Trees are almost always the most striking and characteristic indicator of those geographical conditions, which are characteristic of a particular area. Therefore, it is natural that the artist should approach vegetation with special attention, and his sketches should be made especially carefully. So, for example, if he draws a pine tree, then there should be a pine tree in his drawing, and not just a tree. Let's talk how to draw trees with a pencil.

Trees do not always have such characteristic appearance, which a pine tree has. Nevertheless, many trees have a fairly typical appearance. The most characteristic trees of our forests are coniferous spruce, pine and larch, and from deciduous birch, oak, partly linden. From the south - pyramidal poplar, cypress, palm trees and some others. It is these, the most typical trees, that we will first get acquainted with.

Children very often draw trees. And the question of how to draw trees with a pencil appeared for many people back in school or kindergarten.

How to draw a Christmas tree (spruce)

Spruce is so characteristic that it is easily remembered and depicted even by children preschool age(Fig. 1).

Figure 1 - Spruce in the image of children

Before you know how to draw a Christmas tree, you need to find out what is characteristic about this tree? A tall, upright trunk, a whorled arrangement of branches, with the whorls of branches going almost from the base to the very top, the branches are densely covered with needles. All this is arranged in a certain regular order. The branches of the upper whorls are short, thin, and stick out to the sides and even slightly upward. The lower whorls consist of heavy branching, rather long rays, which, due to their gravity, hang down. A little later we will look at how to draw deciduous trees with a pencil.

Examples of drawing spruce

Figure 2 - Developed and undeveloped “whorls” of young spruce

Speaking of character drawing of a young spruce, we must remind you of one more detail. Every year a new whorl grows from above. But not every whorl is preserved. Usually the stronger ones survive and suppress the nearest, lower whorls. As a result, quite large distances are obtained between the preserved whorls. From the dead whorls, only traces remain in the form of dried and broken branches. To draw a spruce, it is these features that need to be depicted.

Figure 3 - Simplified drawing of an adult spruce

Look at Figure 2 to see how a young Christmas tree is drawn. The rays of its whorls are still light, and they hardly hang down. Drawing an adult Christmas tree a little different. Heavy lower branches (paws) hang almost to the ground (Fig. 3). If we do not know the nature of the structure of the trunk, the nature of the branching of the whorls, then we will not be able to correctly depict the spruce. Any person who hardly knows how to draw will draw a spruce if he only understands the nature of the structure of the whorls of the trunks. Thus, before drawing a spruce, you need to become familiar with the “anatomy” of a spruce. This is easily achieved if we think through and first draw a simplified diagram of the “skeleton” of a tree (Fig. 4), then a young spruce (Fig. 5) and, finally, an adult spruce (Fig. 3).

Figure 4 - Skeleton of a young spruce

Figure 5 - More mature spruce

When the spruce is detailed, you can move on to drawing spruce trees and the spruce forest from afar. (We need these exercises so that later, when depicting landscapes, we do not need to think about how to draw a spruce, how to draw a spruce forest and in the distance, and near, and on the plain, and on the mountain slopes.)

Drawing a spruce forest

Spruce forests, even from a distance, do not lose their external features. They are distinguished by their sharp-toothed top. We are no longer talking about the characteristic blue velvet tone that spruce forest differs sharply from other forests located at the same distant distance. Of course, we do not yet set ourselves the transfer of tone, but we will have to depict the transfer of the character of the mass of the spruce forest (Fig. 6).

Figure 6 - Drawing Christmas trees at different distances

When drawing a Christmas tree you have to use shading. Distant trees, in which details cannot be made out, can be covered with a simple stroke, the most distant ones - with vertical strokes. Each such stroke should, as it were, emphasize the character of tall and relatively narrow trees. On nearby spruce trees, not only large whorl branches are clearly visible, but also small, usually hanging down, branches, densely covered with needles. We cannot draw such details, but through vertical shading we can convey the character of these hanging branches (Fig. 3). It is clear that here the strokes in different parts of the spruce are not the same. On the lower branches they can be thicker and longer, and on the upper branches thinner and shorter. It is more convenient to make these drawings in pencil at first.

