Vulgalour's Boring Art Market Research Thread

[vulgalour]

I'm looking to compile a list of Popular Vehicles to draw in my new portfolio which will be firmly aimed at printed articles.  For now, I'm just focusing on the UK market as that's the one I'm best placed to get my products out to in the wild at shows and the like and there is a show later this year I'm hoping to attend with new work to do just that.

 

All you need to do is suggest the classics that you believe are most popular and would sell well to the general public.  I do need to take this somewhat seriously as it will help decide the direction my business goes in and, hopefully, improve my income to something a bit more sensible so I'm not constantly an artist stereotype when it comes to being broke most of the time and living from commission to commission.

 

So here goes with some of the vehicles I can think of that should work.  Feel free to voice your own opinion on the below if you think I'm wide of the mark and add your own suggestions as we go along.

 

Austin

Allegro (2 door saloon)

Mini Cooper (not clubman face)

 

BMW

E30 saloon

 

Citroen

2CV

 

Ford

Mk1 Ford Escort Mexico

Mk2 Ford Escort rally spec (research liveries)

Mk1 Lotus Cortina

 

Jaguar

E-type series 1

 

Land Rover

Series 2 short wheelbase

 

MG

B GT (hardtop)

Midget (drophead)

TF

 

Morris

Minor (not low light or split screen)

Traveller

Marina (4 door saloon, 2 door coupé)

 

Porsche

944 Turbo

911 (any variant)

 

Triumph

TR6

TR7 (fixed head)

 

Volkswagen

49-64 Beetle 

Type 2/Camper van

 

With some feedback I can shortlist this to the most popular ones and go from there.  There's plenty in that list above I don't feel I could bring anything new to the market with which is one of the turn-offs for me.  I want to feel as though I'm bringing something into the market that is distinctly mine, new and interesting rather than the same old stuff that's been done a dozen times, even if it is very commercial.  It's not that I feel like I'm selling out, it's more that I don't see any point bringing something else in that's been done to death.

 

I'll be building a Negative Space portfolio as they're quite adaptable for printed items and a Pop Art portfolio because they're nice and bright.  Both of these styles have been received very well in the UK and the US going by stats and feedback I've had so far so I feel confident they're the direction to go in.  They should also translate to print very well being a simpler, stronger style than my watercolour work.

[barefoot]

I suspect you should do more VW stuff, there are always folk selling pictures at all of the shows.

Splits and goofs spring to mind, but maybe not for you because its all been done before.

[spartacus]

I'm not being facetious, it would be great if you could make a success from this, but your marketing seems at odds, or I'm missing something.

Surely you're going to have to do some of the popular but less desirable stuff, such as G**lfs, etc, because they're the ones that sell well, in volume.

[barefoot]

You've got the dates wrong for Beetles, sloping lights were pre '67

but you should do the later upright cars too 

Although possibly not the 1303 fat chicks.

[RayMK]

Perhaps check on How Many Left to see if some slightly less popular models are worth doing (assuming it works on cars like Standard 8 and Triumph Herald etc.).  I doubt that Alvis, Bentley and other 'posh' marques would attract much trade unless you had a batch of 22 carat beer mugs knocked up.  The ones you've listed would certainly attract the mugs and T shirts brigade.

[purplebargeken]

Herald

Dolomite Sprint

 

Ford Anglia

 

Mini Moke

 

Lotus stuff

 

You might want to think about steam stuff and maybe commercial vehicles such as Bedford TK's and the like.

 

American stuff - Mustangs, Chevy pick up type stuff

[320touring]

Firstly, well done for calling the e30 a saloon:). Secondly, I hope this works well for you chap!

