TUTORIAL: Pastel and marker coloring

Intro:

I will try to redo the firebird final rendering with more distinctive panel lines, less red calk down close to the marker. Doing the car on printer paper was not the best thing. But I think you will still get the idea with this tutorial. I am beat. I stayed up to 2 am and got up at 6 am to study and get ready for my final. It payed off I got a 95 on the exam and a A in the class :) I am geek.

Here it is a coloring tutorial. I hope you like it. All constructive criticism and remarks welcomed.

For more instructions refer to How to Draw Cars Like a Pro by Thom Taylor

First I must thank Greg Spradlin http://www.gregspradlin.com for supplying the forum with the firebird. Greg has giving permission for us to down load his work and practice coloring with the bird. He is an awesome artist. So please rather than mess-up your own art practice with these images. Gregs line drawing should print out at 10 in so set your printer setting to landscape and practice away.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/97393478firebird.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/42001001firebirdpracticecopy.jpg

The supplies:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/585117birdmat.jpg

a. Frisket film (Purchased at fine art stores everywhere) This stuff is
expensive so use it wisely, more about that later on.
b. Plain ol’ soft pastels, these are cheapos, better ones can cost you 50$
plus
c. Masking tape, the green stuff is 3m which is cheaper than artist
masking tape (white) Use green when possible but still be careful
because it has more tack than the white, you don’t want to pull paper
layers off your work. The white can be used for attaching your work
to your art board / drafting table.
d. You’re going to love this. That is a container of baby butt wipes,
purchased at Wal-Mart. Use that for cleaning chalky fingers have a
towel to try your hands with
e. I can’t say my abc-s oops
f. Here we have prisma color markers. These are for the harsh
reflections pretty much the horizon reflecting on the side and front or
rear of the car. Basically you need two colors one being a shade or
two darker than the other, those are crimson red and henna red.
White Designers Gouache (found at art stores) this is water color
based pigment made by Winsor & Newton. May be hard to find but I
think white acrylic can be used (unconfirmed).
X-acto blades, These are sharp basically you want to use a new blade
for every artwork you do. Used for cutting the frisket film.
g. Neadable eraser, 0 paint brush by Loew Cornwell, X-acto blade
holder, prism color pencil
h. Fixative, this stuff is potent use outside. The particularly can
displayed is permanent that mean once you spray it you cannot add
more chalk. There is a green can that is called workable, meaning
you can spray it and then color some more.
i. Finally the art board was purchased at the art store. It comes with
clips on the side, seen under the pastels. This is a small one. My
large one I remove the darn clips (with a drill) because they got in the
way of my ellipses and French curves. I draw on the floor. The
boards are cool if you can’t get a drafting table; because you can
leave your work attached to them (white tape) and put it away easily.
Be warned I recommend drawing up on the board get over top of
what you are drawing, basically you want a 90-degree view of your
work. Drafting tables allow for this. I do not recommend drawing on
dining tables or desk as your view shifts to about 45 degrees and
distorts your drawing view. Watch out don’t drool when doing this. :)

NOTE: The printer paper I used is very smooth, too smooth for the chalk to really sit into, so expect better results when drawing on paper with more tooth (roughness). Still this is good practice. You can trace the firebird onto better paper if need be.

STEP 1:

Take the prisma color pencil and trace the gray inside lines. Also you will out line your marker area. You can pencil that in first lightly if you don’t trust your free hand. I always do pencil first then lighten it up with the knead eraser. The gray lines are easier because you are actually tracing. Wow all that He-Man and Speed racer coloring book tracing I did as a kid paid off.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/340405bird01.jpg

STEP 2:

Here I layed down the cremson red marker first then came back with the Henna marker over top. Guys and gals make sure to lay the color down evenly. Lay it down untill all inconsistant shades go away. Remember on reall art paper these markers will bleed.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/269306bird02.jpg

STEP: 3

Frisket film time: Go easy on your frisket film it cost $. Basically cutt it off the role for the size of your rendering. Here I cut about 4 in wide. Peal the paper off and apply one side and work your way across. If you get air bubbles lift it backup and re-apply. This stuff will not tear paper.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/211812bird03.jpg

STEP: 4

Mask the rest of your background off. Here I used cheapo paper and the tape. I tried to use the green when possible to save on the white tape. I basically do not use the green if I have to apply directly on the artwork. Here the green is joining the scrap paper and the frisket film (over lap just a smug onto the film). I threw the white in just for demonstration. I would have actually used all green in this application. Oh the green/tan mask tapes can be bought at Wal-Mart in the automotive section (body work). The white of course was purchased at the art supply store for 6$ I think.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/868012bird04.jpg

STEP: 5

Now for the scary part. Guys and gals this is not really bad and you don’t have to be scared of cutting your artwork. The masking film is kind of thick that is why you want a BRAND new blade in your holder so you don’t apply to much presure and cut your artwork. This is really not hard trust me. Basically tracing again, Did I tell you I traced Transformers too as a kid :) Basically remove all the film off the white parts of the car (you can expose the door lines too) leaving the background alone. Use the tip of the blade to lift a portion of the film and then use your finger to remove it. BECAREFULL while pulling if you pull fast and did not cut clean through the film you will stretch the film or perhaps lift portions you don’t want removed. Just take this whole stage nice and slow you will get the hang of it. Try to go right upto the color marker maybe even a slight exposore of the marker and I do mean a sliver, you don’t want pastel all over the car.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/676425bird05.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/370524bird06.jpg

STEP: 6

Get some cheap news print paper to lay down on your carpet or table if you have to draw on a table.

