1972
Lotus Elan Sprint
Lightness made visible
Colours used
in this example.
Yellow and white sets the tone for this page. Keep the two-tone boundary neat along the shallow body side.
Suggested pencil shades, not exact factory paint matches. Test colours on your paper before building richer layers.
Keep the two-tone boundary neat along the shallow body side.
Build deeper shadows below the window line while leaving the visible seat tops lighter.
Reserve white for metal highlights. Keep rubber softer and less reflective.
Keep the existing setting quieter than the car and let the glass remain translucent.
Look a little closer.
Explore the details from different angles.
Reference 01
1972 Lotus Elan Sprint Drophead LC. Comparison photograph: The source identifies a related surviving example. Exact build year, trim and original paint are not established for this photograph. Uncropped web derivative resized and converted to WebP; no colour changes.
Photo: MrWalkr · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Reference 02
Lotus Elan Sprint (Federal). Comparison photograph: The source identifies a related surviving example. Exact build year, trim and original paint are not established for this photograph. Uncropped web derivative resized and converted to WebP; no colour changes.
Photo: Grenadille · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Reference 03
Lotus Elan Sprint (Federal). Unrestored. Comparison photograph: The source identifies a related surviving example. Exact build year, trim and original paint are not established for this photograph. Uncropped web derivative resized and converted to WebP; no colour changes.
Photo: Grenadille · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Reference 04
Lotus Elan Sprint, Pau 2015. Comparison photograph: The source identifies a related surviving example. Exact build year, trim and original paint are not established for this photograph. Uncropped web derivative resized and converted to WebP; no colour changes.
Photo: Handelsgeselschaft · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Reference 05
Lotus Elan Sprint (1972). Comparison photograph: The source identifies a related surviving example. Exact build year, trim and original paint are not established for this photograph. Uncropped web derivative resized and converted to WebP; no colour changes.
Photo: SG2012 · Source · CC BY 2.0Historical finishes and details
The Lotus Elan Sprint archive reproduces period literature showing colours including Lotus Yellow and Cirrus White. Sprint two-tone schemes use a gold dividing stripe. Our yellow-and-white example is an interpretation of that appearance, not a measured paint match.
In the photographs
The photographs show red, orange, blue, dark green and light green. Use these surviving display cars to compare shapes and visible finishes. Exact build date and original paint have not been established for every example. Restored paint and later changes are possible.
In the coloured example
The pencil example uses yellow and white bodywork with black cabin tones. It is a creative colouring guide, not a factory paint match or a recreation of one gallery car.
Make the details count.
Keep the two-tone boundary neat along the shallow body side.
Use pale grey in the white lower panel to avoid making it look flat.
Follow your curiosity.
Model history and further reading.