JOSHUA LAM GRAPHIC ART
Translate a detailed comic book character into a high-performance race car livery while balancing sponsor integration, broadcast readability, and brand integrity. Following the campaign’s success, the project expanded into building a scalable collectible product line featuring multiple independent comic properties.
INITIAL SKETCHES
Before receiving the official race template, I began exploring concepts using a 3D model of a Ford Fusion to understand how the graphics would behave across real-world contours. This allowed me to evaluate scale, flow, and visibility in three dimensions — and eliminate weak ideas early. Better to retire the bad concepts in the sketch phase than at 180 mph.
CYBERFROG ARCA Race Car Wrap
& CG Master Racers Brand Launch
Winner 2024 ARCA Paint Scheme of the Year
What began as a crowdfunding-backed race entry became an award-winning motorsports design and the launch of a collectible brand. I translated the independent comic character CYBERFROG into a high-performance ARCA race car wrap that went on to win the Talladega Paint Scheme of the Race Award and the 2024 ARCA Paint Scheme of the Year Award, then expanded the concept into a 12-car die-cast product line under the newly created CG Master Racers brand.
Role: Designer / Art Director
Scope: Vehicle Wrap, Brand Development, Packaging Design
Deliverables: Full Car Livery, 12 Die-Cast Designs, Retail Packaging
Award: 2024 ARCA Paint Scheme of the Year
CHALLENGE
ROUND 01
With access to original CYBERFROG artwork, I developed the first series of full-wrap explorations. These initial concepts balanced character prominence, sponsor integration, and race-day visibility.
The designs were presented to creator Ethan Van Sciver for review — marking the first official translation of CYBERFROG into motorsports.
ROUND 02
Ethan presented the design options to his YouTube audience, who voted on their preferred direction. Following audience feedback, I refined the hood treatment to strengthen character focus and improve compositional balance.
Iteration is part of the process — especially when your focus group includes thousands of comic fans.
ROUND 03
A final adjustment was required to reposition the race number beneath the driver and passenger windows to accommodate sponsor placements near the wheel wells — a reminder that racing design is equal parts art and logistics.
Once approved, the artwork was prepared for final production.
FINAL ARTWORK PREPARTATION
Before sending files to print, the CYBERFROG artwork required full vector reconstruction. While the design patterns on the wrap were already created as vector based art, the actual image of CYBERFROG was not. The original CYBERFROG art had been created for comic book scale, and enlarging it to race-car proportions risked loss of detail.
That was not an option for a 200-mph debut.
The source artwork was hand-drawn, inked, scanned, and digitally colored in Photoshop. Without access to layered files, I rebuilt the entire illustration in Adobe Illustrator — tracing every line and matching the original color work by professional colorist Kyle Ritter.
Every line. Every contour. Every highlight.
The result: infinitely scalable artwork capable of billboard-level clarity.
The final vector illustration maintained the integrity of the original drawing while ensuring razor-sharp reproduction at full vehicle scale — and beyond.
Original Art
Vectorized Art
APPLICATION
The completed wrap was printed and applied by the production team with precision and care. On track, the design maintained visual clarity at race speeds and strong presence in broadcast coverage.
Whether stationary in the paddock or moving at full throttle, the car delivered impact.
AWARDS
The design was recognized by fans and officials alike, earning:
• Paint Scheme of the Race — Talladega 2024
• 2024 ARCA Paint Scheme of the Year
Not bad for a comic book frog.
The story didn’t stop at the finish line.
See how this race car inspired the launch of the CG Master Racers collectible brand.
Fun videos of race day
FINDING COLORS & PATTERNS
Once the official template arrived, I refined the design to fit exact body panels and sponsor placements. I incorporated a subtle hexagonal pattern — a nod to the alien wasps in the CYBERFROG universe, as well as a reference to the character’s own textured skin.
The goal was to integrate story-driven elements without being overly literal. Bold color blocking and graphic contrast were essential to ensure impact at speed and clarity on broadcast.