skyline??

Ok here's the deal. I've been wanting to do this Scion, but I figured I thought about it too much so I wouldn't like it. That being the case I found a picture of a Skyline...I think. This is my first one of these so I'd thought I'd share with you as we go along.

Here's my sketch.

http://58vw.com/sk1.jpg

I used a pen and tried to be very loose and messy. I did a large one and decided to do a smaller one (mainly for attitude.) I roughed in the tire shapes first then threw the car around them.

I decided I liked the little guy better so now I'm going to enlarge it, and transfer on my light table.

Here's the detail of the sketch.

http://www.58vw.com/sk2.jpg

I'll be right back.

-Lemorris

Ok I'm back.

Now I went to my art room and taped my blown up sketch to the light table. (note if you don't have one, a light table that is, get one. I made mine out of cheap wood and flouro bulbs from Ace. I put paper on the inside because the flouro bulbs can give you a headache.)

In any case I tape my sketch down and put another piece of paper over it. I try to center my drawing at this point.

http://www.58vw.com/sk3.jpg

I trace over my sketch. OH NO!! I said the "T" word. Get used to it fellas. It an integral part of illustration regardless of the medium or subject....ask Rockwell.

I use a Zebra Mechanical Pencil 5mm. The lead is HB which is fine for me at this stage. I like the thin line and with a little pressure I can get a decent dark.


http://www.58vw.com/sk4.jpg


I just flesh out the shapes. I keep checking my reference photo but try to stay loose. It's a toon and I don't have to be bound by the laws of reality. I find great comfort in this...I feel strong. I rough in the back tire trying to keep some attitude, and I also take a stab at that huge wing thing.

The light table allows you to fix lines as you go. It's worth cannot be measured. Tracing paper (ooops I did it again) can work too.


http://www.58vw.com/sk5.jpg

I used my eraser and redid the back tire after I did the front one. I liked how the front tire fell in so I decided to go with that. I like big mirrors but I may scale this one back a touch...we'll see. Now keep in mind this is still a sketch.

I made a few body reflection notes but I know that they are likely to change more than my daughter does every morning before school.

http://www.58vw.com/sk6.jpg

After fiddling around and just being loose I ended up here. I'm feeling the attitude, and I'm happy.

Next we do it again.

Stay Tooned.

-Lemorris

looks nice good job nw put colors

hahahahahaha

Patience snowman, we need to lock this puppy down first. When I get home from work I'll transfer it again, and myabe one more time after that so I can work out all the kinks.

-Lemorris

that's nice, I like your sketch style

Ok now I put in my Blossom Dearie CD cause sometimes she makes me happy, and I start to "trace" again.

This time I'm bein a little cleaner and fixing mistakes. I know I'm going to "trace" at least one more time so I'm not to particular about foreshortening the tiny spots.

I noticed I made a mistake on the back tire. The ring on the rims with the rivets should have been out one more level. I suppose I could have passed it off by turning the affected area into rear tire depth, but I have other plans so I moved the rivets out...see?

http://58vw.com/sk7.jpg

I also know I'll be inking the wheels with ellipses so I can get it all straight later. I'm still semi sketching and just feelin it. I think I'm going to take some detail out as I want to keep it CARtoon. I made a little note around the front wheel well to remind me of this fact. (the well falls out into dashes. It acts as a visual indictor to me that I don't want to make that ahard line all the way around.) It's ok to leave yourself bread crumbs so you can find your way home.

I'll put up this finished redraw later.

-Lemorris

I trace over my sketch. OH NO!! I said the "T" word.

Tracing paper (ooops I did it again) can work too.



I cant help but assume that these "sarcastic" comments are directed at me and my disapproval of said "tracing" :p

Fortunately, "tracing" is only illegal when its not your work that your "tracing". Seeing as how you drew the original, and are merely transferring it to new paper, its cool. Cuz i do that too.

Looks good, carry on :thumbsup:

oh no KustmAce!!

