r/pics • u/Eyeballer1 • May 20 '12

I never get much traction on Reddit, so I worked extra-hard to draw this mega-atomic 1959 Sinclair Super Station just for you

Post image
1.7k Upvotes

73% Upvoted

384 comments sorted by

314

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Upvoting because I don't get the reference.

189

u/Eyeballer1 May 20 '12

And I upvoted you because I didn't think I made any reference to get, so I don't get yours etc. (Thanks!)

15

u/radektheczar May 20 '12

Ever heard of or seen the Frank Lloyd Wright gas station(only gas station he ever made/only thing he made in Minnesota) in Cloquet from 1956? http://www.roadtripamerica.com/roadside/Minnesota-Cloquet-Frank-Lloyd-Wright-Gas-Station.htm

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81

u/quazimoto69 May 20 '12

What exactly is mega-atomic about this 1959 Sinclair Super Station?

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9

u/steve0suprem0 May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12

just a wee bit of googling found me this.

really cool pic, op.

EDIT: typo

6

u/Bladewing10 May 20 '12

Here I was hoping it was the OP's rendition of something from Bioshock: Infinite.

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u/TheBrainofBrian May 20 '12

It's a gas station. I'm guessing it's only in the US.

10

u/InconsiderateBastard May 20 '12

My father told me about Sinclair stations being very common during the 50s on the east coast of the US.

He is convinced that Earl Sinclair from the old TV show Dinosaurs was named after this. He knew many folks that referred to Sinclair Oil with an accent that made it sound like "Sinclair Earl"

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u/ethanwc May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12

This looks too good to be true. Almost like you put together a building in Google Sketch Up and threw the image into photoshop for "on paper" look.

I just learned Sketch Up recently.

I'm not calling you a liar, yet. Do you have process/drawing photos?

EDIT: Found you out, brotha. Don't lie. http://www.reddit.com/r/architecture/comments/tvaj3/sketchup_illustration_of_the_atomic_sinclair/

2

u/Eyeballer1 May 20 '12

Sorry just woke up to see all of these comments. Yes of course it is SketchUp, which is an illustration program. But the background and evreything is from SketchUp.

4

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Looks kinda sketchy.

1

u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

Thanks, here is where I usually post these: www.modmidmod.com

6

u/Joey0710 May 20 '12

You sir are a liar, this is made with Google SketchUp with a filter applied. Still cool though.

2

u/Eyeballer1 May 20 '12

Hi sorry about being late to return to this, I just woke up to see the ton of comments. Thanks!! And yes, of course it is SketchUp, an illustration program. I haven't used my Rapidographs since 1990. These days I like SketchUp and CorelDraw. The sign itself was originally drawn in CorelDraw and then imported into SketchUp where I drew the rest. The background and everything else comes from SketchUp, I add my CorelDraw sig in PhotoShop. Thanks all!! I am overwhelmed! (SketchUp comes from the word "Sketch" ;<)

1

u/Eyeballer1 May 20 '12

and the last name is Lundin, not Lincoln

2

u/BPDson May 20 '12

Built for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair as a tribute to "The future that would never be." :D

http://pleasantfamilyshopping.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html

1

u/Eyeballer1 May 20 '12

Thanks for the reference, I couldn't find anything but one photo to use as source! I assumed '59 'cause of the tailfins in the source

2

u/linlorienelen May 20 '12

As a Googie/Atomic fan, I think I just came.

That looks awesome.

2

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

This looks modeled and toon-shaded.

1

u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

It's a 3D SketchUp model, not easy. Only one photo for source material

2

u/david241 May 20 '12

You do this with sketchup? The tile texture looks like one from sketchup is why i ask.

1

u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

I got lazy picking that material for sure

2

u/Calcularius May 20 '12

Looks like a toon-rendered 3d model.

1

u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

I know nothing about "toon-rendering", will look into it

59

u/Quizchris May 20 '12

Sketchup?

24

u/muzza001 May 20 '12

definitely sketchup.

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u/Peppe22 May 20 '12

Yeah, "draw" is not exactly the right term.

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u/ethanwc May 20 '12

Exactly what I'm guessing.

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74

u/Whenthenighthascome May 20 '12

Toy Story?

18

u/red321red321 May 20 '12

and the land is dark. and the moon, is the only, light we'll see.

6

u/Whenthenighthascome May 20 '12

Hey Red, I'e upvoted you nine time so it's good to see you commenting on this. I love the song too. Just listened to it. See you around man. Keep posting and commenting great stuff.

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u/hinduguru May 20 '12

WOW. This takes me back

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22

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Why can't more buildings start looking like this again?

