Tuesday, October 26, 2010

One of My Early Artistic/Automotive Influences

Page 15 of a 16 page Corvette brochure from the 1965 model year, a Glen Green roadster with the optional fiberglass and glass roof. 

M Y   C O L L E C T I O N — I've owned this 1965 Corvette brochure since it was brand new (and I was 8 years old). This was my favorite photo in the entire piece for several reasons. First was the color—Glen Green is an almost perfect shade of green in my opinion, not too dark, not too light, not too yellow, and not too blue. I also loved the accessory hardtop this convertible is equipped with. While the Corvette Stingray fastback coupe was always (and still is) a head-turner, a tours de force of design really, and the Corvette soft top was an icon as far back as the earliest '53 models in Polo White with red interiors, this optional hardtop had all the class of the European sports cars of the time. It lightened the look of the car, and gave it a pert notchback look, my favored coupe profile then and now.Those roofs must have been fairly rare as well, as I can only remember seeing a handful of roadsters equipped with them ever. Another thing the mesmerized me about this photo was the setting. The ornate black wrought-iron gate fronting the limestone estate, and the well-dressed couple really spoke to me more than a racing scene or a gritty garage scene would have. Lastly, the reflections of the tree branches on the car motivated me to learn how to do that with my [then] magic markers and colored pencils. They taught me to look for shadows in every day life, and to try to add them to my drawings whenever I could. This photo really influenced my early decision in life that I wanted to design cars and render them in a way that other people would feel what I felt looking at this timeless green beauty.

Of course, life had other plans . . .

6 comments:

  1. I had (maybe still have) this Corvette brochure. As I recall all of the photography was spectacular. This shot of the coupe with the hardtop in place is particularly evocative. The Sting Ray is by far my favorite Corvette although there are things to like about the 55-57 and the 61 and 62.

    Paul, NYC

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  2. Now, that is one sweet classic car, reminds me of when Jack Nickelson drove one on the beach in Terms Of Endearment.

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  3. PERFECT COLOR AND PERFECT CAR FOR A GRANNY WITH GREEN EYES AND A BELLY FULL OF JELLY.LOL

    GOOD MORNING GUYS AND GALS. NO RAIN FOR WEEKS. THE STORM WE WERE WATCHING WILL NOT BE COMING TO OUR STATE. THANK GOD. HURRICANE SEASON ENDS THE END OF NOV..GOODBY GOODBY. WINTER IS THE BEST HERE.SUN, SUN, SUN. YOU WANT CARS COME TO THE SUNNY STATE OF FLORIDA. BUMPER TO BUMPER.

    STAY BUSY TODAY AND MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY.I KEPT BUSY LAST NIGHT CASEY GOING THROUGH ALL YOUR ART WORK AGAIN. JUST LOVE THEM.

    GRANNY

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  4. OK, WHERE IS EVERYONE? I'VE CHECKED BACK A COUPLE OF TIMES TODAY. NOBODY. NOW IT'S GETTING LATE SO I GUESS I'LL JUST SAY GOODNIGHT PAL.I HOPE YOUR FEELING OK. THERE'S A BUG FLOATING AROUND. I THOUGHT IT WAS WAY TO EARLY FOR COLDS. WE'VE BEEN LUCKY. NO BUGS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. JUST MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE WE TAKE THE FLU SHOTS. TAKKE CARE.

    GRANNY

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  5. i had to work in the office today to help with a late book. now my headache is back. I'll have to think of a new post tomorrow morning. Good night!

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  6. Now you've found the very car I've always wanted because (1) I was born in 1965, (2) I've always lusted after Corvettes (see http://www.marketplacemagazine.com/blogs/blog2.php/2008/06/13/america-s-sports-car for evidence) and (3) I am one of the few people I know who actually likes green cars. (I once owned a Cayman Green Metallic '91 Ford Escort GT. Which is "teal" to normal people.)

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