speaks animation to me. Do you work on an actual animation table and what pencils are you using?

Oh...I think you should know that I named my son Charles after Chuck Jones. he is a hero in my home. You and I should talk Warner brothers etc. sometime. Love it.

Thanks again man.

-Lemorris

[Blip]

Marks, thanks for the great peek into your " who, what, where and why" behind your art.

I wish I could have had this opportuntity to learn about my early CAR-toon favorites back in the 60's. Would luv to have seen how BDR, Big Deal or Pete M would have answered.
Now I think you rank right up there too as a modern CAR-toon master, and hope that others here take advantage of this great opportunity--thanks Lemorris for making this happen.

Here's another question--Snake always drove the coolest muscle cars on the show, guessing that's your wonderful work behind those designs?

[Mark E.]

Here we go...
Blip, for the sake of keeping things on topic, I will answer your "Simpsons" related
question this once. For a lot of people interested in my job, I understand it will be a
temptation to ask questions about that. I have a good friend who was actually fired and nearly sued over info he'd given about the show over 'the internet' so am legally bound to watch my step.
Your question, however, tends to be the limit of those asked by car nuts who are also nuts about the show. These shows have long since aired and are sold on DVD which makes them a bit more open for discussion...
Here's the run down, Matt Groening is credited with every design......
The first cars I designed for the show were Homer's 'Sublime' Roadrunner ("1970's sports car"), Marge's Gremlin an Patty and Selma's VW 'Thing.' (Known in Germany
as Der Kubelwagon or Kuber Kart, ca.1945, ya?)
While I didn't design Snakes original 'bandit', which is a '68 Charger, I did animate it in the show "Separate Vocations," where he's running from Bart and the cops and, again,
on the "COPS" parody at the beginning of the episode, "Homer's triple by-pass."
I designed Apu's gold 1979/80 Trans Am and a series of other cars used in the backgrounds, including a 1948-53 Chevy pick-up which is used as Cletus the Red neck's
car in the video game, "Simpson's Hit and Run."
I designed all the Cars used in the New york show titled "Homer vs. the City of New York." I animated several scenes including the famous Rhino-boot sequence and the carriage chase through central park. I was Assistant Director on that show and we won an Emmy that year.
My own cars have made very brief appearances on many shows.
Now, back to your specific mention of Snake's cars; my favorite assignment was to design "Li'l Bandit." a "60's Muscle Car with flames and a snake on the side;" the Director, my friend Swinton, asked me to create it. It's a Blown '68 Firebird 400 with which I deferred back to High School in the 80's for. I don't consider 'birds to be Muscle cars rather pony cars but we wanted a clear distinction from Snake's other cars.
Once again, I animated all scenes with that car it them.
My favorite scene in that show is the "Wile E Coyote" spoof where Homer's driving with his head poking up over the windshield and ultimately ends with Milhouse's dad having his arm cut off. Funny stuff, that.

[Mark E.]

Oh, on another occasion, I was working with another director, Nancy, who has a '67 Chevelle coupe. She is a car nut too and also drives a killer '62 Olds Dynamic 88.
I made sure the Chevelle was involved in a serious chain reaction collision.

I also failed to mention the WW II dog fight I did a couple years ago where Grampa and Mr.
Burns were shot down and landed on a deserted island. They, in turn, shot down Santa and were required to help him finish his route.

[Mark E.]

This drawing is a dramatic recreation of what I remember the original looking like. I Drew it the day I filled
out my answers for Lemorris. I tried to duplicate Flair pens on notebook paper in Photoshop.

Originally Posted by lemorris

[Blip]

Thanks Mark, I'll keep my "nosey-ness" to just the CAR-toon related stuff, but it's so cool
to find little "motorhead" easter eggs sprinkled about that show.

Greatly appreciate the run down/background and I think I've seen each one of those episodes. Congrats on the Emmy award!

[Mark E.]

I'm with ya. There seems to be a VW Beetle in just about every show, so many, in fact,
the writers made bugs, parking lots full, a big part of one of the episodes.
It's one of those cars every artist likes to draw. I'll have to check with my kids on which one it was...
I used one in the Bullit parody with Snake because the same black beetle appears in, like, 9 out of 10
of the shots in the car chase sequence.

[PDQ VW]

Beetles are popular---we stuck wrecked and rusted Bugs deep in background designs of the Saturday morning cartoon version of Fievel Goes West even tho it was set in the old west.
It's always nice to hear industry stories-XXXXXXXXX XX XXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXX XXX XXXXXX XXXXX -place 'non-disclosure agreement' here.

Good to know you better Mark!