Here are all of the tools,...
Here are all of the tools, minus the copy machine you will need to render a truck. The most important item for this procedure will be the proper ink pen. You'll need to find a pen that will soak into the paper like the Sharpie we used; a regular ball-point pen just won't cut it.
In this custom world we live in, one thing holds truer than anything else: Everything costs money. For example, take renderings; while most of us can turn a wrench and dream up ideas, only a select few can actually turn that idea into a picture. No matter if it's hand-drawn or computer-generated, it will take a lot of talent and maybe a high-priced program to produce something worth showing off. In this article, we are going to show the low-tech way to create a rendering.
If you can trace a picture and color inside the lines, then you have enough skill to make your own rendering. The one thing you will need that most people don't own is a photocopy machine. If you happen to have one at your job, then make your copies there, but just make sure your boss isn't watching you. If you work in a place without a copier, you might have to take a trip to a copy center or your local post office. Both of these places will have a pay-per-copy machine that you can use for a small fee. We hope these simple steps will help you get your visions on paper and one step closer to finishing your ride.
Part One: Trace It!
Part one involves you either taking a picture of your truck or finding one online like we did. Once you have a picture, you can start the tracing, but this will eventually mirror the image (you'll see why in a few moments). We used the basic photo-editing software (Microsoft Photo Editor) that came with our computer to mirror the image before we printed it.
1. Once you have a printed...
1. Once you have a printed picture, grab your ink pen and a ruler, and get to tracing. One tip we can pass on is to trace very slowly, this will give the pen's ink more time to soak into the paper and also help you make straight lines. Also, if there is something you want to shave, then just don't trace it. Kind of like what we did with the extended cab portion of this truck, we wanted to see a standard cab longbed so we just made it.
2a. Here, you can see what...
2a. Here, you can see what we mean by soaking. Once you have traced the whole truck, you will have a faint line drawing on the back of the paper
2b. Now you can trace it again...
2b. Now you can trace it again to produce a coloring book-style picture of the truck
3. Once you have that done,...
3. Once you have that done, you can use white correction fluid to fix any stray lines and really clean up the design. Now you can take this drawing to a copy center and make a bunch of copies.
Part Two: Lower It!
If you want to lower the truck more than what is in your picture, that will be easy. While you are at the copy place, make just two copies of your tracing. Take one and cut along the bottom of the truck, removing the ground and the wheels. Now all you have to do is place it over your second copy, slide it down where you want it, and tape them together. Make a copy of that, instead of the stock image, and you will be nice and low.
Color It And Put It On The 'Fridge!
Once you have made those copies, it's time to color. Here are two quick ideas we came up with for this little 'Dime. The flames are a pretty standard and will look good, but that will cost us when it comes time to paint. We are looking for a simpler theme with this truck, and a military-olive-drab green will be a cheaper solution than any multicolor graphics.