Grant Thomas: a true automotive artist
 Recently
I had a chance to view some of Grant Thomas' artwork.
After a few minuets I was left wondering how much money
I had in the bank and how could I ever choose just one
piece of his magnificent work. I was thrilled when
he agreed to speak with me about his painting talent.
Nika: First tell us about yourself and how you
got into painting. Grant: I was
born and raised in Markham Ontario - north of Toronto. I
am an Honor graduate of Sheridan College's Technical
Illustration Program. I have been working as a
Commercial Artist for 14 years. There I learned Adobe
Illustrator and Photoshop on the Macintosh. I also
freelanced for awhile for a Motorsports Company
designing artwork for General Motors, Dale Earnhardt,
Scott Goodyear, Paul Tracy as well as several amateur
racers around town. I have since left the freelancing to
devote more time to my automotive Art - with a capital
A.
Nika: Do you work in any
other mediums? Grant:
Watercolours and/or inks have always been my favourite
medium. I have lately been experimenting with oils and
acrylics on stretched canvases. Adobe Illustrator is
also used sometimes...but i spend all day in front of a
computer at work so i look forward to putting brush to
paper or canvas when i get home...
Nika: What do you look for in a subject?
Grant: I usually work from photographs... Some of
my favorite works are done from shots I've taken at the
Cavallino Classic held in West Palm Beach, Florida. The
large variety of Ferraris that attend - both road and
track, early and late models - make for some great
images. Their location is ideal: the lawn in front of
the Breakers Hotel with ample room to get
 full
portraits, and no gates or ropes surrounding the cars to
allow for (careful) close up detail shots. I'm always
searching for an angle, a detail or a view that shows
off the car's lines in a new and dramatic way.
Nika: How long does it normally take for you to
paint a picture? Grant: A more
detailed rendering like "Quattro Cilindri" can take up
to 3 or 4 months, working evenings and weekends. Some of
my more "loose" of abstract works take 5-12 hours.
Nika: Which is your favorite?
Grant: My favorite I have given to my wife, Melaine,
"New Beginnings", a Ferrari F310. This piece is one of
my largest (approx. 38x25 inches). The name denotes
Ferrari first use of a) Michael Schumacher as a driver
and b) a V-10 engine and kick started a new stage of
success for the team. Nika: What do
the paintings cost and how can someone get one?
Grant: Prices range from $1500 to $6000 depending
on the time devoted to the piece. Most of the paintings
on my website
GRANT THOMAS are available.
Email me for prices. The site is new and is
still in progress. I am also looking in giclee prints to
make my work more available to more people. Stay tuned
to my website for future details regarding these.
Nika: Do you do commission work?
Grant: I do accept commissions. I can work from
photos supplied by the customer or i can take the shots
myself if the car is in the Greater Toronto Area and the
car can be photographed properly outside. I can refer to
my Ferrari resources for some of the more "common"
street models. I also enjoy architectural work and can
generate painting of their house or cottage and place
their Ferrari of choice in front. Thank
you for your time Grant, we look forward to seeing and
buying some of your work! Forza Ferrari |
