How to Draw a Car from the Front

Continuing our series of lessons on drawing a car from different sides, we want to show you how to draw a car from the front and how to depict all the important details of this plan.

The goal of DrawCarz is to teach how to illustrate different vehicles. And if you want to be a real auto designer, then you need to be able to draw any car from all sides.

We have already studied other sides, and it is time to learn how to sketch the face of an automobile and how to change certain parts to display in your sketch exactly the brand or model you want.

How to draw a car from the front: step-by-step tutorial

Step 1 – Sketch the car front with simple shapes

In the form of a loose sketch, depict the front view of the vehicle body. Here we can see the lower part, which includes the hood and the bumper, and the upper part, which includes the roof and cabin. By the way, this step is very similar to the first step of the lesson about how to draw a car from the back. The hood and bumper should form a wide rectangle at the bottom.

Step 2 – Sketch the main front details of the car

A good and competent car drawing consists of many details. In this step, we will deal with the most essential details. Sketch the headlights on both sides of the hood, making them the same size and height. Indicate the front wheels as partial curves at the base. Depending on the model, they can be sharp, rectangular, or rounded. Add mirrors slightly above the middle line. The appearance of these parts determines the nature of your car, so be careful when drawing these details.

Step 3 – Draw the car’s bumper intakes and grille

The car must have air intakes in order to take the air for the engine and cool the car. In this step, we will go into the details of the bumper and draw a radiator grille. Draw the grille centrally, shaping it according to the style you want – tall and wide for an SUV, or narrow and sleek for a sports car. Add the air intakes on each side of the bumper. Do not forget about such a mandatory detail as a license plate.

Step 4 – Outline the top section with dark lines

Above, we depicted the car in the form of a loose sketch, and now it’s time to go into detailing, giving the car a finished look. We will start from the top and move down. Carefully trace over the roof, keeping it symmetrical. Define the windshield as a wide trapezoid beneath the roofline. Draw out the mirrors of,the car, giving them a symmetrical look.

Step 5 – Draw out the car’s lower front details with clean lines

The same actions will be performed at the bottom of the car. That is, in this fifth step, we need to trace all remaining details with very dark lines, draw the logo and add texture of the grille. Go over the grille with firm strokes, then add vertical or mesh textures depending on the brand identity you want. Outline the headlights and bumper carefully. To permanently clear the drawing, use the eraser.

Step 6 – Add shadows on the bumper, hood, and glass

Do you want to make your car drawing become realistic? Then add some shadows, as shown in our image below this text. Experiment with the number and location of the shadows to better understand how the shadows should look. The windshield should have diagonal highlights to represent glass. Adjust the intensity of shadows to match your imagined light source.

Front view drawing tips

It is very important to be able to know how to draw a car from the front, if you want to be a professional in the field of automotive design, and we think that this step-by-step guide could teach you this.

When drawing a car from the front, the first thing that defines its character is the outline of the roof. From this angle the roof appears narrow, and depending on the model it can be low and flat like on a sports car or taller and rounder like on an SUV.

Right below the roof comes the windshield. From the front it usually looks like a wide trapezoid, but the angle can change the impression a lot.

A steep, shallow windshield will give the car a fast and aerodynamic feel, while an upright one makes it look more classic and robust.

The hood occupies much of the visual space in the front view. Its slope and length vary from brand to brand: some cars have short, sharply angled hoods, while others display long, horizontal surfaces.

The grille is the most recognizable part and usually the centerpiece of the front. Every manufacturer has its own signature shape, so changing it immediately changes the identity of the car.

Paired with the headlights on either side, the grille defines the expression of the vehicle.

Finally, the bumper closes the composition at the bottom and sits on the closest plane to the viewer. Here design differences become even more obvious: smooth and restrained lines are common in luxury models, while wide intakes and aerodynamic cutouts dominate in performance cars.