How to Draw a Beetle Car

VW Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle is an iconic car of the hippie era of the 1960s. In recent years it has undergone a modernization of sorts and been re-released. The car has a distinct and unique look to it with its "cute" rounded body. Learn how to use a framework to base your drawing on and learn to use reference to add accuracy to your drawing.

Things You'll Need

• Pencils
• Fine-liner or ballpoint pen
• A4 white paper (standard printer paper available everywhere)
• Felt-tip pens, crayons, marker pens or paints
• Eraser
• Pencil sharpener

Instructions

Reference, Framework and Sketching

1. Find reference images of the VW Beetle car from as many angles as you can. Use this reference for inspiration and to add accuracy to your drawings later in the process.

2. Break down the car into basic shapes and draw these shapes onto your paper. Semicircles will work for the upper chassis and rectangles will work for the lower chassis. Circles will work for the wheels.

3. Add more details in basic shape form such as headlights and rear lights. Windows should be drawn at this point also, as well as side mirrors. Circles will work for the lights and rectangles will work for the mirrors and windows.

4. Refine your basic shapes into a more realistic and detailed version of the car. Use the reference to help you transform those basic shapes into more realistic parts of the car. Take care with this step and avoid too much erasing. Add in the really small details here as well such as the badge and tire treads.

5. Take your fine liner pen and draw over the pencil lines you want to keep. Take care with this step as mistake cannot be erased. Wait a few moments before you erase the pencil lines to avoid smudging. You should be left with a clean line drawing.

6. Add some color with your crayons, paints or marker pens. Use the reference to create a realistic color scheme or come up with one of your own.

Tips & Warnings

• Use good quality marker pens to color in your drawing to add a professional element.

• Use a technical pencil for clean sketching lines.

References

• Luciano Bove: Simple rules to draw a car sketch in top view

Resources

• Dragoart: How to Draw a Volkswagen Beetle