How to draw a dark forest. What you will need

When a person first picks up a pencil to draw a forest, he is faced with a problem: how to draw a huge number of small details? As a child, I asked a similar question to my teacher: “How should I draw trees correctly - should I draw all the leaves or not?” To which he replied with a smile: “Of course not!” How then to draw a forest correctly?

1. Conveying space and perspective in a forest drawing.

When artists paint interiors or city streets, then everything is clear with perspective. Rectangular, simple geometric shapes easily “fit” into a promising abbreviation. Here it is easy to outline the horizon line and bring all sides of the buildings to the vanishing point. But how is space organized in the forest, where it is filled with all sorts of branches, snags, foliage... In the illustration, I specially drew a diagram of five planes, reminiscent of a room. This makes it easier for a beginning artist to imagine space. Further, against this background distribute trees. Trees have trunks and crowns where the shapes are far from simple geometric. They are “clumsy” because they have many bends and kinks, and also abound in such details as bark, small branches, etc. But, despite these “difficulties,” they also subordinate linear perspective, like rectangles. The tree trunks in the foreground are larger, in the second they are smaller, etc. In addition, one tree covers another or one branch covers part of another branch. The trees in the foreground are so large that they do not fit into the sheet and extend beyond its frame. Thus, the viewer finds himself inside the forest, and is not an observer from the outside when the forest is built like a wall next to him.

In the illustrations I gave an example from my drawings, where the forest is drawn “from the outside” and “from the inside”. Therefore, you need to remember that different angles and points of view are possible. I.I. Shishkin loved to paint the forest, “placing” the viewer inside.

2. Generalization of small parts into masses of large, medium and small sizes.

In a forest drawing, of course, you can highlight individual leaves, focusing on composition center. I devoted a separate article to this issue, which you can read. However, more often the artist has to generalize. It is generalization that is always more difficult for beginners than drawing details. But it is necessary. So, what needs to be summarized and how? You need to generalize individual leaves and branches that form groups or masses. These groups should not be made the same size. Everything in nature is dynamic. Therefore, the drawing must be dynamic, and this is achieved through the transmission of rhythm. Rhythm is created when the artist does not create “sameness” in the drawing. Therefore, the masses of foliage will be different in size- large, medium, small. But the rhythm will be transmitted not only by size, but also degree of generalization. We greatly generalize some masses of branches and leaves, literally blurring the image. For example, it is appropriate in the background. But we can’t generalize some groups so much: in them you can discern a certain semblance of foliage that forms a “clumsy” texture. Well separate groups in the foreground, of course, will contain details: carefully drawn leaves and branches. However, they will belong this group. But separately located trees, branches, leaves need to be detailed with care. If there are too many such objects in the drawing, they will look “glued” to the drawing and will not part a single whole, which will cause a “cartoonish” and unnatural effect.

3. Volume in natural forms.

It is, of course, easier to convey the volume of a cylinder or ball when we draw a still life. But in the forest, there are no such forms. At first sight. But if you look closely, then in basis the shape of the tree trunks remains the same cylinder. IN basis intricately shaped groups of foliage - ball. IN basis paths in the forest - tetrahedral corridor shape. And so on. Understanding It is easier for an artist to generalize natural forms and convey volume. Chiaroscuro can be seen on tree trunks, on masses of foliage and individual leaves, on the entire crown of a tree, and even on the whole group many trees. As an example, I illustrated chiaroscuro on a tree trunk. Although its shape is based on a cylinder, it still has irregularities and bends. In addition, the trunk is covered with bark, which has its own characteristics for each tree species. Therefore, the shading will not be smooth, but more textured. Here, each artist has his own shading techniques, so let’s not philosophize beyond what is necessary and create unnecessary templates. As for chiaroscuro in general, it is built from light, penumbra, shadow, reflex and falling shadow. It’s easier to understand this on a jug or in a still life drawing. How can you see such subtleties in the mass of foliage? Observation is important here. No wonder I.I. Shishkin is called a naturalist. He studied nature in detail, memorized varieties of grasses and trees. Therefore, watching the forest, you can see all the nuances of chiaroscuro in foliage, branches, etc. In academic drawing, this is called light-and-shadow modeling of form. Namely, modeling. That is, here you need to model, not copy, but understand the essence by observing nature.

In drawing a forest, of course, there are other issues that cannot be covered in one article. But the three aspects I've listed here are key. That's why I called them the keys to success. Keeping them in mind, you can learn to draw a forest professionally and competently.

