How to draw a mixed forest with a pencil. How to draw trees with a pencil

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.

In this lesson we will look at how to draw a forest, how to learn to draw a forest realistically with a pencil step by step, more easy lesson drawing of the forest is located.

IN this lesson we will focus on:

1. Texture, which is created with various tools and shading techniques, showing the details of the surface of trees and vegetation on the ground.
2. Geometric perspective, i.e. The closer the trees are, the larger they are; the further away, the smaller. Also, when moving trees away from the foreground deeper into the forest, the bases of the trees are located higher than the previous ones.
3. Atmospheric (or aerial) perspective, which is conveyed by depicting the influence of atmospheric components, for example, tiny particles of dust, pollen or drops of moisture. Trees in the foreground are more detailed, with brighter highlights and darker shadows than trees further away from the viewer. Distant trees are lighter, have less contrast, and are less detailed due to the presence of more atmospheric components between them and the viewer.

Used 2H, HB, 2B, 4B and 6B pencils (best if you have all pencils from 6H to 8B), vinyl eraser and smudge, heavily textured watercolor paper (cold pressed, 90 lb).

Composition planning.
In the picture, the depth of the forest is created by 14 trees. In the forest, all these trees are approximately the same, but according to the rules of perspective, they will have different thicknesses in the drawing. Compare the following two illustrations to get a better understanding of the process behind this drawing. To help you identify which trees are closest to you, each one is labeled with a number to help you avoid confusion.

The closest tree to us is tree No. 1, the farthest tree is 14. You can notice that the closer the tree is, the darker it is drawn, the further it becomes lighter.

Trees that are closer to us will be more detailed, their highlights will be brighter, and their shadows will be darker.
The light source is located at the right rear. On the left, the trunks of each tree are shaded slightly darker than in other areas, because the light falls from the back right, then the darkest areas will be on the opposite side, i.e. front left.

The location of trees in the forest in the picture.
Before you begin shading, you should draw the outlines of all 14 trees, also remember to place the base of each tree a little higher as the tree numbers increase. In addition, trees should gradually become smaller as they serial number increases.

1. Thin lines outline an area for the drawing with approximately the same proportions as mine.
My drawing is 4 x 6.5 inches (about 10 x 16.5 cm). Other options may be 6 by 9.75 inches (approx. 15 by 25 cm) or 8 by 13 inches (approx. 20 by 33 cm).
2. Draw the outlines of the three trees that are closest to us.
Tree No. 1, the largest tree, is the focal point of this drawing. Notice that its location is located to the right of the center of your drawing area. Its base is located below all, close to the bottom edge of the picture.
The sketch of Tree 2, the second largest tree, is moved closer to the left edge of the drawing and is smaller in size than the first tree. Its base is located slightly higher than that of tree 1.
Tree 3, the third largest of the trees, is on the right side of the picture. Its base is slightly higher than that of tree 2.

3. Draw trees numbered 4, 5 and 6. Trees that are located in the foreground sometimes coincide with the trees behind them, giving the effect that one tree is located in front of another. Notice how tree 4 appears to be in front of tree 6. Also, trees become smaller the further away they are from you. Conversely, the closer they are to you, the larger they appear.
Tree 4 is not as big as 1, 2 or 3 and its base is also located in the picture above.
The sketch of the 5th tree is located slightly to the left of the 3rd.
Tree 6 is located slightly behind tree 4 (covered by its trunk), so you just need to draw its right side and base.

4. Draw trees 7, 8 and 9. Tree 7 is located slightly to the left of the 1st. Tree 8 is located to the left of tree 7 (and there is space between them). The base of tree 9 is located higher than the base of tree 8, and a sketch of its trunk is shown as one vertical line to create the illusion that the tree is located behind the tree 7.

5. Draw trees from 10 to 14. Do not forget that each subsequent tree is drawn a little higher than the previous one and becomes smaller than the previous one. Now compare your drawing with my drawing and make any changes you want. Check the location of the bases of all fourteen trees, starting with tree number 1 (the most a big tree) and sequentially through all numbers up to tree No. 14 (the smallest tree). Make sure that each base is drawn slightly higher than the previous one.

Creating a variety of textures.
This section of the tutorial is dedicated to creating different textures.
The "teeth" of heavily textured watercolor paper (referring to the paper's surface features) can help create texture for trees and foliage. When you shade, hold your pencil sideways and use gentle circular motions.

