Demo from January 31, 2005

[Michael D. Nicola]

TITLE: Monochromatic Rendering
MEDIA: Warm gray Canson brand paper, Chartpak AD markers, Prismacolor Verithin hard lead coloured pencils, Prismacolor soft lead coloured pencils, and Prismacolor Nupastels
NOTES: A flat two-point perspective (or dog view) sketch intended to show what can be accomplished using various shades of a single colour, in this case warm gray. Thanks to Shinya for letting me use his SAAB SUV sketch as the basis for this rendering.

[Michael D. Nicola]

Normally, after a demo like this alot of students get a little overwhelmed. And believe me, I understand the anxienty. But there's no need to worry. Just do the best you can and remember that (for most of you at least) it's your first attempt at anything like this.

Below, I've outlined the steps that I took to create the rendering. Refer to the image above as you read through the steps:

1. Draw your rough ideation on the Canson paper using a Verithin or other hard-lead pencil. Ball point pen is fine too. My advice - do a few really rough ideations on newsprint to help set up yor perspective, proportions, and over image size (you've got 19" x 24" to play with, so use it).

2. Once your rought work is down, add some tension to your drawing using prismacolor soft lead pencils and (if you have them) your sweeps and ellipse templates. Again, concentrate on lines that intersect but DON'T outline your drawing. Like I've said in the past: we're not 10 year olds outlining our drawing before we colour inside the black lines! I want to see that looseness from your rough work.

3. Take your black marker and start darkening your rocker panel, tires, between wheel spokes, wheel wells, the ground (if it's a dog-view) and any other areas that you really want to punch! Especially the bottom of the windshield where it meets the rest of the body - you've all seen me do that area!

4. Take the lightest tone marker and draw in your horizon line. Remeber, the more flat or 'slab sided' your vehicle, the higher that horizon line will be; the more section your car has, the lower the horizon line will be. Apply marker from the horizon line down the side of the vehicle but not all the way to the bottom. Then, start at the rocker and make your way back up. Take the next tone of marker and repeat applying less each time until your final colour is just a few thin lines at the horizon line itself; your rocker can be a little darker than the horizon line, but it should at least be as dark.

5. Take the same light tone marker you started with and apply the horizone line to your side windows. The same rule applies - the less tumble-over you have the higher that horizon line will be; the more the lower. Darken the horizon line a bit, but not to the same degree as the horizon line on the body.

4. Apply your chalk pastel to your cores using either tissue paper or a Webril pad. Remember, you don't need to cover the entire side of your vehicle with pastel! In fact, less is more! And remember your light source - the area of the vehicle where the light is coming from will be the lightest and it will darken the further down the body.

5. Apply some white pastel to the area just above your horizon line. Remember the saying: "Your lightest light should be next to your darkest dark!" And again no need to bathe your drawing in white powder - just alittle along the horizon line to act as a highlight and nothing more. Do the same on your windows above the horizon line.

6. Go over any areas with either a light tone marker or your black (where suitable) to eliminate pastel that got onto areas where you don't want it - like wheel wells, tires, the horizon line, etc...

7. Add in your details like tail lights, headlights, etc... and go over some of your original black lines to bring them back out.

Take a look at some of the other early demos that are posted in the other sections of the image gallery - they where all done using the same techniques.

And if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

[Dan J. Desveaux]

Hey Mike:

Do we apply pastel to the windows above the horizon line? Or only the body? It's hard to tell from the demo you posted if you did or not, and I can't remember.

Dan.

[Michael D. Nicola]

In short, yes you do apply pastel to the window above the horizon line. But, the pastel you use should be white and not the body colour pastel you're using.

The white should be applied close to the horizon line where it is it's most intense, then should fade in intensity the further up the window you move. Remember the rule: your lightest light, next to your darkest dark.

Hope that helps.

Mike