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How to make fast progress in drawing landscapes (and other things)
Eight efficient drawing tips how to improve your landscape drawing skills efficiently and fast.Everybody who can write her/his own name on a piece of paper can achieve a high level of drawing skills. Landscape drawing can be learned and it gives so much pleasure !
See a selection of examples drawings and sketches and get acces to numerous drawings in an landscpae artist sketchbooks.
Link to webalbums of my sketches and drawings
All of my drawing lenses:
How to draw a tree
Landscape drawing - Improve your skills
Forest diary
How to draw a pine tree
How to draw decidous trees (mostly apple trees:).)
How to draw coniferous trees (some spruce trees)
How to draw buildings and houses
Drawing the urban landscape
Draw people in a landscape
The self portrait - somewhat of an adventure
Face drawing - some tips
Artists sketchbooks - little nothings turn into big somethings
Sketching gear - a guide for beginners
Drawing the urban landscape
How to draw with a pen
How to draw a straight line
Link to my publication on Blurb "Drawing the urban landscape"
See a selection of examples drawings and sketches and get acces to numerous drawings in an landscpae artist sketchbooks.
Link to webalbums of my sketches and drawings
All of my drawing lenses:
How to draw a tree
Landscape drawing - Improve your skills
Forest diary
How to draw a pine tree
How to draw decidous trees (mostly apple trees:).)
How to draw coniferous trees (some spruce trees)
How to draw buildings and houses
Drawing the urban landscape
Draw people in a landscape
The self portrait - somewhat of an adventure
Face drawing - some tips
Artists sketchbooks - little nothings turn into big somethings
Sketching gear - a guide for beginners
Drawing the urban landscape
How to draw with a pen
How to draw a straight line
Link to my publication on Blurb "Drawing the urban landscape"
Contents at a Glance
- Landscape drawing TIP No.1 - Forget the eraser !
- Landscape drawing TIP No.2 - Blind drawing ..blind drawing....blind drawing
- Landscape drawing TIP No.3 - Drawing negative forms or space
Landscape drawing TIP No.1 - Forget the eraser !
Miles Davis : "Do not fear mistakes, there are none."
I have NO eraser ! Every line you draw counts and is important. Knowing this will give your drawings the necessary drive and the motivation to accept your own handwrite. Your own handwrite is the basis for a unique artistic developement ! Do you want to erase that ??
Landscape drawing TIP No.2 - Blind drawing ..blind drawing....blind drawing
Blind drawing often also called blind contour drawing is a method that occurs in all serious drawing lessons and books.
Blind drawing means that you draw without looking at your drawing paper,but following your subject with your eyes and to make notes of what you see on your paper at the same time. I found it extremely helpful on drawing trees.
Blind drawing is the best known thing in the drawing world,but not many people practise it ! So my advice is don´t forget that,do it and try to remember this each time you start a drawing.
The training effect is absolutely great. Within 2 weeks of 15 minutes of blind drawing per day you can make unbelievable progress! Blind drawing will keep your work vivid.. it´s a real ANTI-STIFFENER
Blind drawing means that you draw without looking at your drawing paper,but following your subject with your eyes and to make notes of what you see on your paper at the same time. I found it extremely helpful on drawing trees.
Blind drawing is the best known thing in the drawing world,but not many people practise it ! So my advice is don´t forget that,do it and try to remember this each time you start a drawing.
The training effect is absolutely great. Within 2 weeks of 15 minutes of blind drawing per day you can make unbelievable progress! Blind drawing will keep your work vivid.. it´s a real ANTI-STIFFENER
Landscape drawing TIP No.3 - Drawing negative forms or space
Imagine you want to draw a net of thick ropes. Drawing negative forms means that you don´t try to draw the outlines of the ropes, but the outlines of the empty space in between the ropes.
Negative forms can be seen almost everywhere. Drawing negative spaces makes things quite often much easier, than following complicated outlines of positive forms. Also drawing negative forms helps quickly to develop stronger observations skills.
Link tipp: DRAWING "NEGATIVE" SPACE
description by Robert Gardiner, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Negative forms can be seen almost everywhere. Drawing negative spaces makes things quite often much easier, than following complicated outlines of positive forms. Also drawing negative forms helps quickly to develop stronger observations skills.
Link tipp: DRAWING "NEGATIVE" SPACE
description by Robert Gardiner, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Landscape drawing TIP No.4 - Squinting to see values and simple forms
By squinting with your eyes (remember Dustin Hoffmann
in "Little big man" :).)it is easier to see the different tonalities, the patterns of dark and light forms, the contrast between light and shadows in the scenery in front of you.