Don't press too hard on the pencil! The excellent texture of this paper can be easily smoothed out, i.e. destroyed by this pressure, and on smooth surface you will no longer get the desired imitation of, for example, tree bark).
Be sure to leave areas of white paper between the trees and on the illuminated sides of the trees.

Below is a scale of gradations of shadow shades depending on the softness of the pencil. well if you have the whole set, this table will help you choose the right shade ratio. Also in this lesson, shading with curls is used, see the lesson on it (the farther apart the curls are from each other and the pencil is harder, the lighter the area is, the denser the pencil soft - the you get a darker area). Note the wide range of light and shadow ratios used to convey the texture of the vegetation on the ground.

Adding textures and depth to the forest.

Here we will create a 3D forest space using shading.
6. Shade areas behind smaller trees, creating smooth transition from white on top to darker down towards the base.
7. Add shadows to trees 11, 12, 13 and 14.

8. Add shadows to trees 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. See the next three pictures. Don’t forget that each tree on the left is darker and the lower the tree’s serial number, the darker the shadows need to be made.
9. The texture of the vegetation on the ground, which is located far away, is drawn using a combination of regular shading and swirl shading. Also add some dark shadows to the bases of the trees.

10. Darken all the trees except the first one, use pencils that suit you best and add, checking the original:
- more textured shading on the base of the trees, which will look like vegetation in this place;
— enhance the contrast on tree trunks;
- draw a few small branches (growing downwards) at the top of some of the trees in the background and background of the picture.

When a person first picks up a pencil to draw a forest, he is faced with a problem: how to draw a huge variety of small parts? 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.

In this short lesson we will learn to draw a forest step by step. If you are excellent at drawing trees, then drawing a forest will not be difficult for you.

Of course, it is better to paint the forest with paints to convey its delightful atmosphere. But in this lesson we will only sketch the forest, explaining to you all the main points when drawing, so we will only use a pencil.

Learn to draw a forest with a pencil

We will not draw an ordinary forest; to add contrast, there will be a long path in it. Also, to add contrast, you can make a house or some kind of eye-catching animal instead of a path.

Stage 1
First of all, we need to sketch out the horizon and the path. The path must be built according to all the laws of perspective: it must be as thick as possible at the beginning of the drawing and gradually narrow towards the horizon. Since the trees and the path itself in our drawing are on a hill, the path does not narrow to a point, but seems to go behind the hill.

Even if you don’t have any path, you should still draw a horizon line, at least for yourself, so that it will be more convenient to arrange trees in the future.

Stage 2
At the second stage, we begin to draw the trees, or rather, outline their stumps or bases. Try to make a variety of trees, namely, different breeds, different widths and different heights.

Please note that in the distance next to the path there are no trunks visible, but only the tops of the trees. This happens because beyond the horizon the surface of the earth is lower due to the hill.

Stage 3
The forest is chaotic, so tree trunks should not be exactly at one angle. They may be tilted heavily to the left or slightly to the right. Shade the lower part of the trunk darker.

Also, at this stage, we must outline, with a light pressure on the pencil, the lines that will display the shadow of the trees.

Stage 4
At this stage we will work with chiaroscuro. Pay attention to the own shadow of the right tree closest to us. Since the trunk is not an ordinary cylinder, but a relief surface, the shadow from it should not be ordinary. This applies not only to the right tree, but also to all other trees in the forest.

On the left side of the road we shade the shadow that crosses the road. This gives our drawing an incredible three-dimensional effect.

Also, at this stage you need to plant bushes and darken the mounds.

Stage 5
Let's detail our trees. We finish drawing the trunks and adding branches to them. All branches, of course, should not be similar friend like two peas in a pod. Therefore, try to depict them in different sizes, thickness, etc.

Stage 6
At the last step, we detail the entire drawing as a whole and finish drawing the branches. It is very important to convey the volume of the picture, so all objects located in the distance must be made darker than those in front of us.

It will also create a great effect if we shade the entire background except for the small space above the path. Well, accordingly, do not forget to shade the path itself.

Our forest is ready! Now you must pick up a pen or pencil and draw your own unique forest. Don’t forget about animals, because they are an integral part of the forest: wolves, foxes, bears, deer, etc.

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 shrouded in bluish fog, and the contours of the image will look fuzzy, as if blurry (one of the rules 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 various shades.

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.