The Highly 'Tooned' World of Paul M. Ellender

The Cars

"From Cartoons to Commissions and back again"

The original purpose of 'The Rallyist,' published in 2009, was to share the myriad of stories collected over the years. As an artist, I discovered that cartooning was the most effective method for this. The cars in the stories were mostly fictional, with occasional nods to actual club rally cars. However, after publication, there was a demand for drawings of real cars in my distinctive style. This necessitated a higher level of detail, which led to an evolution in my cartooning techniques. Over time, this new style, which merged detailed commissions with cartoon humor, inspired the creation of both Rallyist-Art and the publication of my new cartoon book, 'Rallyist Remastered.'

The Devils in the Detail

"There's more to creating a Rallyist Cartoon Car than you think"

In the narrative, cars are not just vehicles but characters in their own right. Yet, creating a car goes beyond its shape and colour. When the plot calls for high-speed maneuvers, the engineering details become pivotal. The positioning of the suspension, wheels, tyres, and chassis alignment is essential. The steering wheel is the sole artistic liberty I take, raised a bit to reveal the driver's hands—an important and significant detail. Should these elements be portrayed inaccurately, they could become a distraction and lose the reader's engagement.

Single Seaters

Single-seater (Monoposto) racing cars are fantastic, yet conveying the driver's expression can be challenging, especially with a full-face helmet, seated deep in the car, and with the addition of the Halo. Consequently, much effort is required to perfect the head position. Thankfully, saloon cars are much like rally cars in this regard.

Not Enough Wheels
or No Wheels at All?

Trains? Mmmmm ... I have had an enquiry about trains. Can't really show them jumping, or for that matter in 'Opposite Lock' on a bend. But I am working on it really and Diggers and Drones.

Sponsors & Logos

As for the logos, a poorly recreated logo can ruin the entire appearance of an actual car. With Commissions they have to be 'Spot On' even if you have never heard of them. When it comes to Logos on cartoon cars, without genuine sponsorship, I'm not inclined to include them on my vehicles and without that sponsorship there would be Copyright issues. Hence, for Rallyist, I needed to create new logos. It has been an enjoyable process, offering a the reader a cartoon within a cartoon. Over the years some logos have really developed a character of their own.