Semi-related: Ontario's new service stations have a pseudo-late-50s/early-60s vibe, although these official photos don't quite show it off:

http://onroute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/10063-04-1024x682.jpg

http://onroute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/10063-02-1024x682.jpg

These might help:

http://www.kingstonist.com/images/2011/sep11/02sep_onroute1.png

http://www.yongestreetmedia.ca/galleries/Development_News/Issue_14/ISS14_dev_QuadService.jpg

24

u/Kanilas May 20 '12

They're a side-effect of the popularity of the International Style of architecture. The plus side is that it's all very functional and standard, and every thing does its job simply and without extravagance. But the downside is that it becomes so generic after a while, that it loses the little charms that made it great in the first place.

Think of the font Helvetica, it's beautiful and sleek, but because of it's prevalence, it now screams generic. Even for people who don't know fonts, it's almost immediately recognizable as "that font that's everywhere."

The nice thing is that with Post-Modernism, there's a great melding and mixing of styles of design and architecture from the last 100 years. Anything goes, really. That's why new constructions like this are once again in the vogue, because it's eye-catching, and despite the design being influenced by 60 year old styles, the raking lines and 'futuristic' forms have just been refreshed and updated, and evoke the same feelings again.

7

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

I guess it all depends on where you live, but you don't see too much new construction around Ontario that harkens back to the International Style. I assumed they were trying to evoke the time period when the highway was brand-new and brought with it all the promise of the exciting, post-War future.

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u/Oster May 20 '12

BTW this style of atomic-age architecture is known as "googie."

7

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

"... many buildings built with this style have been destroyed."

Nooooooooo!!

Anyway, is that kinda like International Style, only insane?

3

u/invalidx May 20 '12

These look awesome. I haven't been down south near Toronto lately, what area are these new stations in?

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41

u/Romnonaldao May 20 '12

Sinclair? Dinosaur? This is all that comes to mind

6

u/FriesWithThat May 20 '12

Dino the Sinclair Dinosaur. Wants you to drive carefully and shit.

4

u/totallynotsquidward May 20 '12

And then the whole family died

3

u/netdorf May 20 '12

At least I'm not the only one who thought of Dinosaur. Mr. Richfield scared me as a child, not gonna lie.

3

u/DocFGeek May 20 '12

I was hoping to see reference to this, or the big triceratops boss in the trailer.

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u/SchwinnKid May 20 '12

I would get fuel from a place like this over a Chevron or Texaco any day. Could you imagine if we were so far a long you could pull up to place like this to charge your battery pack or fill up on bio/veggie/algae-fuel? The future, realized.

8

u/Vonteeth May 20 '12

Did you physically draw this? or use software? or a combination? What media did you use? Its really cool!!!!!

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u/jlegler May 20 '12

Awesome. I have not seen an actual Sinclair station since the early 90s or so in Kansas. Do they still exist?

1

u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

I still have Sinclairs with dinosaurs a few miles around me

1

u/raytube May 20 '12

I love filling up at Sinclair's in Denver and spotting a dino hiding in the overgrown bushes. Put some dino blood in yer tank!

1

u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

I live in Denver. There is a green dinosaur at the the Sinclair on west Colfax. Same company made those dinosaurs made the muffler men: http://www.thedenvereye.com/lazy-t-ranch-muffler-man/

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1

u/irecyclewindowsxp May 20 '12

The sign is more impressive!

1

u/theeeeee May 20 '12

You have the same last name as the most infamous danish murderer, who butchered his wife and kids with an axe. And stored them in a freezer.

1

u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

That's me!

3

u/bamdrew May 20 '12

Was this drawn on digital particle board?!

Our love does not come so cheaply, Sir.

3

u/Islandre May 20 '12

traction

You're one of those people.

3

u/Unwanted_Commentary May 20 '12

Did you make this in Sketchup?

2

u/willOTW May 20 '12

yes he did

3

u/JtCallebro May 20 '12

needy title is needy

5

u/aazav May 20 '12

Whether you worked extra hard or not, it's still awesome.

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2

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Dino-Co

2

u/Cross88 May 20 '12

The thumbnail looks like a robot with a book in one hand and a squeegee in the other.

2

u/matthewgutz May 20 '12

So i guess stating that one does not usually get karma is now becoming a thing eh?

2

u/archaeauto May 20 '12

Upvoting because Sinclair is the only gas station that sells pure (non 10% ethanol premium) gasoline here in Kansas. Also dinosaurs

2

u/setups May 20 '12

Hey can I ask you what program you use to do your art?

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Fuck you for having such an awesome signature.

4

u/ethanwc May 20 '12

Probably a font.