How to draw a pine tree

Pine, like spruce, is a conifer, but there is a huge difference between pine and spruce. Spruce is shade-loving. It can grow in deep forests in conditions of almost twilight lighting. Pine, on the contrary, in highest degree photophilous. Pine tolerates rocky soil, sand, and lack of moisture, but dies with a lack of light. Thus, pine and spruce have completely different attitudes to light, and hence the different appearance, therefore, there is a difference in how to draw a pine tree.

Young pines, growing in an open place, are generally similar to spruce, only the rays of the whorls are spaced less frequently and the needles are longer. The sparse arrangement of branches is already a consequence of the light-loving nature. As they grow, the lower branches, darkened by the upper ones, die off. And the upper branches, in the struggle for light, develop very unevenly. Strongly developed individual rays of whorls turn into thick branches that grow into wide umbrellas. The weak rays of the whorls perish. We see the remains of these dead branches on any pine tree. As a result of the struggle for light, the character of the crown changes so much that mature pine no longer resembles spruce in any way, and even the whorled arrangement of branches becomes barely noticeable (Fig. 7).

Figure 7 - How to draw a pine tree: on the left is a pine tree growing in an open place, on the right are simplified silhouettes of pine trees

Having understood the characteristic ones, we better understand how to draw a pine tree. First, we will deliberately make the most simplified drawings, in which all the most characteristic features(Fig. 7). It is very useful to look at separately growing pines in nature, and then at pines in the forest. It is also useful to look at paintings by artists. In paintings of a painted pine tree, everything that is most characteristic is usually expressed.

Drawing a pine tree in the forest

So far we have talked about pine trees growing in open areas. Conditions are different in the forest. There the pine tree fights with neighboring pines. The fight for light leads to rapid growth up some pines and the death of others that are lagging behind in their growth. As a result, the pine trees in the forest have a cylindrical tall trunk, almost devoid of branches, and a dense top. In a pine forest you can always see trees that are different in their vitality. Some have tall and, compared to others, thick trunks, with a richly developed crown rising above the neighboring crowns. These are the “dominant” trees. Nearby there may be weaker pines with a thin but also tall trunk and a less developed crown. Finally, there will also be pines with very thin trunks and a poorly developed crown that cannot spread out into the open space. These are “oppressed” trees, dying or completely dead, devoid of green needles (Fig. 8).

Figure 8 - Pine in the forest: A- "dominant" b And V- oppressed, G- dead.

Drawing a pine forest

Just as we drew a fir tree (first close, then in the distance, then moving on to groups of fir trees and spruce forest), we will also draw pine trees. As you move away from the viewer, the outline of the pine tree becomes simpler, and, finally, the pine tree takes on a form that is close to the conventional pine tree icon used on profiles and some maps (Fig. 9).

A group of pines or a pine forest from a distance appears as a dark mass, which on top has irregular, sparsely spaced, rounded teeth of various sizes. Below, if there is no edge, vertical trunks are clearly visible. It is most convenient to convey these trunks with vertical strokes (Fig. 10). In general it must be said that when drawing pine forest and individual pines have the character of strokes great value. However, due to the characteristic nature of the pine crown, you can successfully use ordinary strokes.

Figure 9 - Near and distant pines

Pines are not the same in different areas. Thus, pine in the taiga zone is very different from Crimean pine. The shapes of pine trees in Mediterranean countries and Japan differ even more. The latter have a more developed crown width, which gives the pine the appearance of an umbrella with a flatter top. They also differ depending on the conditions in which they are found. Thus, free-standing pines in open areas have a thicker trunk, powerful branches and a richly developed crown (Fig. 7). Pines of mountain gorges, on the contrary, have unusually tall and relatively thin trunks with a small crown at the top (Fig. 11).

Figure 10 - Drawing a pine forest in the distance

Figure 11 - Trees in deep gorges, where there are weak winds and little rainfall. Tree trunks are unusually elongated in height (Altai).

How to draw larch

Larch is especially characteristic of the taiga zone of Siberia. But it is often found within our European territory. Larch differs from other conifers in that it loses its needles during the winter. The last circumstance in a known way reflected in her appearance. In winter, larch does not have needles - this is already one of its features. Larch branches devoid of needles do not hold snow. Hence, the branches, devoid of needles and snow, even with their small thickness, very rarely bend downwards, as we saw with spruce, but more often stick out freely to the sides and in the upper parts of the tree even bend upward (Fig. 12).

Figure 12 - Simplified “larch skeleton”.