Taiga is a very beautiful and stunning place. It is difficult to convey its beauty, but in this article we will try to do this and demonstrate how to draw a taiga forest. A total of four master classes will be shown with different levels difficulties. Some examples are suitable for experienced artists, while others are suitable for children.

Forest with river

This area is home to many rivers and a large number of animals. In this paragraph we will figure out how to draw a taiga forest with a river and deer. Be sure to sharpen your pencils, otherwise the drawing will turn out sloppy. After that you can start drawing!

We are working on the background of the picture. To do this, the lower part should turn light blue; a river will flow in this place. Then green is the shore, light blue is the background, and green again is the foliage.

On the left side we draw trunks and a bush.

Now we come to the real interesting stage. Let's draw deer and trunks in the background. The farther the tree is from us, the lighter it will be. Thanks to this, we create the effect of space, which is necessary in drawing forests.

We draw on the sheet and the drawing is complete.

Be sure to watch the video that demonstrates the drawing process of this example. After seeing how the artist works on this drawing, you will immediately find answers to many questions that you might have.

Mixed forest

In this example we will look at how to draw mixed forest taiga In such a forest both conifers and deciduous trees, this is exactly what we will reflect in our example.

This paragraph will consist of only two stages. The drawing is quite simple, so we see no point in describing in detail how to draw this or that element. If you want to study the drawing process in detail, you can watch the video.

At the first stage we make a sketch. In the distance there will be a horizon, to which there is a long path. And along the edges we will depict coniferous and deciduous trees.

Now we take colored pencils and color our sketch. There is nothing complicated here either and you will definitely get a beautiful drawing of the taiga forest!

Simple example

This is a great drawing example that will tell you how to draw mixed and broadleaf forest taiga There are no complicated or small elements, so this drawing technique can be suitable for children of any age.

All that will be shown in the picture is a forest, namely a large number of different trees. At the first stage, we will draw a Christmas tree on the left side, and a little to the right three more trees of different sizes.

On the right we will draw a couple more Christmas trees, and in the lower part we will draw small bushes.

We decided to make our drawing unusual and paint it in a variety of colors. The taiga forest has become very bright and diverse. If you don’t like this option, then you can choose different shades of green and color your drawing in them.

Complex example

I would like to devote the final paragraph to realistic and complex technology drawing. This time we will figure out how to draw a taiga forest with a pencil, it will be thick and have a large number of small elements that will definitely need to be drawn!

Using a regular pencil we draw a sketch of our forest. Here we are simply putting some details in their places. IN in this case Paths, mountains and trees are placed in places. Everything is in your hands and you can add some elements of your own, for example, depict a bear or walking tourists in the middle of the path.

Colored pencils come into play. Let's make the ground light green and paint the trunks brown. Also, let's paint on the leaf. Please note that it is not a solid color; it is darker in some places and lighter in others.

We color the mountains and paint on the grass in the foreground. Watch your pencils. In order for the drawing to be beautiful and neat, it must always be sharpened!

Coloring the path in Brown color, and also work on detailing the background. It will depict trees, but since they are very far away and hard to see, you can simply do vertical shading.

We are finalizing small parts and with this the work on the taiga forest drawing is completed!

The forest can be very different. For example, it could be a small forest in which it is difficult to get lost, or it could be a deep thicket. To better understand how to draw a forest, it is recommended to carefully examine the work greatest painters on this topic. For example, the paintings of Shishkin are very interesting, who was unusually good at conveying the atmosphere of a mysterious and enchanting forest in his wonderful works.
You can also draw a forest with a pencil from life. Such a walk, during which you can make a series of sketches from nature, will also be very beneficial for your health. After all, it’s no secret that the air in the forest is particularly clean and fresh. If it is impossible to go to some forest, then you can learn how to draw a forest using beautiful photos.
Before you draw the forest step by step, you must make sure that all the accessories needed for this, which are listed just below, are nearby. So, to draw a forest you need:
1). Multi-colored pencils;
2). Eraser;
3). Liner;
4). Paper;
5). Pencil.

Nature is eternal source for inspiration creative people. Poets and prose writers, composers and artists dedicate their works to her. One of the most common landscape subjects is the forest. This is not surprising. It can be so different. Good and beautiful at any time of the year. What kind of flowers can you see in the crowns of trees!

Pencil painting

Every artist has his favorite materials for drawing, fortunately, now there are great amount their types. However, among the favorites is still the usual simple pencil.

