Ricardo Fine Car Artwork is the personal website of Ricardo Santos, a Portuguese art director, graphic designer and illustrator. Currently working as a freelancer, Ricardo has given over the years glimpses of his talent at newspapers such as Diário de Notícias, 24 Horas and Jornal i, with the latter being awarded by the Society for News Design with the World’s Best-Designed Newspaper award, in 2010.

Part of the design team that drew the journal from day one, Ricardo has since collected other awards while working at Turbo and AutoSport — two iconic Portuguese media outlets in the automotive and motorsport industries.

His résumé includes covers and illustrations for international magazines such as Racer, Magneto or Top Gear, commissions for world-renowned brands like Ferrari, Pagani, Nissan, Toyota, Ford or Red Bull, assignments for institutes & associations like Motorsport UK, and memorable art pieces for world-class events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, The Amelia Concours d'Elegance or the Monaco F1 Grand Prix.

A rally co-driver in his spare time, Ricardo's love for cars and motorsport has driven him to create illustrations of Formula 1 and rally cars from the '80s and '90s, all penned upon an irresistible retro style that perfectly recreates the passion for speed in motor racing: 
“I try to focus on the shape, shadows, glow and colours of the cars to create simple but eye-catching images, which I believe is a direct influence of my experience in newspapers and magazines trying to create simple and easy to understand work”, he said on an interview to Motorsportretro.com. 

A perfectionist by nature, motivated by giving that extra detail that makes the difference, Ricardo’s work resembles his personality and can be purchased as high-quality prints.

What people say

“Ricardo’s stunning illustrations take motorsports art in a whole new direction. His depictions of classic racing cars are as surprising as they are dramatic, and his ability to convey their essence is as much about what he leaves out as what he includes. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to showcase Ricardo’s work on several striking and memorable RACER magazine covers.”
Laurence Foster, Editor-in-Chief, RACER magazine

”Ricardo shows us his unique ability to abstract a racing car’s visual complexity into an instantly recognizable expression, the kind of thing that’s still alive in your eyes in the instant after the car flashes by on the track. With Santos, the impression is not a blur but instead an image that captures the moment and clarifies the car.”
Michael Jordan, Porsche Panorama Magazine

"A master of design and illustration, and in capturing light and shadow and their play on the curvaceous contours of classic cars, Ricardo’s work is striking. His minimalist, iconic style and the bright, block colour palettes of his works makes for confident, powerful images which instantly grab your attention. Powerful, classy, striking, bold and beautiful – these are works that need to exist as huge prints. Preferably hanging on my walls!"
Rich Fowler, Motorsportretro.com

"When you're an adult human in need of some car art, but not old enough to collect watercolours of Austin Healeys, you need Ricardo Santos. His stuff is simple and graphic with lots of bold shapes and colours. It´s colouring-in for grown-ups."
Top Gear Magazine

“He’s a Portuguese art director and graphic designer, known for having black glasses and a good amount of grey hair, but really praiseworthy for the amazing art prints that he has drawn over the years. Since 2011 I’ve been fortuned enough to work with Ricardo at Turbo and I couldn’t be more pleased with the color and graphic enrichment he brings to my articles, transforming a blank sheet of paper in something worth collecting and being exposed on a wall. A dedicated worker and a caring friend, always thoughtful and obsessed with detail, his creative mind constantly seeks the best interests of the company and is one of the main reasons for Turbo’s revival as the best car magazine in Portugal.“
André Bettencourt Rodrigues, Journalist, Turbo Magazine