How To Draw Shrubs With Pencil

Example of bush drawing

Cartoon trees or shrubs really has to begin with observation. I'm forever looking at trees and trying to work out in my mind how I would draw them.

Yous really demand that data in your mind – the layers of foliage and how they stack one over the other; the side and front end elevations of blocks of leaf; the holes through which you tin meet sky; the relative sizes and appearances of the internal construction, so on.

With a skilful three-dimensional idea of structure in your listen you can now begin drawing trees with confidence. I tend to "talk" to myself as I draw, as if explaining it to someone else. So I'll be drawing a layer of foliage whilst telling myself that it will contain the bandage shadow of the layer of leaves above; that this is at the border of the tree and volition show more sky; that I need more depth here so the appearance of a section of torso would aid understanding.

Or of course you can take Diane Wright's method – which is to draw intuitively and brilliantly and capture the absolute essence… 🙂
www.DianeWrightFineArt.com/cartoon-trees

When drawing far-away copse or trees in mist I attempt to draw correctly commencement time. But if that doesn't work, I will frequently draw stronger than I need to, which gives me more command over relative contrasts – then I gradually fade the surface area with Blu-Tack until I reach the desired overall tonal construction. Sometimes I then redraw and fade again – repeatedly at times – each fourth dimension bringing the drawing a picayune more than towards the reality I'm trying to depict.

Background trees in Weimaraner study 'Vanished!'
Background copse in Weimaraner study "Vanished!" © Mike Sibley 2004

When drawing midground or background shrubs and copse conduct these points in mind:

Be aware that information technology has a existent sense of roundness. It is a iii-dimensional rounded form and should conform to the lighting present.
Is it perhaps a petty too tidy? Even if it is a shrub clipped into a shape you lot tin can adapt it to suit your ain requirements. Imagine looking at the bush in real life and request yourself what, at that distance, are the major features that make it what information technology is.
One feature might be the dumbo shadow it casts beneath itself on the ground. If your reference bush-league is likewise low, lift it a chip. That shadow will properly footing the bush.
If yous evidence dark areas within your bush that are assumed to be the shadows in the depths betwixt leafage layers, be aware that at that place should be two singled-out tones – a dense tone to represent the inner depths of the shrub, and a lighter shadow cast on that layer by the ane above.
Another important characteristic to consider is the appearance of the leaves at the extremities (around the outside of the tree or bush). You can make excellent use of these by using them equally visual clues to bespeak to the viewer's eye the presence of an overall leafy advent, and an indication of leafage size and mayhap even the species.

Sketch on coarse paper with a blunt 6B Progresso pencil
But it all begins with ascertainment. Every bit an exercise, attempt sketching a tree in real life but really small – no bigger than 2″ ten three″ (or larger simply using with a very soft, edgeless pencil). This will force you to abandon detail and concentrate merely on what is important.

You will notice more information on drawing copse in my website'due south Drawing Trees tutorial and a complete chapter in my "Cartoon from Line to Life" book.

Drawing a Tree example from 'Drawing from Line to Life'
Cartoon a Tree instance from 'Drawing from Line to Life'