More ace art from Japan

The Japanese famously love Mini based (sports) cars and they appreciate art, too. Combining those two has resulted in some great paintings and drawings before. Last year saw these drawings of Mini based sports cars from the hand of Endo Izuru. Quite a longer time ago we saw these ones from Chitoshi Tamura. Unfortunately I do not know who made the drawings seen below here, but I do know they were made by another fan of Mini derivatives from Japan. Please let me know if you happen to know who the artist is as he deserves the credits for these drawings.

A wide arched Unipower GT

Picture source unknown

A Mini Marcos with racing numbers

Picture source unknown

A Mini Jem Mk2 

Picture source unknown

And an Ogle SX1000

Picture source unknown

Jidéhem knew his Minis

When you are Belgian or French you will know the work of comic artist Jidéhem. The characters he invented made it to Spirou magazine every week and were loved by many. In the 1960s and 1970s a number of spin-off publications appeared, one of them being Starter, which was all about cars. I found that a few Mini derivatives made it to the publication and wanted to share these here. They were a fun way of illustrating motoring reports in the magazine. I would love to learn there are more. Do let me know when you know of any others.

Jidéhem's Starter in a Mini Jem GT

Picture from Starter magazine

And in an Ogle SX1000

Picture from Starter magazine

And even in a Quasar Unipower

Picture from Starter magazine

Japanese drawings show Mini variants

Although I am not able to read a word, I am a fan of Japanese motoring magazines, so often richly illustrated with atmospheric photography, historical material and not to forget drawings. Endo Izuru is one of the top illustrators and his work can be seen regularly on the cover of CAR magazine. Recently he made a couple of illustrations for an online publication named The Motor Brothers, showing Mini derivatives and I am sharing these here. I think I recognize some of the actual cars in them. Superb!

GTM Coupe

Illustration Endo Izuru

Mini Marcos 1966 Le Mans 

Illustration Endo Izuru

Mini Jem Mk2

Illustration Endo Izuru

Rob Walker MiniSprint

Illustration Endo Izuru

Ogle SX1000

Illustration Endo Izuru

Unipower GT

Illustration Endo Izuru

Japan Mini Day 2015: Derivatives theme

The 23rd Japan Mini Day will this year take place on November the 1st at the Lake Hamana, west of Hamamatsu (where well-known specialist Dinky Inc. is based). What's more: this year's theme is Mini derivatives, with several very interesting cars expected - as you'll know the country hides a vast number of Mini variants and specials. Unfortunately I won't be there, but will let you know when I receive pictures. More information can be found here.

Poster art for the 23rd Japan Mini Day. Note Broadspeed, Mini Marcos and Unipower

Picture courtesy J-MSA

Ace art from Japan

I got in touch with Chitoshi Tamura from Japan recently and - without knowing it - I have been a fan of his work for a longer time. Under the name 'Smokey' (to his hero John 'Smokey' Rhodes), Chitoshi actually is the man who makes fantastic artwork for classic Mini magazines such as Mini Plus and Street Mini in Japan and MiniWorld in the UK. His style is crisp and simple and I often find the more basic his drawings are - the better they work out. See his blog for some great examples. The good thing is that he is into Mini derivatives, too, and below you find a few examples of Mini based sports cars he drew. Keep up the great work! 

Picture courtesy Chitoshi Tamura

Picture courtesy Chitoshi Tamura

Picture courtesy Chitoshi Tamura

Picture courtesy Chitoshi Tamura

Cover story

They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but I usually do just that. So when the Maximum Mini book was about to be finished I began to think what to put on the front. Mini derivatives, that was for sure. I had a superb shot of William Dulles' Mini Pick Up with the Le Mans Mini Marcos shell at the back that was never published before, but decided I wanted more cars in one picture.

That's when I phoned illustrator Rens Biesma with whom I worked before with great pleasure. Rens makes the most wonderful motoring related paintings, cutaway drawings and he knows his Alfa Romeos, but he liked the idea of this book too and started sketching after just one quick coffee. Some days later he came up with a drawing of the seven cars I suggested (Ogle SX1000; Broadspeed GT; Mini Marcos; Cox GTM; Deep Sanderson 301; Butterfield Musketeer and Unipower GT). I loved it. However, my publisher was convinced the book needed pictures rather then art work on its cover and that's why Rens' painting never made it. Well, here it is. Click up for more detail.

Copyright: Rens Biesma