Drawing Trees? Here are some tips

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

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

•Form

•Trunks

•Branches

•Leaves

•Fruit, Nuts, Cones, etc

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.

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

• Connect shapes that have the same value

Tip #6 - Think of Trunks & Branches as Cylinders/Tubes

• •Build the trunk then build branches coming off at natural angles

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.

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.

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

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

Want to learn more? Watch the recording of our last live Zoom Workshop and draw along with me

here.