1968
Dodge Charger R/T
Use the photographs to explore materials and details. Equipment and restored finishes can differ from the version in your book.
Colours used
in this example.
A practical palette for the indicative finished example. Build colour gradually and keep the small details clear.
Suggested pencil shades, not exact factory paint matches. Test colours on your paper before building richer layers.
Build two or three light layers along the panels. Leave a narrow paper highlight beside the strongest body crease.
Establish the edges lightly before filling the centre. Follow their width through the car’s perspective.
Keep the cabin slightly darker than the glass. Follow the seat divisions without filling every seam with black.
Keep the brightest strips white. Put a narrow cool grey band beside them to suggest reflected light.
Layer charcoal gently around the sidewalls. Preserve lettering and any whitewall areas before deepening the rubber.
Use light, open pencil strokes. Keep this area softer than the car and preserve clear edges around the mechanical detail.
Look a little closer.
Explore the details from different angles.
Reference photograph 1
Burgundy R/T viewed from the front corner. The full-width concealed-headlamp grille sits above a bright bumper. Image resized and converted to WebP.
Photo: Calreyn88 · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Reference photograph 2
Burgundy R/T in a more side-on view. The sweeping roofline and sculpted rear quarter are clearly visible. Image resized and converted to WebP.
Photo: MrWalkr · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Reference photograph 3
Very dark R/T photographed indoors. The bonnet creases and slim grille surround stand out in reflected light. Image resized and converted to WebP.
Photo: Calreyn88 · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Comparison photograph 4
Bronze Charger with a dark roof viewed from the rear corner. Four round tail lamps and a broad boot panel are visible; R/T specification is not documented. Image resized and converted to WebP.
Photo: Jeremy from Sydney, Australia · Source · CC BY 2.0Comparison photograph 5
Front three-quarter view of the bronze Charger. The dark roof and bright window trim contrast with the body; R/T specification is not documented. Image resized and converted to WebP.
Photo: Jeremy from Sydney, Australia · Source · CC BY 2.0Period finishes and details
Period Dodge advertising shows a red-orange 1968 Charger R/T with a black roof and black rear band. This verifies the broad visual arrangement but the reproduced advert does not establish the exact paint name from the retrieved text. Use the body swatch as an illustrative approximation. The rear stripe belongs to the 1968 layout and should be checked before copying details from a later Charger. Keep the R/T identification visible within the drawing.
- Red-orange shown in period advertIllustrative body colour; exact factory name unverified
- BlackAdvertised roof and rear stripe
Screen swatches are a colouring guide rather than exact paint matches.
Follow the 1968 rear-band arrangement. Do not label the approximate red-orange swatch as a verified factory paint name.
In the photographs
The photographs show individual cars in their present condition. Their paint, wheels and trim can reflect restoration or later choices. Use the dated finish references above when aiming for a period scheme. 1968 Charger; R/T specification is not documented by the source.
In the coloured example
The pencil example uses olive. It is a creative interpretation, not an exact paint-code match. The rear band is simplified across the upper surface, so use a clear period reference for a factory stripe layout.
Make the details count.
Plan the Charger’s roof buttresses before adding strong colour. Work from a light first layer so that the panel boundaries remain clear.
Finish the four round rear lamps with a sharp pencil. Preserve small white highlights so these details stay separate from the surrounding paint.
Keep the desert highway pull-off with sparse mesas and a low roadside sign in quieter tones. A lighter background gives the car’s silhouette room to stand out.
Follow your curiosity.
Model history and further reading.