The Cal-look Lounge

Triggered by the Dave Deal message, I started thinking on what artists influenced me and maybe even got me into cars.

When I was 14 I was really into body-art (tattoos) and bought a lot of magazines on that. Around that time they started publishing the best magazine on tattoos ever: International Tattoo. In issue number 4 or something like that there was a feature on Robert Williams. I guess everybody knows the 'Appetite for destruction' of Guns 'n Roses cover? Well, that is by Robert Williams. A few years later I found a book on him in a local comic book store and that really got me going. One of his favourite topics is Hot Rods (close second to hot women) and it kindled my interest for cars (I was already interested in women before that). It really, really make me want a Ford Deuce Coupe.

Luckily, somehow I got sidetracked to Hot VW's. But still Mr. Williams is one of the men who steered me in the right direction. Thanks!

I know there are a lot of people on here who are interested in or even work on (car)Art, be it paintings, drawings, photograps, sculptures, toys, ... Who has been a big influence during your years of formation to maybe get you into cars?

Please post some examples !

Great panting!!!
Have it on on one of my Vans...

Love Robert Williams, my brother got me an autographed print of that painting for my birthday. Robert published some of my brothers artwork in Juxtapose Magazine. Robert is truly a great talent

When I was a kid, my Dad used buy me CARToons magazine and I always loved the artwork by George Trosley. He wrote the Krass & Bernie cartoons as well as a lot of other stuff including a lot of "How to draw cars" stuff. He's probably my favorite "car artist"
Just go to www.georgetrosley.com.

My girlfriend bought me the same pair of Vans, I was looking for those for some time and she saw them during the sales somewhere. They are still in the box, stashed away untill I have the place and cabinets to display them  ??? ;D


I used to buy every Juxtapoz when it was all about cars and hot women, must have read every single issue ten times. I think now it is getting a bit to arty, just the thing Robert Williams used to be so opposed to in his editorial when he was still doing them. I still buy it from time to time, but it doesn't scratch my itch anymore.

Still if your brother is good enough to be exposed in Juxtapoz, you shouldn't be afraid to showcase some of his art here !!


See below  :)

 8) 8) 8) Cool Topic!

I was influenced early on by Ed Roth and Pete Millar (Car Toons).  Every book cover I owned in high school had a Rat Fink drawn on it.  Some of the best car art I've laid eyes on over the years though, has been in The Rodders Journal magazine.  Here's one drawn by Chris Froggett... absolutely amazing!

Chris Froggett's work is fantastic...!
I kinda used his style a few years ago to do some work myself....

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/1967vw/Temp%20file/GBERG-2.jpg)

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/1967vw/Temp%20file/CBERG-2.jpg)

VERY COOL, Gibber!  8) 8) 8) 8)

The next one I had known about ever since I was little, seeing all sorts of illustrations by him on Belgian magazines. But only when I started school again to become an artist  ??? I really put it together and became a big fan of Ever Meulen. He's Belgian, but quite famous all over the world with exhibitions in e.g. New York. He's always been very much into old 50ties American cars and Zoot-suited fiends. Real nice.

Cool topic. Man, I just wish I had drawing skills!
Sarge, I love Chris Froggett's art as well.
Oh, and I remember Ever Meulen's drawings, too!

As far as VW art, Pascal Meslet shows a lot of imagination (see http://www.mesletart.es.vg).
I'm also a big fan of Keith Weesner's stuff. This is a picture of one of my office's walls.

This is a very cool book: http://www.motorbooks.com/Store/ProductDetails_35893.ncm
Some fantastic stories, too!
I remember having this picture as a poster (from the magazine Nitro) on my bedroom wall, as a teenager.

How could I forget Pascal Meslet !!!

I bought his portfolio at the EBI2, I spent more money there on art then on parts.

I was lucky to meet Ed Roth while working at the Auto Haus warehouse years ago.  For all the crazy stuff he did and the cars he built, he was a humble guy and always had the best stories to tell.  Better yet, he drove a VW! 8) 8) 8) ;D

Trosley, Deal, Meslet, all are at the top of my list as well.  Another favorite includes:

Peter Aschwanden, for all things black and white:  http://www.peteraschwanden.com/

liking this one alot!

to me, some of the best VW culture and artwork comes from that book and Peter's work. VERY cool and funny!

