Darryl Tracy has been in the design game for quite some time now. It's obvious that Darryl is completely addicted to everything associated with custom rides and sharp graphic design, and it's obvious when looking at the work put out by Darryl's design firm, Tracy Media. But aside from keeping himself busy with producing flyers and designing magazine ads, brochures, and automotive-enthusiast DVD covers, Darryl translates his vision of auto styling through his highly sought after rendering work. Each rendering that leaves this artist's desk is packed full of heavy detail and imaginative design cues that feature clean, striking paint schemes and slammed stances. Darryl has been keeping busy with some rather high profile rendering projects, which have included the likes of a cover truck and a slew of future headlining acts.inline_mediumwraptextrightCustom Truck26534392/art/0913tr_darryl_tracy_renderings0913tr_01+darryl_tracy_renderings+custom_truck.jpgTrue

Eric Brockmeyer admits that drawing hot rods and custom cars for a living is the coolest job in the world. As anyone can tell by looking at his rendering style, Eric is sincere about his passion for pushing the limits of automotive design. As a young admirer of anything with wheels and an engine, Eric incubated his creative sprout by building model cars and filling stacks of notebooks with drawings and doodlings-two hobbies that stuck with him through the years. Eric's wife, Pam, finally urged him to follow his ambition by considering enrollment into some sort of formal art education program. In '99, three years after that conversation, Eric walked away from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale with a B.A. in Industrial Design and quickly landed his first gig working on the design team for Sea Ray Boats. During his four-year tenure there, Eric played a key role in the conceptualization of new exterior styling and interior layouts of sport cruisers and yachts, but he started losing interest in watercrafts, which is a sentiment we can deeply empathize with.inline_mediumwraptextrightC Delivery26570467/art/0912tr_eric_brockmeyer_renderings0912tr_04+eric_brockmeyer_renderings+c_delivery.jpgTrue

The world of custom automobile design is created from a never-ending flow of fresh ideas and limitless capabilities. The art form is only bound by an artist's imagination, which we are finding time and time again, is a deep and bountiful resource for those planning an extensive restoration or a complete ground-up build.inline_mediumwraptextrightExtreme Vehicle Concepts26514901/art/0911tr_dale_e_markgraf_renderings0911tr_03+dale_e_markgraf_renderings+extreme_vehicle_concepts.jpgTrue

Ryan Curtis, like most automobile junkies, fell in love with anything on wheels at an early age. Ryan did not come from a long line of auto enthusiasts, so the alone time he spent sketching and building model cars as a youngster helped develop his fine taste for customs. When asked about his early auto influences, Ryan gave us a peek into his true passion as a youth: "I traded in my dad's dreams of having a left-handed baseball pitcher for good old Hot Wheels cars." Things could have been a lot worse, Mr. Curtis-at least those toy cars weren't Barbie and Ken dolls stuffed underneath Ryan's mattress.inline_mediumwraptextrightCustom Truck30718014/art/0910tr_ryan_curtis_renderings0910tr_04+ryan_curtis_renderings+custom_truck.jpgTrue

Carter Hickman has two great passions in life—art and hot rods. We would raise the argument that hot rods are in fact functional pieces of art and we know for certain that this month’s featured rendering artist has our back. Since his days in art school, Hickman has established Carter Hickman Designs, his widely popular, all-encompassing brand of custom automotive artwork that has given many a hot rod or muscle car/truck builder the perfect visual aid to keep their in-progress projects on point.inline_mediumwraptextrightProject C-0626515366/art/0909tr_carter_hickman_design_renderings0909tr_01+carter_hickman_design_renderings+project_c_06.jpgTrue

One common theme that we have noticed amongst our talented pool of featured rendering artists is a love for drawing that developed at an early age. Gerard Blommaert, artist and car enthusiast to the Nth degree, fits snugly into this profile as he built a reputation amongst his schoolteachers as being a chronic doodler in the classroom. Those tiny sketches next to Blommaert's arithmetic homework were then, and the extremely detailed auto renderings you see in front of you are now.

The impact that conceptual design has on automotive fans, whether it's from sketches of prototyped vehicles that will never reach production or detailed illustrations of actual custom builds in progress, is a sacred thing since it evokes such creativity and inspiration. Joel Nelson found his own creative inspiration from the outlaw muscle cars he saw running from cops on television-he admits that he used to be able to draw the General Lee in his sleep. In the nineties, Joel started noticing the works of custom design icons Thom Taylor, Chip Foose, and his personal hero, Steve Stanford, which further convinced him that automotive rendering would be his art form of choice. Having the opportunity to meet Jimmy Smith and Brian Stupski of Problem Child Kustoms also strengthened Joel's appreciation for the artistic process behind automotive design.

