There are no computer-aided design programs on the market that quite cut it as far as rendering artist, Sammy James, is concerned. Every single illustration that leaves his desk is hand drawn using everything from assorted pencils for line drawings, and acrylics, pastels, and BIC ballpoint pens to fill them in. Sammy sketches until the lead runs out, and his obsessive enthusiasm for wickedly cool custom vehicles shines through in every piece.
From an early age, Sammy has been a self-diagnosed car freak, and he admits that the scent of the exhaust fumes he grew up around in the '70s keeps the fire burning strong within his soul to this day. As an adult, Sammy spent five years straight at the drawing board until he finally developed a style and technique he was satisfied with. We asked Sammy about the process he uses when starting a new project, and to be honest, the response we received was utterly zen-like; "The car has to give you a feeling. Without paint or even wheels, I can look at a ride and it will tell me how it wants to roll."
Being a relatively new rendering artist on the scene, Sammy James keeps his hands-on, almost religious approach priority number one when the time comes to begin a new design. This summer, Sammy will be moving into a new studio space to house his Minnesota Fastlife firm in the Minneapolis area, and he fully intends on extending the boundaries of the state of modern rendering art. If you're looking for an artist to help develop a blueprint for an absolute dream ride, Sammy James is definitely a prime candidate. But if your determination is somewhat wavering, make sure to heed Sammy's forewarning; "If I draw it, you'd better build it."
Artist: Sammy James
(612) 414-3096, mnfastlife@gmail.com, www.mnfastlife.com