Renderings were extremely common for ads and brochures until the mid-late sixties, when the realism of photography finally and quickly became dominant. Who knows how many artists made a living illustrating brochures and ads, but none were quite as good as Art Fitzpatrick (cars) and Van Kaufman (background), whose work for Pontiac is iconic. This one was made specially for the premiere of the 1962 Grand Prix, and Fitzpatrick describes it in his own words:
“This was the announcement ad for the very first Pontiac Grand Prix. The final decision to create the car had come just a few months before new-car announcement day. Van and I had two days to create an entire ad campaign for a new car model in a fresh style distinctive from the other ads we were doing. This picture set readership records for Pontiac and won the color ad ‘Award for Excellence from the New York Society of Illustrators.'” (Motor Trend)
I also always loved these ads. I’ve become familiar with Fitzpatrick’s name over the alst few years, but never realized someone else (Kaufman) did the backgrounds. I was a little too young to notice the ads back in the ’60s, but my dad had a cousin that saved all her National Geographics, and when we’d visit her (in the ’70s), I’d comb through all of them to see the car ads towards the front of the magazine.
It wasn’t until the early 90s that I discovered this great art in National Geographics. My grandparents, just retired at the time, still lived in Palos Verdes and had a tight 1 car garage. In that garage were tons of reference books and NG issues from the 50s-70s. I’d squeeze between the rear fender of their 79 Cutlass Supreme Brougham (ironically, my first car to drive…not buy) and with a flashlight, take a trip back in time. Eventually, they gave me alot of those magazines and after I read through them all, I cut out alot of car ads. I think I may have re-read a couple of issues with women of certain tribes of certain continents, my dad was never a Playboy subscriber. I kept those until I moved to college…when I went through a ’bout of unloading “needless” items. I regret getting rid of alot of memories, including those ads. I guess I’m very gracious to Paul for letting me revisit an era I wish I could have lived in.
The only ads of my youth were a new tomorrow thanks to the Chevy Celebrity or awesome 6.9% interest on a futuristic Ford.
Thanks for these, I added a few to my wallpaper collection. 🙂
Fitzpatrick did an amazing job depicting the Pontiacs — it was just exaggerated enough to make the car appear more enticing, but not enough to cause disappointment when you saw the real thing. I’m sure that aspect alone was pretty tricky!
I think for me (along with Bechtle still lifes) these always made me look at cars from that era as works of art. And in the many ways you could admire them (from photography, to renderings such as these and the actual cars themselves).
It’s something dreadfully missing in the black, white and grey of today.
OH Man~! Thanks for posting these- i cannot pick out a favorite,as they are so totally cool. They scream space age bachelor pad (if I can quote from Equivel’s album).
The last one is brillant down right psychedelic, but I think the third one — convertible stopped w/ gent saluting muchacha on bike takes the cake.
thanks again Paul .
I agree with you. That is my favorite. Very Dashing convertible. In What color is that? I Sure would like one of those with matching or lighter interior.
Great Photo, I want to frame a bunch of these pictures badly.
The color looks like Sierra Copper. My Aunt Norma and Uncle John had one of these – a 60 Catalina sedan in that color. I think that the ad shows the color a bit more vividly than it was in real life, though.
As an enthusiastic cyclist, my first thought was ‘Why is this idiot driving his 10 foot wide Pontiac in a bike lane?’. 🙂
My goodness, over 50 years later and to an entirely different generation, those renderings still induce lust. There’s a certain magic in them. Those last two especially could pry my pocketbook open in an instant!
I too first saw these ads 2nd hand if you will, after the era had passed, and they always seem so exciting, you just didn’t own a car, you owned a PONTIAC!, and Pontiac owners were often seen parked in the paddocks at Monaco, out side a casino, exchanging microfiche no doubt, waviing at pretty girls on bikes, wind surfing with Pan Am stewardess’, what ever it was, you can be sure that a Pontiac owner was living an exciting life.
