How to Design Graphics for a Yamaha 450 Motorcycle

The Yamaha 450 motorcycle is a fast and stylish off-road motorcycle. Riding an off-road motorcycle is all about independence and freedom. One of the best ways to take that idea to the next level is to design your own custom paint job for your Yamaha 405. Even if you don't own an actual motorcycle, you can still come up with your own original designs and test out new ideas. For the example in this article, you will creating graphics on a Yamaha 450 that give the impression of leopard skin on the body of your motorcycle.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Pen
• Eraser
• Colored markers

Instructions

1. 

   Draw out a rough template for a Yamaha 450. Alternatively, you can print out the image provided here and use the line art for the template. If you are drawing your own, you do not need to aim for accuracy; simply get the basic shapes. The main thing you are concentrating on is the color composition. Add two circles for wheels, a diagonal line for the front shocks, and an upside-down wide triangle for the body of the motorcycle.

2. Add the front fender of the motorcycle with a down-turned "C" shape over the front wheel. Add the exhaust pipe with a large rectangle under the right side of the body of the motorcycle. Add the windshield with a thin triangle above the center of the front wheel's fender.

3. 

   Color the wheels and seat of the motorcycle black. Color the body and front fender of the motorcycle tan. Color the shocks and exhaust pipes gray.

4. 

   Draw small, uneven circles all over the body of the motorcycle, windshield and front fender.

5. 

   Place a small dot inside each uneven circle. This dot should take up most of the center of the circle. These shapes will emulate the spots of a leopard. You can add some shading or the impression of fur with thin diagonal lines of brown across the tan areas that do not have spots.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a photocopy of the template and use it to test out any design ideas you have in mind.

• Place a sheet of paper under your design before you color it, or the ink will bleed onto the table below.

Resources

• Yamaha.com's entry on the 450 off-road motorcycle series