Pimp My Aptera!!!

[Hockeynow70]

Are you good with Photoshop???

Are you feeling creative???

Then see what you can come up with for alternative paint schemes for this ride... PIMP MY APTERA!!!

I challenge you! Anything from classy to just this side of deranged! I'm seeing sharks, fighter planes, race decals... What can you come up with? Get your desktop publishing friends in on it!

GO HERE (http://community.webshots.com/album/563103449pKoOGq) for some pics to get you started!

[admin]

Great Idea. Lets see what you guys can do. Maybe I'll award another prize!

[Hockeynow70]

Great Idea. Lets see what you guys can do. Maybe I'll award another prize!

Nice! It would be good to get some nice clean hi-res images to work with from select angles. The ones I have uploaded are the best I could find.

[Aptera #1159]

Nice! It would be good to get some nice clean hi-res images to work with from select angles. The ones I have uploaded are the best I could find.

I am pretty good with photoshop. I lost my serial #, so I am out of commission for the time being.

Since I technically bought the user agreement, I could try a crack or keygen.

Don't want to get too off topic.

I am looking forward to seeing what occurs.

[Matthijs]

I would like to put up a request. I was wondering how the Aptera would look with white instead of the now black headlight "reflectors". Would someone be able to photoshop this picture with white headlights? I would very much appreciate this. :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2099/2049176327_a8c0e17378_o.jpg

[Hockeynow70]

It's rough, but all I have to work with is MS Paint and Photo Editor

[pk-sd]

Well, black it is then.

[Matthijs]

It's rough, but all I have to work with is MS Paint and Photo Editor

Thank you very much! Did did a good job. :) It doesn't look that bad to me. I was just curious how it would look when the headlights were more "toned" into the car. Now to only also loose the borders So we have all white headlights.

Thx agian. :D

[gg222]

OK...I know this is dumb, but I had to put it out here.

http://windupkey.com/graphics/gallery_nb_red_nerds.jpghttp://windupkey.com/graphics/gallery_nb_blue_round.jpg

http://windupkey.com/

[garygid]

My wife really liked the baby blue, but still said that she does
not want one of her own. However, when I showed her the
light Pink, she exclaimed, "How Cute!". So, now ...
its a definite "well, ... maybe". :D

For me, I love the very light "baby" blue.

[Hockeynow70]

So Far I think the 'electric blue' is the most interesting, mainly because it's the most playful. I like the fade effect of the pink. Mayabe try a copper fade to silver or something? How about some decals?

[dmtaub]

I know it seems dumb, but could we see it in black. There is something very sexy about black cars.

[Aptera #1159]

I know it seems dumb, but could we see it in black. There is something very sexy about black cars.

Yes!!!Yes!!!:p

[Chupacabra]

Make a red one for me please Onugs :)

[SpyderMike]

I wonder if they will have color selection limitations based on the composite material they are using and it's heat related degradation....

[Hockeynow70]

quickly tossed together but here's another...
Onugs, NOW we're TALKIN'!!! What can you do with one of the other photos I provided, showing front, side, rear, etc.?

Can anyone do something along THESE LINES (http://www.raidentech.com/newarfp460ti.html)?

[LQUAN]

Onugs, NOW we're TALKIN'!!! What can you do with one of the other photos I provided, showing front, side, rear, etc.?

Can anyone do something along THESE LINES (http://www.raidentech.com/newarfp460ti.html)?

There is no photos on your link. Try this one...

http://www.cactusaviation.com/Gallery/images/photos/klatt.htm

I am building one of this. Made by Yellow Aircraft International. Expect to be done by Christmas 08. FYI, this plane is all fiberglass.

http://www.yellowaircraft.com/props/p40.htm

[Hockeynow70]

[QUOTE=LQUAN]There is no photos on your link. Try this one...

There are no photos on my link? Hmm, when I tried them they were all there. :confused: Try copying and pasting the following into the address bar:

http://community.webshots.com/album/563103449pKoOGq

[SpyderMike]

This is the one I am building - ready for paint...mine is full scale and seats 2, cruises 150 mph and has a range of 800 miles+.

[onugs]

Shark!!!!!

