4 Cylinder Engine Cutaway

Randal created this cutaway technical illustration of a 4-cylinder automotive engine as a self promotion piece for use in advertising his technical illustration skills in the 1980′s. This illustration was done by hand with Rapidograph ink pens on smooth illustration board.

4 Cylinder Engine Cutaway Illustration

4 Cylinder Engine Cutaway Illustration

Cartoon Car

Randal sketched this cartoon car in his sketchbook during an airplane ride from Chicago to Denver. It was done analog… pencil on sketchbook paper… then scanned and imported on a Mac and saved with Adobe Photoshop.

Interestingly, a young man named Ani recently contacted him from California and asked if he could use this sketch on the website he is building. He said, “Yes!”

Cartoon Car Sketch

Bob Sharp Racing Datsun

Randal enjoys automotive illustration, especially of racing and hot rod automobiles. This illustration is of a 1972 Datsun 240z racing car modified and driven by Bob Sharp Racing team in the IMSA circuit. These early Datsun’s (now Nissan) were very popular in the early 1970′s, and Randal owned and restored one himself.

Bob Sharp Racing - Datsun 240z

Bob Sharp Racing - Datsun 240z

Photo of 1975 Datsun - Bob Sharp Racing

Photo of 1975 Datsun - Bob Sharp Racing

Nascar Sketch for IBM

Nascar Sketch for IBM

Nascar Sketch for IBM

Sometimes the early quick sketch or design study turns out better than the final art! This pencil sketch was done by Randal in preparation for an illustration for an IBM publication that featured information about the company’s AS400 product line. The number “64″ on the roof also had significance because the AS400 was being offered in a 64-bit model. Of course this makes the computer faster… hence the race car theme.

The quick loose lines and conceptual working out of the idea has a certain quality that is lost in many final illustrations. This was done with pencil on tracing paper. I always preferred this sketch version over the final pen and ink art!

Mercedes Benz Protoype C-111 Gullwing

Mercedes Gull Wing

Mercedes Benz Prototype C-111 Gullwing

Randal did this drawing of a Mercedez Benz Prototype Model C-111 in the 1980′s. Based upon a photo of this experimental, Wankel-powered automobile, the illustration was done by hand with ink lines and black wax pencil shading on croquill board. Croquill board has a bumpy surface that when certain types of dark pencils are rubbed across, it creates a “stipple” effect.

Photo of a similar model to one in the illustration

Photo of a similar model to one in the illustration

Exploded View Diagram

Exploded View Diagram of an Engine Head

Exploded View Diagram of an Engine Head

Exploded View Diagram of Automotive Engine Head

Exploded view diagrams are very useful for communicating technical information is an easy to understand manner. They show various parts and pieces of a manufactured item or product in a “pulled apart” manner, with lines and visual aids to help the viewer understand where each part fits, and sometimes even in what order. In this case, an engine head is shown with the gasket, and various pins, washers, springs, seals and plugs extended away and in line with where they fit.

This particular technical exploded view diagram is done in a “pen and ink” style, and can easily be replicated in a vector-based software program like Adobe Illustrator.