Before starting work, the master needs to think about how to draw a forest with a pencil, since it is quite difficult to convey all the beauty of the landscape with just one color.

The difficulty may also lie in the fact that it is difficult for novice talents to convey the shadow.

To make the image more voluminous, it is necessary to apply it with strokes. It is better to make lines in different keys.

How to draw a forest with a pencil step by step?

When choosing this type of drawing, you first need to depict common features. First of all, straight lines appear on paper. curved lines. These are sketches of future trees and hills. After this you need to draw several thick trunks.

The next step is to place the bushes and grass.

When this is done, you should depict the trees that grow in the background.

If all the main objects are already placed on the canvas, then you need to think about the details. In how to draw a forest, it is very important that the picture is believable. To make the image look realistic, the artist uses shading. The stroke can be either horizontal or vertical. It is necessary to leave some areas of the image undarkened - those where the color falls. A similar effect can be achieved using an eraser.

Tree image

Trees are the main components of the picture. When thinking about how to draw a forest, you should learn how to draw trees. When drawing a sketch of each individual tree on paper, you need to take into account some rules:

• the further away the object is, the more it will be enveloped in bluish fog, and the contours of the image will look fuzzy, as if blurry (one of the rules of aerial perspective);
• The closer the tree is to the master, the more saturated the color of its crown will be.

Creation beautiful texture may I help right choice Drawing Papers: Watercolor paper may have rough edges. They will help create beautiful view leaves and tree bark. To do this, you need to not press the pencil too hard when shading the surface.

In order for the image to look realistic, it is important to be able to work correctly with the foreground and background of the picture. For example, so that trees that are closer do not mix with those that grow a little further, they need to be painted with brighter colors.

Watercolor drawing

For those who prefer to paint with a brush, watercolors are perfect for painting.

When starting work, you need to sketch out the landscape. This is best done with a pencil. Draw the sketch with thin lines, otherwise a shadow may appear on the picture.

After the sketches are made, you need to start depicting the sky. Having chosen its location, you need to apply ultramarine and cobalt colors to it. In order for the line of clouds to be clearly visible, it is better to draw its edge with diluted burnt umber. A good option if carmine is added to it.

If the question arises about how to draw a forest especially expressively, then you should know that for this purpose more attention is paid foreground. The grass is drawn with jerky, sharp movements.

Leaves can be depicted in any color that your imagination suggests. The variation that uses a large number of different shades looks most advantageous.

When choosing how to draw a forest, it is important to choose a method that will bring as much pleasure as possible from creative work. Young artists should sometimes listen to advice on how to choose the right light, what time of day to paint, how to correctly compose color scheme. But the main thing is unity with nature and creative impulse.

If the artist has a developed sense of harmony, how to draw a forest step by step fades into the background. Any manner of execution will only emphasize the beauty.

Trees may seem like some of the easiest subjects to draw. If you have never drawn, the task may be too simple...

...or too literal:

In none of the drawings do we see anything similar to real objects. The first is just a symbol of a tree, and the second suggests the definition of a tree. Your job as an artist is to paint what we see, not what we know. Drawing trees– a great exercise for developing this skill!

In this lesson I will show you, how to draw oak, pine and weeping willow trees in a simple and realistic way.

What you will need:

- Several sheets of paper;

— Hard pencil (HB);

— Pencil of medium softness (2B);

— Soft pencil (5B or less);

- Sharpener.

Usually a pair of hard pencils (HB) is enough, but this set is not universal for all drawings. To get dark shadows, we need soft pencils. There is no need to choose expensive ones - I bought the most common ones, and they perform their function perfectly. If you doubt whether you need to draw, then a set of pencils of different degrees of hardness will not be a big loss on your budget, and drawing with these is much easier!

You will also need a sharpener. A dull tip leaves lighter strokes and does not achieve the expected effect. Always keep your pencils sharp and remember that soft pencils wear out faster!

Regarding paper: it can be anything. Regular printer paper will also work. However, you should not draw on a whole sheet - than smaller figure, the less detail you will need to add. In reality, my drawings are about 9 cm in height.

Soft pencils help make shadows darker, which cannot be said about hard pencils. Hard pencils are not as dark, even if you press hard on them!

1. DRAWING AN OAK

Step 1

The brain is working in an unusual way: first he grabs big picture and then pays attention to details. Therefore, you should not start drawing with details - you will need to create a base first.

