How I Draw Trees & Foliage, Real Artists Don't Use Reference Photos? + Where Do I Live?

[@mikecomley]

I joined Smoothie 77's patreon channel last November to learn his unique style and never looked back. The content he has on there is fantastic and the practice videos are superbly explained. A great investment for anyone learning to draw............very cheap too. Well worth a try.

[@nopejoeandangie]

Does he do a lot of pencil? I wanted ot learn how to draw landscapes, foliage, trees, etc.

[@Louis-lu5wh]

Mike Comley how much is it ?

[@yougosukmynuts]

@@Louis-lu5wh It's only like 2-5 dollars or so. Well worth it.

[@Louis-lu5wh]

@@yougosukmynuts thanks!

[@annehumphreys57]

I think your drawing is fantastic. I am coming back to art after many years absence and have found your channel very inspirational and informative. Thank you

[@robertjwilliams3532]

Here! Here! I like your "do as you please" position. People who try to impose their position on drawing (any art work) have no idea. I follow your videos closely. I watch and follow other artist also. The best of you "teachers" is you show and explain, not say this is "THE way". You, above all I follow, show us "want-a-be's" what works for you. Take it or leave it. I take it, along with ideas and techniques from many others. Those I consider better than I, AND those I consider not as accomplished as myself. I try to learn from everyone. That is, everyone who does not try to impose there "will" on me. Really enjoy this video, not only for the art but the commentary.

[@blackbasswhispers9345]

You're one amazing art teacher! It's the mix of relaxation and keeping the listener interested that makes your videos so special. I love to go over on patreon and draw along to your videos for beginners and in the sketchbook corner. It relaxes and amazes me at the same time. And this combination is truely the most effective to keep going. Thank you. I wish I had more time for drawing, but these days are very stressful. However, I'll sit down and let myself be inspired by your art soon - again. Keep it up, your videos are more helpful than you might think.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thank you, that's a very kind comment, I hope you get more time to relax and enjoy drawing, especially during these stressful times, stay safe.

[@MegaYosarian]

Fabulous Jon. Your work is so inspiring. Of all the mediums I have tried, I have come back to graphite as my all time favourite and you as my all time fav videos.

[@SteveG2ady]

Love your work Jon and I also love your maverick attitude towards rules, and ignoring them. If anyone is reading this comment and have enjoyed watching Jon work then I wholly recommend joining his Patreon. I joined three months ago with the drawing ability of a five year old. I’m now producing drawings that I’m proud of and that my friends and family simply can’t believe have been created by me.

[@mutzireitz4123]

I followed you years ago with pencil pictures then watercolor you do. Now I am happy to find you again. Even joined patreon.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thank you for joining Patreon, it's greatly appreciated!

[@valeriel2212]

All your videos are so helpful on how to use tools with techniques with/without photos Really appreciate your help. Thank you.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thank you Valerie, I'm glad the videos helped you.

[@carloscatam4519]

Só pra registrar..... acabei de assistir esse vídeo novamente, três vezes seguidas do início ao fim 😊. Realmente nunca me canso de assistir várias vezes os mesmos vídeos. Com certeza temos que dar honra a quem tem honra, e o Sr merece todo respeito e reconhecimento. Seu trabalho é belíssimo, e com certeza transforma vidas. Costumo dizer que toda paisagem é uma obra de arte 😊. Que Deus abençoe sempre sua vida e de sua família. Grande abraço mestre.🙋🏻

[@franckalcidi599]

Every artist in the world uses references. Those who say you need to think from their imagination are lying. Every great artist from the middle ages used live references unless they were splattering paint on a canvas. Glad you brought this up as many accomplished artists including comic artists use references. Great drawing as usual. I've been away for a while but plan on joining your patreon group again. I've been doing a lot of digital art and in particular working on a number of comic inking projects.

[@svendbosanvovski4241]

Love your work. I might add that another good reason working from a reference photo is crowd avoidance. I sat down to sketch a famous landmark after selecting the sweet spot and found myself surrounded by tourists. I'm a better photographer than a sketch artist, so it made sense to capture a few lovely images off a tripod and do the sketching at home. IMHO, technology is there to help us reach our previsualised result.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Totally agree!

[@edwgwilymedwgwilym2827]

Another brilliant demonstration! Thanks! I will spare you my ideas on art. I just appreciate seeing how you create these lovely images..

[@michigandave9680]

A sincere thank you for sharing your talent. I am so appreciative. You are educating me and helping me to do a better job of it.

