Creating an Illustration of Stutz Black Hawk streamliner

**gray** · 10 February 2010, 11:24 PM

I saw a photo of a 1928 Stutz Black Hawk streamliner on the web. Frank Lockhart was killed in the late twenties attempting to break the speed record in it. I thought it might make an interesting subject for an illustration or two. There are only 3 or 4 pics of the car and I needed to get the perspective right. Trying to draw these curved complex shapes freehand is time consuming and difficult. Using the available pics I drew a 3 view using Xara which is the perfect tool for this. I found another front and side view which helped me to tweak my own drawings and get the overall look closer to the actual car. From the 3 view I drew I created a very simple 3D wireframe that I can now use for perspective and composition work. Once I decide on that I'll draw the car in vector. I thought I'd post the first step. When I complete the vector illustration I'll post that to show the end result.

**Soquili** · 10 February 2010, 11:44 PM

Thanks for posting these initial steps Gray. It helps us to appreciate all the work you put into your drawings.

**Black Panther** · 11 February 2010, 02:56 AM

Very interesting 3D wirefram Gray, I like the steps and how you did your Drawing. it well be good Car drawing, i´m sure. Regards BP

**gwpriester** · 11 February 2010, 02:23 PM

Something that flies on the ground. That's a change.

**gray** · 11 February 2010, 04:18 PM

Thanks for taking a look, guys. I just wanted to show one method that can be used in place of photo references for perspectives.

**Burpee** · 11 February 2010, 07:41 PM

Very interesting and informative. Are you using a 3D program to create your objects in for the 3D wire frame?

**gray** · 11 February 2010, 09:54 PM

Hi Nancy, I do use 3D software to create the simple wireframe. Something like this only takes about 2 to 3 hours work. It helps me to illustrate complex machines fairly easily.

**gray** · 22 February 2010, 11:47 PM

Some progress on this WIP. The car still has a way to go to completion and I'm just in the process of laying out Daytona Beach for the background. In the 20's they used Daytona Beach for speed runs. It's a fairly simple illustration but has some interesting twists involved in it.