Art in motion with 2002 model E46 BMW 330i

We've met loads of people in the UAE who have worked on their cars, but none who used it as a canvas. What inspired you?

I'm a visual interaction design specialist by profession and also a BMW fanatic. Living in a region where you're surrounded by exotic and supercars, and where there's a huge trend to customise vehicles, it's hard not to be influenced in some way. Being a designer and having a better understanding of art, it wasn't a huge leap to create something unique in the region.

So tell us about the car?

It's a 2002 model E46 BMW 330i, but the body has been completely modified apart from the roof. And the whole thing has been given a unique shade of metallic grey with a matte finish.

And the artwork?

I've always enjoyed doodle art — it's a very spontaneous form of outline art. Seeing this on a Lamborghini had me in awe. Another inspiration was BMW's own art cars, especially the one done by Andy Warhol. And there happened to be another BMW fanatic called Travis Todd who doodled his car's bonnet, so it kind of went from there.

Did you do it yourself?

I did it in collaboration with another artist called Mark Ganzon. We decided to divide the car into two, with the idea of covering the driver's side with sharp, angled strokes to represent evil, and the passenger side to be drawn with open, rounded strokes to depict the good. There was no pre-planning involved, we just went ahead as the mood took us, and we relied heavily on our design backgrounds. All the work was done with Sharpie permanent markers, and was completed over the course of three days of intense sessions. Finally, the whole artwork was covered with a layer of matte lacquer to retain the original look of the car.

Pleased with the result?

Absolutely! Being an integral part of the BMW Club in the UAE, and this project being the first of its kind in the Middle East, I'd like to thank all fellow club members for being such an inspiration. I appreciate all the positive comments and international interest shown towards this project.