How to Draw Nature Without Getting Tangled Up!

[@aroset]

That process of *looking* first, and by that I mean taking in the planes, as you said, what is in the front and then behind it and behind it, I need to practice that so much more. I end up looking but not, like... LOOKING, as you teach. So important, thank you for the lesson Stephen!

[@stephentraversart]

So much comes back to observing more than we think at first we need to. Thanks for sharing 😀

[@lorrainecochrane1851]

Love watching your videos you make art seem so simple. I Look forward to your next tutorial

[@windywednesday4166]

Interesting. ❤ I thought the additional work at the end created the contrast that the image needed. ❤

[@brianvanderspuy4514]

As you hint at in the video, I would indeed love to see you take on something like water in pen. I have seen pictures of oceans, lakes etc. done in pen, but it's not a subject that lends itself well to such a linear medium, so probably very challenging - I would not have any idea how to go about it! Same goes with trying to portray atmospheric effects like misty scenes. With subjects like foliage, I have always had difficulty deciding when to draw details and when to draw textures. When the foliage is in the distance, one can reduce it to a scribbly texture. When it is close, you can draw individual leaves (though the complexity is challenging!) But I often run into a particular kind of reference photo, taken at such a distance that you can sort of make out the individual leaves, but not really quite clearly. You cannot easily reduce them to a texture, but you cannot really draw every individual leaf either. And that kind of thing I find almost impossible to draw, particularly in pen, which makes such precise, thin lines.

[@Jaxplode]

Excellent video! I never could draw like this at the moment but I am on my way. Thanks!

[@deborahfinney313]

Thank you for this. Helps me to lay in a background without blending all into mush.

[@stephentraversart]

I’m always glad to help. 😀

[@Beckelby]

"We mustn't forget the grass in front" made me smile. It's the same feeling I get from Bob Ross 😊

[@stephentraversart]

I have less hair!😆

[@Beckelby]

@@stephentraversart 😂

[@Asterix34518]

Thank you Stephen for this tutorial on how to sketch trees and nature. Yesterday I was in a heavy wooded area with trees of all shapes and sizes . There was one particular interesting tree with some branches going inward and some coming outward and seemed ideal for drawing. Easier said than done. The final result was nothing like the original. On returning and trying to find a solution I came upon your tutorial on how to accurately render a tree. The tips on how not to draw complete lines but rather make marks to outline the shapes and later go in for detail and where and how to use shade and shadow on the trunk and branches to give s 3D effect are brilliant. Getting the base of the tree right is also of prime importance. After following your advice and redrawing the tree it looked so much more realistic. Also thanks for the final tip of using a black and white picture of the scene to get an idea of the values.

[@Lambertcottage]

Thank you for the tutorial on bark especially. Bark has been my nemesis until now!

[@Lambertcottage]

Water is also hard for me with pen and ink

[@stephentraversart]

It’s not an obvious match for fineliner pen. 😮‍💨

[@m1gramme]

After you added hatching to the foliage and made it darker, you then darkened the second tree to the left. Which was good it, brought it forward. Then you added to the darkness to the side of the furthest left tree. Which was good, it brought it forward. Then you stopped. I think if you would have darkened a few of the shadows on the closest tree, on the right infront of the green foliage it would have brought it forward and have been the perfect amount of definition to compliment the darker foliage.

[@stephentraversart]

Every drawing I finish I end up thinking of all the ways I could have brought more out through adjusting the hatching. Occasionally I do it. I hope you try it out yourself. Thanks for your thoughts 😀

[@laurahoughton1289]

@@stephentraversart What would your feeling be on emboldening the contrast on the two front trees, with the one on the right the clearest of all?

[@simonhughes3871]

I found this sketch got more difficult as I progressed. The background foliage especially was difficult, and got a bit messy to be honest. I also lost some distinction between the various tree trunks but nontheless, a worthwhile exercise. Thank you.