How do I sketch a John Deere tractor as realistically as possible?
MURunnerJ asked:
I am making a watercolour present for a friend who has a passion for the old, classic John Deere tractors. The problem is, I have never seen one in my life (aside from staring at pictures on the Internet), and I can't get my sketches to look right. Is there anything I can do?
john+deere
well if he not watching u do the sketch print a pic off line and trace it then add lil color and u got yourself a classic john deer
John Deere Parts
TAKE A PICTURE OF THE TRACTOR FROM THE INTERNET IN THE ANGLE YOU WANT TO SKETCH ( HEAD ON , SIDE VIEW, BACK VIEW , 3 / 4 PROFILE , ECT , ECT ) . THEN PRINT IT OUT , AS LARGE AS YOU CAN . LAY IT OUT FLAT ON YOUR TABLE , THEN LAY CLEAR GRAFF , SAY 1 / 4″ X 1 / 4″ SQUARE OVER IT AND TRACE THE TRACTOR IN AS MUCH DETAIL AS YOU WANT . NOW DETERMINE HOW LARGE YOU WANT THE SKETCH TO BE . IF YOU WANT THE SKETCH TO BE 1-1 / 2 TIMES LARGER THAN YOUR TRACE OUT THEN VERY LIGHTLY ( LATER YOU WILL ERASE ) PUT A GRID ON WHATEVER YOU ARE USING 3 / 8″ X 3 / 8″ USING THE 1 / 4″ TRACEING NOW DRAW IT OUT ON YOUR 3 / 8″ GRID AT EXACTLY 1 SQUARE TO 1 SQUARE , THAT WILL STREACH IT OUT TO 1&1/2 TIMES. NOW IF YOU WANT IT TWICE AS LARGE MAKE YOUR GRID 1/ 2″ X 1 / 2″OR IF YOU WANT TO GO 2 & 1 /2 TIMES LARGER MAKE YOUR GRID 5 / 8″ X 5 / 8″ THREE TIMES = 3 / 4″ X 3 / 4″ GRID FOUR TIMES = 1″ X 1″ GRID . JUST REMEMBER ALWAYS GO 1 SQUARE TO 1 SQUARE , IF A CERTAIN LINE ON YOUR TRACING IS 4 SQUARES THEN YOU DRAW 4 SQUARES ON YOUR GRID IT WILL ENLARGE YOUR SKETCH IN PERPORTION AS YOU DRAW IT . NOW IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY CLEAR GRAFF SHEETS , YOU CAN MAKE ONE WITH A CRYSLAL CLEAR FOOD WRAP AND A 12″ RULER AND A VERY FINE FELT TIP PEN . I HOPE THIS IS CLEAR ENOUGH FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND, SOMETIMES I DON’T EXPLAIN THINGS AS WELL AS I SHOULD . IF YOU NEED MORE ON THIS MAKE ME A CONTACT AND WHEN YOU DO THE NEXT QUESTION A COPY WILL BE EMAILED TO ME
John Deere Stuff
How about visiting a John Deere dealership? A lot of times they’ll have an old style tractor as a display. Or check your local paper, you may have missed most county fairs, but there are still plenty of little festivals, which often include historic tractors.
Can’t beat the physical object.
Used John Deere Tractors
Using a reference photo and a grid system is the way I’d go. There is nothing wrong with this. It is not cheating anymore than a musician using sheet music to play a song he/she has never heard before. Matching up the angles and the lighting is most important.
John Deere History
Find a photo of one on the internet and print it out. Take it to a print shop, and they can make any size print you want. Then, using tracing paper, trace it and transfer it to the paper you are going to paint on. Since you are giving it as a gift to a friend, and are not selling it, I see no problem with copyright.