[Chupacabra]

Thanks for the red

[swinti]

http://www.swinti.com/aptera_2_konf_FF.jpg

[Chupacabra]

Hm I was just noticing the aptera does not look very large (wide) in that picture. Unless the dude inside is a linebacker... I think my Corolla is wider then that

[Matthijs]

Hm I was just noticing the aptera does not look very large (wide) in that picture. Unless the dude inside is a linebacker... I think my Corolla is wider then that
The dude inside is Steve Fambro. CEO of Aptera. :D

[hyo silver]

The shape reminds me of a tree-frog - in a good way - which suggests a cute smile on the front and a vibrant, poisonous-looking paint scheme. Not that I could photoshop one; just throwing the idea out there. :)

[KarenRei]

The shape reminds me of a tree-frog - in a good way - which suggests a cute smile on the front and a vibrant, poisonous-looking paint scheme

Ooh, I love the idea :) Mimicking patterns like these?

http://www.be.wednet.edu/Acts/S. Olson/Images/frog51.jpg
http://www.blackjungle.com/Merchant2/f-dl.jpg

Now, I know Aptera prefers light colors to aid in the longevity of the panels by reducing their temperature... but, hey, if they did degrade, you could always replace them down the line. ;)

[hyo silver]

Yeah, those are the little guys I mean. The smile looks somehow familiar, doesn't it?

[Hockeynow70]

"The shape reminds me of a tree-frog - in a good way - which suggests a cute smile on the front and a vibrant, poisonous-looking paint scheme"

So do you think we'd have problems with people licking our Apteras for a buzz if they were painted with such a scheme?

OK Onugs, you've been the most productive pimp so far, what can you do with these ideas? :)

[hyo silver]

Oh, I hope this doesn't get anybody kicked off the list. I'm not even going to suggest a grasshopper paint scheme. Sorry, Steve. I do love your car, really. :D

[GCustom]

:confused:
same here
what list?

[Aptera #1159]

same here
what list?
The reserve list. It was a joke.

[hyo silver]

Yes, sorry, that was meant to be a joke. I thought Mr Steve Fambro might not be too appreciative of the suggestions for painting his creation.

I'm new here, so I should realise my teasing manner may not go over all that well.

[Aptera #1159]

Yes, sorry, that was meant to be a joke. I thought Mr Steve Fambro might not be too appreciative of the suggestions for painting his creation.

I'm new here, so I should realise my teasing manner may not go over all that well.

No, It is fine. I got the joke. It brought up a good point. I do wonder what Steve thinks.

[gg222]

He's recording all your names and puting them back to the bottom of the list. ;)

[Hockeynow70]

No, It is fine. I got the joke. It brought up a good point. I do wonder what Steve thinks.
Does it matter what he thinks? After all, we are the ones with the cash in hand.

[Hockeynow70]

Let us get back to pimpin', guys!

[hyo silver]

Ubiquitous though the colour may be these days, I think the Aptera would look great in silver. A sparkly, shiny silver makes a car look like it's formed from a solid block of metal, which would seem to suit a fluid, organic shape quite well.

[Aptera #1159]

Ubiquitous though the colour may be these days, I think the Aptera would look great in silver. A sparkly, shiny silver makes a car look like it's formed from a solid block of metal, which would seem to suit a fluid, organic shape quite well.

Eww. I just don't like the idea. Hyo Siliver.:p I think white looks very nice.

[hyo silver]

OK, maybe I'm a bit biased. ;) For me, the colour came first, and then I picked a vanity plate and a 'screen name' that went with it.

White suits the Aptera very well. Aside from being practical with the reflectivity, it looks more like an aircraft.

[gistmarrs]

I like the metal idea, but not silver. Maybe, titanium or a gunmetal color. It would look like something out of Terminator.

[Hockeynow70]

http://image66.webshots.com/666/5/11/11/2233511110080905116rcetPg_fs.jpg

[CandidQuality]

Ok. Just a few from tinkering today. First time i've used my wife's program so they'll get better when I ask her how to use it.

[CandidQuality]

one more for the pile

[Hockeynow70]

That's good. You should try some with the car viewed from an oblique angle, like the one below:

http://image52.webshots.com/652/5/93/1/2873593010080905116JRsMom_fs.jpg

[CandidQuality]

Jasc paint shop pro 7. I'll try to get more done of the side view when I get the chance. Took me 5 hours to get the file ready, and only about 5 minutes per color after that.

[garygid]

Maybe post the color-ready file so others can try it? Thanks.

[KarenRei]

Just a photoediting tip:

For more realistic images on darker car colors, you'll need to paint in new highlights or darken the existing highlights. I've done photoediting for over a decade, and that's one thing I've learned: highlights are almost always broader on bright-colored objects, especially white. Which is a pain, because the only solution is hand painting. On white objects, like your Aptera picture, pretty much all diffuse surfaces are effectively in highlight.