Please do not misread the comment. It is purely in reference to the perspective form the outside that tracing is bad.

I see it as an invaluable learning method and promote it's use.

If you're trying to sell as "your own" that's one thing, but to learn and for personal use it's fine.

I don't have anything against you at all. All I knew to this point was you were the dude with the cool a_s signature. :)

lol...its all good my man, i was just messin. I have kind of a rep around here for being strictly against tracing...so ya know...

anyhoo...

LOLOL

What I find really funny is that we are both posting Car-Kar toonz with similar perspectives and styles.

Ain't art grand?

-Lemorris

OK here's my next to last tracer.

I'm feelin pretty good.

I do a quick value study on this copy so I have a visual guide when I go to ink. Ink isn't as forgiving as pencil...it helps to have a plan.

http://www.58vw.com/sk8.jpg

In any case I have company for dinner tomorrow so I won't be back at this till late. Then again I'm in Arizona so I'm sure many of you gettin whupped by the sandman when it's late for me.

Next step? Transfer to inking paper and get the P-Funk Allstars CD ready to go.

-Lemorris

Nice job...but why an R34? Better yet why a Skline? :cwm27:

To be honest Mike I have no real reason other than I've never drawn one before and I kept hearing the name on this board.

I'm lovin it and learning lots.
I look forward to seeing all the steps.

Great looking toon, Lemorris

Alfred

Here's my transfer to my inking paper. I use Borden & Riley Paper for Pens. It has a slight slight bite which I like, but very little if any capillary action (bleed).

http://www.58vw.com/sk9.jpg

I left myself more hints, and I decided to simplify the reflections. I did some more work on the tail section, and I think I finally got that back tire dialed in. I may shorten the depth of the blades on the back rim, or maybe try to use a little line thickness to represent the blades the way I want them to fall in. I made sure each opening held 4 rivets which may or more than likely may not be the case in real life, but this is a toon and I can exercise artistic license to it's fullest extent. That being said I still wanted 4 each just for consistency sake. Bugs Bunny doesn't have 4 fingers on one hand and 5 on the other...(However he did have 5 fingers in 2 cartoons, anyone know which ones?)

I also put in a bumpy steering wheel so when I do ink it I can give it that wrapped leather look or maybe keep it straight black and just let the bumps add character.

Next step: ink

-Lemorris

Looking good...It amazing how fast you go through these shirts, well I guess because its your living its fast.

Actually Mike this picture is just for this forum. Sometimes you gotta step away from the daily grind and have a little "you" project. LOL

Sorry if this is getting long but one of the things that has always upset me about books and stuff is the lack of detail.

Anyway here we go with more.


http://www.58vw.com/sk10.jpg
First off here's a shot of my studio from my wife's side. We are still unpacking from our recent move so I don't wanna hear about the mess.


http://www.58vw.com/sk11.jpg
I laid out the stuff I use for inking on my table. You can see the Don Edwards CARtooning book in the picture. I saw some stuff I thought I'd try on this piece. It's an ok book. Small, not much detail...ok.

You can see my ellipses and french curves (sweeps to you old schoolers), and my drawing taped to a board.

I actually taped a piece of illustration board down first and then tape my line drawing on top of that. I like to feel the surface as I'm inking it helps me with control. If the surface is too hard I lose my feel and start gliding all over the place. It's a matter of preference.

http://www.58vw.com/sk12.jpg
This is a picture of the french curves and a few straight edges I'll use. There's one curve that's missing and I really like it, but I always lose it. I have been finding it and losing it for years. When I go to start a piece I'll look for it for a few minutes. If I don't find it, I call it fate and move on. If I do find it we dance and hug and all is right with the world until I lose it again.

http://www.58vw.com/sk13.jpg
Here's a shot of my microns on the left my ink and dip pen in the middle and then I have a ultra fine flair, a regular flair, an ultra fine sharpie, and a regular sharpie.