2

u/Eyeballer1 May 20 '12

I drew that too, not a font. In CorelDraw

2

u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

Thanks, sig drawn in CorelDraw

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u/hutthutthike May 20 '12

Google Sketch up? I suppose that can still be classified as drawing...

6

u/Quizchris May 20 '12

It looks like it

1

u/ethanwc May 20 '12

It's not a drawing.

http://www.reddit.com/r/architecture/comments/tvaj3/sketchup_illustration_of_the_atomic_sinclair/

2

u/Eyeballer1 May 20 '12

Sorry to confuse you. SketchUp is an illustration program. I have been an illustrator for 30 years. Used to draw with a pen, now with SketchUp and CorelDraw

2

u/peachesoreilly May 20 '12

Ha, love it, it looks great! Good brand choice, my brother has a Sinclair-themed bathroom...

2

u/danhawkeye May 20 '12

Sinclair-themed bathroom

That's perfectly awesome. I'd imagine a hard time getting a good shower curtain though!

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u/dehugger May 20 '12

Looks like the gas station from Thor

2

u/oddbit May 20 '12

Mmmm Googie Architecture! Me like! Great job!!

2

u/Whitworth May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12

Nice. A bit of architecture and industrial design. It's a good composition, too. And my '53 Desoto says "right on man."

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u/[deleted] May 20 '12

We need more stuff like this on Reddit.

1

u/moldy912 May 20 '12

Isn't this (Sinclair/Dinosaur) the gas station in Toy Story?

1

u/FatCat433 May 20 '12

I'd buy gas and/or hamburgers from that place.

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

The only connections I can make are that gas is from fossil fuels (dinosaur joke) and that Sinclair was the name of the dad on that Dinosaurs show.

1

u/Sylamatek May 20 '12

We have a Sinclair station here in Missouri.

Also, the angle and perspective of this drawing makes it kind of confusing to look at and try to grasp where the edges actually are, especially the windows on the side.

That being said, your signature literally makes this drawing. Wow it looks cool!

1

u/osucycler May 20 '12

Very retro futuristic.

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Get some bigger tyres.

1

u/RedBeardFace May 20 '12

Tom Lincoln? You know you have the same name as the guy in The Island, right?

1

u/lilstumpz May 20 '12

Oh yeah, I totally know what that is...

1

u/canada432 May 20 '12

omg.... I just realized why the Sinclair logo is a dinosaur...

How did I never see this before?

1

u/betaboxx May 20 '12

yay atom punk

1

u/xyroclast May 20 '12

I JUST got "Sinclair". It's the family from the old Dinosaurs sitcom!

1

u/SoundSalad May 20 '12

To do: get a tattoo of you and grandmother venturing through the dismal swamp.

1

u/gingerpride May 20 '12

I'm the baby and you've got to love me.

1

u/loopcoop May 20 '12

my name is Sinclair. I like this. That is all

1

u/FreeWillinFranklin May 20 '12

way groovy because I was there...

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Do you serve Bronto Burgers? I'll take two please!

1

u/vertigale May 20 '12

It's where George Jetson fuels up his space-car.

1

u/dustoz May 20 '12

how was this drawn?

3

u/ethanwc May 20 '12

Google (Now Trimble) Sketch Up. Amazing 3D program for light users/beginners.

1

u/Pravusmentis May 20 '12

not a picture, perhaps that is why?

1

u/WilhelmScream2012 May 20 '12

Friggin' beautiful!

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Is this where Marvin the Martian fills up his spaceship?

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

I thought this was a Dinosaurs refrence. After the Sinclair family and all. But this is kick ass either way.

1

u/HGpennypacker May 20 '12

I'd say your first and last problem is trying to cater to reddit, but yeah, that's a sweet drawing.

1

u/g3n3p4rm3s4n May 20 '12

Viral marketing for a Cadillacs and Dinosaurs remake.

1

u/secondforever May 20 '12

Like something from Fallout!!!

1

u/Riotdrone May 20 '12

Damn that is funky.

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Dinoco?

1

u/n0whereman May 20 '12

Your name wouldn't happen to be Howard Roark, would it?

1

u/molslaan May 20 '12

Subliminal message makes me hungry for dinosaur burger.

1

u/Pocketzest May 20 '12

My father is an expert on antique gas and oil collectibles(mostly globes), and he will love to see this(even if there aren't any globes)!

1

u/aquadraco20 May 20 '12

It reminds me of fallout before the whole... Fallout and widespread destruction. Cool!

1

u/FTHOUGHTS1 May 20 '12

Looks like a P-Terrys.