[KarenRei]

Just a photoediting tip:

For more realistic images on darker car colors, you'll need to paint in new specular highlights (if you treat the current "bright white" as diffuse) or narrow the existing highlights (if you treat the current "bright white" as specular). I've done photoediting for over a decade, and that's one thing I've learned: specular highlights are almost always broader on bright-colored objects, especially white. Which is a pain, because the only solution is hand painting. On white objects, like your Aptera picture, pretty much all diffuse surfaces are effectively in highlight.

[CandidQuality]

Gary, unless you have paint shop pro it wouldn't help, nothing but breaking up each section into layers so that seams work properly. I could post each part as a separate picture for you(original white) but it's not much help unless you can put them back together again. if you can put them together, you can take them apart. I'd be happy to make something you'd like. I can possibly translate it out of here into another format, but can't guarantee it will remain in layers. Let me know what program you have and i'll see what happens.

Karen:
Thank you for the tip. I'm really not a painter, just have a program that my wife has worked with for years, and with the filters(add ons) it has it's pretty easy to paint these. Other than not knowing how to draw with color(I'm a charcoal man myself) I really haven't spent any time on his program. So bear with me and i'll use your help to make things a bit better hopefully. Personally i'd rather make the model and then render it as it's much easier to get the lighting right. If I could get any sense of scale I'd have it done in a week, but haven't seen any hard dimensions anywhere as of yet.

[KarenRei]

No problem. It's not like the images come out looking wacky or anything; they just come out looking matte rather than shiny.

Yeah, the easiest way would be with a 3d model. Oh, god, I could have fun with funky textures in povray if I had a 3d model ;)

[CandidQuality]

Get me some dimensions and I'll get you a model. I've got mechanical desktop 07, autodesk inventor, catia 4 &5, solidworks, pro-e, lblender, rhino, you name it I probably have access to it. Would take me a week or two of spare time, but I want to do it anyway.

[KarenRei]

There's a dimensions thread on here somewhere. They got the width by measuring the tiles that the Aptera was sitting on in one pic, and then used that to determine the other dimensions. The width is almost exactly 7"; I don't remember the other dims off the top of my head.

[garygid]

Dimensions of 13' 1" long, 4' 4" high, and 7' 0" wide (out to out)
are what I have been using in trying to make my 12:1 CAD model, but ...
it appears that nobody knows for sure.

[Tachy]

Aptera with a license plate (sticker-version) in front
http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/5778/apterawm5.jpg
.....looks good!

Aptera from rear with motorcycle-licence-plate (metal) and blog-advertisement
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/8875/apterareaviewlu6.jpg
There is a problem with the air-exhaust!

...and from side with an advertisement and anti-gas-sticker on the plug :)
http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/7613/home1qo7.jpg

[victoly]

A design for the gentleman who has to part with his H3 but wants to keep a certain macho image.

:fighting0010:

[MegaAutoBit]

Aptera with a license plate (sticker-version) in front
http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/5778/apterawm5.jpg
.....looks good!


Don't give the government any ideas.:)

[Matthijs]

You gotta love European license plate size. I made a tread about it a while ago. The backside plate will ruin the aerodynamics. TreadLink (http://apteraforum.com/showthread.php?t=45)

[APTERA 2356]

I would think there would be several companys willing to buy advertising space on the Aptera. Cheeper than a billboard, mobile and certainly an attention getting shape.
If I saw an Aptera on the street a year ago the first thing I'd do is look for a make or model... so imagine if all they see is the advertisement.

Hmmmmmmm I wonder how much they would pay

[aptera1213]

i thought i might make my car payments by advertising for apple computers or the local children's hospital (i would give them a cut rate)...

not sure if i would actually do it, but maybe for a company or cause i love

[APTERA 2356]

It would have to be a cool design and a product or service I endorse for sure

[Hockeynow70]

This thread isn't about splashing advertising on the vehicle, it's about making your Aptera look cooler than anyone else's.

[garygid]

I guess I am too old ...
I would have thought that "pimping" could easily cover both.

[evolutionmovement]

Do they make natural organic leopard print seat covers that aren't made from real leopards? Not sure how many hookers I could fit in the thing either (2 with one laying in the back?) and I don't think I'd be intimidating enough to them when I show up to the corners they work looking for a cut of their money. I don't think it's a very good pimp car at all.

[CandidQuality]

Just posting an update. Still working on the model. Hopefully I'll get more time this weekend and get a bit more done.



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3015/2515448820_644c452058.jpg?v=0

[KarenRei]

Same with me and the customizer webapp. I got distracted several evenings this week and didn't get as much done as I'd have liked. The model is shaping up nicely, though :)

Back to pimping out an Aptera: I saw on someone's blog about how they felt that, whenever you sat down, you should hear a James Earl Jones-esque voice say, "Welcome To The World of Tomorrow!"