Need some ideas for big wall art...

[jayoldschool]

My garage has really high ceilings (16'), so the side wall without the windows is one big expanse of boring white. I need some ideas to spruce it up. Anyone have any ideas for big dealer posters, race posters, signs, etc? Not really looking for "investment" pieces like big vintage signs. Just something big to get up on the wall that will be cool to look at. A 2'x3' poster is not going to cut it...

Here's that boring wall...

 

[e-tek]

WOw - great idea for the space. Pretty hard to suggest to your taste though. The good thing is that now-a-day "they" can take anything you want and make it into high-end large-format wallpaper. I've seen Bud girls wrapping fridges, to Football team logo's rapping buildings!

 

[rsanter]

big FORD oval logo
find a scene of a few cars racing that you like and paint it up there
paint the bigfoot 4x4 on there like its parked next to you
old steam locomotive
big military tank


bob

 

[Ray-CA]

Take a look here: http://www.garagescenes.com/home.php

Ray

 

[JC23]

I'd hate to let that much space go unused. If'n you need some more storage, how 'bout a row of kitchen upper cabinets on that wall? That way you can get the storage and put some cool art about and below. I'd make the images above a bunch bigger.

You can get a wrap made like e-tek says (how 'bout one of Mrs. e-tek?) or have a stencil made and throw some paint on the wall. If you have an image you really dig, beg, borrow or steal an overhead projector and throw it up on the wall to trace. Then have it with paint.

It's wide open, jay. Make us proud!

 

[pgreen]

I have no connection with them, but saw this at the big R-M Auction (formerly Kruse) in Auburn Indiana this weekend.

www.garagescenes.com

Can get them up to 8' x 12' !!!

 

[seagravedriver]

I am going to try to make this photo work, but have a bit to learn. Keeping with your GM theme, I recently came across a GM era (I think) Detroit Diesel/Allison sign. It was stored in a shop for 30 years, give or take a few. Price was right, and my father-in-law built a frame with some lights behind it. Huge. The hunt was kinda fun as well.

 

[jayoldschool]

Cool stuff at that garagescenes.com site...

Hmmm, I wonder if I can find any vintage unused billboards?

Like THIS:

78 Monte Carlo billboard

Now I just need to find one for one of my cars...

 

[Ocho]

Check out stores and ask them what they do with their displays. I got a large (8 foot x 2 foot) Miller Lite racing banner from the grocery store the week after the NASCAR race.

 

[DzNuts]

I'd hate to let that much space go unused. If'n you need some more storage, how 'bout a row of kitchen upper cabinets on that wall? That way you can get the storage and put some cool art about and below. I'd make the images above a bunch bigger.

You can get a wrap made like e-tek says (how 'bout one of Mrs. e-tek?) or have a stencil made and throw some paint on the wall. If you have an image you really dig, beg, borrow or steal an overhead projector and throw it up on the wall to trace. Then have it with paint.

It's wide open, jay. Make us proud!

Ditto to what Jay said. Divide off the bottom 1/3 with cabinets, and any 5, 6, or 7ft image would look much bigger up there. If you're not looking to spend the money on cabinets right now, paint a bold (~12" wide) line 5.5' off the ground in a color you would enjoy. Probably not the color of the logo you are going to paint on there (assuming you are going with a solid color logo). But if its a two tone logo you could use the least bold color of the two colors and use that for the line. Or simply the color of your favorite car.
Just throwing ideers out there. Love the tall ceiling.

Ryan D

 

[crewchief888]

My garage has really high ceilings (16'), so the side wall without the windows is one big expanse of boring white. I need some ideas to spruce it up. Anyone have any ideas for big dealer posters, race posters, signs, etc? Not really looking for "investment" pieces like big vintage signs. Just something big to get up on the wall that will be cool to look at. A 2'x3' poster is not going to cut it...

Here's that boring wall...

i used a bunch of banners from summit racing, and a couple that were saved from vandals at the races on the walls of my shop.

the 3'X5' ones from summit were in the $5-15 range
SO and matco both have banners you can get through the dealers.
i got one from lincoln electric via a mail in offer when i bought my welder.

be in for sticker shock on banners through SO...

 

[vintagerodshop]

Try having a local young artist do some airbrush painting on it I had a couple of large 20 foot high walls covered with vintage car scenes.