It's always interesting to learn about an artist's creative history and the elements that have influenced a designer's body of work. Mike Lomaka, for instance, has always remembered having an interest in automobiles, but he attributes the time spent building model cars with his father a major contributing factor to his passion for custom cars and trucks.

Murray can't exactly recall when he was officially infected with the love and appreciation for custom cars and trucks. All he knows is that now he can't stop sketching and designing the endless concepts that are flooding his creative brain! Murray is a self-taught artist who has been heavily inspired by the works of his design heroes Steve Stanford and, most notably, Thom Taylor.

Nate Shrum was introduced to trucks at a rather young age. His grandfather owned a Chevy dealership and Nate would usually walk right past the rows of cars just to admire the brand-new, Bow Tie haulers. Nate was also interested in drawing and sketching at the time, so creating custom trucks on paper came naturally. Nate thought he would take his love of art to the next level, and he enrolled in his first graphic design class as a sophomore in high school and after he graduated, became a graphic design major in college. The visual works of KEG-Media, Eye Kandy Designs, Graphic Disorder, and Surface Art have inspired Nate to focus on vehicle renderings. Nate plans on turning his passion for graphic design into a career, and by the looks of his work and his positive attitude, we believe he has a very promising future ahead of him!

Ed was introduced to cool cars at a rather young age. In 1972, when he was four years old, his parents brought home a '66 Pontiac GTO convertible - what kid wouldn't fall in love with an automotive specimen like that parked on the driveway? Ed himself was a proud owner of more than a few simply amazing vehicles during his early years, which included a '66 Chevelle SS, a '69 Chevelle, a '63 Impala, and then finally his holy grail of cars was attained-a '67 GTO. Ed was 16 at the time-crazy, right?

Hailing from Houston, Texas, Chase McGee gained interest in the rendering process after seeing so many cool concepts and digital modifications in magazines and wishing to see such ideas come to life. Chase is a young up-and-coming designer given his tender 18-year-old age, but his drive to create absurdly awesome renderings is strong within him and it shows from the few times we've contacted him about his work. Chase will be starting his senior year in high school this fall and he plans to follow his passion and study graphic design to further build on his already strong skills - skills that he has been able to hone all on his own. Chase's mom saw just how determined he was to learn digitally sculpting of concept vehicles, so she brought home a copy of Photoshop 6.0, which has proved to be a perfect learning tool. Frustration set in as Chase began navigating his way through the unfamiliar program, but after a boatload of all-nighters and a few online tutorials, he has been able to finally get the realistic color changes and basic tweaks he wanted to see on-screen.

Tavis' personal project is a '53 Willys Wagon. This is how he described it to us: "I put a new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 in a blender with a '53 Willys Wagon and this is the result. On the outside, it looks like a fairly normal SUV; but when it opens up, it's a totally different story. This Willys is using the same overall idea as the SRT8, mixing a somewhat unsuspecting exterior with a potent drivetrain. A new Mopar Performance 6.1L Hemi with 450 hp will be backed up by a Mopar Performance Viper T56 six-speed transmission. The frame is fully boxed, independent suspension has been added to the front, and a Ford 8.8-inch rearend plants the power. Interior mods are minimal, in order to keep the Willys' original bare-bones feel. A Wilwood pedal setup, Lecarra Mark 4 Classic steering wheel, and Haneline combo gauge keeps everything simple. The whole package should make for a super fun driver, plus it can haul your friends and cargo at the same time!"

Chris Davis uses Photoshop to alter, manipulate, and create vehicles that would be killer, if actually built. This month, Chris shows us two cool variations of the Hummer SUT. This rendering features a 1-ton almost semi-truck appearance, with huge exhaust stacks, dualie wheels, an airbagged suspension, and H-350 emblems. The stretched bed and dualie fenders add to the custom looks.

Creating renderings daily for customers around the world keeps R.J. Silva busy, it also keeps his creative juices flowing as he turns dreams into digital realities. For this client, R.J. took the owner's '03 Chevy Silverado and added a front clip from an '08 Chevy with bold, billet inserts. The body sports a clean-shaven appearance, with a burgundy and tan two-tone split up with a tribal graphic. Out back, the shaved and welded tailgate looks down onto LED taillight strips. With a custom chassis, parts from AVS, and Slam Specialties 'bags, the body was lowered to the ground and the Aftermath club member was able to tuck 24-inch Bonspeed Tsunami wheels with color-forged spokes. Rumor has it the truck was close to being completed, and we can't wait to see it in person.

