An example of a more detailed watercolour sketch, using different brush stokes to show water, rocks and foliage. For example, the closer the subject is, the more detail and texture you will see. You can use textural marks to help create a sense of depth and sketch a landscape scene with a distinct foreground, middle ground, and background. Here I used a combination of pen and watercolour marks to show the texture on the trees and building. For example, load your brush with paint and either tap it on your hand to splash paint or flick the bristles with your fingers. You can also use splashes to give your painting a sense of texture. Use brush strokes to paint marks and patterns that give an impression of texture and movement. In addition, you could experiment and make marks drawing in wet watercolour with the blunt end of a paintbrush or a twig. Paint thumbnail images that focus on specific surfaces: leaves, grasses, tree bark, water. You can show texture with paint in a similar way. In this example you can see that quick loose marks can be enough to give an impression of texture. In addition, try to look at Vincent Van Gogh’s drawings and see how he uses pen strokes to show texture and tone. You’ll notice the texture is most visible in mid-tone areas. To show dark tone, make your marks denser. The quality of your pen or pencil strokes – direction, length, energy, strength, will give an impression of the texture of your subject. Also use a variety of lines and dotted marks to bring out the characteristics of your subject. Keep your gestures fluid and marks loose. Mark making: pen or pencilīuilding on the previous exercise, choose a simple landscape view and make an expressive drawing in pen or pencil.
Notice how I added texture and detail in the foreground to give a greater sense of depth. See how your pencil marks change as your subject changes. Think of the marks you are making as music or dance – fast, slow, loud bold or light and as quiet as a whisper. Use lines, dots scribbles and vary the pressure from light to strong. Try and give an impression of the texture and movement. With a pencil, draw thumbnails of the patterns you see. Patterns and rhythmīefore you start sketching, look carefully and observe patterns, movement, and rhythm on different parts of the landscape. Quick watercolour marks and paint splashes show the texture on the tree trunks and leaves.
I’ll show you how to use a combination of pen, brush and pencil marks to draw texture and make lively sketches with a sense of depth. Here I’ll demonstrate ways to translate those characteristics on paper to sketch expressive landscapes in pen, pencil, and watercolour. Water, clouds, rocks, trees, grasses all have a distinct feel and appearance. So here you go – I hope you enjoy it! Drawing texture in landscapes The structured instructions can also make beginners feel safe enough to try drawing or painting new or difficult subjects. I know how to articles useful when you are starting out. So they found someone else to write the book and my text and images were never used. When they asked me to write the book, I had other commitments and couldn’t deliver the work to their time scale. A quick expressive landscape sketch in pencil that focusses on drawing texture. The editor had commissioned three chapters: sketching water, drawing rocks and this one on drawing texture. Carefully draw the curved lines for the stem and the edges of the leaves.The original version of this article was a sample chapter for a book on quick landscapes sketches for beginners. To draw the center, repeat small circles to make a pattern. Draw lines to show the edges and folds of the petals. Using angled and curved lines, draw a darker outline to finish your picture. Notice how the leaves are shaped differently from the petals.Ĥ. Next, draw the outlines for the stem and leaves. Draw lines that show petals overlapping each other. Do you like what you’ve drawn? Continue by carefully drawing an outline around the shapes. Take time to look at the shapes you’ve drawn for the flower. Remember to draw lightly so that you can erase if you need to. Drawing an outline around the edge of the shapes you’ve made forms the flower. Use curved lines for the stem and oval shapes for the leaves.ģ.
Overlap the ovals to show how petals rest on top of each other. Continue by drawing more petals, as shown below. The guideline will help you make all the petals about the same size. Sketch a larger circle as a guideline around the outside tip of the petal.Ģ. Start by sketching a circle for the center of the flower. Then you can erase them later as you finish your picture.ġ. Drawing things in nature is easy when you start with basic shapes.