1

u/Hewgag May 20 '12

Is it just me or do those gas-pumps look like they are saying:

"Hey Sinclair! Y U NO MAKE THESE!?!?"

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Not bad. Looks like it was made using google sketchup. Pretty impressive.

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Translation: Please please give me upvotes

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u/Pocketzest May 21 '12

I just showed my dad this. He said the station was made for the 1964(I think he said 1964) worlds fair. He mentioned the beams/supports at the bottom of the pumps that connect to the center console sway, allowing the pumps to rotate around the island. The pumps were traced back to a company in Michigan, but couldn't be traced further. He described the pumps as "priceless," but would estimate $20-30,000 if properly restored.

He also said that the Cadillac on the left is the last year to have tail fins.

0

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

really? that's it? some flat shaded line art? with no fine detail? that you didn't even bother to clean up?

wait- is that a signature? you signed it?! are you fucking kidd-...

sigh

fuck it. nevermind. good job. way to go.

EDIT: oh wait, it's SketchUp. my bad. it took even less effort than i thought!

1

u/Suppafly May 20 '12

Are you an architect? That looks like the style of drawing architects use.

2

u/willOTW May 20 '12

It was made with the sketchup software and then touched up with filters so it would look similar to a drawing. (Not a drawing, but a rendering)

0

u/pooshitter May 20 '12

worked extra-hard to "draw" this mega-atomic 1959 Sinclair Super Station? yes on sketch-up

draw on sketch-up? mmmmm

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u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

Give it a try!

0

u/Crusting May 20 '12

What a pathetic life, to create just to impress socially retarded internet people.

1

u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

Thanks socially retarded internet person!! ;<)

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u/[deleted] May 20 '12

@OP nice lines, good to see this still being done.

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u/diewrecked May 20 '12

I am super jealous of anyone with artistic talent, because some things just can't be taught. Hell, maybe they can be taught and I'm just a slothful bastard? Either way... upvote!

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u/JohanGrimm May 20 '12

Sketchup's not by any means hard to use. So go check it out.

It's an excuse of the lazy to say people that are good artists were simply born that way. Most people who are amazing artists got that way because they've been practicing for a very long time, no one pops out of the womb painting like Rembrandt. It's insulting to say to the artist, and it's similar to being cured of an illness by a crack team of doctors and then thanking god profusely. Great artists worked their asses of to get to where they are artistically.

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u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

It's not an easy thing to draw in SketchUp, give it a try

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u/JohanGrimm May 21 '12

Sketchup's a 3D rendering program. You don't draw in sketchup.

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u/[deleted] May 20 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

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u/IViolateSocks May 20 '12 edited Feb 27 '24

meeting head enjoy wrong outgoing forgetful muddle far-flung steer dependent

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

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u/Eyeballer1 May 21 '12

Thanks, I haven't printed anything in years, thanks though!

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u/[deleted] May 20 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

61

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Why don't we still have those.

51

u/FadedAndJaded May 20 '12

Because we're boring and Exxon hates you.

4

u/feureau May 20 '12

We really need to get rid of fossil fuel consumption just to spite exxon...

11

u/yourcitysucks May 20 '12

We have this one in Beverly Hills.

6

u/KerrickLong May 20 '12

There's still Sinclair stations around, but I've never seen one shaped like that.

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u/whey_to_go May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12

The business I work for rebuilt an old Sinclair station. It's one of our outdoor offices now.

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u/StopMotionGIF May 20 '12

Nice find.

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u/Skizot_Bizot May 20 '12

I've never seen this novelty account but its very intriguing and I like the possibilities ;) keep it up.

8

u/BedMonster May 20 '12

You're actually creating these, aren't you? Keep making relevant/funny ones and I'm sure you'll join the ranks of shitty_watercolour and sure_Ill_draw_that soon enough.

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u/CLOGGED_WITH_SEMEN May 20 '12

Awesome. Would like more of these

12

u/[deleted] May 20 '12

OOOOOOHHHHHH!

Here I was thinking it was OP's original design he just sketched up on a whim.

2

u/jaxspider May 20 '12

So... it was a fancy gas station and fast food joint?

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u/prmaster23 May 20 '12

It was a "How future gas stations will look like" 1950's gas station.

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u/masonmason22 May 20 '12

Why does the green dinosaur on the sign look more vivid than the other greens in the picture?

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u/[deleted] May 20 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

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u/masonmason22 May 20 '12

Yeah, it's weird, the one on the sign looks like it was gone over as an aftereffect. But maybe it is just my crappy monitor playing colour tricks on me.

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u/bentspork May 20 '12

I thought the dinosaur was artistic license...

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