Nothing is more calming or inspiring than a bare tree in the wilderness. Drawing one requires patience and a creative spark to bring it to life. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you capture the beauty of the natural world on paper.
First, pick up your pencil and paper. Whether you’re using traditional pencil and paper, or a digital drawing tablet, a blank page will bring you closer to the tree. Take your pencil and lightly sketch out your tree’s frame.
Next, give your tree shape. Consider the overall form of the tree’s branches before committing to them. Depending on the size of the tree, you might want to draw the overall shape and then start filling in the details, or you could focus on each branch individually.
Now, give it life and character. Bare trees can have a variety of shapes and sizes, and you should capture what makes your tree unique. Add dimension with varying degrees of darkness and thickness. Give it intricate details by drawing bumps, knots, and twists.
Finally, add the finishing touches. Make it larger-than-life by adding extra twigs and branches, or use shades of gray to bring out the texture of the bark. If you want to, take a step back and look at how it all comes together.
And that’s it! Drawing a bare tree takes time and patience, but the stunningly realistic results make it more than worth it. All it takes is a creative spark and a steady hand, and you’ll be a natural tree artist in no time.
To really capture the feeling of being in the wilderness, look closely at the structure of the tree when its leaves have not yet sprouted. You’ll notice its individual branches interconnecting and standing straight in the wind. Pay attention to the texture of the bark and how thick each branch is – don’t forget the small details which will make your tree come alive.
Finding inspiration for your bare tree drawing doesn’t always have to involve long hikes in the wilderness. Look through sketches, pictures, and illustrated pieces from other tree artists, or simply browse online for images of different kinds of trees.
To practice drawing your own tree, pick out a tree you can see in the park, the backyard, or the street and draw it. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become with sketching the intricate details, which will ultimately make your tree drawing so much easier.
When it comes to perfecting your drawings, it truly is a matter of practice makes perfect. Set up a practice tree drawing schedule for yourself and challenge yourself to draw one tree a week. Soon, drawing trees will start feeling like second nature to you. So grab your pencil and paper and start sketching!