When contemplating the build of a serious frame-off project, it is always best to consult with a rendering expert. Working with a professional visionary mind can process your imaginary dream onto paper. Seeing the image firsthand enables you to make changes on paper, which is much easier than trying to physically fabricate it beforehand, only to find out it won't work. The assistance of a rendering artist will save both time and money during your project's journey.

For this month's Radical Rendering section, we decided to let the artist do the talking and let you in on his visionary insight. Check out what he has to say and to contact him for a rendering, look below for his digits.

What's A Ute?
Although the Chevrolet El Camino (Elco) debuted seven years earlier, the title of Chevy's first pony car is held by the Camaro. The whole idea behind an El Camino is something that would provide utility and performance. By design, it was inevitable that the first generation El Camino's 289ci small-block V-8 engine was pulled to be reequipped with Chevy's 302ci, 327ci, 350ci, 400ci small-blocks, and the occasional shoehorning of a 396ci big-block.

This month's artist was struck by the illustration bug at an early age. Gerard Blommaert is a "No Photoshop!" hands-on kind of guy, His favorite tools consist of ink pen, felt tip marker pens, pencil, crayon, and gouache paint stuffed in a top feed airbrush. He was born in Audenarde, Belgium, where at a very early age he began drawing. Needless to say, Gerard's first years were spent in the country where horses became the subject of Gerard's interpolations. Reminiscing back to those days, Gerard remembers his first sketch was developed with pencil on the coarse surface of a brown-paper grocery bag.

2008 GMC Sierra
Brandt Fuqua of Graphic Disorder takes an image in a solid color, digitally clips the body, and re-colors the truck with graphics. Placement of digitally clipped rolling stock dictates the vehicle's attitude. When asked how he comes up with his graphic designs, Brandt replied, "I just let the body lines form how the design flows. From there, it all comes easy."

Chris Southworth builds fantasies. He makes custom kitchens and commercial millwork, and much of his work can be seen in the pseudo-reality in various Las Vegas casinos. At the end of the day, however, he flicks on the computer, launches Photoshop, and starts building another reality of an automotive kind. It's a creative, fulfilling hobby for him that went from a casual curiosity to fiery preoccupation in March 2006 when he discovered the Photochop forums at Streetfire.net. He hasn't a preference for either domestic or import brands, cars, or trucks. He just likes what looks good and will try to pick up where the manufacturer left off. If it's a car, he tries to give it an aggressive look that exudes pucker factor, should you see it getting larger and larger in your rearview mirror. Chris is more flexible when it comes to trucks. He'll lift or lower them and do whatever it takes to make them look awesome. Case in point, take this Frontier.

Remington Box is no square. Sure, he works a day job as a mild-mannered graphic artist at the local newspaper, where he lays out advertising and articles in the useful, but hardly stimulating, blocky format demanded by that medium. By night, however, Remington Box the salary man becomes Remington Box Designs, the creative professional who gets the job done with visual panache. Need a promotional flyer or automotive rendering? Done. And, would you like that in metallic cocoa fuscia?

Ben Hermance's mother still has Ben's first rendering that was identifiable as a car. He was 4 years old when he drew that blue tow truck. Art was always a passion after that day, but Ben didn't consider it as a career until concepts by Chip Foose, Steve Stanford, Thom Taylor, and others convinced him to forfeit a full university academic/sports scholarship in his sophomore year and pursue a career in design. He won a truck design contest in 2004, started doing renderings for free to get exposure, and set up an online gallery of his work. His efforts have netted him more than 30 project vehicles he had designed, some of which debuted at SEMA this past year.

Kristina Biane is a self-taught artist and graphic designer, an unabashed car fanatic, and a motorsports nut. She has melded her imagination to her love for motorized transportation, and built a freelance career as a designer. Her renderings have appeared in automotive magazines and have inspired projects which have been shown at SEMA and elsewhere. In fact, Kristina even rendered our SuperCrew project way back in 2000. She has teamed up with Jeff Biane on SEMA projects, designed aftermarket body kits, and worked for Hot Wheels Collectibles, Modern Image Signworks, Jada Toys, Johnny Lightning, and Maisto International. Her purview even includes T-shirts, custom paint, and vinyl graphics.

Jamie grew up in the foothills of Southern California's San Gabriel Valley, where he planted his passion for automobiles in the fertile SoCal car culture. Preferring the fantasy of paper, pencils, and dreams to the reality of axle grease under his fingernails, Jamie decided to attend Art Center College and pursue a career in automotive design. An internship at Kawasaki introduced him to the world of powersports, which he further explored as a designer at Thor Motocross. Now, Jamie is back at Kawasaki as the company's U.S. designer.