#TOTW Can you draw a bike?

In answer to the thread title; yes, I can.

(All shamelessly reposted from the STW art thread)

@TiRed

All from memory

Believable 😉 (as the Pedersen was way off)

Yr Flying Gate was almost perfect though. You must own one? (and a Moulton/and/or the mind of an engineer)

It was indeed. That’s the deliberate double bluff. Truth is I turned one down a few years ago (a real one) and have regretted it ever since.

The galibier has a bit of a kink in the seat tube if I’m being pedantic too.

I told a lass in my GCSE art class the bike she drew all wrong. But she correctly pointed out she was the artist and I was the cyclist and she could draw it in an interpretive way how the **** she wanted. Fair point well made. And she was fit so I double lost.

Is there an alternative everyday item that I might not be able to draw?

I was pondering this today. The nice thing about the example of a bike is – as said – all its engineering principles are on show, a car is just as ubiquitous but all the workings are hidden – so a drawing of a bike is really a drawing of your understanding of a bike – where a drawing of a car is just a representation of the superficial aspects of a car – although I’d expect most people would draw a ‘three box’ design – the traditional saloon car: a box for the engine, a box for the people, a box of the luggage – so a representation of the three functional spaces of a car.. Where as most car people see everyday are two box and one box designs even though inside they still have those three things – an engine, people and their stuff.

There are a number of items that as are ubiquitous across borders and generations and bikes : The shipping container and the oil barrel being two of the most numerous. But I can’t really think of another thing where a drawing of it would display an understanding of how it works.

Scissors maybe

Yr Flying Gate was almost perfect though. You must own one?

I have plans. Debating a vintage or Trevor Jarvis new frame. Not seen a 1945 TT in my size yet. I’ve come close a few times. I’ve owned and broken a Moulton too.

I didn’t do so well at school. My parents recently gave me some of my old school books, they are full of pretty accurate doodles of bikes. I can even identify which geography lesson I was in when I first started drawing a Lava Dome, a bike I still have 30 years later!

I’m not very good at drawing either, I just found bikes more interesting than school work.

in an interpretive way how the **** she wanted.

Ah yes good old artistic license. Hang on…

^ Bicycley! You didn’t by any chance design the sculpture on the British Sea Power bike-themed video?

(Around 2min10s)

I can’t freehand draw worth a damn! Which was fine when I worked as a graphic artist, because my technical drawing skills were a lot more useful.

I did, however, have a go at sketching a generic bike about five minutes ago, and I think it gets the idea across.

Proof required, Jpeg or PNG is fine

Not really. If you don’t believe me I can live with that.

I did however get my wife to look at them at the time who had to Google them as other than the Chopper see didn’t know what any of them were. She confirmed they looked correct but wasn’t surprised as she has lived with me for 25 years so knows all about my idiosyncrasies (read high functioning autistic!)

Why has nobody drawn the paper clip bike yet – without looking please/?

Why has nobody drawn the paper clip bike yet – without looking please/?

Good one! How was your effort? (Pic, or it didn’t happen 😎)

Seems that I can’t even (quickly) draw a paper clip from memory

https://sketch.io/sketchpad/

@cookeaa

but wouldn’t that sort of admission, especially in the form of not being able to draw an everyday mechanical item like a bike paperclip, make you feel a bit useless as a human being?

That’s certainly one way to look at it!

Can you see it….?

On the side of todays porridge bowl 🙂

Seems that I can’t even (quickly) draw a paper clip from memory

I have just drawn one that was correct, from memory. Yeah, yeah, you don’t believe me.

I have also just applied to go on Britain’s Got Talent as I seem to be good at this but I fear my previously mentioned autism may not help with my stage presence…

I have just drawn one that was correct, from memory. Yeah, yeah, you don’t believe me.

Just post your sketch of the paperclip bike! Also, I did suggest that if drawing (say) an accurate PRST-1, or Dursley Pedersen (or even Raleigh Chopper) from memory is a trivial task then one may be ‘savant-level’ in the recall-skillz dept. Interestingly, would you say there is any bike/machine/shape you think that you couldn’t draw from memory? How would you fare, with, say, a Strandbeest?

I love drawing bikes. People often get me to draw there’s. I do like to get them right 🙂

Cmon binners, post a quick pencil sketch from memory, not a tracing/referenced vector done on PC.

Your first bike. Go!

