Altering old AMT truck box art (photolinks fixed 4/24/20)

[Jim B]

10-4 on that, you going to build one Jim ?

Actually, I am. A 359 & a 288; and I might just make one green!

[Old Buckaroo]

Green looks good on those old trucks , either one could pull that color off.

[Mackvision]

First one I did was Testors metallic green paired with the MPC tri-axle dump trailer,wish I still had it!......................................Mark

[Russell C]

One box art I wouldn't see a need for altering is the Peterbilt cabover. Another one I think is just fine is the Diamond Reo. When I spotted the Apollo 116 brochure years ago, I thought for certain that either it was an alteration of the AMT box art, or (more logically) the AMT art was an alteration of it. But now that I compare both side-by-side, what may have happened is that both were drawn by the same person using the same basic dimensions and perspective lines (which appear to be identical), or else the AMT artist was inspired by the brochure, but drew the artwork entirely on his own, since none of the minor elements in the artwork are actually straight across matches - as in the reflections in all of the chrome, the sidewall coloring on the front tire or its alignment within the wheel arch, etc.

Edited April 25, 2020 by Russell C
fixed busted photo link

[Jim B]

You know what? I like the AMT drawing better that the one from Diamond-Reo.

[Truck parts]

I think the art work Diamond-Reo would look better if the pipes were in front of the sleeper.

[Russell C]

On 8/21/2014 at 4:40 PM, Superpeterbilt said:

I would love to see the Autocar dump truck box art wearing the paint scheme of the California Hauler.....

Here y'go. Delay was the result of being unable to find a squared-up image of the original box art, so I ultimately had to combine two differrent images to get a basic undistorted view. I always wondered about AMT's choice of those 'bracket-looking' stripes on the hood and bumper of the original.

Edited April 25, 2020 by Russell C
fixed busted photo links

[Superpeterbilt]

Here y'go. Delay was the result of being unable to find a squared-up image of the original box art, so I ultimately had to combine two differrent images to get a basic undistorted view. I always wondered about AMT's choice of those 'bracket-looking' stripes on the hood and bumper of the original.

Awesome man thank you. I would like an 18x24 please

[Russell C]

Awesome man thank you. I would like an 18x24 please

Hope it bolsters your paint scheme idea, if you are still heading in that direction. Regrettably, no poster-size print, due to 1) my failure to win any recent lotteries, and 2) my failure to raise extra money in general. One of these years I'll solve that problem.

[kilrathy10]

Very nice work....I like it....Kind of makes me want to try my hand at sketching, again.....I just might get back into it.....Your works with the computer are inspiring me....Hmmm.....

[Jim B]

I like the Autocar with the Arrowhead design. I suppose one could use the decals from the reissued Peterbilt 359. Very nice.

[Superpeterbilt]

I like the Autocar with the Arrowhead design. I suppose one could use the decals from the reissued Peterbilt 359. Very nice.

I had planned to do a few with the Ca hauler decals. This just confirms that it would look great.

[cappy625]

the Watkins w925 kenworth was always my favorite box art. the s Pruitt freight shaker is way awesome. if amt actually made that I would have definitely blew a years worth of recess money on a few of those.

[Russell C]

Here's another classic, the Kenworth cabover, original box artwork here. What always bugged me about that one was the optical illusion of the left front wheel appearing to be out beyond the cab area in rat rod-style fashion. Altering the black rubber cab skirt molding (or whatever that is called) and placing a dark shadow over the tire tread helped that situation greatly. Various other subtle changes are in this alteration. No offense to the Interstate Motor Freight System company, but I'm more of a fan of the independent trucker look of fancy paint jobs......

[scummy]

Here's another classic, the Kenworth cabover, original box artwork here. What always bugged me about that one was the optical illusion of the left front wheel appearing to be out beyond the cab area in rat rod-style fashion. Altering the black rubber cab skirt molding (or whatever that is called) and placing a dark shadow over the tire tread helped that situation greatly. Various other subtle changes are in this alteration. No offense to the Interstate Motor Freight System company, but I'm more of a fan of the independent trucker look of fancy paint jobs......

Oh yer , that looks dynamite !!!!!!!!!!

[gino]

great art work !

[GearUpJammer]

Great eye Russell,love your artwork!I'm building the K123 right now and have been undecided on the color.I'm partial to blue and after seeing your picture my minds made up!

[Jim B]

Ressell, that's a great looking KW.  I really like that paint job.

[Old Buckaroo]

Russell - That blue looks really good, but I think just about any color looks good on these trucks . Nice work on the ghost tire and fender lip.

[Mike77]

Pretty cool artwork, love the blue K-123. Funny, in 40 years of building I never noticed that oddball front tire discrepancy. Now I'm gonna see it every time I look at the box. Thanks a lot!

[Old Buckaroo]

 I never noticed that oddball front tire discrepancy. Now I'm gonna see it every time I look at the box. Thanks a lot!

My thoughts exactly !

[Rigzndiesel]

If those KWs had those stripes as decals, I don't think Hobby stores would have a hard time keeping those kits on the shelves!  Nice artwork!

[kilrathy10]

Another good one.....I think this is my favorite one, thus far.....Awesome work....

[Russell C]

Thanks gents. True on any color variant of this paint scheme, including the more famous 'BJ & the Bear' red version. While I liked the green version seen in KJ Humphreys' model here (his thin stripes have the appearance of a gold color, which is what prompted me to do that), it was Robert Poudrette's model here that tipped me toward doing blue.

Sorry about drawing attention to the 'ratrod front tire effect' in AMT's artwork, I know how it feels. I used to always read a particular Toyota truck's model name as being the same as a city in Washington state, but one day I read it as "Taco Ma", as in a name for a lady's Mexican food cafe, and I've never read it right since.

There's other subtleties in the old artwork that I 'fixed' more to my liking, as in longer wheelbase, longer mudflaps, taller stacks, longer fuel tanks, brought the front bumper in a bit, added the missing passenger side quarter fender, and toned down the flotation tire appearance a bit. Always liked the really late dusk look of the background at an oil refinery, and I tried to get the look of the truck as being under a moderately distant high-up floodlight.

My favorite for this mood is the old Peterbilt cabover, but now I'm wondering if it's possible to punch up the Western Star with that same refinery background instead, or the Road Boss. No offense to the original artist (art being a subjective thing), I don't think there is a thing I can do to save the weird perspective of this Chevy Titan artwork, but the GMC Astro has possibilities, and I could drop the later Titan artwork into an 'early evening' oil refinery background.

Edited March 3, 2018 by Russell C
fixed busted photo links