Drawing Cars (and really anything you think you can't draw)
Sketching Tips and News from Suhita
Hi,
The June 2023 edition of my newsletter comes early because I’m traveling for the rest of the month. When I’m back, I’ll share insights on travel sketching and my travel kit.
Lately, I’ve drawn a lot of cars. Mention “cars” (or for that matter, “people” or “animals” or any particular subject), and a lot of us will say we can’t/don’t draw that. But maybe it’s just a subject we haven’t studied enough to draw well (yet)? I certainly haven’t drawn many cars until recently. And sometimes I need to remind myself that drawing is about seeing and translating what I see on paper, regardless of the subject.
SKETCHING TIP 1: Start Small, Draw Bits
One of the simplest approaches is to draw little vignettes of parts of the whole that interests you. You’ve done this before: drawn faces of people, or doors and windows of a building. Do the same thing with cars: draw the bits that grab your attention.
These are bits of a car I sketched recently. The conversation around me, followed by some internet research told me I sketched a Lincoln Continental. These sketches are done in ink first with just a touch of color added later. But I sometimes work color-first. Below are some process shots of a paint-first sketch.
SKETCHING TIP 2: Every so often, turn your process upside-down
I especially like working color-first on a warm day because the paint dries quickly and I can draw with a pen on it almost immediately. (Sure, you could use it any day but I haven’t the patience to wait for the color to dry on a cooler day.)
(above) Color first over a very basic pencil block-in. Then I put my paints away and it’s all dry media from here on.
Tip: Start by drawing the most prominent lines in your sketch while the paper still feels cool to the touch. Those first lines will be the boldest. Then move on to details as the paper becomes drier.
(below) Adjusting proportions as I go along, (see how faint block-in lines are different from my pen lines) and putting in the main lines first.
(below) I could’ve called the sketch done, but since I had more time, I added details and shading in ink, colored pencil, and gel pen.
WORKSHOPS & SKETCHWALKS
A Gateway to India 2024 (Last Two spots!)
One of our participants needed to vacate their spot so we now have the last two spots open for the workshop in India in January 2024. Read about the workshop here.
Spring Sketching in Mixed Media: A Celebration of Color in Santa Fe
Just announced this workshop and it is filling up quickly! I’m excited to teach this color-forward workshop with Maru Godas in Santa Fe this spring. Learn to use color, regardless of media, more fearlessly, boldly, and vibrantly in your art this week with us. More details and signups here.
San Jose Sketchwalks
San Jose Sketchwalks takes a break for the summer. Stay cool, keep sketching, and be sure to watch this space for fall sketchwalk announcements.
INTERESTING STUFF
• This short video from Ian Roberts on working outside your comfort zone struck a chord with me.
• Right now I’m particularly drawn to sketches that say a lot with very little. That “little” might be limited tools, limited color, carefully chosen lines, or something else I can’t quite put my finger on. Here are just a few of the artists whose work inspires me.
@jameshobbsart , @richardbriggs_artist , @lineandwash , @rolfschroeter
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I also loved that Ian Roberts video! Thank you for the summer time tips, very encouraging. Enjoy your travels!!