How To Draw The Titanic Sinking
It’s a moment that everyone knows; a cinematic snapshot, frozen in time and captured in the public mind’s eye. The titanic – an immense symbol of human achievement and industrial grandeur – slipping silently beneath an icy sea. Capturing this iconic event in a sketch requires an artist to hone two skills; to paint with perspective and to craft atmosphere.
Begin by considering the point-of-view of the drawing. Will the sketch depict the sinking titanic from an overhead view? If so, the artist must create a sense of scale, incorporating other boats and/or survivors within the drawing. Or, will the sketch be from the perspective of a survivor (or even the titanic itself)? Such a drawing must include a mix of tragic emotion and desperation: both for the ship and its passengers.
Next, the artist must consider the atmosphere of their drawing. How dark of a feeling should their drawing convey? The sinking titanic should feel sorrowful and melancholic, even if the other elements in it suggest a time of celebration prior to the disaster. Color choice is important here: a neutral hue should be used to accentuate the tragedy, with other brighter colors strategically used to draw attention to the people, objects, or emotions within the sketch.
Now the drawing can begin. Using a pencil, sketch out the basic shapes of the titanic – its decks, hull, and smokestacks. Pay special attention to the angle of its sinking: the ship should be angled slightly to the left, leaning on its starboard while its stern slowly angles lower into the depths.
Now it’s time to establish atmosphere. Using the pencil, shade the entire drawing with a neutral color. Erase the pencil lines, leaving the sketched ship shadowy and mysterious, yet clearly visible against the darker coloring around it. Now use color to express the mood: a darker blue gray for the shadows and a bright white-gray for the light source.
The ship should be colorful as well. Add lighter shades of brown and black to the hull, along with orange and red to the smokestacks. The last step is to add other elements to the sketch – people, lifeboats, or other ships. This can make the drawing even more intense or emotional. Creating the scene of the titanic sinking will be a powerful and meaningful experience for any artist.
Once the major components are all in place, the artist can move on to the details. There should be some smoke from the smokestacks, froth from the sea, and most importantly there should be an eeriness to the scene. Neutral tones should be used for the sea and icebergs, giving an overall cold feeling to the drawing. People should be leaning over the sides of the ships, throwing lifeboats into the water and searching for survivors.
Finally, it’s time to move on to color. Bright, vivid blues and purples should be used sparingly to provide highlights to the darker blue gray sea. Reds and oranges can be used to distinguish flames and distress flares, while ice should be defined by hues of lilac and pale whites.
That’s it! With just a pencil, paper, and paints, an artist can fully capture the distress and tragedy of a great icon sinking into the abyss. By using color and perspective, any artist no matter their skill level can sketch the titanic’s sinking in a manner that conveys ultimate emotion and grandeur.
When the titanic sank, it was not just a deadly tragedy – it was a lesson in human folly and a historical event that can still be captured in art today. By taking the time to consider perspective and atmosphere, an artist can create a drawing of the titanic’s sinking that is both beautiful and poignant.
The key to any sketch is to start out simple. Begin by blocking out the major scenes, then use shading and bright colors to add lighting and atmosphere. Three-dimensional shapes can be created with various values of color to provide depth and motion, while details can be added to further enhance the sketch. With some practice, an artist can quickly craft a beautiful rendering of this iconic event that serves to remind us of the tragedy of the titanic, as well as its immense beauty.
Once the outline has been sketched, focus on adding color. Using dark blues and greys, shade around and beneath the ship to suggest a deep, dark ocean. Then, using lighter colors, add highlights and reflection. The ship should be painted primarily in browns and greys, with a suggestion of light playing across it. Then, switch colors to create a bright and vibrant sky. Adding stars and other celestial objects will give an overall sense of peacefulness.
Finally, the artist should use pencil and paint to add contrast and detail: small waves lapping against the ship’s hull and passengers waving from the decks. By focusing on the little details – like the sounds of despair and sorrow – an artist can truly capture the heartbreak of this event.
Drawing the titanic sinking is more than just a creative challenge: it’s a way to pay tribute to one of history’s greatest tragedies. Through an artist’s eyes, we can remember the titanic in all of its grandeur and, in the end, remind ourselves of what can be accomplished and what can be lost.
