My First Car

This painting is 24"x24", in case you're wondering...

Based on the title of this blog, one would think that this post is about my first car, the one I owned when I was 16 (which was a wood paneled Datsun 210, in case you're wondering), but it's not. This is about the first car (and only car, at this point) that I've ever painted. I am currently working on a painting of a couple that is standing next to car. Normally I don't include backgrounds and rarely do I paint "props", I like the simplicity of just painting people, but something about this car and the composition made me paint it. I'm not sure what it is about this car but I think that was a good decision.

I've been working on this painting for a few days, and while it still needs some work, I'm liking it. Painting metal isn't easy, by the way. The reflections, especially on the bumper (which I have not really worked on) will probably be difficult but I am up for the challenge. My studio-mate, Tracey Kessler, stopped by while I was painting today and I mentioned to her that this was my first car. She was impressed and thought that perhaps I should paint more. I thought about it and realized that I just wasn't a car person.

I don't have the passion for cars like some people do. I've owned multiple cars and my thought process in buying them was always more functional than "fashionable". Does it run? Can it hold what I need? Yes?Good. I'll take it. I'm not into fancy cars or expensive ones. I just don't care enough about cars in general which then makes painting them often difficult. I'm just not interested. Another studio-mate of mine, Scott Inguito, has a whole series on El Caminos. Now he's probably a car guy and you can tell by his paintings that he really likes the El Camino. His paintings are beautiful and I am sure part of what makes them so is his passion for the vehicle. Being passionate about what you paint can make of break a painting. It adds that special "something" that moves you, and hopefully the viewer. I'm more of a cloth and people person. I LOVE painting images of clothing and interesting people. That is what gets me excited. That's what I love to paint.

While I will never be a car person (much to the dismay of my husband who is trying to convince me we NEED a Lexus or a Range Rover...uh, no babe, we don't), I am enjoying painting this car. I don't know if I will be painting many in the future, but you never know. Maybe my husband will convert me into a car person...then again, probably not.