I had never seen the last ad before, its great, the car looks like its alive, there really is no other way to describe it, its impressive, its has a lot of “motion” to it, which is kinda unusual for Fitz ads from the era, where the car is usually sationary, plus the ads usualyl never had a car with the headlight on, from what I can recall, parking lamps and tailights, but a full on 4 quadrabeams as blazing shot like that, WOW. You can almost hear the engine race and the induction noise of the carbs as it passes by!
Also, the guy in the blue suit with the cigarette looking down at the 1960 Bonneville convertible couple looks like he is up to no good.
Let us have a moment of silence for the once great automotive brands that have passed away. Specifically the last two to leave us, Pontiac and Mercury.
Yes, definitely. The automotive landscape is that much plainer with their departure. I have no idea why they kept GMC and axed Pontiac.
Amen. And can we add Oldsmobile to the list of Once Great Automotive Brands That Have Passed Away? So many firsts – the assembly line, the first post-war OHV V8, the Hydramatic transmission, the turbocharged Jetfire, the FWD Toronado, the world closed-course record of 257.123 mph set by A.J. Foyt in 1987 in the Oldsmobile Aerotech… An ignoble end to a mighty legacy.
Always loved these drawings as a kid beautiful artwork. The fact we rarely saw the actual cars helped a lot. The Opel Commodore show exactly where Holden cribbed its car from that has a HQ front but with WB lights shoulda had that one up 2 days ago Paul an expose on Holden styling would shock Australian readers they are told they drive an all Australian car even the first Monaro is an Aussie design. However I know exactly where its from and Id bet money youd know or find out it really a 64 Opel widened.
I have most of the Pontiac brochures from the Van and Fitz era, they really are works of art. One of my favorites is a picture in the 1960 brochure of a Bonneville convertible at night, lights on, with a full moon, a bridge and a marina in the distance. Thanks for posting more of these!
In the 1971 Canadian LeMans/GTO brochure, it showed a mix of photos and the art of AF-VK http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Pontiac/1971%20Pontiac/1971_Pontiac_LeMans_Brochure-Cdn/dirindex.html
Seems then AF-VK got some guys who tried to imitate their style, like for example, the illustrated 1967 Canadian Pontiac brochure http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/Canada/1967%20Pontiac%20Brochure/dirindex.html
as well as 2 rivals of the medium-price segment Mercury and Dodge for the 1964 model year
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Mercury/1964%20Mercury/1964_Mercury_Full_Size_Brochure/dirindex.html
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Dodge/1964_Dodge/1964_Dodge_880_Brochure/dirindex.html
I’m not going to repeat myself about these exaggerated renderings and the style of realistic illustrations as were visited a few months ago, but I will say this: They’re still beautiful.
@Zackman: Me too, bro. I’ve spent plenty of electrons for my love of Van and Fitz’s work, so I can’t add anything of worth.
It’s still fun looking at these, and I’m a little chagrined that I never developed my own skills to this level…
This one is my favorite. Maybe it’s my dirty mind at work, but I see all kinds of subliminal stuff going on here. The girl sitting on the wall appears to be reaching behind to undo her strap and show him the puppies, and check out the look on the guy’s face. Is that a leer or what?. And the couple at the water’s edge. Where does she want to put those hands once they get in past waist deep water? And her bottoms appear on the verge of sliding down.
Yes, a lovely ad. A clean, wholesome, all-American ad, I’d add.
…and Mr. GTO’s getting ready to leave…no unattached women down there.
The puppies? Oh that’s pretty funny.
Men really have some of the best euphemisms…
You can’t beat the 1969 Grand Prix. And that 1965 with no background is awesome, too.
Strange that the ’62 Grand Prix illustration won major awards. I’d argue that it’s one of the less attractive in their portfolio. The bumper and the central nose look out of scale and very heavy to me. It doesn’t ‘dance’ the way some of the others do.
The ’60 model on the bridge has always been my favourite. The 1960 is not my favourite early 60’s Pontiac, but maybe it lent itself the best to their illustration style. The nighttime illustrations also all look better, with the jewel-like reflections in the brightwork. I love the touch of the super bright, whited-out headlights.