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Noah (American painter)
Encyclopedia
Noah Elias is an American artist, known simply as Noah, working within the fine art market and custom art scene. He is best known for painting the Suki art car
in 2 Fast 2 Furious
, but is also a widely collected painter of Disney Fine Art
.
, and found he had a gift early on:
Noah soon took his art to the streets, painting portraits of celebrities on canvas for huge crowds outside neighborhood coffee shops. His portraits soon attracted collectors like Nicole Kidman
, Tom Cruise
, Val Kilmer
, Craig T. Nelson
and The Black Crowes
. This celebrity exposure made Noah an overnight star within the art community. Soon after, corporate clients like Lexus Motor Cars
, Levi's Jeans
and Toyota, were asking Noah to enhance their corporate collections and ad campaigns.
Noah had long since realized that "canvas was the ticket... It allowed [him] to spend a much time on a piece and generate income." Before long, though, Noah began painting on different surfaces: "I have come up with different avenues in my work, and I meet a lot of markets that way."
And in 2004 he garnered international fame for his paint job, or "rolling canvas," on the Suki car in Universal Pictures'
hit movie, 2 Fast 2 Furious. He has since won "Best Paint" at S.E.M.A. (Specialty Equipment Marketing Association) 4 years in a row for the "rolling canvases" he created on behalf of Alpine Electronics
. Noah is also known for the body art he has applied for many ad campaigns; most recently he did body art on the recording artist Pink
, decorating her body with tattoos for a music video.
Noah now devotes a substantial amount of his time towards creating Disney Fine Art
, a mixture of his unique style and those beloved Disney characters. He feels very "blessed with the unique opportunity to create art that helps carry on the legacy and heritage of Walt Disney's dream."
Art car
An art car is a vehicle that has had its appearance modified as an act of personal artistic expression. Art cars are often driven and owned by their creators, who are sometimes referred to as "Cartists"....
in 2 Fast 2 Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious is a 2003 street racing action film directed by John Singleton. It is the second film in The Fast and the Furious film series following The Fast and the Furious . It stars Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Devon Aoki, and Chris Bridges; and was directed by John Singleton. The...
, but is also a widely collected painter of Disney Fine Art
Disney Fine Art
Disney Fine Art is a term used to describe works of art portraying Disney Characters, painted by professional artists who are often animators, background artists, or production designers....
.
Biography
Noah was born March 28, 1971 in Orange County, CaliforniaOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, and found he had a gift early on:
I started my company when I was still in high school. I was doing lettering, signs and promotional banners for businesses and restaurants... My business card was even in the high school yearbook.
Noah soon took his art to the streets, painting portraits of celebrities on canvas for huge crowds outside neighborhood coffee shops. His portraits soon attracted collectors like Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
, Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a supporting role in Top Gun and a...
, Craig T. Nelson
Craig T. Nelson
Craig Theodore Nelson is an American actor. He is probably best known for his Emmy-winning roles as Hayden Fox on the TV series Coach, and as Steve Freeling in the 1982 film Poltergeist. He also starred in The Incredibles in 2004 as Mr...
and The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
. This celebrity exposure made Noah an overnight star within the art community. Soon after, corporate clients like Lexus Motor Cars
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
, Levi's Jeans
Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. is a privately held American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's brand of denim jeans. It was founded in 1853 when Levi Strauss came from Buttenheim, Franconia, to San Francisco, California to open a west coast branch of his brothers' New York dry goods business...
and Toyota, were asking Noah to enhance their corporate collections and ad campaigns.
Noah had long since realized that "canvas was the ticket... It allowed [him] to spend a much time on a piece and generate income." Before long, though, Noah began painting on different surfaces: "I have come up with different avenues in my work, and I meet a lot of markets that way."
And in 2004 he garnered international fame for his paint job, or "rolling canvas," on the Suki car in Universal Pictures'
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
hit movie, 2 Fast 2 Furious. He has since won "Best Paint" at S.E.M.A. (Specialty Equipment Marketing Association) 4 years in a row for the "rolling canvases" he created on behalf of Alpine Electronics
Alpine Electronics
is traditionally known as an aftermarket car audio and navigation systems manufacturer, famed for their high quality, premium in-car audio units commonly known as headunits. It is a subsidiary of Alps Electric Co. and its registered head office is in Tokyo, Japan. However its main offices, or the...
. Noah is also known for the body art he has applied for many ad campaigns; most recently he did body art on the recording artist Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
, decorating her body with tattoos for a music video.
Noah now devotes a substantial amount of his time towards creating Disney Fine Art
Disney Fine Art
Disney Fine Art is a term used to describe works of art portraying Disney Characters, painted by professional artists who are often animators, background artists, or production designers....
, a mixture of his unique style and those beloved Disney characters. He feels very "blessed with the unique opportunity to create art that helps carry on the legacy and heritage of Walt Disney's dream."
Style
Each canvas begins with a rough sketch. Once a subject and composition are chosen, Noah uses models and also his own photographs as references. Once he has sketched his composition onto canvas (or any of the many different types of surfaces he paints on), Noah proceeds to carefully airbrush the composition and over paints with many different effects from his vast arsenal of painting techniques.
I like to mix photorealismPhotorealismPhotorealism is the genre of painting based on using the camera and photographs to gather information and then from this information creating a painting that appears photographic...
with drips and rags. It contradicts itself but it works at the very end – the organic and natural contrasts beautifully with the structure of the airbrush and photorealism. It’s a nice marriage of techniques that gives the work more depth. The effect is almost Trompe-l'œil; especially with the water drops on the flowers.
Quotes
- On painting Disney Fine Art:
Disney was and is still a blessing. They allowed me to do my own style of art with their characters. It's a blast. I enjoy continuing the magic of Walt's dream and being part of something so special. It really brings me back to being a kid. Great memories.
- On his eclectic style:
An important way to stretch myself is to make each painting different than the last and to not fall into a comfort zone. A lot of artists paint one subject, one medium and one style. I like so many different materials and looks that I like to change it up. Also, I believe it allows me the chance to reach different industries and types of collectors.
- On what inspires him:
My relationship with Christ is hands-down the most important thing in my life and the reason for being...My inspiration comes through daily experiences and my pursuit of Christ's character. There are days that are extremely challenging with certain projects or paintings, but it's on these days that I get to learn more about myself and what God wants to accomplish through me.