How to Draw a Supercar Step-by-Step - McLaren 600LT Drawing Tutorial

In this drawing tutorial, I'll show you how to draw a supercar that is simple but looks realistic. The supercar I chose to draw is a red McLaren 600LT with its doors up.

I explained every step in great detail so you can easily follow along and create your own realistic supercar drawing.

Let's start drawing!

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How Do You Draw a Supercar?

The first step in drawing a supercar is choosing which one you want to draw and look for reference photos. Once you find a photo you like, you start sketching the outline of the car using the grid method to make it a bit easier. After that, you color the car using markers. And to finish it off you add a few details with a white, grey, and black colored pencil and you add some highlights using a white paint marker.

1. Look for Reference Photos of Supercars

The first step of drawing a supercar is choosing which one you want to draw and look for reference photos.

As I said before I'll be drawing a McLaren 600LT. But you can choose any supercar you like. The steps are roughly the same.

After that, I searched for reference photos on Unsplash which is a great source for car references.

I found this photo that I really like.

2. Gather Your Drawing Supplies

After you've found your perfect reference photo, it's time to decide what drawing supplies you're going to use.

I wanted to keep this drawing simple, so I used alcohol markers to make it.

I used the Ohuhu Honolulu markers in the colors Bougainvillaea (R190), Coralessence (R200), Strong Red (R230), and Garnet (R240).

I also used the Winsor & Newton Promarkers in the colors Ice Grey 1 (IG1), Ice Grey 2 (IG2), Ice Grey 4 (IG4), Ice Grey 7 (IG7), and Black (XB).

To add details to the drawing I used the White, Platinum, and Black Derwent Chromaflow colored pencils.

To add highlights to the drawing, I used a white Posca PC-3M paint marker.

I also used an HB graphite pencil, a ruler, a kneaded eraser (to lighten my sketch before coloring), and a regular eraser.

And I made this drawing on A4-sized Canson Illustration Manga paper.

3. Sketch the Outline of the Supercar

Now that we've gathered all the drawing supplies we need, it's time to start sketching your supercar.

Sketching a supercar accurately can be quite difficult.

To make this a lot easier, I like to use the grid method which I'll be using in this tutorial.

Check out this guide on how to use the grid method if you're not sure what it is and how to use it.

I first resized the reference photo to have the same size as my piece of paper, which is 29.7 by 21 cm or 3508 by 2480 pixels.

Then, I added a grid overlay on top of the photo of 15 by 10.5 squares and I marked the squares that I needed to sketch the car.

Next, I recreated that grid on my paper. Each grid line is 2 cm apart starting from the top left.

I only sketched the grid squares necessary to sketch the car.

After I had finished the grid, I started sketching the outline of the supercar.

By drawing the outline first, sketching the rest of the car gets a lot easier.

I started by picking a random line on the outside edge of the car. I marked where it starts and ends, and where it crosses grid lines.

Next, I sketched the line in one swift motion.

I repeated these steps for each section of the outline until I had sketched the whole outer edge of the car.

4. Sketch the Parts and Details of the Supercar

Now that the outline is done, it's easier to sketch the other parts and details of the supercar.

I sketched all the bigger and more important parts first.

After that, I sketched all the details of the car.

Next, I sketched the wheels of the car.

I wanted to give some extra attention to the wheels as they can be a bit tricky to get right.

I started by sketching the outer rim and marking the center with a small ellipse.

After that, I sketched the start of each of the spokes starting from the center of the wheel.

I carefully looked at the reference photo to figure out the angle they should be at.

Next, I connected each beginning of the spokes to the outer rim.

Lastly, I added depth to the spokes by adding a line to the left of each of them. I also added some more details to the rim and I sketched the brake caliper.

Next, I repeated these same steps to sketch the rear wheel.

To finish the sketch off, I also roughly sketched where the reflections will be on the body of the car.

5. Color All Black Parts of the Supercar

Now that the sketch is done, I like to color all pure black parts first.

This makes coloring the rest of the car a lot simpler.

6. Color the Front Splitter of the Supercar

After that, I colored the splitter.

I first colored the whole splitter and all the aero parts with Ice Grey 2.

