The Cymota

The Cymota

(digitally painted ink sketch)

Well when Mr Nick Taylor my next door neighbour came home with a smile on his face I instantly wondered what crazy contraption he had bought now. My hunch was right and he had succeeded in buying the worst in two wheeled transport the Cymota. Nick describes it as "a thing of Beauty." and I can't agree more.

Advertised as “The sensation of the nation” the Cymota was a copy of the VeloSoleX 650 (45cc, 0.3 hp) and was made by Cymota Motor Components Ltd at Leamington Road, Erdington, Birmingham, UK, between 1950 and 1952. Only about 200 Cymota units were sold.

The engine was covered by a sheet-metal cowling with a 1.7 litre fuel tank is mounted above the engine. A Miller magneto ignition was fitted to replace the French SEV version and an Amal 308/12 (12 mm) carburettor fitted to replace the French version.

The Science Bit

Mr Nick Taylors fantastic Cymota

(mounted on a Triumph Sports no less)

Well I couldn't just sketch it could I...

Don't let the blur on the photograph fool you I'm not really going that fast.

£100 Morris Painting

Here is a Commission piece from last year of a £100 Morris.

The piece was based on an actual cover of "The Motor" I learnt a lot from analysing this cover. The artists that produced these early magazine covers really did understand the subtleties of what makes an effective composition. The lines through the trees and the white lines coming off of the wheels are very effective at giving the impression of gliding through the woodland.

First Post of 2012 "Back to the Drawing Board"

Well Happy New Year!

2012 is here and it's already looking busy.

First event of the year is coming up this Sunday (8th January), the Classic Bike Guide Winter Classic at the Newark Showground. I will be attending on Sunday and going round doing some skribbling as I go, so if you see me stop me and say hello as my eyes will be glad of the break. More information on the show can be seen here:

(click Image above)

In the mean time here are some more digitally painted sketches from 2011.

Vanguard Woody

Early Morris Rat Rod

The First Production 8 litre Bentley

Last restored 1987

ABC Aero Engined Special

More Motorbike Digitally Painted Ink Sketches

Here are the last of 2011s motorbike sketches that have received the digital treatment.

Villiers

Rudge TT Rep style 250cc

1911 Humber 3.5hp 500cc

1923 BSA Model E 770cc V Twin

There are a few car sketches left to receive this treatment and then I'll need to find some more subjects to skribble.

Digitally Painted Ink Sketches Part 2

Here's the next round of digitally painted ink sketches.

Mostly bikes this time with a Model T thrown in for good measure.

Trojan Gearless Cycle Outboard

1904 500cc Peugeot

1923 Harley Davidson JD

1908 FN 4 Cylinder 500cc

1919 Blackburne

1924 Ford Model T

The Best of this Years Event Sketches

A lot of people ask me at shows what I do with my sketches. Mostly the sketches are done to further my knowledge of various cars and bikes by being able to sketch from real life. I learn a lot more by sketching from an actual car or bike than a photograph. Until now these sketches have just stayed in the sketchbook. After a review of this years sketchbooks I decided to chose the sketches that I think work well and take them a bit further. To save ruining the original sketch I scanned the sketchbook pages and then painted over them in Photoshop . To give an example here is a before and after of the process.

Here are the rest of the paints from today.

I'm definitely going to be doing more of these and possibly produce some prints from the best ones, so if you are taken by one in particular let me know.

20% off all Prints for Christmas