I agree, Jim.  I have a plain, white t-shirt with that artwork on it that I wear when I 'm in the right mood.  You can't say that pic isn't a bit of a self-portrait.  Maybe time to update the artwork with some IDAs and a c/w crank...

I swear that is me at night too. Add Solex 40PII's lately... Sheep's junk.
Yeah we should get Rayburn crackin' on a high perf version T shirt.... 48's and all.

Or similar to the catoon of the guy changing the tire on the wheel in Idiot Book...  a guy trying to get wedgemate flywheel off!  ;D

   ::)  ;D

is that your missus sarge? ;) what am i sayin!! its a cartoon :D

er, um........ :-X ;)

The KARWOOD looks cool

Yeah, lots of detail in that left rear fender reflection.  Great artist!

More here... http://streetvw.free.fr/dessins/pascal.meslet.htm

And how about Red Hot, the Japanese artist who's doing the covers for Street VW's. I had seen some stuff of him before, but really fell in love with his work when I saw the spread in the Bug In book. The one where some Baja Bugs are driving through the dunes/water, very Horimono styled.

See some of his work on http://redhotdrive.com

He was at EBI 2 this year, selling in the merchandising area. I bought 3 posters of him and had him sign our Bug In/Bugtour signs. Underneath is the poster I didn't buy. Maybe I should have, it is great.

Very COOL website... thanks for sharing! 8) 8) 8)

remember this thread http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,3385.msg45873.html#msg45873 (http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,3385.msg45873.html#msg45873)   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
 ;)

I do ;)

Gotta find a spot on a wall for this one...
Funny how Pascal Meslet used a Ghia to create his "Hirohata" VW leadslead (see above), while Redhot chose a Type 3!

Another talented artist: Tom Fritz

Now THAT'S  8) 8) 8) 8)!!  The Hirohata Merc was one of the coolest led-sleds around back in the day.  A pic of a current day remake of the original...sorry, I can't help myself  ::) ;D!

the restored original Hirohata merc can be seen in the NHRA museum

We've had paintings and drawings. How about some photographs and movies. I have two links for you, neither is VW related. If you have some, bring it on !!!

First link is http://www.marcolaguna.be Have a look at the movies, doesn't "Nitro Nicky" make you think of "Death Proof" by Tarantino? Or the other way around maybe. Driven by the buzz I got when hearing the opening track of "Pulp Fiction" I was hooked to Surf music for life. Fifty Foot Combo was a Ghent Surfband I followed around to every gig. So I went to the Botanique in Brussels where they had to play after the screening of one of Mark K.R. Lagoons movies. All I remember is that the movie was about hot sex and engine overhauling or overhauling hot sexy engines. Superb evening out.

The other link is to http://www.davidperrystudio.com/photo.htm This one I got to know from the cover of Gearhead, some sort of fanzine, great reading, often a 7" record included. That particular issue carried a single by Man or Astroman, if I'm correct also with a picture of Perry as cover. It might just be the lucky combination of salt lake and lakes car, but the atmosphere in his pictures is extra-terrestrial, no doubt hence the pick for the Man or Astroman issue. Bought a book with pictures from a road trip into Mexico, very nice print, very nice paper resulting in one great asset to my library.

One of my favorite photographers remains Dingo. He used to freelance for the French Super VW Mag back in the '80s and now does fashion photography. He is a true artist with an incredible talent. Check out these pictures! Funny stuff, too!

In 1991, he published a book titled "Dix ans de tole" ("ten years or metal" or "ten years of prison", depending on how you translate it), which I had years ago but lost. My wife Tania got me a copy for Christmas, 2-3 years ago. I was ecstatic!

His work is truly inspirational. But one of the magazine Editors told me that he was sometime difficult to work with... More than once, he simply forgot to take some key pictures for car features, such as a pic of the interior or the back of the car.

Some VW pics...

... and just a nice picture...
That's the Renault Etoile Filante, which broke some records at Bonneville back in 1956 I think.

I'm also a big fan of Steve Coonan's photography. He's the Editor of The Rodder's Journal, too.