http://www.58vw.com/sk14.jpg
For this part of the demo we'll do a wheel. I find the ellipse that best fits my line and I make a dash next to each little mark on the ellipse. These indicate major and minor axis. If this was a realistic drawing I would want the minor axis to be aligned with the axel shaft on my car.

http://www.58vw.com/sk15.jpg
For a cartoon I can have it where I want it as long as I have the attitude I want. Using my tech pencil I connect the lines. This is important because now I have guides to follow as I line up the smaller ellipses.

http://www.58vw.com/sk16.jpg
see?

http://www.58vw.com/sk17.jpg
I also take the time to use a little transition curve (vital!!) to pencil in my wheel well. I go right back and ink this area after I pencil it. When working with curves you may find yourself having to rotate and shift the curve position a lot. After I get the pencil in I ink right away because I remember what I just did.

http://www.58vw.com/sk18.jpg
see? I freehand a lot of the lines as I'm going along. After drawing this car 4 times I have a good feel for the lines so it's easier. (Another advantage of tracing, or transferring your image a few times.)

Another thing I have found is that when I ink using a tool like a french curve or ellipse the line is a certain thickness. When I ink freehand I tend to be heavy handed so my line is thicker. Taking that fact into consideration. I ink against my tools using a .03 micron, and lines that I freehand I use a .02. They come out pretty consistent that way...for me anyway.

http://www.58vw.com/sk19.jpg
Now it's like a coloring book. When I was inking the lines I left little "X's" where I wanted solid black. Now I go in and fill those areas in.

http://www.58vw.com/sk20.jpg
Normally I would ink everything and then erase but for this thing I wanted to show you a clean tire, but not erase all my other lines. That's where the eraser shield comes in. It's a handy little piece of something with holes and shapes cut out of it. You can use the eraser shield to protect areas you don't want to erase.

Oh...I use a white and a kneaded eraser.

http://www.58vw.com/sk21.jpg
Finally I have a tire inked. I threw in some little dashed lines on the bottom side for effect, and I may go back in and thicken up part of the outside, but I'll see how I feel once the whole car is done.

Next we'll do a body area.

-Lemorris

I love those pictures you just posted, especially of the wheel (it helps a lot). Where'd you get all those templates? I need to check my art store. I bet you have at least 100bucks worth of templates, they are what 8bucks a pop?

BTW: We have the same pencil.:smile:

Nice work. I could never draw that good.

Cool, glad you dig it Mike.

The main template set is made by Berol. They go up to 2" and they are in 5 degree increments starting at 20 degrees and going up to 60 degrees.

I got'em when I was in art school. (note I married a classmate so I got twice as many supplies).

You can find a set online or go to a store that reproduces blueprints. They may have some to give away as many people don't use them anymore. If you go to your local art store and don't see them ask the counter person to break out a catalog, and order'em for you. Cost?

Well you get a deal if you buy an entire set. There are 2" to 6" templates as well. Another place to pick up cool supplies is estate sales, and through word of mouth. Somebody always knows somebody who used to be an artist and they want to unload their "crap". I find jewels in other people's crap.

wait...that didn't come out right.

Oh wait...that didn't either.

oh well.

-Lemorris

Yes you can Howie.

I didn't start trying to draw until I was 21. I started watching a kids drawing program on PBS and just jumped in.

Practice - Practice - Practice

This is a great place to learn. That's why I come here.

-Lemorris

Somebody always knows somebody who used to be an artist and they want to unload their "crap". I find jewels in other people's crap.

wait...that didn't come out right.

Oh wait...that didn't either.

oh well.

-Lemorris

:lol:

I my make some with a CNC machine, its good to have connections. Get some styrene and machine them. 3 templates for about 3bucks...that works.

i thought you were going to say practice practice and more practice. Yeah i just don't draw anything. Never have the time.

Dude!!

I'll send you some specs and you can machine some french curves that match Thom Taylors!! I can provide the patterns.

Man!! I have been looking for you for 3 years!!

Do you know how to "route" them? I( think that's the term.) So there's an inking edge?

