"Up in Smoke" Cheech & Chong signed celebrity portrait by Chris Tutty

Up in Smoke: The Ride
Artist: Chris Tutty
Dimensions: 40 x 30 inches

Up in Smoke: The Ride is a vibrant and humorous 40 x 30-inch painting by Chris Tutty, capturing the iconic Cheech and Chong duo in the midst of their stoner adventures from the cult-classic film Up in Smoke (1978). This dynamic piece immortalizes the two legendary characters in one of the most memorable scenes from the film, filled with wit, color, and fun.

In the painting, Tommy Chong’s character, The Man (also known as Anthony Stoner), is depicted holding a massive joint, a defining feature of the duo’s comedic antics. He’s casually lounging in the passenger seat of a vintage van, with red doilies hanging from the ceiling—quirky details reflecting the era’s counter-culture. His relaxed demeanor is captured in the way he holds the joint, exuding the carefreeness that Cheech and Chong became known for. This moment brings to mind one of Tommy's classic lines from the movie: "They’re gonna legalize this stuff one day... ha ha!"

On the other hand, Cheech Marin’s character, Pedro de Pacas, the more responsible but equally stoned half of the duo, is behind the wheel. His eyes are half-closed in that classic stoner look, gripping a custom chain-style steering wheel with a blue fur-lined dash in front of him. The image perfectly encapsulates the iconic stoner vibe of the film, with the added visual appeal of the fur-lined interior and the vintage feel of the van.

This scene takes place as they’re on their way back to Los Angeles, transporting a stash of weed they’ve smuggled from Mexico—a key plot element in the film, where the duo’s comedic adventure begins as they unknowingly build a van made entirely out of marijuana. The vibrant colors and carefree spirit of the van trip reflect the duo’s lighthearted but chaotic approach to smuggling, as they bumble their way through one of the funniest stoner movies in cinema history.

The painting’s color palette is rich with vibrant reds, blues, and earth tones, creating a playful yet nostalgic atmosphere. The red doilies in the van, combined with the blues and fur, evoke the psychedelic and carefree spirit that Cheech and Chong brought to the 1970s. The dynamic yet humorous moment is captured in a way that transports the viewer back to the laid-back and rebellious era of their films.

Up in Smoke (1978) was Cheech and Chong’s first feature film, becoming a cult favorite for its offbeat humor and stoner culture themes. The film’s success helped solidify them as iconic figures in comedy, and their antics continue to influence pop culture to this day. The line "They’re gonna legalize this stuff one day... ha ha!" remains a prophetic remark, as cannabis legalization has become a reality in many parts of the world. This painting serves as a tribute to that era and the legacy of Cheech and Chong, immortalizing their characters’ carefree attitude and irreverence.

As a tribute to both the duo and their impact on pop culture, the painting is signed by both Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, making it an even more special piece. Up in Smoke: The Ride is not just an iconic representation of two comedy legends, but it also supports a great cause, as proceeds from the sale benefit Music for Mental Health. It’s a piece that celebrates the legacy of Cheech and Chong while contributing to the well-being of those in need.

ORIGINAL WORKS

Each Original painting is unique and a one of a kind creation. A great amount of time and detail goes into each piece of art from hand painted brush strokes in acrylic and oil medium, to the unique art of airbrushing done with only the best of paints, Createx Auto -Air Colors and House of Kolors Automotive Paint. Aspects of geological layering almost like sedimentary rock are imparted with mixed mediums such as metallics, gold and silver flaking, the introduction of coppers and iron magnesium’s in fine powder as well as glass resins, pearls and industrial candy coats as seen on high end automobiles. Certain master pieces also use elements of sculpture with molding paste, crackling and organic material to highlight low and high points in the picture creating a dimensional embossed image which leaps off the canvas.

 ARTIST PROOFS

With the addition of all these materials and techniques in the Original, you may ask, what does an Artist Proof look like and how does it differ from the Original painting? Due to this unique style of artwork, normal prints are no even an option. An Artist Proof is painted in the same manner as an Original and all of the above techniques mentioned in the Original are imparted in the Artist Proofs with one exception. Artist proofs are derived from the original image. The original is professionally photographed by Rob Ryan of Render DC prior to its completion. The artist proof file is digitally remastered with a spectrometer and color balanced to lead to the next step. It is then printed and stretched on canvas providing a mapping for the new proof. This is called a archial pigment print. The stretched canvas is then re-airbrushed in order to retain the true vibrant colors of the original. Molding paste, pearls, metal flakes, candies, and neon paints are incorporated, and then sealed with glass resins. The Artist Proof equals the Original. The Proof is of the same quality but has expressive variations. Essentially it is a new painting based on the Original. The price point of the Artist Proof can be marketed with substantial savings, thus provides the consumer access to a truly unique piece of art.

11 inch by 14 inch Metal  Prints Limited Numbered Edition

Create a unique addition to any home or office with a sleek metal panel infused with your favorite image. All Metal Prints feature a glossy coating and rounded edges for a clean, beautiful display. Every piece comes with a sturdy fixture for wall-mounting.

8 inch by 10 inch Dye-Sublimation prints Limited Numbered Edition

Fine art photo printing on metal or what is known as metal prints is a relatively new industry. So what are metal prints? Simply put, metal prints are images printed on aluminum. But it is vastly more complicated than that. The secret is how the printing is done. Most photo prints are simply ink jet printers on a piece of canvas or other paper material. The print material fades, cannot be cleaned easily, and of course must be framed.

Fine art metal printing uses a technique called dye sublimation. Dye sublimation means that inks are turned into a vapor or gas, before they turn into a liquid.

Dye sublimation is a digital print technology that allows the reproduction of full color images on a variety of surfaces. Dye sublimation on hard surface is possible because the surfaces have been coated using an innovative manufacturing process that provides high-definition, durable photo panels that preserve images for generations. Instead of printing images directly on a surface, which may scratch easily, the image is infused into the coating to provide permanent protection and durability.

 8 inch by 10 inch Art Resin Block Prints Limited Numbered Edition

Art resin blocks are a unique and personal way to showcase art. Each art block is a professional digitally remastered photo of the original art which is mounted to a pine wood 8 inch by 10 inch canvas block and then coated with a lifetime ultraviolet protective called Artresin which appears as a type of sold glass and enhances the work of art. Only two hundred and fifty prints of each Image are created.

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