Draw the general shape of the tree with a few faint strokes and dots. To do this, use a hard (HB) pencil, do not press on it. These strokes will not be part of the finished image - they will not be visible in the finished drawing; The camera and scanner don't recognize them (I used Photoshop so you can see them!).

Step 2

Draw the trunk. Don't forget - the lower part should expand downwards. The larger the tree, the shorter and thicker its trunk.

Step 3

Draw the branches at the top of the trunk.

Continue drawing the branches, gradually lowering the line as they lengthen.

Step 4

Add other branches to each branch (the longer, the lower they go). The strokes should be light.

Step 5

Using short, sharp strokes, draw the shape of the tree's crown. It doesn't have to be smooth and neat.

Step 6

Using the same method, draw small “clouds” of leaves inside the crown. Leave some areas empty so that parts of the branches are visible - this structure looks more interesting.

Step 7

Add thickness to the branches in places where they are not covered by leaves.

Step 8

Before you start applying shadows, determine which parts of the tree will be bright and which parts will have shadows. You can identify them by simple shading.

Step 9

Take a soft (2B) pencil (make sure it's sharp) and create texture on the trunk. Remember to also leave white areas - this is important for texture.

Step 10

Take soft pencils (2B and 5B) and darken the barrel according to the original light distribution plan. Don't be afraid to click on soft pencil to get the shadow you need, but don't overdo it! The fewer black areas in the picture, the more impressive it looks.

Step 11

Take a hard pencil and sketch out the outlines of the leaves. Draw them in relaxed circles, quickly, with sharp movements.

Step 12

Each branch also has its own small crown (these are the “clouds” that you drew). They need to be shaded in the same way as if they were separate trees.

First, use a soft (2B) pencil to draw darker circles on the dark side. Don't press too hard at first so you can correct any mistakes.

Once you're sure you've got the dark sides right, add shadows and depth to them, and add some transition between the light and dark parts.

Step 13

Use a soft (2B) pencil to add some stray leaves throughout the crown and "little crowns." This will create the effect of additional, barely visible branches.

Step 14

Take the softest pencil and add some dark accents in the darkest places. The crown will be more contrasting. Also make sure that all leaves are darker than the “sky” background - leaves cannot be transparent! You can go over the lightest areas again with a hard pencil.

1. DRAWING A PINE

Step 1

Again, we start drawing with the general outline of the tree. Take a hard pencil and draw light lines.

Step 2

Draw the branches. Don't try to get them exactly right, just sketch them out.

Step 3

As with the oak tree, draw “clouds” on the branches. This time they should be narrower and even more uneven. Leave plenty of free space between them.

Step 4

Draw the outline of the trunk - long and narrow.

Step 5

Use a soft (2B) pencil to darken the barrel...

...and then a softer pencil to highlight the darkest side.

Step 6

This time there is no need to fill in the “clouds” with circles; fill them instead with sharp and chaotic strokes.

Step 7

Use a soft (2B) pencil to draw needles along the outline of the clouds. They should be thin and sharp.

Step 8

Draw the branches and darken them with two soft pencils.

Step 9

Draw even more needles inside the “clouds” with a soft (2B) pencil).

Step 10

Use the softest pencil to darken the clouds. If you want, you can simply darken them completely - evergreen trees are usually dark themselves.

Step 11

Finally, use your softest pencil to draw in the completely dark “clouds” between the branches.

1. DRAWING A WEEPING WILLOW

Step 1

We will draw according to the same scheme. Let's draw general outline willows are something like a fountain.

Step 2

Draw the outline of the trunk.

Step 3

Draw the branches away from the trunk...

... descending with length.

Step 4

Draw the outlines of the “clouds”; this time they will look more like curtains.

Step 5

Fill in the trunk and branches with shading using a soft (2B) pencil.

Step 6

Darken the trunk and branches with the softest pencil.

Step 7

Take a soft (2B) pencil and draw ribbon-like lines along the “curtains”. They should form an arc at the very beginning.

Step 8

Darken the "curtains" with darker and wider curling lines in the spaces.

Step 9

Use your softest pencil to draw dark “curtains” on the other, darkened side of the tree. You can also add leaves to the branches to make them more detailed.

Your trees are ready!

As you can see, draw trees- an easy task; you just need to convey their appearance, not their definition. However, this is just the beginning of learning - if you want to become a real professional in drawing trees, take a notepad with you on your walk. Observe the trees you pass by and try to make quick sketches of them. So you can develop intuitive drawing. If you prefer to stay at home, look at photos of trees on the Internet.

Translation of an article from design.tutsplus.com.