If you do PM me. I'll pay you cut.

No joke.

-Lemorris

I smell what you're steppin in Howie.

Fortunately I go to work and get paid to draw, and then I come home and relax by...ummm drawing.

No one beats time. His long game is too awesome.

-Lemorris

I smell what you're steppin in Howie.

Fortunately I go to work and get paid to draw, and then I come home and relax by...ummm drawing.

No one beats time. His long game is too awesome.

-Lemorris
Im yeah. you got me.

My one friend is a great drawer of anima. His stuff is great looking.

Dude!!

I'll send you some specs and you can machine some french curves that match Thom Taylors!! I can provide the patterns.

Man!! I have been looking for you for 3 years!!

Do you know how to "route" them? I( think that's the term.) So there's an inking edge?

If you do PM me. I'll pay you cut.

No joke.

-Lemorris

I need to talk to the guy I work with over the summer. I need to double check and see if he has the bit to machine them.

For the inking edge, I think I know what you mean. I might be able to get them have an overhang. I would need to get a special bit for that, or machine the bit to.

I never knew there was that much involved in inking a wheel!!! Your a real pro!
keep up the good work

Thanks Jeep_Rubicon,

However I hesitate to use the word pro. We're all students of the game. We're just at different levels.

It really doesn't take a long time to do. It seems long and drawn out as I'm trying to be very detailed, but I can go from sketch to fully inked car in 4 hours or less. It's just practice that's all.

-Lemorris

true, true

Now we'll look at the driver window.

http://www.58vw.com/sk22.jpg
When I'm working with curves I find the little corner areas to be a pain so I cheat.

http://www.58vw.com/sk23.jpg
I freehand the corners to a smoother radius. I'm using my .02 micron to freehand and then I'll use a .03 on my french curve. (That whole heavy handed thing.)

http://www.58vw.com/sk24.jpg
Then I find a curve that will allow me to connect the end points. In the picture above you can see how the curve actually appears to be off the line just a little bit. This is done on purpose. The pen or inking tool has width at the point as well. When I put that pen against the tool, the point hits my drawn line. Remember that one.

http://www.58vw.com/sk25.jpg
Then I just connect the points. Cake!

http://www.58vw.com/sk26.jpg
I do that for the other areas around the window and then I fill the shapes. I'm leaving little highlight shapes here and there. I don't know if all of them will stay or not. I can edit in the computer if I want.

If I was to make corrections on the drawing I would use guache (gwash) or white out and apply it with a brush. Let it dry really really good, and then re-ink, being careful not to dig.

http://www.58vw.com/sk27.jpg
Here's a poor picture of the whole thing so far.

More soon.

-Lemorris

Looking really good.

I love it bro ! Sweet azz tut. Looking forward to the conclusion . E-mail me about the other topics we discussed please.

That is Awesome! A PERFECT toon!

pretty cool man

that's an awesome CARtoon man!!

where do you buy those french curves and frames so you can draw nice rounds??

just give me the type of store because I'm from the Netherlands so just the type of story would be great!!

sorry but my english isn't that good so hope you understand me :uhoh: :iceslolan

awesome toon lemorris! i love skylines

by the way, im an enthusiast now! :biggrin:

Wow, Lemorris.

I luv the toon still, but I also luv how you are showing us how to use dem darn french curves.

All the detail is awesome. I luv detail in tutorials. :iceslolan

I hope I am not asking too much. Will you post this step-by-step on your website? Either way I will go through the thread and get everything.

Take care

Alfred

ok here's the inking

http://www.58vw.com/sk28.jpg
I'm feelin ok about it, it has potential so I think I'll add some tones.

http://www.58vw.com/sk29.jpg
After I scanned it into Photoshop I duplicate my base layer, and use that to make selections from.


I threw in a quick color base just to get a visual and also to see where I had broken lines.

http://www.58vw.com/sk30.jpg

I could get into detail if you guys want. I don't know what the proper protocol for step by steps stuff is on this board.

