Breck Rothage is a master-class artist focused in the genre of Automotive Art. Discerning enthusiasts world-wide collect his works for both personal and commercial purpose, as the quality of Breck's artistic interpretation fuels their passion and moves their soul. His body of work spans from vintage Ferraris, Alfa Romeos and Porsches to the classic Packards, Duesenbergs, Jaguars and other rare and exotic cars.
Breck has a revolutionary sense of color and light coupled with an artistic sense of texture, feel, and mood. Much like a sculptor, he carves away what he does not want then paints, polishes and fine-tunes the beauty that remains in remarkable detail. Often painting in whole cloth backgrounds, he is able to create a compositional beauty that astounds the viewer from three inches to three yards.
To capture an image in a photograph is just the beginning. Having the optimal perspective of the angle, height and distance revealing the sweet spot of the vintage automobile is a starting point from which the thoughtful design process begins. Interpreting the most elegant and iconic features in a simplified manner is where the long and creative task lives.
The image is then blown up to twelve times larger (thirty-six feet) to ensure the work is done with great precision. Using the photographic image as the base structure, the image is digitally stripped down to it's essential components - sort of like a frame-off restoration.
Using a variety of digital tools - from scalpels to brushes - the piece is cut, carved, polished and painted. At times, backgrounds are painted in from whole cloth to enhance the presence and give a surreal painterly quality with texture, color and light. Lines are delicately painted in the composition to show the essence of form with elegance and grace.
After all the artistic design has been achieved, it is time to bring into a physical presence. A print is created using a series of lasers to expose the image onto light-sensitive Metallic paper. No inks are involved. The properties of this print are superior in reflective quality, black point and smoothness.
Optical Cast Acrylic is then fused to the face of the Metallic Print; in essence, the two becoming one. This presents the image in a crystal-clear environment which can be viewed from any angle as smooth and sharp. It now appears to be printed in glass with a purity and depth not seen with any other process.
photo and text credit: © 2011 sportscarmarket.com
