Drawing Trees? Here are some tips

by Anne Kupillas

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by Anne Kupillas.

These 10 tips will help you begin to sketch trees or improve your approach.

Tip #1 - Sketching Begins with Observation

Follow these three simple steps:

•Observe

•Sketch

•Refine

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Tip #2 - Pay Attention to these Elements (Common to Almost Every Tree)

•Form

•Trunks

•Branches

•Leaves

•Fruit, Nuts, Cones, etc

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Tip #3 - Think in 3D

•Learn to See Shape, especially in the crown/canopy, in three dimensions. Forget the “lollipop” shape that we learned in grade school! Every crown has its own distinct shape.

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Tip #4 - Use Shapes to create compositions in your thumbnails

  • Connect shapes that have the same value
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Tip #6 - Think of Trunks & Branches as Cylinders/Tubes

  • •Build the trunk then build branches coming off at natural angles
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Tip #7 - You Don’t Have to Draw Every Leaf!

  • Think in “clumps” — Sketch the clump
  • Observe the shape and direction of one leaf
  • Refine the clump by adding some individual leaves with more detail, but only in the parts of the tree that are closest to the viewer. All-over detail isn’t necessary.
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Tip #8 - But do pay attention to & describe the details.

  • Observe and articulate bark, leaves, roots, fruit, flowers, nuts and cones - especially when the tree is your main subject.
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Tip #9 - Shadows will help you create form

  • Establish the light source (hint: it’s usually overhead with trees!)
  • Use shading to describe form, along with texture and shape
  • Don’t forget cast shadows
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Tip #10 - Practice!

  • Draw from photos
  • Draw from nature
  • Quick sketches are just as valuable as longer ones, ie don’t let time limit your practice
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Want to learn more? Watch the recording of our last live Zoom Workshop and draw along with me