I plan on taking this thing through color. I could show steps along the way, or just skip to the end.

What do you guys think?

-Lemorris

fiddlin with some color ideas while I decide what to do next.

http://www.58vw.com/sk31.jpg

Nice, very nice! :biggrin:

Hey lemmy, I saw this last night, just had no time to reply. It looks excllent though!

I'm also a little, erm, lot late to say congrats. You've inspired me to try ink again. Last time I tryed it it was worse than bad. Any who, I gotta upload some pics later, So I'll try a toon in the Meantime.

Looks sweet. Why yellow?

I thought skyliners come in blue ONLY! Lemorris, your braking the rules here... :nono: . joke, So far, it's looking nice, but for the sake of it, could you make a blue one :biggrin: .

Great work :)

Man that is great looking. Bright too. I think it is my eyes though.

(side note. Just got back from eye doc.)

And that Golf should be RED! What is this world comin to :grinno: . I think i'm loosing it :banghead: .

Wow thanks for stickin with this thing fellas. I'm glad you dig it.

Now, I've been adding some reflections and stuff here and there and just kinda messin around.

http://www.58vw.com/sk32.jpg


GAMsALeh said it should be blue so I made a blue version to check out.

http://www.58vw.com/sk33.jpg

It was easy to change the color. I just duplicated the color layer(s) and did an image-adjust-hue saturation. Check the colorize box and then slide the sliders till you're happy. I settled on 227/57/0.

Since I changed the car I decided to change the background elements too. However I have also decided to stick with the yellow. If I had one I think I'd have it yellow...maybe red. Oh well it'll never happen. If I got one of these I'd sell it and add more to my VW.

-Lemorris

And that Golf should be RED! What is this world comin to :grinno: . I think i'm loosing it :banghead: .

Im a blue and black person.

Nice skyline too. Love the look of it. Keep the clear tail lights. Looks good with them. But what ever you want.

Great job Lemorris, the reflections really bring it to life. Now to choose between blue and yellow... what the hey, they both just look too good, i can't choose.
About the blue thing, i'm not say that it looks better in blue, it's just that it's well known as a blue skyliner, don't know why though.

Wonderfull job anywho. :)

ahhh

I like the blue too. No offense taken. I had no clue about this car before I drew it so any help you give is much appreciated.

I will do a blue version once it's all done.

Here's the latest.

http://www.58vw.com/sk34.jpg

I'm trying to finish tonight.

I'm looking forward to getting to the final white hot spots and the overlay reflection shapes.

thats is lookin' good dude. i don't remember if you said you had a reference pic. ....do you? because that wing looks like it is off a rally wrx.

Here's the reference pic:

http://www.58vw.com/skref.jpg

I take many liberty's when it's a CARtoon. Physics is optional.

Here's the latest:

http://www.58vw.com/sk35.jpg

Almost home.

Here's the latest. Almost done. I'll step back for a day and make some mental notes then touch it up one last time.


http://www.58vw.com/sk36.jpg

that awesome......

did you color it with photoshop??

how do you do that like that in photoshop??

It's really nice!!!!!!

Yeah shopaddict it's all photoshop.

I might show some coloring tips next time. I think this post has enough to digest without coloring detail, and I wouldn't want to beat a dead horse.

-Lemorris

thanks,

maybe you can also tell me where you get those frensh curves,
cause i have a bit shakey hands :iceslolan

I't looks very nice and easy to work with so It would be great if you could tell me in what type of store you buy those things......

god my englisch is bad :lol:

Any art supply store should have a basic set of curves. you can buy them online from dickblick if you want.

http://www.dickblick.com/

It does take some practice to get used to them but they are worth the wait. I have found that using them has helped me develop a much steadier hand.

thanks,

maybe you can also tell me where you get those frensh curves,


Go to France, and find some hot girl that was born there. :evillol:

Oh mike do you know french women don't shave their armpits or do they.

J'ai n'aime pas les francias.