 

my suggestions are as below

 

BMW

e21 saloon

e30 touring

e34 saloon

 

Citroen

CX! (there is a cx facebook club-its international and may be a decent market)

 

MG

B roadster/convertible

 

Volkswagen

T25 transporter/campervan/pickup

T2 Baywindow (early and late- maybe even them pigsnout polo engined brazil built ones!)

mk1 Golf

mk2 Golf

Mk2 Caddy/Seat Inca (dubscene is strong with these, huge scene/modifying knowledge so market potential)

 

I think its a great idea assuming you can have basic sketches to just pull and print, maybe charge for liveries/personalisations seperately?

 

just make sure you have time for the cool stuff you enjoy doing too-best of luck!

[taxi paul]

My daughter has a Honda jazz. However she has loads of VW camper merchandise. She can't afford one but likes them and people buy her stuff for birthdays and Xmas. My point is that maybe people may buy pictures of ford rs cosworths cos they like them and cant afford them, same has golf gti. I would aim for a wide base of pictures that are easily re printed and framed etc when ordered from ebay by someone. The wider range of pictures you have should lead to a wider consumer base. Sorry I got all Alan sugar then . Good luck.

[taxi paul]

I would also consider some Vespa and lambretta scooter pictures . For all those ageing mods with a good disposable income..

[taxi paul]

Also if you start off with pictures of cars that have a good club following eg ford escort. You could send the secretary one of your pictures has a gift. How you stop them re printing and having you off I don't know.

[fordperv]

Don't forget 3 door sierra cosworth and Escort cosworth

[mercrocker]

Do Allegros and Marinas have a wide appeal outside of these pages?    Trouble with the Aggro is all the different variations making the market share even more fragmented..... 

 

Definitely worth testing the market with VW split stuff and 1951-54 Chevy pick up as referred to in other suggestions.   These vehicles appeal beyond the usual classic car/petrol-heads.  

Hate to even think about it but the Bini-Mini could be worth exploring.    

 

1959 Cadillac is pretty iconic as well.

[Wilko220]

Just an idle thought but, if you developed a small portfolio of classic J-tin then I wonder if maybe Dollywobbler could do a little piece on you in his Retro Jap magazine?

[The Moog]

Plus eleventy on aspirational stuff.

 

How many people bought a countach poster but couldn't afford the car?

 

Same as splitties etc.

[plasticvandan]

buy a copy of classic and sportscar, and a copy of practical classics.that will give you a full and comprehensive list of the boring mainstream crassics that people fawn over.

[JohnDeere]

Could add H-Van and DS to the Citroen list.

 

I think there are certain cars - like these and the obvious Dubs - that have appeal beyond people into those scenes.  In other words, to reach the widest market you need stuff that's immediately familiar and recognisable to non-car people. That way when they're buying a card / print for a "car person" they will pick those. It means you can sell those lines in other outlets, not just car shows.

 

To differentiate your work, maybe consider adding the "lifestyle" elements that go with the car... surfboards being unloaded from the splt-screen van, H-van in a French market square, picnic by the 2CV etc. (realising that completely changes the type of art).

[worldofceri]

All the 80s hot hatches:  XR2, XR3, Cossies, mk I & II Golf GTi, R5 Turbo, 205 GTi, Delta Integrale etc.

 

All are fetching strong money for the real thing as the kids who grew up swooning over them now have some disposable income to chuck at living-out their youthful aspirations.

[Wilko220]

Much as I'm loathed to say it, you might also consider the market for "iconic" modern stuff like the BINI, Nu-Beetle, Fiat 500, etc. The kind of people who choose to buy those type of cars might well also be in the market for an artistic impression of it.

[vulgalour]

I'm not being facetious, it would be great if you could make a success from this, but your marketing seems at odds, or I'm missing something.

Surely you're going to have to do some of the popular but less desirable stuff, such as G**lfs, etc, because they're the ones that sell well, in volume.