Next, I used Ice Grey 4 to add a ton of shading to these parts while leaving some lighter edges visible.

And to finish it off, I used Ice Grey 7 to color the dark grey bit above the splitter and to add more shading to the darker grey parts of the splitter.

7. Color the Headlights of the Supercar

Next up, I colored the headlights with Ice Grey 2.

After that, I used Ice Grey 4 to add some shading and details to both headlights while leaving some parts lighter.

Lastly, I used Ice Grey 7 to add a dark edge around the top and the bottom of the left headlight and to color the center of the right headlight.

8. Color the Wheels of the Supercar

Then, I colored the Wheels of the Supercar.

I first colored the brake caliper of the front wheel with Strong Red.

After that, I used Ice Grey 7 to color the remainder of the front wheel plus the whole rear wheel and the aero piece behind it.

9. Color the Side Skirt, Tub, and Air Intake of the Supercar

Next up, I colored the side skirt and the air intake with Ice Grey 4.

After that, I added some shading with Ice Grey 7 to the bottom 3/4 of the air intake and the left 3/4 of the side skirt.

I also colored the carbon tub just behind the front wheel.

10. Color the Shadow Below the Supercar

Next, I colored the shadow of the supercar with Ice Grey 4.

Then, I added a lighter edge around it with Ice Grey 1

11. Color the Grey Parts of the Doors of the Supercar

After that, I colored the grey parts of the wing doors of the supercar.

I first colored the windows with Ice Grey 2.

Next, I used Ice Grey 4 to color the grey bits to the left of the window on the left door.

Lastly, I used Ice Grey 7 to color the remaining grey parts.

12. Color the Windshield and the Roof of the Supercar

Next up, I colored the windshield.

I first colored the sided window with Ice Grey 1.

Then, I used Ice Grey 2 to color the rear side window and the little bit of the rear window you can see on the right.

I also colored the top left edge of the windshield and I added a reflection of the door on the bottom left.

Next, I colored the remainder of the windshield and the roof with Ice Grey 4.

To finish it off, I used Ice Grey 7 to color the middle left of the interior and the top and the bottom edge of the windshield.

13. Color the Last Little Grey Parts of the Supercar

Next up, I colored the last tiny grey parts of the supercar.

I colored the spoiler and the rear marker light with Ice Grey 7.

I colored the front marker light with Ice Grey 4.

And I colored the Logo with Ice Grey 7.

14. Color the Main Body of the Supercar

Now that all the grey and black parts are done, we can finally move on to the main body of the supercar.

Before I started coloring, I first erased all the sketched lines as well as possible so that they wouldn't show through the ink in the end.

Next, I used Bougainvillaea to color the lightest parts of the body of the supercar.

After that, I used Coralessence to color the rest of the bodywork.

Then, I used Strong Red to add a deeper red shading over the areas around the right headlight, the top of the left door, the right 3/4 of the right door, and the bottom of the side of the supercar.

Lastly, I used Garnet to add more depth and shading to a few select parts of the body.

Mainly on the right half of the red bit just above the splitter and the right half of the right door.

I also used to darken some of the reflections on the car.

15. Add Details to Your Supercar Drawing

Next up, I added all the details to the car with 3 colored pencils: a white, a grey, and a black one.

I used the white pencil to highlight panel edges, to add details to the wheels and the headlights, and to highlight some reflections.

I used the grey pencil to refine the spokes and add details to the tires.

And I used the Black pencil to add details to the tires and add a few dark shadows and details all around the car.

16. Add Highlights to Your Supercar Drawing

Lastly, I used the white Posca PC-3M paint marker to add a few white highlights to the car to finish the drawing off.

And That's How You Draw a Supercar

I hope you found this tutorial helpful!

If so, could you do me a favor and send it to one of your friends?

Thank you so much for reading my guide on how to draw a supercar!

Luuk Minkman

Full-Time Artist Specialized in Automotive Art

I'm an artist and I draw realistic cars with alcohol markers and colored pencils. I have been doing so for a decade. I'm sharing everything I know about drawing on this blog. On here, you can find all you need to know to learn how you can draw realistic cars and other subjects yourself. Stay updated by following me on Instagram.