affinity designer First illustration attempt

[phfoto]

I decided to try my hand at illustrating something rather than doing just web graphics and decided to attempt creating my mountain bike. There are a few things I need to edit but thought I could get some feed back as one this that really bugs me is the handlebars! They just don't look right and I've spent ages trying to tweak them. The other thing I've struggled with is creating the tyre tread so I've left it off for now,

[Slammer]

Looks good for a first attempt, the problem with the handlebars is that they are set at a wrong angle and the eye sort of hangs on that. Have a try at working with a perspective grid to apply angles and directions, then you will be on your way.

[firstdefence]

A few observations...

• The chain is set wrong and looks slack, like it’s come off
• The pedal has a similar issue to the handlebars mentioned above (Try drawing the side of the pedal)
• Where is the other pedal?
• Rotate one of the wheels so that it’s lettering isn’t in sync with the other, this is just an aesthetic thing.
• Rework the spokes (Read up on power duplicating in affinity and rotation point)

Use an image as a trace image to get the shape perspectives and angles, it helps you train the hand and eye.
 

The better the image resolution the better you can study the form and detail: https://images-halfords.wearepentagon.com/VariationsImages/445448.jpg

[Alfred]

The wheels don’t look circular, especially the front one.

 I imagine the Cog Tool would come in useful for drawing the tyre treads.

[sacboi]

On 10/23/2020 at 5:31 AM, phfoto said:

I decided to try my hand at illustrating something rather than doing just web graphics and decided to attempt creating my mountain bike. There are a few things I need to edit but thought I could get some feed back as one this that really bugs me is the handlebars! They just don't look right and I've spent ages trying to tweak them. The other thing I've struggled with is creating the tyre tread so I've left it off for now,

Curious if you'd worked of a bunch references whereby drawing this freehand, essentially 'eyeballing' the subject's various elements or alternatively traced a background image?

[VectorWhiz]

When I have difficulty figuring out the correct shape of complex 3D objects, I cheat and draw them in a 3D program like Rhinoceros, view them from the angle I need and then use that rendering to draw them in Affinity Designer. If I do not have a proper reference image that is.