[@niallwildwoode7373]

I'm totally blown away by your pencil work. My professional artist friend and I go into the countryside for her to pick up ideas. I'm always left in awe as to how she can 'shorthand' something like a flock of lapwings lifting off a ploughed field, in just a couple of minutes. There's genius in you pencil wielders!

[@SG-dk9gn]

I absolutely agree with you 💯%! Art is a constant learning experience and everyone learns differently. I'll take drives around my community with my camera or cell phone and take pics of everything that inspire me! Because I'm out there, I see the subtle colours within the shadows, cast shadows, lights (I make notes of these insights)... atmospheric perspective, 1 point perspective, 2 points perspective etc...and start the drawing/painting when I'm at home. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your beautiful art!💞💞💞

[@tiberiu_nicolae]

Beautiful work and thank you for being pragmatic about reference photos. Too many dogmatic people out there disparaging artists using tools as "not a real artists". Those people are vain people and project their toxic insecurities everywhere.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thanks Tiberiu, very kind kind of you, We won;t let them get us down :)

[@maureenreid6963]

Your work is amazing. Who cares if you use a reference photo, perhaps critics of your art are just envious. Love watching you and thank you.

[@alexbilai]

Look... а brilliant work of a very good artisan

[@ponderanceofagravedigger2564]

I said it before but ill say it again. Best drawing channel on KZbin. Thanks for all the great content!

[@ElijahH7101]

Wow!!! This really made my day because I missed seeing your videos especially on drawing foliage and trees!

[@LeetaNocha]

Yeah ! Who are these people 🤔 Thank you ,I love your work and your voice is very comforting.

[@MichaelWilliams-ze9yk]

I love your art, the way I see it, it make no difference if you use a reference photo or not, you still have to use your pencil to transfer what you're looking at to the paper! You've inspired me to start drawing again, I'm not an artist of your quality, but I love to draw.

[@margaretbrownhill1193]

I was amazed when I first saw this it is stunning and I’m looking forward to doing it, certainly it move me on with my textures in my drawings. , I agree with everything you say, I’m really enjoying my art at the moment, almost for the first time I’m finding the confidence to express what’s inside me, having got rid at last of that negative voice in my head which has affected me for decades. And I owe it all to you and your encouragement and excellent teaching skills. Anyone can become an artist with you , in any medium, I us3 the skills you have taught me so well in mediums that you don’t Even demonstrate due to lack of time, but I’ve found that what you do teach is applicable to any medium or genre not just landscapes

[@oceanssmith]

I agree .

[@jessicathompson1456]

Completely agree!!

[@jessicathompson1456]

Completely agree!!

[@jessicathompson1456]

Completely agree!!

[@jessicathompson1456]

Completely agree!!

[@steveberry9460]

John i'm new to sketching and I've only joined you recently but you are inspiring me to have a try at sketches I never believed I could complete. And I'm actually improving. You are a very good artist and tutor and I'm enjoying everything you produce

[@rentedtux1883]

Thank you so much for this lesson. I'm very happy to have found your channel.

[@mikebodine7177]

Enjoyed learning. Practicing first on scrap paper then draw on art tablet.

[@aletheav6208]

Very beautiful drawing and loved what you were saying about trolls. You are an artist and as long as you’re making art all’s well. ☺️

[@amysbees6686]

WOW. Impressive!

[@maxferreira1221]

Amazing!!

[@astridgarcia888]

I'm in love with your drawings ! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, Mr. Smoothie

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thanks Astrid :) you're very welcome!

[@marjoriewillis5120]

Love your picture so much I don't draw well but your work is inspiring that I think that I must try and give it a go. Thank you.

[@lyndellclarkson1882]

Beautiful work

[@hxsm8090]

Honestly i havent touched a pencil for i dont know how long. I used to draw, and very good at it, and ive been out of it since im out of school. But now when im older, have kids, i wanted to pickup a hobby hence why I'm binge-watching your videos. Your videos rekindled my drawing instinct, and i feel like i need to draw so bad.I'm waiting for my set of pencil and graphite and considering joining your patreon. I dont know if i will ever be good but I want to show a good habit to my kids. I want to leave a legacy to them.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Its wonderful to hear you are taking up drawing again, drawing is a lovely hobby, you will be made very welcome on Patreon, we have a fantastic community of like minded people there :)

[@JQ-Frances]

Love all your videos...absolutely inspiring...amazing work!

