Dave Alford Automobile Art

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The following article appeared in the magazine “GoodLife” and is recreated with permission.

Drawing on expertise

Dave Alford is obsessed with classic and veteran cars, combining this with artistic talent, he now draws and sells exquisite pictures of collector’s cars.

A Sao Bras resident since last July (2007), he recalls his childhood spent near Surrey’s Brooklands Race Circuit.

“The track had been closed for two decades but there was plenty of evidence, with crashed cars abandoned on the fringes. We played on the banking, climbed inside the wrecks pretending to drive them and examined their rusty engines”.

Neighbourhood streets recalled pioneering drivers: Campbell, Seagrave and Cobb, for example. The young Dave collected old car magazines to discover more about the daring exploits of these heroes. Today his library includes thousands of publications – some over a century old. The technical data and historic content are useful: appropriate fashions and background scenery reflect the vehicles era.

He draws with careful use of perspective and light reflection on the body panels, using 4H graphite pencil for the palest areas and 2, 3 and 4B for the depth and darker tones. More complex than charcoal drawing, pencil cannot be smoothed out or shaded. Instead graphite layering and chamois leather create the correct tones.

“Even the slightest touch leaves grease on the paper, blemishing a flawless image. If I pick up any contamination it means I have wasted lots of time. I throw an artist’s wobbly and chuck it in the bin!”

Perfectionism was useful when Dave trained as an apprentice motor engineer with British Leyland. He still draws on his understanding of mechanical principals.

“Theoretical knowledge is useful when drawing a car under acceleration, overtaking or cornering at speed”.

The pictured Bugatti driver making a handbrake turn exemplifies his specialised expertise. It was displayed at a recent exhibition, where a gentleman recognised both the driver and the car, having seen them at Brooklands over 50 years earlier.

Certain periods hold design appeal.

“The 1950’s are often overlooked by motor historians. For me it was a golden age of shining chrome and decadence after the austerity of the Second World War. Of equal interest is the influence of art deco in the 1930’s”.

His drawings reflect social history, conveying the upper and middle classes, for example, in chauffer driven limousines. Only they could afford motoring at the time.

As a professional artist, Dave’s interests and aptitudes have diversified as his latest picture, a flying Spitfire in oils, demonstrates. He’s also recreated figures of the seductive ‘nose art’ belles originally on American bombers’ fuselage in the same era. British motorbikes from the first half of the 20^th century are also part of his repertoire.

He accepts commissions to draw cars still in production and numerous A3 signed prints of his drawings are available on his website for 26 euros, including postage.

A lifelike image of Lewis Hamilton has captured the attention of modern motor enthusiasts, resulting in praise for Dave as a portrait artist.

He’s been called a “spanner”, “petrol-head” and an “anorak” and readily admits to being all three.

“More importantly I hope people like my pictures as much as I enjoy doing them”.

CKF