How to Draw a Redwood Tree
Creating a beautiful, realistic-looking picture of a majestic redwood tree doesn’t have to be an intimidating task. With the right combination of techniques and materials, anyone can draw a stunning rendition of one of these gorgeous trees.
Gathering Art Supplies
Before diving into this inspiring project, gather a few basic art supplies. To start, you’ll need a sharp pencil, such as a 2B, a few sheets of drawing paper, a good eraser and charcoal pencils in a range of light to dark shades. Get all the art supplies together so you can move freely and create confidently.
Develop Your Concept
Before making any marks on the paper, it’s important to ogle your imagination and create a concept for your drawing. Think about the shape and size you want the redwood to take. Look at photos of redwoods or observe a real one from a distance. Think about how the light filters through the branches and how the bark’s natural ridges and twist curves intertwine to create an overall design.
Use Grids for Accuracy
For an extra accurate drawing, you may want to use a grid. It’s a simple but powerful tool for transferring a reference photo onto paper. Start by lightly printing a glossy photo of a redwood onto a sheet of paper. Next, draw a 1-inch grid over the image and use a ruler to connect the lines. Then draw the same sized grid on the art paper and, starting with the first square, carefully draw each line and form in the correct place until you have an accurate representation of the image on the art paper.
Drawing Outlines
Now it’s time to draw the outlines of the tree. Start with the basic form of the trunk, branches and foliage. You don’t need to be overly detailed here. Just get the basic shapes down so you can begin to fill in and refine the details. Now erase any unnecessary lines and lightly fill in any new ones so they look uniform.
Creating Textures
Drawing textures can add a lot of character to your picture. Trees like the Redwood are typically made up of thick, winding branches, rough bark and clumps of pine needles in geometric shapes. Use your charcoal pencils to draw the bark’s ridges and pine needles’ shapes onto the tree trunk and branches. Then smudge the charcoal with your fingers to make the textures look more realistic and blend in the colors.
Adding Color and Shadow
Now you get to bring your drawing to life by filling in the colors and shadows. Start by coloring in the trunk and branches with light and dark shades of brown. Don’t forget to include the shadows cast by the branches and foliage. Finish up the drawing by lightly shading in the pine needles with the lighter shades of charcoal and blending them with a Q-tip.
Fine Tuning
Finally, go back over the details and make sure everything looks right. Add any additional shadows, textures or colors that you may have missed or make any small changes you may want. Once you’re satisfied with your work, give it a final look-over and then step away to admire your masterpiece.