[@SusanneBirkvad]

I really love what you are doing and you are da…good at it. Denmark 🇩🇰

[@lucretiaonutube]

Beautiful work as always!

[@bellismadoan7427]

your voice is so soft even when you re complaining :)))

[@redroses33333]

love your art its great and easy to follow thx

[@ajil9252]

I just discovered your channel and I absolutely love your content. Watching a few of your videos have given me confidence. I've only done portraits so far but I'm gonna give landscapes a shot. Thank you for the content.

[@georgedimakopoulos1789]

Thank you so much for the tutorial. I think is the most dificult fo draw (trees), along with water waves and grass

[@mickmchale1]

Just subscribed, Love your slow relaxing voice (Find it hard to imagine you be stressed ) God ,I,d love you to be my art teacher. I have dabbled in oil, & acrylics ,but I cant draw!!!!! and I have recently bought all the STUFF!! & I am going to at least try!!!! at 70 +If I dont make it at least I tried!!!!!! If nothing else it might keep alzimers at bay for a while .What type of white pencil are you using I want to practise foliage

[@prezentz]

actually went out walking yesterday I live very close to the coast and its been quite stormy, got some lovely shots of the beach and the shoreline my phone is filled with drawing inspirations, no selfies there lol

[@teresamitchell-banks2286]

Amazing! Thank you very much🇨🇦

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Glad you liked it!

[@claudioignaciocanzoneri7523]

Maravilloso trabajo.

[@patjonker6576]

Beautiful work!

[@marcwheeler4406]

This video made me laugh as I'm friends with watercolor purists...theyve taught me alot of "donts"...lol but as I started my art journey with ceecreation in Quebec and ellen crimi trent.. just learning doodling with watercolor and pencil and ink and then on too michele webber and ed cooper and anne kerr and alan owen to learn all about water color from basics up to historical painters the one thing they had in common was one to enjoy your process 2- laugh with your mistakes cause this is a learning process that takes time and development 3-and it's your art do what makes your art soul happy how can you create if your y just focusing on the donts.....oohh and the biggest one was learn to draw using basic techniques.. and practice those techniques daily... so I'm quite happy to have found your videos and like minded drawing with pencil and graphite and learning the reasons behind differences of lead and nos on the pencils...i accidentally foundu by finding what's in my son's old computer accessory bag which u turned into( pencil bag) art bag something like that as I love drawing& pencils I found your enjoyment of drawing and pencils and supplies accruement something I wish to someday achieve...lol...mikelle art mom✍🎨👩‍🎨

[@Jimkirkwood24]

A lovely piece of art. And well said! Great advice.

[@chiseled_maori]

There’s beauty out there all around us to be discovered. If we don’t go out there, capture it and draw it, how will it ever be seen?

[@izakpolman6280]

Beautiful indeed.

[@anadampling666]

Smoothie77 you are folliage master. Would agree drawing trees requiere patience? Drawing from Photo is easier than drawing from nature. But its still creative. Love to All.

[@edwill62]

Excellent and masterful drawing Smoothie and "real artists" don't use reference photos.? Whoever came up with that one? In today's instant access with cell phones with cameras almost as good as professional cams....one can take pics when they are out and about for various reasons and take many photos and create One painting or drawing from them all ( and as we age memory does not flow as it once did so a photo helps 100% ).....so whoever the "subject" was who claimed "real" artists do not use photo's well that speaks of them by itself...LOL

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thanks very much Ed, I couldn't agree with you more, nothing wrong at all with work from a photo, the funny thing is, it wasn't one individual that said it, I have had a few comments from various people on youtube saying similar, good job we don't take any notice of them :)

[@carloscatam4519]

Eu li suas palavras e me identifiquei completamente. Confesso que até me emocionei. Eu tbm não gosto de seguir regras, não me sinto confortável debaixo do padrão dos outros. Gosto de desenhar livremente, apesar de que nunca fiz nenhum tipo de curso de artes. Meus desenhos são super simples, porém eu amo desenhar e me divirto muito fazendo isso. As vezes crio imagens, as vezes uso referências, e as vezes misturo tudo. Gosto de fazer o que me agrada, o que me traz prazer. O importante é realmente estar fazendo o que eu gosto. Eu sou seu fã professor. Amo seu trabalho. Suas obras são admiráveis, simplesmente maravilhosas. O Sr tem um talento fenomenal. Eu admiro muito. O lugar onde o Sr mora é muito bonito. Eu moro no Brasil. Minha casa é um quarto apenas (kitnet). 😁. Grande abraço,desejo sucesso sempre..... MINHAS SINCERAS CONSIDERAÇÕES AO SR.