 

[jayoldschool]

I think I have decided on a vintage billboard. I'll keep my eyes open and see what I can come across, but if you hear of something, LMK...

 

[Kevin54]

Get an overhead projector, download some cool pics and do a black and white artwork on the wall. Just doing a search for "hot rod art sketches" turns up quite a few. Here are a couple:

http://www.hotrodart.co.uk//AutoArt...le=LINESKETCHES&Description=Roughlinedrawings

Some from the H.A.M.B. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=200754&page=2

http://wrightbros.tripod.com/index1.html

http://www.ratrodstudios.com/sketches.html

Or check with the local High School art department. There are a lot of young talented artist out there and maybe a couple would like to make some spare change doing something like that. Just look at some samples first though from a student.

One thing is, you have a huge canvas to work with

 

[jayoldschool]

Hmm, by pure coincidence... I am a high school teacher

 

[vintagerodshop]

and if it doesn't look good you can paint it white and start over

 

[strelnik]

My garage has really high ceilings (16'), so the side wall without the windows is one big expanse of boring white. I need some ideas to spruce it up. Anyone have any ideas for big dealer posters, race posters, signs, etc? Not really looking for "investment" pieces like big vintage signs. Just something big to get up on the wall that will be cool to look at. A 2'x3' poster is not going to cut it...

Here's that boring wall...

You can get some very good 4 x 8 ' posters made by Kinko's for about $30.00 if you have a good high definition photo.

I have a space 8' x 50' to cover so I'm enlarging pics of famous car guys and famous cars, plus a couple of my own. Here's one:

 

[drmoonshine]

My garage has really high ceilings (16'), so the side wall without the windows is one big expanse of boring white. I need some ideas to spruce it up. Anyone have any ideas for big dealer posters, race posters, signs, etc? Not really looking for "investment" pieces like big vintage signs. Just something big to get up on the wall that will be cool to look at. A 2'x3' poster is not going to cut it...

Here's that boring wall...

You could put a stripe around the perimeter of the garage in the middle of the wall. Also you can hire an art student to paint you garage with a desired picture. Anything else is an investment for big pieces of art.

 

[aqr81]

Just for clarity. I called my local Kinkos and the $30 would be for black and while not color.

 

[Kevin54]

You can get some very good 4 x 8 ' posters made by Kinko's for about $30.00 if you have a good high definition photo.

I have a space 8' x 50' to cover so I'm enlarging pics of famous car guys and famous cars, plus a couple of my own. Here's one:

By your own, do you mean picture or do you mean car. And if you mean car and that is a pic of yours, then by all means you need to post up some more of it. The Delahaye is sweet

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

big FORD oval logo

Uh huh, you didn't happen to notice the manufacturer of all three cars in his garage?

 

[oldcpecdr]

So how about this ? I mounted a display small block chevy on the stairway wall..gets LOTS of comments, from 5 feet looks real...

I picked up the tire signs at a tire dealer who takes them down when they burn out and puts up the new ones that the mfrs send....20.00 in bulbs and starters and there you go....you could make them one sided easily...

Mike B

 

[jayoldschool]

oldcpecdr, your stuff looks good. I will eventually add some signs. I need BIG for that wall, though. This is why I am thinking vintage billboard. The wall is bigger than an outdoor billboard.

Uh huh, you didn't happen to notice the manufacturer of all three cars in his garage?

Was wondering when someone would comment on that. I've never owned a blue oval in my life...

 

[PhantomEB]

Find the local graffiti artist that does just more than tag ****.... and tell him hes got a clean pallete to work with!

 

[sickboi55]

phantomeb has the right idea

 

[HOTFR8]

My garage has really high ceilings (16'), so the side wall without the windows is one big expanse of boring white. I need some ideas to spruce it up. Anyone have any ideas for big dealer posters, race posters, signs, etc? Not really looking for "investment" pieces like big vintage signs. Just something big to get up on the wall that will be cool to look at. A 2'x3' poster is not going to cut it...

Here's that boring wall...

