cheap advice thread

[bonzelite]

i have noticed the importance many place on "photographic mimesis," ie, duplicating exactly an object. in this case it is a car.

to begin with, some people are "out-of-the-starting-gate" a racehorse going to glory and just drawing effortlessly, it seems, this photorealism thing. and that is all good.

some who cannot get-with-this-bandwagon of photographic mimesis are frustrated artists who may think they suck. this may be true in some cases, but, i strongly feel, in many cases, it is *not.*

inborn talent, skill, philosophies aside, i will interject this one piece of advice for all who are straight-jacketed by seemingly impossible goals to draw "exactly" what is manufactured by an automaker:

learn to *sketch*: do not bog down in show-and-tell wonderment -who cares. the tortise will beat the hare: sketch loosely, freely, badly, quickly, often, and with great fun. do it for years. make time to take walks or go on vacations and just see the world, sketch it. be loose, use bold strokes with your *entire arm* and see objects as only shapes without names. every object is only an assemblage of triangles, circles and squares, and all shapes in-between derived from those.

-shaves as close as a blade or your money back.

[castback]

i think the reason i try to draw things exactly is becuase i started out just drawing portraits and other stuff like that. when you draw a person it has to be dead on or you can't tell who it is. i only started drawing cars around this winter or so. ive drawn them before but some of you guys can remember my car drawings looks a lot worst when i first discovered this forum.

i think that everyone has their own ways to draw kinda like everything else. yes, there are ways that will work for a lot of peole if not everyone but not everyone does everything the same. i think that it just takes time and practice to discover what works with you and your style. but you can't go and get into a drawing thinking that you've got to discover your style or you methods. that will just make it worse. just relax and draw. thats what helps me.

tyler

[bonzelite]

here is a simple 2-point perspective lesson. it is freehanded and just done loosely, yet controlled:

[SeCrEtMoDdEr]

i dont get it

[castback]

lol...ill try and draw up one quick with a car and show you what he is talkin' about.

its about perspective and helps with ellipses.

[bonzelite]

here is an off-the-cuff conceptual sketch of a car to show how 2-point perspective works:


between the first sketch and this one, those who don't get it should begin to get it.

you basically choose two points on a horizon line, and project rays, like spokes on a wheel, outwards, towards the rays of the opposite point. you can construct simple cubes this way; within the cubes, you can lay elipses in there.

it is easier to just see it than explain it, so just look at the sketches. it is important to understand recession into space for any flat photograph to make sense. people who do not understand basic perspective constantly mess up elipses, and even the body of the car, as it recedes into the distance.

[castback]

dang you bonz i just drew up one!!! oh well ill put it up any way. this isn't some cool concept car because i made is square so you could get the idea if you still didn't get it.

[bonzelite]

it is good that you did one, as well. you got the box shapes cubes going on there very clearly. it should have preceded mine. your diagram is very helpful and clear.

[ImolaEK]

Wow bonzelite thats a lovely advice.

[bonzelite]

no prob, rb26dett-gtr. my pleasure.

[stuffbyalex]

thanks for the helpful advice bonzelite, but i have one question: how do you determine the exact degree of the ellipse for the wheels?(you know i've always had problems with those)

btw, castback: thanks for your drawing as well, but i hope its purpose is to show the 2 point perspective, not your talent in drawing cars lol.

[tokes99]

your perspectiveis a little off there bonzelite, the rear is too big, I think? Still very good advie nonetheless, the big the I still am struggling with is using my whole arm and still have that "controlled" line quality.

I have pretty much given up on trying to be "perfect everytime out, sloppy gets the job done for me.

[castback]

Originally Posted by stuffbyalex

thanks for the helpful advice bonzelite, but i have one question: how do you determine the exact degree of the ellipse for the wheels?(you know i've always had problems with those)

btw, castback: thanks for your drawing as well, but i hope its purpose is to show the 2 point perspective, not your talent in drawing cars lol.

dude what are you talking about!!!! it is the new concept for the hummer 3 or tha new scion or the new element


oh and for the elipse problem..
see how my wheels are in a little box i drew...well alls i did was

1. draw the vertical lines for the side of both tires

2. decide on your front tire... where you would like the top of the tire to be.

3. make the line fron the top of that tire to your vanishing point.

4. on the back tire the line you just drew will be the top of your back tire.

5. now figure out where the middle of your rim is on your front tire.

6. mark it and draw a line from that point to the vanishing point.(i drew arrows and wrote "same line" pointing to what i am talking about)

7. now that line should go through the center of tha rim.

i hope this helps you guys. it was kinda hard to explain. just look at the drawing for a long time and you'll figure it out.

[bonzelite]

Originally Posted by tokes99

your perspectiveis a little off there bonzelite, the rear is too big, I think? Still very good advie nonetheless, the big the I still am struggling with is using my whole arm and still have that "controlled" line quality.

I have pretty much given up on trying to be "perfect everytime out, sloppy gets the job done for me.

yes, the rear is too tall; needs to be shaved down so the rear spoiler does not rise above the roof. or, you can 'accept' it the way it is, as it is a fantasy. the detail of the rear would be worked out if the drawing were to be taken farther, more seriously. the point of the sketch is to showcase a car in a projection of 2 points from a horizon.

[bonzelite]

Originally Posted by stuffbyalex

thanks for the helpful advice bonzelite, but i have one question: how do you determine the exact degree of the ellipse for the wheels?(you know i've always had problems with those)

btw, castback: thanks for your drawing as well, but i hope its purpose is to show the 2 point perspective, not your talent in drawing cars lol.

you determine it by projecting lines, rays, from two points on a horizon to the foreground, like in the sketch, and building a box in proper perspective relative to the points and lines you project. see the first sketch: it is rough, but the principle is explained. it also takes intuitive skill.