[@wingslanding]

Nice place to live. Beautiful

[@billritchie6255]

Very nice drawing, what pencils did you use grade etc.. maybe 2h - 6b?

[@billtopintl]

Love your drawings! Can you give us like a process of how you draw the leaves of the trees? I would appreciate it as a beginner drawer. Also, where do you find pictures to draw after? No, not the ones from your house area that you take pictures of, I mean like other reference photos you find. Where do you find them? I can't seem to find many good photos to draw around in the internet.

[@ArtandDiamondsWithEskies]

I use pixabay for some of my reference photos. I hope this helps you.

[@jarnickvanoosten1395]

Unsplash and Pinterest are also pretty good

[@ArtandDiamondsWithEskies]

Absolutely lovely, thank you.

[@sassy6292]

Amazing!

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thanks!

[@maurizio7209]

Molto bello, thank you 👏🏼👏🏼

[@antoniomarcos5321]

I love your work and learn a lot from observing the techniques you use. As for the big question about whether or not working from a reference photo, I disagree with those who say the greatest artists don't do it. In fact, the biggest masters of the past normally worked from models or "en plein air" and then applied artistic licence, as your said, to build up their own original materials. Well, they couldn't count on photo references, but we can, and if photos save as time and money we would need to pay models, why not? As an amateur artist myself, I find both approaches - working from my imagination and from a model - have their pros and cons. I think that, when you work from imagination, you have to think that regardless of how accurately figurative your drawing or painting is, it is always a kind of an ex-ray of the scenes that exist inside of you, which can be an incredible rewarding path to self-exploration. However, and for the same reasons, one's work can become formulaic and stilted as one tends to rely on one's prejudices about what the world is. Working from models, on the other hand, despite its appearance of "copying", which it is not, can lead to a fascinating jorney of exploration of the world with its infinite hidden spots of beauty and awe, just you did with this work.

[@justinfritz8599]

Hi Smoothie, I had a quick question for you. So I’m using the same exact sketch pad for my drawings and the same kind of tape. It’s a gray washi tape that I bought off of Amazon from the link you pasted in the video description. I have been having issues with the tape pulling some of the paper off once I am done with the drawing. I try to pull it off real slowly but somehow the tape always takes some of the paper with it and it is quite frustrating, especially when small parts of the sketch come off with the paper. Any tips on how to make sure the tape comes off cleanly? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and keep up the wonderful work!

[@rosiethebear300]

What is the tool that looks like a big marker?

[@arcadia449]

Is that a damp cloth your wiping the sheet with in the early stages?

[@helengill5481]

I love your videos but you make em look soooo easy,, I'm dying to get back into trying pencil drawing and Watercolour but my depression is telling me otherwise , but get so much out of watching videos :)

[@strelavpoljote]

Для меня удовольствие наблюдать, как Вы рисуете!

[@jpwartist]

Quite right Smoothie. I'm so sick of hearing these pretentious art snobs telling us what we can and can't do in art. Art doesn't have rules, do what you enjoy in which ever way you want to do it. Real artists create art, simple as that. If Da Vinci was alive today I'm certain he'd use photo references.

[@ArunKumar-gl5fx]

Nature the best artist

[@Taoufiqqaba]

hi smoothie77 , i want to join ur patreon but i dont know what is that cuz i never used the patreon platform before can you explain to me what on the 5$ a month subscription please ??

[@jamesaritchie1]