Larch has a tall, upright trunk and a peculiar whorled branching, which is sharply different from spruce and fir.

Let us give, as an example, several sketches of larches made in winter (Fig. 13 and 14). Larches located at a distance retain their character well (Fig. 15).

Figure 13 - Simplified image of an adult and old larch in winter.

Figure 14 - Simplified drawing of a larch forest in winter

Larches are characterized by a light, bright green color in summer, very pleasing to the eye, soft yellow or silvery yellow in late autumn and a peculiar green haze in spring.

Figure 15 - Highly simplified image of distant larches

How to draw a birch

White bark, peculiar branching and especially hanging thin branches are very characteristic features our birch. Examining the branching of a birch tree, we immediately notice rather thick branches extending from the trunk, at sharp angles, which similarly branch further, turning into thin and unusually long terminal branches.

This structure of the branches is what causes them to droop. And the overhanging branches largely determine the unique appearance of the birch tree, which we all know so well. Note that when drawing a birch just as in other cases, the most important thing is building the base of the tree: trunk, branching, the nature of the final thin branches and, finally, the foliage (Fig. 15 and 16).

Figure 15 - Simplified drawing of a birch without leaves and with leaves

Figure 16 - A row of gradually receding birch trees.

Drawing trees: aspen and poplar

Aspen, growing in the area of ​​forest fires and clearings, is distinguished by a thin, high, upright trunk and thin branches extending from the trunk successively, most often at an angle of 30-40° (Fig. 17). The thin branches of the aspen do not droop, the outline of the crown is simple, in the form of a lancet blade. There are also other forms of aspens with a powerful trunk and thick branches. This form is quite close to our usual poplar (Fig. 17).

Figure 17 - Left: We draw a young aspen without leaves and with leaves. Right: Branching pattern and crown outline of a common poplar

As we see, the question is how to draw trees with a pencil, is not clear. Let's look at how to draw a tree like this Lombardy poplar. It is very typical for our southern regions, especially for the steppe areas. It grows in small groups near rivers and other bodies of water and is especially common near dwellings. The appearance of poplar is very typical. It is determined by the presence of a tall, upright trunk and a kind of branching, as shown in Figure 18.

Figure 18 - Pyramid poplar without leaves and with leaves

How to draw a tree with a pencil: linden

The appearance of linden is such that it can be confused from a distance with some other deciduous tree species. Nevertheless, linden also has its own characteristics, which are easy to notice when comparing, for example, with. poplar or oak. Linden is characterized by the division of the trunk into thick large branches, which most often extend from the trunk at sharp angles. The branches reach a great length, branching densely towards the end. This dense branching leads to increased weight of the terminal parts, which in turn leads to some drooping of the apical branches. The overhang is significantly less than that of birch, but more than that of poplar and oak (Fig. 19).

Figure 19 — Drawing a linden tree

From a distance, linden groves and forests are distinguished by the soft rounded outlines of their crowns, reminiscent of the tops of cumulus clouds.

Let's look at how to draw trees like oak with a pencil.

How to draw an oak tree

The oak tree has a different character with its strong and slightly bendable branches. Unlike drawing a tree such as linden, poplar and some other broad-leaved tree species, oak branches extend from the trunk at angles close to right. The branches of the second and third order also roughly extend out (Fig. 20). The branches are distinguished by their thickness, knobbiness and dense pubescence at the ends (the pubescence consists of thin branches and dense foliage).

This peculiar branching pattern is observed not only on large mature trees, but also on young ones (Fig. 20). General outline The crown partly resembles the outline of an oak leaf, but with secondary, pronounced serration (Fig. 21). At all appearance oak expresses the inflexibility and strength of a mighty tree. No wonder oak is a symbol of resilience and strength.

Figure 20 - How to draw an oak tree correctly: Left: Simplified image of an oak tree without leaves and with leaves; Right: Young oaks without leaves

Oak trees in the forest have a more elongated upward shape, but the main features remain approximately the same.

Figure 21 — Outlines of an oak tree

Without being able to dwell on the characteristics of our other less common or less characteristic trees, we will touch very briefly on some of the most typical southern trees with which we often encounter. This should include cypresses, palms, baobab and some others.

Drawing a cypress

Cypress A very typical plant for Mediterranean countries, it is also widespread as an ornamental plant along the southern coast of Crimea.

