Children's drawing of a dense forest. How to draw a forest: tips and tricks
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 tutorial 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 on foreground more detailed, with brighter highlights and darker shadows than trees further away from the viewer. Distant trees are lighter, have less contrast and less detail 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, the trees should gradually become smaller while their ordinal number increases.
1. Using thin lines, outline the 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 bottom edge drawing.
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 the sketch of its trunk is shown with a single vertical line to create the illusion that the tree is located behind 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 No. 1 (the largest tree) and sequentially through all numbers up to tree No. 14 ( 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 a 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 correct ratio shadows. This lesson also uses shading with curls, see the lesson on it (the farther apart the curls are from each other and the harder the pencil, the lighter the area, the denser and soft the pencil, the darker the area you get). 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 three dimensional space forests using shading.
6. Shade the areas behind the smaller trees, creating a smooth transition from white at the 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.
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 place 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 species, 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 mark 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 as similar to each other as 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.
Every 4 seconds, an area of forest equal to a standard one is cut down in the world. football field. This is statistics. Fastest rate of deforestation in South-East Asia. The Chinese are multiplying, but they have nowhere to live. So what should I do? We need drawing paper! I want to tell you how to draw a forest with a pencil. This won't restore our fauna, but it's worth a try.
Forest Facts:
- Aokihara Forest, or Suicide Forest. The strange place deservedly received its name. It itself is so thick that light practically does not penetrate there, and compasses stop working. For some reason, this particular place in Japan has become a favorite place for those wishing to commit suicide (apparently, some do not have the courage to commit hara-kiri).
- In the Kaliningrad region there is a forest that local residents called Dancing, or drunken. No, alcoholics and drug addicts do not gather there. The fact is that pine trees grow per 1 square kilometer, which, according to unknown to science reason, they twisted their trunks strangely. Some were completely wrapped in knots. As if they were tormented by stomach pain.
- It is generally accepted that rainforests full of different sounds and noises. I will disappoint you - during the day the jungle is quieter than a sleeping child. The life of all animals there begins at night, and even then they behave very carefully and quietly.
Let's try to draw.
How to draw a forest with a pencil step by step
Step one. Let's start with a simple thing: draw a horizon line, and draw a path with two vertical lines.
Step two. On the sides of the invented path we draw tree trunks, large and small.
Step three. Let's draw the trunks higher and draw their bottoms with a pencil. We’ll also add some grass at the base of the trunks.
Sha is the fourth. Finally, let’s draw the tops with branches and add shadows.
Step five.
Nature is an eternal source of inspiration creative people. Poets and prose writers, composers and artists dedicate their works to her. One of the most frequent stories landscapes is a 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 a huge number of 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 consider 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 aerial perspective);
- The closer the tree is to the master, the more saturated the color of its crown will be.
Can help create beautiful texture 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 to the 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.
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 difficulties. Some examples are suitable for experienced artists, while others are suitable for children.
Forest with river
This area has many rivers and is home to 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 have come to the most 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 will 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 a great drawing example that will tell you how to draw mixed and broadleaf forest taiga 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 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 drawing techniques. 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 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 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!
