National Contest Entry-My Reborn Packard

I've recently entered a design contest with the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Indiana with my Packard Twin Six Club Coupe. Eagle-eyed and elephant-memoried readers will see that I updated the background and typography a bit for this entry from the original chop I did a few years ago. I was never thrilled with the way I rendered those pieces the first time, and this was an excellent opportunity to rectify the situation for "the record." 

The Studebaker-Packard Corporation was formed when Packard bought Studebaker in the mid 1950s, and this contest is for a design for either a new Studebaker or Packard. The winners of the contest will be announced November 11 at the opening reception for a show by The League of Retired Automotive Designers (scroll to the bottom of the link for information on this cool group). The contest was open to anyone with a vision for Studebaker or Packard. It was a whirlwind decision last week—if I'd had more time to think about it I probably wouldn't have done it, insecurities and all that, but I'm glad I did—I'll fill in the details in a few weeks. I'm not an actual car designer of course, and I don't even play one on TV, lol, but it's a great feeling to know that some really historically influential greats in the field of car design will be seeing my Packard. That's winning for me, right there—all I've ever really hoped for.

As an aside, the Studebaker logo, above, designed by Raymond Loewy's group in the late 1930s, has the best "S" in all of "Typeland." My readers know how much of a font fan I am, font connoisseur really, and that I pay really close attention to all of the typography in my book designs and my car art. This "Lazy S" is perfection, and the rest of the logo, the red "button" and the simple all-caps for the rest of the name, fully supports the design in every way. I would have retired after this had I had designed it!