Thanks guys.
As i stated it's not a pixel perfect image, it's just a matte painting for fun. I have no idea of physics or anything like that, its just ment to look cool!
The image is a .PSD only document.
Roughly it goes like this:
1) Sketch inital concept image and laydown what you want to do.
2) Find stock images that ressemble parts of the original, colours, schemes and themes.
3) Get the pen tool and start chopping key areas.
4) Place elements as you need and use layer masks, alpha blends and blending options to begin to create the shape and key elements
5) On several layers paint in areas such as the frame, engines and paintwork
6) then texture those layers
7) pipe work and frame etc. are created by extruding sections of the original image and use puppet warp and warp to bend the areas to where they need to be.
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
Final blending is applied
9) small elements such as stickers etc are added. these are a mix of real images and painted (such as the clocks, parts of chrome and exhausts).
10) LOTS of dodge and burn around the entire image now (80 layers combined into smart object, then in lumin mode use the lighting channel).
11) final colour correction to entire image.
12) add background and whatever other stuff
13) normally at this point the model, background or painting is exported and compositied together with other elements using either photoshop, after effects etc. etc.
Carl - your correct; pegs, rearsets etc. are off a speed tripple. entire rear end is painted, lens is a ferrari something or rather. engine is a 737 lump.
I'll post a step by step i made for somebody the other day.