Turn Your Car Photo Into a Sketch

Sketching your car

Car sketches are a favorite with enthusiasts: a drawing of a project car, a first car, or the car you finally bought after years of wanting it. Line work suits cars especially well, because the shape is all edges, curves and reflections.

They make easy gifts, too. For anyone who spends weekends in the garage, a framed sketch of their own car is far more personal than a poster of someone else's.

Choosing the photo

• Shoot the three-quarter angle

  The front three-quarter view, where you see the front and one side, shows a car's shape best. Straight side-on shots look flat once they are drawn.

• Crouch to headlight height

  Standing height makes cars look small and boxy. Lower the camera to roughly headlight height for a stronger stance.

• Avoid midday reflections

  Bright sun puts hard glare on paint and glass, which the sketch turns into white gaps. Early morning, late afternoon or an overcast day gives clean reflections.

• Clear the background

  Other cars, bins and signs end up in the drawing. Move the car to an open spot, or use No BG to draw the car on its own.

Styles that suit it

• Ink sketch. Fast, energetic fineliner lines that feel like a designer's concept sketch. The style of the first example above.
• Pencil Sketch. Precise outlines and careful shading. Best for showing off detail and bodywork.
• No BG. Isolates the car on white. Clean for posters, T-shirts and garage prints.

Questions people ask

Will badges and number plates show up?

Details on the car are drawn as part of it. If you would rather not show a number plate, blur or crop it out of the photo before you upload.

Can I sketch a car from an old photo?

Yes. Scanned prints work well if the scan is sharp. A sketch is forgiving of film grain and slightly faded color.