Starting grid of classic race cars

by Sidney van den Boogaard

Any moment now the flag will go up. On the starting grid the race cars stand ready in rows: red, green, blue and silver, the national racing colours of the sixties. Mechanics push the last cars into place, drivers pull on their gloves and the starter stands ready with the flag. In the packed grandstand, pennants flutter in the wind. This work captures that tense minute just before the start, when the whole circuit holds its breath. The light sky and wide perspective make it an open, spacious work for a larger wall.

This work is part of the Golden Racing Years series: ten painterly scenes from the days of leather helmets, roaring engines and crowds lining the track. All the works share the same warm, muted colours and loose brushwork, so they combine easily as a pair, a triptych or a full gallery wall.

The work was created digitally, based on my own concept, composition and colour choices. I then finished it myself: removed badges and logos, refined the crop and added a fine grain and a print-ready colour profile. The cars, drivers and places are fictional and do not refer to real people or brands.

A lovely gift for anyone who smiles at the sound of an old engine: for the study, the garage or above the desk.