Next up in our VC X BELL HELMETS series meet the amazingly talented automotive artist and illustrator Georgia Croft and the amazing Bell Moto-3 helmet that she created!
We came across Georgia and her awesome work over on good ol’ Instagram when she created a massive mural for the Baffle Haus in her native South Wales and mannnnnnnnnn GIRL GOT SKILLS!!!!
From intricate sketches and paintings of cars and motorcycles, inspired by her love of all things on wheels (inherited from her Grandad) to life-size murals Georgia has created it all!
Georgia’s one of a kind BELL MOTO-3 helmet painted for this project is a thing of hand painted beauty and we know whoever wins it will be as stoked as we are!
Go follow the awesome Georgia on instagram and read on for how she created this absolutely mind blowing (and mind protecting) helmet!
_____________
AND DON’T FORGET!…
All 4 of the Bell custom painted helmets are up for grabs at this years sold out Camp VC event where we’ll be raffling them off! So make sure you grab a ticket onsite to be in with a chance to bag one!!!
Hey Georgia! Where are you from originally and where do you live now?
Originally from South Wales and still living here to date.
What first got you into drawing?
I love getting asked this question. My grandad was a big petrol head and I soaked up a lot of enthusiasm for things that had an engine from him. A friend of his was a mechanic and owned his own garage, so my weekends were spent there being underneath cars rather than playing with my dolls. I distinctly remember the smell of the place and even today if I catch the smell of a car running rich, it puts a smile on my face. Grandad also worked at the Staedtler factory that made stationary and as a result we always had loads of the pens and pencils in the house that he used to sneak home for me. To this day, I will only use Staedtler pencils because using them reminds me of him. Alongside this, the women in my family are all so incredibly artistic. So I had an amazing mash up of being surrounded by cars, free pencils, and artistic women. It was only a matter of time before I became an automotive artist!
Your automotive drawings are so lifelike!! Where did you learn to draw like this?
Thank you so much! My Mam and Nan taught me how to draw when I was really small, pretty sure I was scribbling before I could walk! I think because drawing to me is associated with some really fuzzy and lovely memories from my childhood, that love for what I’m doing translates into the pieces I’m creating.
How would you describe your style of work?
Laidback realism.
Where do you most get your inspiration from?
When I’m not at my desk I love going to bike hangouts, car events like Sunday Scramble and I religiously follow the British Touring Car Championship races. At my desk, If I’m working on a motorbike or a car that I’ve not come across before, something as simple as reading up on it’s heritage is great for getting inspired by what you’re drawing. Strong coffee and 80s music also helps.
What do you love the most about having such a hands on job?
It’s seriously so therapeutic. Whether I’m drawing or painting, being creative is really the only thing that helps me shut off. It’s also an awesome feeling when you’ve just finished a piece that you’ve put so much time and energy into, you take a step back to look at it and you’re just like “oh sh*t, I made this!”.
What car or motorcycle would you love the opportunity to draw that you haven’t drawn before?
Ooh tricky question! I love things that are head turners and have a history behind them, so maybe a Brough Superior SS100, Allen Millyard’s RC374 or Porsche’s Pink Pig.
What has been your favourite project you’ve worked on and why?
There’s been a couple! Most recently I worked on a mural at Baffle Haus and It was awesome to create some art whilst being surrounded by classic cars and motorbikes. As far as days go, that was pretty epic. I also loved drawing my Mam’s Honda CBR600RR, and Thornton Hundred’s Bobber TFC.
How does your life inspire your work?
I owe a lot to the awesome upbringing I had, it’s shaped me into the little artistic petrol head I am today! I’m also really lucky to have a bunch of the most supportive people in my life who are my biggest cheerleaders, they inspire me to keep pushing past my limits. Alongside my art, I work full time for the NHS and most recently I underwent training to become a mental health champion in my organisation. This was my biggest inspiration when thinking about my helmet design.
Tell us all about your awesome Bell Moto-3 helmet design!
My painting style compared to my drawing style is very minimalistic. I love simple designs done well and knew I wanted to create something that had a strong message. It’s an understatement that the past 18 months have been a rollercoaster, and at some stage we have all suffered with our mental health. Even though there’s now more awareness, I personally feel that a lot of work is still to be done to end the stigma that’s attached with mental health, so this translated into the design you see now. I also felt the need to keep the design purposefully subtle. Mental health affects us all in different ways and sometimes when someone is struggling, the signs are very subtle and not immediately clear for all to see.
For me, art is at its best when it provokes a feeling or an action. Even if this design prompts just one person to pause and think about their mental health or that of someone else’s, that’s one more person than before who’s thinking about why our minds matter.
What materials did you use to create the helmet?
Chinagraph pencils which are a type of grease pencil to map out the basic design, one shot paint, masking tape, a little bit of chromoflo to thin the paint to get nice clean lines and some teeny tiny brushes.
What was the process you used to paint the helmet?
After I took the helmet out of its box, I grabbed a coffee and then stared at it for ages so I could just let my mind race and go where it wanted to go. Once I was feeling inspired, I started to sketch some ideas, and then sketched some more! I sought out inspiration from all angles before settling on the idea that I wanted to create a message. Once everything was decided, I popped in my headphones, chucked on my favourite playlist, and started painting.
How long did it take you to create?
In total it took around 15 hours, not including the time I took beforehand to psych myself up before doing my first brush stroke on the helmet!
Thank you VC for asking me to be a part of this awesome project, I had an absolute blast!
