Intro
David Kimble's automotive illustration work has become synonymous with the term "Cutaway." He is one of the last remaining masters in the art of traditional airbrush automotive illustration. From an engineering standpoint, the level of detail, accuracy, and precision David is able to achieve in his illustration work is breathtaking.
Biography
David Kimble was born on February 22, 1944, and grew up in Southern California, where his father worked as an aerospace executive. David has had a passion for cars and motorcycles since childhood. He has been doing cutaways since grade school, using shelf paper and crayons to create his first artworks.
Corvette Z06 © - by David Kimble
Stylistically, David was influenced by several of the now-legendary illustrators from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, such as James A. Allington (Road & Track) who's style "could make a box of cereal look complex," and "when Allington had illustrated every Grand Prix car running in 1962 for Road & Track, I saw that and knew that's what I wanted to do." Other artists David admired were Tony Matthews, and Yoshihiro Inomoto (Automotive Quarterly), but the artist who he claims had the greatest influence on him was Gordon Bruce (Sports Car Graphic) who's ghosted style "really glamorized color illustrations."
David studied physics at Pasadena College. After graduating in the early 1960s, he began by working as a draftsman and artist on a laser project for the Navy, and by 1965 he was doing illustrations for Sports Car Graphic magazine. David did drafting work on an Indy 500 car (Chapparral, Harrison Racing Team) in 1966, and he also worked as a design engineer for an RV company before he started doing illustrations for "Road & Track" magazine.
Ferrari F40 © - by David Kimble
David Kimble began his own studio in 1976. He claims that his technical skills as an illustrator are a result of his passion for the art form rather than his formal training. David describes himself as a compulsive workaholic who manages to work 14 to 16 house a day, seven days a week, with a 2 hour nap at four o'clock in the afternoon. A typical engine cutaway takes approximately six weeks to complete; a car cutaway can take up to eight weeks. The most time consuming part of any illustration is the line drawing phase, which can take up to three weeks.
Corvette © - by David Kimble
After 15 years of operating his studio in Burbank, California, David moved to his wife's hometown of Marfa, Texas. He bought the old Palace Theater and converted it into his studio and residence, where he works to this day.
LS6 (2001) Engine Cutaway © - by David Kimble
Two-Mode Hybrid Transmission © - by David Kimble
Methodology
David has chosen the "path of most resistance" by remaining defiantly stedfast in his resistance to go digital. He continues to use his tried-and-true method of airbrushing acrylic paint onto litho film-positive transparent film to create his masterpieces. The end result speak for itself; his work is in as much demand today as it has ever been.
Ferrari 288 GTO © - by David Kimble
To start an illustration, David Kimble takes a master photograph and enlarges it to the scale of the final illustration. After tracing the exterior photograph onto matte drafting film, he starts the chassis assembly drawings by plotting the components into the tracing one layer at a time. When the preliminary drawing is completed and approved by the client, an assistant inks the line art onto matte drafting film and it is transfered to a transparent sheet of mylar litho film-positive.
Corvette © - by David Kimble
Corvette C6 -
Cutaway Construction
The image is painted on both sides of the film; chassis on the rear side and body exterior on the front side. By painting on both sides of the transparent film, David Kimble is able to achieve the effect of ghosting the exterior body of the car "over" the chassis without actually spraying the body color onto the chassis side of the film. This process allows for modifications to be made to the amount of ghosting without disturbing the underlying chassis "layer."
Dodge Viper © - by David Kimble
David Kimble's tools of choice are "old school" all the way. His use of Pencil, Rapidograph, Iwata Airbrushes, Winsor & Newton Acrylic paint, Frisket, and transparent film set him apart from the digital world. These techniques are difficult to master and require a level of patience that would not appeal to the amateur or digital technical illustrator.
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO © - by David Kimble
David describes himself as a "eclectic maniac" who's hobbies include collecting military memorabilia and fire department antiques, as well as road-racing cars and motorcycles. David's favorite artist is Syd Mead, who penned concept cars for Ford Motor Co. and later worked as the visionary set-designer on films such as Bladerunner.
Star Trek USS Enterprise Cutaway © - by David Kimble
On the subject of computers and their place in the world of technical illustration, David concedes that "computers have enhanced our world," and that "they are the center of the high performance renaissance we're all enjoying," but states that "the dot-com mania is also bankrupting our culture. We have reached the point where people have zero attention span and nothing is substantive." Always the workaholic, Kimble's plans for the future are to "work like a demon until I go belly up."
Corvette Z06 © - by David Kimble
