The Wrong Line …

My path in art has been far from straight and unbroken.

I started sketching when I was quite young, and would spend hours and hours at it. I struggled with perspective, and went through a lot of paper.

At the age of 16, at a point where I had a basic sense of sketching, it all came to a sudden shuddering halt … I had discovered the opposite sex, and quickly forgot pencils and paper.

I later started a career as a graphic designer, and other than sketching here and there for my kids as they grew up, I had basically stopped doing art for myself.

32 years passed, and I decided to pick up pencil and paper, sketching out the fascinating stories I was reading of automotive racing history.

I then wanted a bigger challenge, so I moved to pen&ink. I decided to do my very first crosshatched pen&ink sketch, the subject being a Cobra Daytona Coupe. As a graphic designer, I was taught to draw the line where it was meant to be. But as I put that first line to paper, it didn’t go at all where it was planned!

I thought to myself “I’ve ruined it!” At this point, the normal reaction would be to throw it out and start over. Instead, I thought that as it was already ruined, I might as well continue for practice. I put another line down … wrong! … and then another line down … wrong! … and so I kept going.



Tourist Trophy - Goodwood 1964 © Paul Chenard

Before I knew it, I had a lovely crosshatched pen&ink Daytona Cobra Coupe sketch!

It was a real revelation for me, the fact that what I first perceived as a mistake was really just fine, and worth continuing. You can start something without knowing the final result, and let your curiosity lead you through … let the result be a surprise.



I later digitally added colour to the sketch. © Paul Chenard

Later I showed my sketch to an acquaintance, and they said that they could never do something that well, that they would put the lines down wrong! I told them that every line in my sketch was wrong, yet look at the result!

Carroll Shelby 1923-2012

Carroll was a firstly a racer, and a successful racer at that.

He started in MGs, and quickly moved up to Allards, Ferraris and Maseratis. He joined the Aston Martin racing team, and shared a win of the 1959 Le Mans with Roy Salvatori.

Health issues forced him out of racing shortly afterward, so he set up a driving school.

Ken Miles in an A.C. CobraPen&ink and pencil crayons on corrogated cardboard
© Paul Chenard
His European experience showed him how more advanced the European and British sport car chassis and suspension setups were against their American counterparts.

He reasoned that a British sports car fitted with an American engine could be a successful combination. He ordered a modified A.C. Ace body and chassis and fitted it with a Ford engine. From Autumn 1961 till late Summer of 1962, Shelby American developed the A.C. Cobra into powerful performance sports and race car.
Shelby Cobra 289Pen&ink, paint markers and markers on blue archival stock
© Paul Chenard 2012

Orders flooded in and the car was a success. A further development of the Cobra came as an aerodynamic coupe, in a form more apt to beat Ferraris at the long distance races such as Le Mans.

 
Cobra Daytona Coupe – Le Mans 1965Pen&ink, paint markers and markers on blue archival stock
© Paul Chenard 2012
The Cobra Coupes beat Ferrari for the 1965 GT Championship, and Shelby was also instrumental in Ford Motor Company’s successful GT 40 wins at Le Mans for 1966 and 1967. At the same time, he developed their new Mustang into successful track car with the GT350. 
Ken Miles in a Shelby Mustang GT350Pencils on white stock, digitally painted
© Paul Chenard
Though working in performance development with mostly Ford, Carroll Shelby also worked with Dodge and Oldmobile. He was a “tuner” before the word was even coined!

Shelby American has also continued creating “continuation” Shelby Cobra roadsters.

Carroll Shelby saw opportunity where others didn’t and followed through with his vision and goals. Very few can match his legacy.

Market Fresh Racing Art

I’ve started going to the local Halifax Seaport Farmer’s Market to sell my art.

It’s probably not the place you’d think of trying to sell racing history art, but there are many artists selling there, and they say that, past this rather more quiet time, they do quite well at the market.

I’ve had good weekends and bad weekends financially, but I have to say that I have zero competition, and I’ve enjoyed my time there. I occasionally even have time to do some sketching, like this past weekend; I managed to get two little sketches done.

Ayrton Senna – McLaren MP4/4 – British Grand Prix 1988

Pen&ink and markers on red stock 5”x 7” (12.7cm x 17.78cm) © Paul Chenard 2012

The visitor’s reactions range from curiosity to slack-jawed shock! In the 4 weekends that I’ve been there, I’ve already developed a following. In fact, I believe I’ll get a few commissions from being there.

Schlesser/Grant - Cobra Daytona Coupe – Le Mans 1965

Pen&ink and markers on blue stock 5”x 7” (12.7cm x 17.78cm) © Paul Chenard 2012

I’m at a different location and different setup each time, but it’s actually very good training for going to tradeshows or exhibitions.

It’s a good way get known by the local racing fans too!