Get an overhead projector, download some cool pics and do a black and white artwork on the wall. Just doing a search for "hot rod art sketches" turns up quite a few. Here are a couple:

http://www.hotrodart.co.uk//AutoArt...le=LINESKETCHES&Description=Roughlinedrawings

Some from the H.A.M.B. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=200754&page=2

http://wrightbros.tripod.com/index1.html

http://www.ratrodstudios.com/sketches.html

Or check with the local High School art department. There are a lot of young talented artist out there and maybe a couple would like to make some spare change doing something like that. Just look at some samples first though from a student.

One thing is, you have a huge canvas to work with

Read this topic>
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74294&showall=1
as he has painted the Mitchelin Man on his wall using an overhead projector.

It may give you some ideas.

 

[Kevin54]

What is on the lower portion of the wall? It looks like the drywall is missing.

One thing you could do to dress it up is make the wall look like a gas station front. Add some trim, fake door, air meter, etc. Put some pics behind the glass. I'll have to find the thread but a couple of people has done the Sinclair fronts. One member here (I can't remember the name of his shop) had the complete inside done to look like different buildings. He is the member that is building the new shop with the 20' ceilings. I have a case of CRS right at the moment.

Off to do a search

 

[river1]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/15/technology/personaltech/15basics.html

later jim

 

[jayoldschool]

What is on the lower portion of the wall? It looks like the drywall is missing.

It is the concrete foundation. The drywall is on top of the framing.

 

[Matti]

I have a flag on one of my walls. You can get them on Ebay for most vehicle makes. My buddy pinned up multiple pages of old car ads from his old mags. It looks pretty good actually.

 

[dcovey]

If you want to be really blown away (or I was) check out Bruce Litton's shop I think he built a complete replica of his home town.. Everything seems to be as it was back in the day..

Bruce owns Litton trailer manufacturing and races Top Fuel. It's a neat display..

Dave

 

[eborcim]

Interesting... Litton's place has no visible fire suppression system.

 

[4StarCstms]

Interesting... Litton's place has no visible fire suppression system.

You kinda figure that'd be something he'd put in as this is his second shop as he lost the first to a fire.. It's probably there, just not out in the open

Still a very Cool Shop!

 

[midnightcruise]

I have a 199X Impala SS bill board that has never been hung up.... that would be cool... I wanted to put it up in my garage, but can't keep cabinets and shelves off the walls... ;( I need too much storage space.

 

[gunner3773]

Two words..."RAT FINK"

 

[652plus2]

Holy ****! I looked at this picture ten times before I realized there's a Shelby in it! More info? More pictures?

 

[jwillis]

I went to a swap meet this weekend in Springfield, Ohio and this one guy had several huge banners for sale pretty reasonable. Budweiser banners, Indy banners, Marlboro racing banners. He had a few that must have been 5' X 15'. I bought one yellow banner that was 3'X9' and said "Welcome Race Fans! Pennzoil Oil". Pretty cool. You also might want to check at your local auto dealers to see if they have any banners that they are going to throw away. Good luck.......j willis

 

[jwillis]

Here's another idea...... Go to your local junkyard and get your self a grill. (plastic will do) Clean it up- repaint it if it needs it and hang it on the wall. Hook up the headlights and turn signals and run them down into a battery out of sight. Good in case of a power outage. When I bought my 78 Vette years ago the front bumper had a hole punched in it from rear ending a guys trailer hitch. I replaced the bumper and kept that one over the years. A few weeks ago I painted some cardboard black and taped it on the back for the grill and hung the whole thing on the wall with one of my 78 Silver Anniversery plates on it. It looks pretty cool hanging there. So, just use your imagination........Good luck again.........j willis

 

[LocoCoco]

...beg, borrow or steal an overhead projector and throw it up on the wall to trace. Then have it with paint...

I've been wanting to paint the "Jeep" logo on the inside of my garage door but hadn't figured a good way to stencil it as it's obviously a difficult, uneven surface. Using a projector would work perfect!


Another idea I have to cover up a large wall in my garage is to wallpaper it with maps. I have a whole series of black & white topos of my area. Plan is to cut off the borders and mosaic them all together to make a giant seamless map.


LC.

 

[Skyking1992]

Here's a billboard I have in my garage. Wife and I darn near came to blows trying to hang it. I can't imagine guys hanging one of these 30 feet in the air with the wind howling. It's about 10 feet high and 22 feet long. Excuse the mess.