Troy Cottrill: A South Carolina Artist

from September 2022

Doug Smith: Sweet On Honey

Troy Cottrill

Troy A. Cottrill is a South Carolina artist specializing in pencil drawings of historical sites and other vintage objects (old airplanes, tractors, etc...). All drawings are produced "free-hand" and are created in intricate detail. Troy dedicates over one hundred hours in the production of each work to obtain the "photo-like" quality, which has distinguished his work within the art industry.

Have you ever dabbled with a hobby, only to find it became a true passion? Maybe it was an interest you stumbled upon or an activity you grew up around. As you gained more insight, you realized you could apply this newfound knowledge and actually be good, or better yet, even GREAT at it! Well, this was the case for Troy Cottrill, a local artist who admits he’s “worn out a few good erasers” while learning and practicing his favorite pastime, drawing! Troy was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. Out of 7 children, he was the only one out of his siblings who followed his career path out of state. At 19, he accepted a job working with Sonoco, who later transferred him to South Carolina where he began the next chapter of his life. After falling in love with Florence, he decided to put down roots and build his life here! Along the way, he’s also made sure to set aside time to build his drawing skills. Throughout his life, there has never been a time when Troy wasn’t captivated by drawing. As a child, he would carry around a pencil and paper, drawing constantly. To this day, a mechanical pencil is still his medium of choice, as it allows him to achieve sharp edges and lines in his art! Like any new skill that you learn, it takes a lot of devoted time, practice and patience. It is clear that Troy has devoted numerous hours to perfecting his craft. Learning to draw through trial-and-error might have taken more time and not been the easiest choice, but he’s never taken an art class. However, an artist doesn’t need formal training to learn a talent, they just need the desire to create! At a young age, Troy was intrigued with old buildings. He loved how intricate architecture could bring so much character to the simplest of homes.

His love for older buildings continued into his adulthood and they still intrigue him today. Troy has spent hours studying the beautiful, historical homes in Charleston and recreating them in his drawings. He loves utilizing a collage of photographs that he takes of each structure to create an extremely detail-oriented, architecturally correct drawing. From the shadows

“My mom was also an artist and I remember being fascinated with how she could turn a blank piece of paper into a masterpiece of art. She was an amazing artist and an inspiration to me.”

“I could almost feel the time-period when looking at or walking through the old buildings and homes. Bringing these old buildings to life with paper and a mechanical pencil, was a way for me to feel the old home and spend time in a period that I never existed in. ”

cast on the homes from the towering palm trees that surround it, to the reflections in the glass on the windows, his drawings are incredibly realistic.

Even though buildings are a classic favorite for him, Troy’s piece titled 1929 Great Lakes is one that holds a special place in his heart. Years after Troy’s grandfather passed away, his aunt gifted his grandfather’s old stamp collection to him. While leafing through the stamps, he came across an old photograph of a vintage biplane that dated back to the early 1930s. Troy has always loved planes and realized he must have shared this interest with his grandfather who had kept the picture through all those years. Not only does this piece hold the most sentimental value out of all the other pieces of artwork he’s drawn, but it is also the one that he’s spent the most time on, totaling over 150 hours to complete. Among his other drawings, the most difficult to complete was Troy’s drawing of a 1941 Harley Knucklehead. One of the noted traits of a skilled artist is the ability to recreate reflective objects. Between the chrome exhaust, the patterned tire tread, all the mechanical parts that make up this motorcycle and the accurate shadows that define it all, Troy definitely exudes his talent on this piece. He admits that all the research involved with the intricate detailing and number of spokes inside the wheels made this one of the hardest drawings he’s ever completed, along with the pressure of knowing that a Harley owner would notice at a first glance if any parts of the bike was missing! After receiving several requests, Troy is looking forward to his next work of art, which will be a drawing of Clemson’s Tillman Hall. Troy’s drawings make perfect gifts for diehard South Carolina college football fans, Harley-Davidson owners, or even for a Charleston lover!

If you are interested in purchasing Troy Cottrill's art, be sure to stop in Cottrill’s Landmark Art located at 1304 Celebration Boulevard in Florence!