About the Mazda Miata

There’s a reason that the Mazda Miata, also known as the MX-5, is the best-selling two-seat convertible sports car in history. Mazda has sold over one million of these cars since it debuted in 1989. The lightweight, responsive chassis handles beautifully in a way few modern cars do. The simple and elegant suspension gives it the handling prowess to be a spiritual successor to the Italian and British sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s.

The first generation model is known for its happy looking ‘smile’ and pop-up headlights. Mazda engineers coded the various chassis as NA, NB, NC, ND, and so on, incrementing the second letter with each new generation.

I was the proud owner of a black NA with a tan leather interior for many years before passing it along to a close friend, and I still miss it today. The beautiful simplicity of the car, both mechanical and design-wise, has definitely spoiled me and makes it hard to fall in love with a modern car in quite the same way.

When in doubt… the answer is always Miata.

Creating the vector painting

This was the first vector painting I did, before I’d figured out a lot of the tricks I used in later work. I was very much flying by the seat of my pants, and learning as I went.

I made versions for nearly every color combination Mazda offered. Several clients have commissioned custom colors, custom bodywork, and custom graphics as well, usually as gifts for the proud owner of that Miata.

Improving my artwork

As I made more vector paintings, I gained a better understanding of light and dark, color theory, and how light interacts with paint. I also found better ways to draw mirrors, windows, and chrome trim.

I periodically revisit older work to update it and improve it using new techniques I’ve developed. Use the slider to compare the original artwork against my updated version. Improvements include:

• Converting hand-painted color blocks to vector shapes for cleaner edges
• Redoing the paint colors, shadows, and highlights to be more accurate
• Adjusting the windshield and side windows to look more realistic

Prints available for purchase

If you’d like to customize my 1994 Mazda Miata vector painting, please send me a message to get started!

You can also buy any of the color combinations below as a print. Options range from high quality matte giclée paper, to subtly textured canvas, to vibrant and sleek metal prints. Please contact me if you have specific needs for displaying your prints.

Color gallery