What can you do? You can do whatever you want, however you want to do it. Who's going to stop you. Well, ther4e is one thing you can't do. You can't turn an exact copy of a stock photo into art anymore than a copy of the Mona Lisa is art.. It can't be done. This is not an insult, it's just a statement of fact, and takes nothing away from drawing or painting for fun. So copy away. But I , to me, it isn't art unless it says something. Again, to me, this does not necessarily mean you can't get art by copying a photo, but it does mean you can't just pull a photo off a website that has copyright free photos, copy it perfectly, and call it art. I have no idea how often many artists copy the same photo, but there is, or was, one particularly stunning head shot of a wolf on one of these sites, and with a half-hearted search I found nine copies of it. The cheapest color printer on the planet could have done the same thing far faster and far better. Each of these copies was done by people with a lot of skill, all were beautiful, and all exactly alike. That is not art. Yes, it takes a lot of skill, but skill isn't art, either. We all have skill. Few of us have the life experience, the memories, or the imagination to make that skill create art. I think it is different when you go out and take your own phots, when you find images that actually mean something, that say something about you, and then draw or paint them in a way that brings this out.. This is triply true when you actually look for scenes of everyday life, when you capture the hard to get photo that tells a story. This can certainly be a landscape, or an old building, of a photo of that old, old man sitting on a step in a rundown neighborhood. But even then, add memory, add imagination, do something so well it makes a statement. Many painting of landscapes do reach the level of art, but there's always something special about them. some style, some rising above, some extra thing that makes a statement, and you can search every museum in the world without finding another painting exactly like that one. You can spot one of these paintings from across a very wide museum floor. Photos should not replace memory and imagination. Photos CAN'T replace memory, or imagination, or life experience, for that matter. These things need an artist who puts them into a drawing or painting, not an artist who ignores them completely. .At the very least, go one step up. I had a friend, who died far too young, who would go through dozens and dozens and dozens of photo and select three, or ten, or thirty of them, depending on what his idea was, and then he would cut and paste, use photoshop, sketch and sketch and sketch, and then, finally, draw or paint something that actually said something about life, about people, even if not a single person was in the photo, as was often the case. Anyone can learn to copy, to do photorealism, and it seems just about everyone on KZbin does, though no one seems to think a tree is worth drawing or painting as it really is. I almost never see a tree that is a real tree. They all have fake leaves and fake bark, even when the tree is close enough that the leaves and bark should be plainly visible. . KZbin is FLOODED with hyperrealism, and everyone who creates it seems to have an art class, or an entire art school, or a Patreon account that says, "You, too, can copy a photo." That's fine. As I said, copying is a great way to learn, but once learned why keep doing the same thing thousands of others are doing? . Why not actually use your memory, your life experience, and your imagination to create real art that has some meaning, even if that meaning is just a drawing or painting that says, "It's great to be alive." Or, shoot, one that says, "Life is short, and then you die, hell is hot and there you fry." Copies say nothing. They're as silent as the grave. As I said, the Mona Lisa is art. Copies of it are just fakes, or forgeries, or poor attempts to do something infinitely above the artist's own imagination. If a copy of the Mona Lisa isn't art, then how is the copy of a wolf photo, or a copy bunch of trees that aren't even a real species, and some grass art? Don't just copy, unless the fun of copying is all you're after, use your imagination, your like experience, your memories, your style, your techniques to turn that copy into something no one else has done, or can do because no one else is you. Then it's art. That original photo really was art. Maybe the photographer just got lucky, or maybe he or she worked weeks to get that photo, but either way, he or she recognized it for what it was, and had the skill to do it justice. Those who copy have skill, but that's all they have. Many of these copies sell. Does this make them art? Of course not. The are probably a million velvet paintings of dogs playing poker hanging on living room walls. Are they art? The original certainly was. Much more so than a copy of a photo.

[@chicorambo817]

I like your channel

[@cmonaco577]

Hello. I like your work. I am a beginner. Do you have beginner videos in Patreon? Thank you

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Hi, yes, on patreon there is a beginners section, a drawing tips section and sketchbook corner, all designed for beginners.

[@ianspicer3885]

A good artistic drawing , it's up to the individual how they draw or paint there are too many bossy people around . If it feels good do it 👍👍👍👍

[@nootn_drawing7386]

👍😊

[@countrymaninthecity]

for inspiration you could use google maps. You cant 'travel' the world without leaving your desk.

[@garybevans5515]

Blinking cheek, I'm an artist and I use reference photos every one to there own I think, delusion of grandeur

[@michaelmacleod4713]

Negative comments come those that can’t.

[@veraberyl]

Having recently been scammed, Im wondering if Patreon is safe, before I join

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Yes its 100% safe, you're not tied into anything, you can cancel whenever you like, I have over 700 happy patreon members

[@bradleyh8044]

I can't imagine a person who gets mad at an artists for using a reference, much less someone who thinks professional artists don't use references. What, you think every artist knows what every person, animal, and texture looks like from memory? Pure insanity.

[@chrono5128]

Ledgendary

[@RajeshKumar-mx2qk]

Very nice and impressive art work... But you took the effort to help patrons understand how to draw foliage... But your voice over does not contain any educative info ... It would be much more appreciated if you could comment on do's and don'ts .. Thanks

[@lvbailey1]

🤦🏻‍♀️...the voices