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“If I find myself in a copy mode, I quickly shift to a lower gear and wheelie out,” he said.

Roth was still at work on new ideas when he passed away in 2001 at age 69.Īccording to several quotes by Roth from on his official site, no matter what he did in life, he wanted it to be original.

Rat Fink and other Roth creations have popped up in tattoo designs, fashion, books (including coloring books), album art, custom car design, toy and model lines, and pretty much anything else. Roth’s over-the-top combination of personality, counterculture lifestyle (although he later became a devout Mormon), and hyper-exaggerated art has given him a cult following by artists, musicians, writers, and filmmakers. In 1963, Rat Fink had blossomed into Roth’s most famous creation selling countless model kits, t-shirts and other memorabilia. Most notably, of course, is Rat Fink, Roth’s bug-eyed, snaggle-toothed, drooling anti-hero counter to Mickey Mouse he first created as a drawing for his refrigerator. It is for his grotesquely wild illustrations and characters for which he is best known. Image collage by Lisa Kay Tate all work © Ed Roth. Roth’s work is still often the subject of several works and exhibits, but he also authored his own biographies and how-tos. This included being the first designer to sculpt custom vehicles out of fiberglass.Įven Roth’s car designs became characters in themselves, like “Beatnik Bandit,” “Mail Box,” and “The Outlaw.” His bright yellow “Surfite” buggy co-starred along Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello in Beach Blanket Bingo. Roth himself was influenced by the pin-striping expertise of fellow Kustom Kulture movement artist and customizer Kenny “Von Dutch” Howard, but Roth was the first in many design achievements. Once these started making their way into a popular enthusiasts’ magazine Car Craft, his shirts soon became a fashion craze well beyond just the hot rodding community.

He later expanded this talent by selling airbrushed designs, known as “Weirdo” tees at shows. In the late 1950s, he began drawing exaggerated, over-sized creatures, and cartoon depictions of the hot rods and cars his friends had built. He picked up several useful skills through life, including learning to draw maps while serving in the Air Force, working on displays at a Sears, and later working in his own garage. He got bored in college, because the engineering and physics classes he took didn’t have anything to do with cars. Image: Lisa Kay TateĮd “Big Daddy” Roth, the designer and cartoonist behind one of the most famous icons of the mid-century hot rod era, Rat Fink, was a self-taught artist.īorn in California in 1932, he took both auto shop and art in high school, but that’s pretty much how far any formal training went. Take a tip from his page and draw a little on the edge. If you want to learn more about Roth’s “Monster Hot Rod” art form, including the legacy of Rat Fink and hot rod culture, check out the great 2006 documentary, Tales of the Rat Fink.Ed “Big Daddy” Roth took wacky ideas and turned them into an iconic style of the Kustom Kulture era. Rat Fink’s presence lessened as the hot rod era passed, but his likeness made a reappearance in the 1980s and ’90s in the grunge rock movement, with some bands using the artwork for album covers, concert posters, and promotional materials. Despite never actually appearing in his own animated productions, Rat Fink was–for a time–one of the most recognizable characters around. This new character, Rat Fink, immediately caught on after appearing in a Car Craft magazine ad in 1963, showing up on shirts, wallets, keychains, toys, stickers, and much more.

The character’s friends included other characters Drag Nut, Mother’s Worry, and Mr. Roth designed a mascot to promote his custom car kits and art brand he created a grotesque green/grey rat with wild eyes and sharp teeth–an intentional opposite of the wholesome Mickey Mouse which Roth disliked. He’s recognizable for his crazed look, unattractive body, gaping mouth, and overalls with his initials on them. Called “Weirdo shirts,” the style caught on among enthusiasts at car shows across America in what’s known as the “Kustom Kulture scene.” In the late 1950s, artist Big Daddy Roth received attention for his twisted, surreal designs, which he printed and sold on T-shirts. Over the years, the hot rod community has developed its own unique culture with unique styles, appeals, and leaders. One prominent product from hot rod culture which enthusiasts recognize but the general community often doesn’t is the Rat Fink character.Ī cartoon creation of artist Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, Rat Fink is a brash, grotesque character that lives on as a symbol of a motoring era. You’ve probably seen this green menace before, but do you know what it is?