More techniques to draw trees!

In last week's lesson I wrote about the basic structure in drawing trees. The illustration featured this week comprises a variety of trees and bushes drawn in the same manner.

The effect of leaves and shadows to indicate the sort of tree drawn is clearly shown in Figure 1. After the main shape of the tree has been drawn with fine, dotted pencil lines, the outline is then filled with thick black ink. Hold your pen fairly loosely when doing this. Obtain the desired effect by making quick small circles, wiggles, dots and dashes. Produce deep, dark shadows with white bits showing through to give a sense of texture and form. With just a little practice, it really is easy to do. The finished result is very professional. Now, try to do your own drawing, applying the techniques you have learned so far.

When trees wither

After the leaves have fallen during hot summer, we can clearly see how a tree is constructed and how one differs from another. Look at the tree at the top of Figure 2. See how different it is from the rest. Patience and good observation are required to draw a withered tree accurately. You need to ask yourself what exactly you see; what shape is the tree or bush? Which way do the branches grow up or out? What are the twigs like? How does the bark appear - ridged, wrinkled or smooth and so on.

The best way to start drawing a tree which has withered is with an outline shape. Then move to the trunk, and follow up by drawing the main branches. Add the twigs last of all.

Trees to the front

Artists frequently use trees as a focal point in a picture. Figure 3 shows how a group of fir trees on an island has been used in the foreground to give an idea of the scale of the mountains beyond. Copy this drawing. Start with the sky lines to suggest cloud movement then sketch the hills, followed by the island and tall trees.

The band of trees in distance between the island and hills is portrayed with a scribble pen. The same technique is applied to the bushes on the island. The fir branches are suggested by masses of two, three or four strokes drawn with a fine pen. Notice how some of these point more upwords, while others go downwards.

The portrayal of what is obtained by wavy horizontal dashes. Copy all these drawings straight off with a size 0.1 pen.