Messy chalk time. You will be glad you masked the car off. Make sure to have several sheets of paper under your work for cushioning so you don’t scratch the artwork with the chalk. (Remember printer paper is not going to give you a really pretty gradual effect) My firebird was done on printer paper.
Basically apply yellow near the red body lines (prisma color pencil) like so do not smear yet.
Now apply the red like so over the yellow. Now you can smear going the directions of the body of the car (left to right) smearing down gradually think of a richerscale needle or lie detector needle going back and forth while the paper moves across the needle. Don’t forget the rocker panels and bumpers

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/240036bird07.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/911920bird08.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/527437bird09.jpg

Step 6 cont.

Now apply more red near your body lines over the wheel wells and across the door. Her I think I applied too much so go easy you don’t want it too much red. I will just blame that on the printer paper, I applied too much because it was not skicking. Oh take your nead eraser and remove chalk off the hood and roof and perhaps over the rear fender wells and bumpers and the horizon reflection if need be. Imagine the surfaces pointing up towards the sky. Also follow what you see in your photo reference

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/942023bird10.jpg

NOTE: This firebird did not have any ground effects that point up towards the sky so in all actuallity I should have brought the cremson red marker all the way down the rocker panel (under the door). I did not on purpose just for demonstration sake. Remember look at your photos and render what you see. Also has sheet metal curves in it points to the ground. This is discussed in Thom Taylor’s book

How to Draw Cars Like a Pro

NOTE: Experament with the chalk on paper to get the feel for it. It is pretty easy to learn.

STEP: 7

Now it all comes together.

Take your art board and tap it on its side while tilting it to remove the extra chalk residue.

Nice a slowly remove the masking film. Clean your hands with the wipes. Take your work outside and spray your fixative. Follow the instructions on the can. Let it dry.

Get your gouache, brush, thick paper or paper plate, 35-mm camera film cap or something else small (for water)

You will only need a small amount of paint on your plate/paper. Take some water and thin it some (paint) but not too much. The trick here is to add highlights which is the sun’s rays reflecting of the metal. Remember look at your photo. I made up mine because I did not have a photo reference. You will see highlights on sharp edges like doors ground effects seams as when it joins the sheet metal, and chrome and black moldings on the windows. Thom talks about this again in his book.

Get his book if you don't a have it.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/517255bird11.jpg

NOTE: Brush holding technique for right handers. Grab the brush hold it like a pencil now role your hand away from you until the pinky knuckle is making contact with the surface (almost as if you are going to hand somebody coins with the back of your hand facing down. This is basically how you want to paint fine lines. (Opposite for lefties)

When desiring the finest lines use only the tip. For a line that goes fine-fat-fine like the highlights over the fender wells do the following.

a. Start with the tip (hold the brush like described above) move your
hand in the direction you want to go (start at left move towards the
right, for right handers)
b. As you move across rotate your hand slowly toward the normal pencil
holding position this will create the fat part of the highlight and then
rotate the other way to create a gradual skinny fine line again.

I hope that makes sense. Remember practice and try other methods. Go with what feels right to you. Ask an art teacher for other techniques.

I hope you enjoyed this. Thanks

al

THANKS FOR THE TUT! Great job and very explainitory.

You have helped us all. By the way, whos gonna cover the shading tut, me or you?

I thought you might like it.

It is not the best car of choice nor the best looking rendering but I think it gets the job done. Agh I am beat, man you do the pencil shading tut.
I will turn the nismo r-34 into a color tutorial also. I am sure it will be more interesting in view and content.

Thanks Mike

al

Here is the bird again, but with a better horizine just above the harsh reflections. The best example I have seen is the big blue R-34 BFgoodwrench tire advertizement in the inside of the SuperStreet mag.

Still not the best. Really its the camera :) But I think you get the idea.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/551589nicehorize.jpg

Originally posted by asaenz
Here is the bird again, but with a better horizine just above the harsh reflections. The best example I have seen is the big blue R-34 BFgoodwrench tire advertizement in the inside of the SuperStreet mag.

Still not the best. Really its the camera :) But I think you get the idea.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/551589nicehorize.jpg

Yea I want to draw that R34 in there, easy to draw, but I could learn how to color with that pic.

he hee good totorial men :)

holy shyt, how damn old is this thread??? That is mad ressurecting.