Mk I Nomad

I did suggest that if drawing (say) an accurate PRST-1, or Dursley Pedersen (or even Raleigh Chopper) from memory is a trivial task then one may be ‘savant-level’ in the recall-skillz dept. Interestingly, would you say there is any bike/machine/shape you think that you couldn’t draw from memory? How would you fare, with, say, a Strandbeest?

Yes I have pretty good recall, verbal and visual, remembering numbers and so on.
I haven’t tried drawing a massive list of bike/machines/shapes from memory but as I didn’t even know what a Strandbeest is I may struggle with that. Just looked it up and no I would not get that technically correct but it is hardly a bike or a paperclip is it.

‘depositphotos’

ISWYDT

I’m pretty sure I could draw the paper clip bike and a PRST-1 from memory, I’m just ready shit at drawing…

@tomhoward it isn’t about artistic merit, it’s if you can draw it at all without getting parts/angles in the wrong place (and without omitting key elements)

Just a collection of lines and simple shapes.

So if you can draw even a stick-figure PRST-1 from memory, then I’d suggest that your basic drawing skills are quite well-developed.

I’ve since realized I can’t actually remember what the paper clip bike looked like! I’ve resisted googling for it so far, but have no idea where to start to drawing it. It didn’t actually look anything like a paper clip did it!? Did it bend this way or that way!?

^Welcome to most (non-bike-obsessive) people’s minds when confronted with the task ‘can you draw a bicycle?’

Try drawing your first bike instead? (Just remembered you don’t remember!) Try drawing even a simple paperclip (not the bike*)

Trying to draw just a paperclip blew my (seemingly very) tiny mind! 😎

* ‘paperclip’ bike is seemingly both a meme from a fugly pic of some homebrew frankenthing and also a (different) design-award-winning utility bike from Batavus. So it’s confusing. (But still not as confusing as an actual paperclip 🤤)

It was turquoise wasn’t it?

Paper clip bike.

’ve since realized I can’t actually remember what the paper clip bike looked like!

For you.(and everyone else)

I can hear the calls at home. ‘What’s happened to all the paperclips ?, I thought we had a box’

Looks like the image of the green paperclip bike has disappeared, I can’t find it for the life of me

Edit, wait, no, found it 😊 I’m happy with my memory, will share if other don’t mind

Will do PRST-1 on my lunch break, If no one else does one, might take a bit more concentration.

Can always turn the question on it’s head too:

Seeing as no one has offered up anything better, here is the actual paperclip bike. Or what I assume every is referring to.

https://www.sidingstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_20220218_1509088912-800×685-1.jpg

The nice thing about the example of a bike is – as said – all its engineering principles are on show, a car is just as ubiquitous but all the workings are hidden – so a drawing of a bike is really a drawing of your understanding of a bike – where a drawing of a car is just a representation of the superficial aspects of a car

ask them to draw a car with a level of detail to include doors and windows (physical moving parts that they will interact with) and I think just as many people will fall down.

on bikes, it depends on what you would call a passable drawing. A double diamond that fits wheels, has cracks and a drive train that is in the right place?

My first proper MTB was an Orange crush, 2011; so quite an easy one. Lord knows how you post your own picture on here though.
Correct – double diamond frame, head angle slacker than the seat, front to rear centre about right, 2 wheels of the same size, cranks, drivetrain.

Incorrect – its either a 24 incher, or has a 1600 wheelbase; and seems to have a 12 inch travel fork. Even with the saddle slammed to the frame, its barely below the bars.

Indian Ink, I did sketch the bike in woods with it front of me.

Nice!

I’d completely forgotten the ‘paperclip’ bike! Certainly not the most attractive bike design, that’s for sure!

And while I understand the principles of perspective, proportion, etc, I just don’t have the skill to freehand draw things.

I once worked with a graphic artist who would sit smoking ‘herbal inspiration’ roll ups, while absent-mindedly sketching steam locomotives, in perspective, with detailed drive-trains and everything! How I envy those who can create a beautiful, recognisable sketch of something with just a few strokes of a pen.

I’ve taken my 4 year daughter old out on a mac-ride on my MTB over the south downs a few times.
After one of the first trips she drew this afterwards…

Seeing as looking at bike while drawing it is allowed (I can draw one without looking, honest) … heres one I’ve done on me ipad… wasn’t happy with the background, but the bike came out ok

There’s some properly talented people on this here forum.

Love that @ribena. 😊