CASE STUDY: Paint a Vintage 1965 VW Bus for Verizon FiOS at Vans US Open of Surf

29 Jul CASE STUDY: Paint a Vintage 1965 VW Bus for Verizon FiOS at Vans US Open of Surf

“We worked with Drew to transform our VW Bus into a work of art that celebrated the SoCal lifestyle.  It was great and effortless working with Drew and Maria. They had very little time to plan and design, yet the final result was more than what we could have asked for.  Anyone who walked past our VW bus as Drew was painting it, couldn’t help themselves from stopping and observing.   He was extremely personable and engaging, often inviting children to help with paint.”  Bryan Babiartz, Art Director, Marketing Werks

CASE STUDY:  Verizon FiOS at U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach

WHEN:  August 2013

CLIENT:  Marketing Werks (on behalf of Verizon)

MISSION:  Connect Verizon FiOS with youth and Southern California community by painting a vintage VW Bus in two days, LIVE, during the famous and busy U.S. Open of Surfing event in Huntington Beach, CA.

SCOPE OF WORK:  Strategize an art design that would illustrate the Southern California action sports lifestyle.  Paint the design live, during the busiest event of Huntington Beach each year, onto a 1965 VW Bus.

Paint a surfboard that will be given away to one lucky winner.  Give Drew Brophy surf art posters and stickers to the crowd.

Create a vortex of energy to attract people to the Verizon booths to sign up to win prizes and get more information on the product.

DETAILS:  I was tasked with transforming a vintage VW Bus with spray paint and airbrush, in about 12 hours, during the Vans U.S. Open of Surf.

We gave away posters and stickers of my art, and the Verizon So Cal team held drawings daily, giving away surfboards and tablets and other great stuff.

ABOUT THE VAN and THE PAINTING OF IT:  The Verizon FiOS So Cal team drives this VW all over Southern California; the bus has been outfitted with FiOS internet and tv capability, along with 42″ HDTV.  Now, with the custom painting, this van will never be missed driving down the freeway! (For more info, see Press Release)

I painted the van in two days, 6 hours each side.  A lot of people ask how it can be done so fast, so I thought I’d share my process:

PLANNING:  Is the first step.  I work with the shape of the van and the most important thing to me is composition.  I’ve painted dozens of vans, and often I’ll have it in my head what I’m going to paint and just show up and start spraying.  But for this one, I wanted to knock it out of the park for Verizon, so I spent a lot of time sketching out ideas and then getting their feedback.

PREPARATION:  I show up with everything I need – more then enough paint and an arsenal of tricks.

MEDIUM:  Spray paint is the most efficient way to get all the color on.  Most of the painting is done using Mtn 94 Spray paints – they are the best.  I only use quality paints and materials.

MAPPING IT OUT:  I start with the background and build up to the foreground, using spray paint first.  I spray on rough lines to use as my “map” of the layout.  Then, I fill in all color.

DETAIL:  Then I start detailing it.  I finish with airbrush and stencils, and finally, highlights that make the painting “pop”.

WATCH THE VIDEO on YOUTUBE:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6dKtlLKhRM

I had a great time, it was a fun event, working with great people (thanks Verizon So Cal and Marketing Werks!) and it was rewarding to see this painting go from conception to reality.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!