Strongly elongated upward, narrow, slender, with a sharp top, the cypress is easily conveyed in the drawing. Its strong upward elongation is due to the large height of the trunk and characteristic branching (Fig. 22).

Figure 22 - Cypress trees and a diagram of their trunks and branching patterns

How to draw a palm tree

How to draw a tree like a palm tree is also of interest.

Palm trees are different, but they are characterized by the absence of branching and the frond emerging from approximately one point. The correct representation of the shape and character of the palm tree primarily depends on the correct depiction of this frond exiting from one point. The general appearance of the crown is round and often easily fits into a circle (Fig. 23). It should be remembered that the upper fronds are the youngest, they stick up, and the lower ones are the oldest, they hang down and die.

Figure 23 - Left: Drawing a coconut tree; Right: Drawing a date palm.

The trunk of a palm tree is most often slightly curved in its upper part. The date palm has a slightly different character.

How to draw a baobab tree with a pencil

Very interesting for drawing baobab tree. The baobab has a very characteristic trunk, branching and crown. The baobab tree is characterized by a very thick and, compared to its height, short trunk. The height of the trunk before branching begins is usually only 2.5-3 times its thickness. The trunk at a certain height immediately begins to divide into 5-7 (rarely more) thick branches. These main branches immediately begin to branch and very quickly lose their thickness. Unlike a cylindrical trunk, they have a conical shape. The baobab has a dense and very wide crown (Fig. 24).

Figure 24 - Baobab without leaves

Hello, dear friends!

I am sure that almost all of you are interested in the topic of creating landscapes. Landscapes can be very different, showing beautiful and interesting views various corners of our planet, in many of them you come across the task of depicting trees. How to draw a tree that is alive, beautiful and natural is the topic of our lesson today.

Trees are not difficult to draw, but sometimes they come out too drawn or flat.

Basic mistakes

The main mistakes in drawing trees are:

Lack of volume

The lack of volume in a drawing (in color or black and white) is achieved by using paints of different tones and intensity. Even on a cloudy day, some part of the crown and trunk will be more shaded, and some less. The colors are always darker in the thick of the foliage. Think of a tree as a ball (crown) and a cylinder (trunk) to understand how shadows form on this complex shape.

Taiga is a very beautiful and amazing 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 complexity. Some examples are suitable for experienced artists, while others are suitable for children.

Forest with river

This area is home to many rivers and large number 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 in this example we'll look at how to draw mixed forest taiga In such a forest, both coniferous and deciduous trees grow at the same time, and 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 an excellent drawing example that will tell you how to draw a mixed and broad-leaved taiga forest. There are no complex or small elements here, 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 there will be 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 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 foreground. Watch your pencils. In order for the drawing to be beautiful and neat, it must always be sharpened!

Coloring the path in brown, and also work on detailing 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 the small details and the work on the taiga forest drawing is complete!

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 you draw trees correctly - should you 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 perspective reduction. 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, just 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 it is possible different angles and points of view. 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 glance. 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 a whole group of 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.

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 managed to convey unusually well in his wonderful works the atmosphere of a mysterious and enchanting forest.
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.

Now you can learn how to draw a forest with a pencil step by step, and then color it:
1. First draw the horizon line;
2. Draw the outlines of the tree trunks that are located in the foreground;
3. The drawing will look more interesting if the trees are different. Therefore, draw the first tree, making it a Christmas tree;
4. Draw a second tree, which half hides the spruce. Let it be a birch;
5. Now draw more clearly the third tree, which is the largest. Let it be an oak tree;
6. In the background, draw the trunks of other trees, without detailing them too much;
7. Draw blades of grass and mushrooms in the foreground;
8. Outline the sketch with a liner;
9. Use an eraser to erase the preliminary pencil drawing;
10. Paint the trunks of those trees that are not birches with different shades of brown. Paint the cones on the spruce with a light brown tone;
11. Shade the birch trunks with light gray and gray pencils;
12. Color the outlines of the forest in the distance with blue-green. Paint the grass with light green and deep green shades;
13. Paint the mushroom caps with different colors;
14. Shade the sky with a blue tone. Color the foliage of the trees in various shades of green.
Now you understand how to draw a forest with a pencil, and then make this picture in color. Of course, the forest will look most impressive if it is painted with paints.