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.

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 2’. Try to draw this Morris Mini in three steps or choose another car to try this out.

Again pay attention to the use of guiding lines in the following drawing of a luxurious racing monster with its many complicated curves. Without the use of guiding lines drawing these complicated forms could make me feel helpless.

You can find beautifully drawn examples in comic strips. Just search for ‘Images of cars in comic strips’.