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The process

Europe’s quintessential fine art is primarily held in high esteem for its beauty and aesthetic symmetry. This is true in the continent’s history of painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and poetry, as well as in theater and dance. Typically, when we think of European fine art, the mind wanders to images of oil paintings, violins, and amazing choreography. But, can fine art be created digitally with, say, an iPad? Can fine art also be “pop art”? The Run Collection attempts to answer these questions using a subject that is a symbol of European design: classic Volkswagen automobiles.

As a lover of old cars, I decided to draw all the vintage cars I’ve long admired and customized them in ways that suit my personal taste. To me, the most important aspect of cars is not the heart-pounding acceleration, but the experiences and memories that are created along the journey. Driving an automobile is also about experiencing that connection between mankind’s ingenuity and the desire to travel. Every time I finish drawing cars I feel the result is an extension of myself. It’s simply magical.

These artworks have been sketched and finished using an iPad Pro. Leonardo da Vinci was always looking for ways to create art in a faster manner, such as his fresco experiments. Would he prefer an iPad over a hand-stretched canvas? Would da Vinci drive a Volkswagen — or more appropriately, a Lamborghini — instead of riding a horse?

I have a list of 50 cars that I would like to draw, with each exhibiting its own unique design. I’ve set a goal to have them all finished by the year 2020. Each artwork can take between two to three days to execute (from sketch to finishing touches).

Why is the Collection Called Run?

The reason I named this collection “RUN” is because old cars, when starting up, often make a gutturalrun rururururu ruuuuunsound when the gas pedal is pressed, and the engine comes to life. And, it’s somewhat funny that in this sense, “run” has nothing to do with sprinting or going faster.

volkswagen beetle 1960
Dodge Challenger 1970
Rolls Royce Phantom III