Chapter 3 | CARS IN PERSPECTIVE

With a car in perspective  you have to deal with (perspectival) foreshortening: The front of this car is drawn much wider than the side, while in reality the side is much longer! The side of the car is therefore ‘shortened in perspective’. Always check those proportions right away if you want to draw a car in perspective!

Make also sure that wheels/tires become ovals in perspective (see the lesson ‘The versatile oval, chapter 7, level 1).

Exercise 1: When drawing cars in perspective, CONSTRUCTION/ASSISTING LINES are indispensable! A good example is the Morris Mini, drawn here in three steps. To determine the direction of lines in perspective, see the lesson ‘Helpful drawing tips chapter 2, level 3’. Try to draw this Morris Mini in three steps.

Again we can see the importance of construction/assisting lines in the following drawing of a luxurious racing monster with its many complicated curves. Without the use of construction/assisting lines drawing these complicated forms could make you feel helpless.

Exercise 2: Choose a photo or drawing of a car in perspective to draw. You can find beautifully drawn examples in comic strips. Just search for ‘Images of cars in comic strips’.

Tip: It can be fun to pretend your car is actually driving somewhere, by using some shadow, speed lines and a background.