Learning how to draw the Cars

So, after I got word that I was going to get to draw the Cars, I had a few months to get ready. I decided that I had to practice drawing them, get used to their personalities and proportions, so that when I drew my first cover or pages, that I would already be familiar with them. So I drew these model sheets of most of the major characters. I think they really helped me hit the ground running, and I contiinue to use them as a handy reference.

While working on these drawings, I made the decision that I would approach drawing the Cars using the notion that I have heard John Lasseter talk about of "Truth to Materials." These characters are CARS, they are made of METAL. They are not funny animals, they are CARS. So I would not use a lot of cartoony exaggeration, "squash and stretch," in them in any way that is not apparent in the movie or in the "Mater's Tall Tales" cartoon shorts. In those, the characters only move at natural joints in the wheels and axles, and of course, the face and eyes. In this way I would remain true to their nature as Pixar depicts them. But, of course, If Pixar wanted to have them look TOTALLY realistic, then they would just have them rendered by a computer. They wanted COMICS, and that meant they wanted a COMIC BOOK style. So I figured that we could deliver that just by virtue of them being hand-drawn and colored rather flat. Basically, I draw them as realistically as I can with a crowquill pen, and it's a lot like drawing backgrounds in a mainstream-style comic book. I have a strong opinion about this. I really like the result.


Thanks for checking in. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so I won't post anything until Friday. So stop by Friday and see something you almost certainly haven't seen before!! Happy Turkey Day!

Allen