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"But I Can't Draw"
Artist tools to help with with design layout.
By Don Johnson
Sponsored by
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"But I can't draw" is no excuse to keep
you from airbrushing, custom painting. Just as using an airbrush is a skill you
learn by practicing and repetition so it is with drawing.
There are many
artist tools that will make your life easier when first starting out in
airbrushing but as you gain experience the use of some of those tools will not
be as necessary as when you first picked up an airbrush. The use of a lot of
templates and masking are just two examples of artist tools or aids you might
out grow as you gain experience.
So it is with drawing there are many
tools, aids you can make use of when your drawing skills are not up to the task
but as you gain experience the use many of those artist tools, aids will not be
as necessary.
The start of any good airbrush project, work of art is a
great foundation in this case that would be your line drawing (contour
drawing). Below we'll go over how those of you drawing skill challenged can
build a great foundation, contour drawing from which to paint. |
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One of the cheapest and perhaps the
oldest tools or aids in coming up with a great line drawing is the grid system
for drawing. By applying a grid over the reference image you wish to airbrush
it's just a matter of making the grid on your painting surface look the same.
Having precise reference points a grid will provide you with will help you make
accurate judgments when drawing the subject on your painting
surface.
Pictured above is a 55 Chevy I might want to use as a reference
picture for a painting. It's best to have at least two copies of your reference
picture for this technique as one you will be drawing a grid on. Deciding on
the size of the grids you use is completely up to you but any where from one
half inch to an inch usually works best. As you can see in the second picture I
have chosen to use one half inch for the size of my grid.
Now copy the
grid onto your painting surface and use a B pencil and a light touch, so that
you can erase the grid easily. This of course will depend on your painting
surface as transferring a design to illustration board or canvas is different
than a motorcycle tank or helmet.
When filling in the grid on your
painting surface take your time and observe carefully; you are training your
mind and hand to work together in learning how to draw much like you will be
when learning how to airbrush. Here you will also experience how the weight of
a line, that is how dark and thick it is, will make it jump out from the paper
if it is a strong dark line or sink into the paper if it is light or thin. This
will carry over to what you will learn with your airbrush also so take note.
If you use the grid technique enough you will come to learn how to draw
without it before long it's just a matter of training your mind and hand to
work together as I've said above. |
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The next technique we'll review for
helping you to render your contour drawing from which to airbrush your artwork
is the use of an art projector. The up front investment here is more than if
you used the grid technique as you'll need to buy an art projector but you'll
find this method much faster. Art projector's range in price from seventy five
dollars to several hundred dollars depending on the model you purchase.
Pictured above is a Tracer Model which retails for about seventy
dallors. |
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Above is the Super Prism model art
projector by Artograph. This model retails for about two hundred dollars.
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Pictured above is a demo picture of the
Super Prism in use. You simple load your photo reference into the art projector
and shine it onto your painting surface as pictured. With the reference picture
on your painting surface it's just a matter of tracing your contour lines.
Do not kid yourself some of the most successful airbrush artist use
this technique to transfer their designs onto the painting surface.
I
hope you found this short article helpful.
Don Johnson |
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I hope you found
this article helpful.
Two more great resources to learn more about
airbrushing, kustom painting are my airbrush, kustom painting magazines. Check
them out via the links below. Until next time "It's just paint" have
fun.
Airbrush
Technique Magazine
Airbrush Artist Magazine
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Above issue #20 Airbrush Technique magazine with cover
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*wall mural how to
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*airbrushing a
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*airbrush the picture on the cover on a t
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*airbrushing a portrait on a denim jacket how to
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*part two of pin striping basic's how to article
*airbrushing a
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