Drawing a McLaren Formula 1 Car Live in 90 Minutes: An Urban Sketching Challenge
Back in January, I saw there was going to be a scale model of a F1 McLaren car display in Plaza Las Américas from January 25 to the 1st of February, and I thought: this is the perfect opportunity to do some live sketching! The point of urban sketching is to document an event in space and time, so what could be better than to go and draw this car in all the Formula 1 fever?
A sense of excitement and perhaps apprehension traveled through my body because the shopping mall is usually high-traffic. Being in a place surrounded by lots of people, drawing a subject that I’ve not practiced much, and the spontaneity of all makes a big room for mistakes. But urban sketching is also about drawing mistakes, and mistakes are the ones that help you get better at something if you learn from them and have patience with yourself.
To get better results, minimize tension and have fun (very important!) I decided to make a plan: going early in the morning once the mall opens with limited tools and taking it slow. Having too many supplies in live sketching can make it harder for you to make fast decisions. It’s better to keep it simple!
Essential Supplies
I brought a small pouch with my urban sketching materials that I think are a must. If you are just starting, an HB graphite pencil and a sketchbook will do. But if you want to use mixed media or add more detail and color like me, I’d recommend these supplies:
A5 or A6 watercolor or mixed media sketchbook
HB graphite pencil
Ink fineliner or fountain pen
12-color watercolor palette (Mine is a custom half-pans palette in a Winsor and Newton Cotman case), colored pencils or markers
Pentel Aquash Water Brush (for watercolors)
Tissue or rag for cleaning the brush between colors and mixing
White eraser
Steps
I started drawing in my A5 Hahnemühle watercolor sketchbook with a light sketch, making the overall shapes of the car. Luckily, there were not a lot of people (I arrived around 10 am), but there were times when I got my view blocked by people taking pictures. This time I didn’t bring my foldable chair, concerned I’d get admonished for putting a chair in the middle of the space, so I did the whole sketch standing, using my left hand as a support.
After I was happy with the sketch, I started using my fountain pen for inking and adding more details. I took a small break to let the ink dry and talked with a few people who were intrigued by what I was doing. Connecting with others is another rewarding aspect of going sketching outdoors.
Now the best part: adding color! I blended Pyrrol Scarlet and Hansa Yellow to make the orange of the car. Later, I added the black, mixing blue and brown, leaving white spaces for highlights reflected by the surrounding lighting.
Lastly, I added the colors of the logos and other details. I also included lettering on the lower left side and a few light grey shadows below the car and splashes of orange.
The lettering didn’t turn out so perfect; it was not aligned at all, but I managed to fix it a bit in Photoshop later. At last, the sketch was completed in around 90 minutes.
Urban sketching under a tight time limit or with some challenges isn’t about making a flawless masterpiece… it’s about making a sketch that also reflects the spontaneity of your surroundings. Sometimes there are imperfect lines, misaligned lettering or colors outside the outlines but those are details that give personality and they become part of the story you are capturing.
If you ever feel intimidated by sketching on-location, go with materials you are familiar with or choose your favorite kit to avoid tension. Mastering live sketching is about locking in a good frame or subject, making loose and bold ink work and color placement. Focus on major shapes at first and leave perfectionism at the door.
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