 

That's the point of this exercise.  My own personal tastes are clouding my judgement so I'm using this very crude market research as a starting point to figure out what actually is a desirable classic or other vehicle and work from there.  So far I'm learning that much of the stuff I personally couldn't give a toss about is what everyone else wants.  I recently realised I'd hit a plateau and needed to step back and figure out what to do about it so that's what this is about.  So far, quite informative.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Lots of good ideas, particularly Wilko's modern stuff suggestion.

The OLLI market is done to death, but some of the popular but less iconic models might be worth considering,

Disco,P38,Freelander etc. Lots of owners who love 'em but not as much stuff about as there is for a Bronze Green Series.

[vulgalour]

This has rather opened my eyes to what I thought was car show fodder and what actually stands a chance of working.  There's a lot I'd dismissed, much more than I'd realised until I started seeing it written down.  Clearly, I've been too invested in what I personally like which, I reckon, has been holding back the size of the market I can reach and the popularity of my work.  Rookie error!  That's why market research is important.

 

Funny thing is, there's a few popping up that I'd like to draw that do stand a chance of being popular pieces.  The H Van suggestion is a great example of this, I'd sort of dismissed it as being a bit too obscure and French totally ignoring all those trendy coffee and catering ones everywhere.  Clearly the H Van is in the popular consciousness as a trendy, hip thing to aspire to and I should be tapping into that sort of thing much more than I am.

[fordperv]

Capri's, anglia's....

[JohnDeere]

The H Van suggestion is a great example of this, I'd sort of dismissed it as being a bit too obscure and French totally ignoring all those trendy coffee and catering ones everywhere.

 

And quite easy to draw if you have a ruler 

[worldofceri]

The H Van suggestion is a great example of this, I'd sort of dismissed it as being a bit too obscure and French totally ignoring all those trendy coffee and catering ones everywhere.  Clearly the H Van is in the popular consciousness as a trendy, hip thing to aspire to and I should be tapping into that sort of thing much more than I am.

 

Exactly.  Perhaps type 'cool car' into Pinterest and see what comes up most frequently.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

What about all the DriftYo! people with their Skylines, 200SXs and ruined 3 series BMWs?

Won't they want digitally buggered photos with a million filters applied for effect? And a watermark which their mate created somewhere at the bottom?

[eddyramrod]

With the American cars you might be best to play safe in the beginning.  I'm thinking 1968-69 Dodge Charger, 64-66 Mustang, (see also 67-68 and 71-73), 1959 Cadillac,  55-57 Chevy and a couple of generations of pickup; say 51-54 Chevy and 67-72 Ford.  All of those should find plenty of market.

More domestic suggestions would include Cortina mk3 (GT or GXL), mk1 Granada, almost any Capri, 65-71 Transit.  I'm sure others will occur to you with time. 

 

Best of luck!

[vulgalour]

Those American selections tie in exactly with the feedback I've got from friends in the States so far.  If someone asked me to draw American cars I'd be off doing Studebakers, Tuckers, AMCs and Nashes.  I really can't be left to my own devices!

[danthecapriman]

I'd agree with trying to stick to mainstream stuff, and stuff that's 'hot' now.

For example, if I tell people what my yank is, they just shrug shoulders and ask wtf is that!?

But everyone knows what a Mustang fastback is!

 

For uk market stuff, I know I'm a little biased but without doubt, Escort 1/2, Capri probably best known in mk1 or 3 style (no body seems to remember the mk2), Cortina mk3 because Life on Mars made them cool again.

 

Maybe worth doing TV cars? People now are nostalgic about old TV series and films.

Professionals Capri's, Bullitt Mustang, The Saint Volvo, etc etc...

 

Of course some stuff will always be popular like MGB's, Beetles, Mini's etc so there's always going to be a market for that sort of stuff.

[vulgalour]

I'm kicking things off with a car I really can't stand:  Jaguar E-type.

[danthecapriman]

I'm kicking things off with a car I really can't stand:  Jaguar E-type.

Could be worse. You could of chosen the (IMHO) hideous Citroen DS! Which is another suggestion as they have a big fan base.