Link Tipp:
Squinting, Drawing and Never Forgetting
By R.W. STEVENSON
Published: July 11, 2004
in "Little big man" :).)it is easier to see the different tonalities, the patterns of dark and light forms, the contrast between light and shadows in the scenery in front of you.
Link Tipp:
Squinting, Drawing and Never Forgetting
By R.W. STEVENSON
Published: July 11, 2004
Landscape drawing TIP No.5 - Take measurements !
Handling of the proportions is mostly considered an important issue. "Oh I don´t get the proportions right !" How many times is this said and thought ??
There is a firesure way to eliminate that question. Take measurements and start to train your eye.
Use a little stick or your pencil as reference.
Select an important or clear line in the motif as metrestick. Stretch our your arm as far as you can(in order to get same scale each time) and then measure how long is that roof top for example and how long is that window frame in comparison to that. How tall is the chimney in comparison to your "roof top metrestick" and so on.
As time goes by you won´t need much of measurements anymore. You will get rid of disproportions quickly if you decide to use the measurements intensly until you don´t need them anymore.
You will learn quickly to place your drawing in the right size so it fits onto your paper, you will be able to estimate lengths and distances amazingly correct. Fractions like 1:2 ,1:4, 1:3,2:3, etc. will be no problem any more.
There is a firesure way to eliminate that question. Take measurements and start to train your eye.
Use a little stick or your pencil as reference.
Select an important or clear line in the motif as metrestick. Stretch our your arm as far as you can(in order to get same scale each time) and then measure how long is that roof top for example and how long is that window frame in comparison to that. How tall is the chimney in comparison to your "roof top metrestick" and so on.
As time goes by you won´t need much of measurements anymore. You will get rid of disproportions quickly if you decide to use the measurements intensly until you don´t need them anymore.
You will learn quickly to place your drawing in the right size so it fits onto your paper, you will be able to estimate lengths and distances amazingly correct. Fractions like 1:2 ,1:4, 1:3,2:3, etc. will be no problem any more.
Landscape drawing TIP No.6 - Use construction lines
Construction lines are imagined connections between to points in your drawing or an elongation of a line.
If your not sure what the inclination of the roof is for example just elongate the roof edge until it hits another line. Use your pencil or a small stick again to take aim. Thus it´s very easy to find a second point in your drawing to confirm the real inclination of lines or planes.
Possible useful constructionlines in this drawing:
If you are not sure about the angle of the church roof just elongate a line(no3)until it hits the vertical no1 almost exactly on the border of the drawing. The elongation of the roof line represented by no.4 hits the church door in the lower right edge of the forth window (left row of windows). Line number 2 connects the balcony of the big building on the right with a prominent edge of a tall building on the left. This way you can develop a grid work that connects the parts of the composition into an image that makes sense to the viewer. Of course it is helpful to understand the theory of perspective, but in practise it´s much easier to work with construction lines.
Click on image to enlarge.
If your not sure what the inclination of the roof is for example just elongate the roof edge until it hits another line. Use your pencil or a small stick again to take aim. Thus it´s very easy to find a second point in your drawing to confirm the real inclination of lines or planes.
Possible useful constructionlines in this drawing:
If you are not sure about the angle of the church roof just elongate a line(no3)until it hits the vertical no1 almost exactly on the border of the drawing. The elongation of the roof line represented by no.4 hits the church door in the lower right edge of the forth window (left row of windows). Line number 2 connects the balcony of the big building on the right with a prominent edge of a tall building on the left. This way you can develop a grid work that connects the parts of the composition into an image that makes sense to the viewer. Of course it is helpful to understand the theory of perspective, but in practise it´s much easier to work with construction lines.
Click on image to enlarge. Drawing the urban landscape
Exploring the city with a sketchbook
Between April 2006 and May 2007 I have worked on an exhibition project about the urban landscape of the city of Stuttgart,Germany.
I have selected more than 30 drawings for a book now available online at BLURB.
The first 10 pages show panoramic drawings together with the essay about the urban landscape and the experience of drawing such a complex subject. The following pages show two panoramic drawings per page without text.
I have selected more than 30 drawings for a book now available online at BLURB.
The first 10 pages show panoramic drawings together with the essay about the urban landscape and the experience of drawing such a complex subject. The following pages show two panoramic drawings per page without text.
Click on the image to start the preview on Blurb.com
Drawing the urban landscape
Drawing TIPP No.7 - go into the zoo and get into the flow
With increasing exercise your drawing speed will increase quite naturally. Also you will find your personal work flow. Most people do not reckognize how fast they are drawing when they are in the flow.
To get into the flow in drawing is a wonderful experinece. Everything seems to happen easily without tension just as if you were knitting :).
Drawing moving animals forces you to be fast and almost within minutes most people adjust to the new situation an skip all rational reflections and internal self-dialog and just dive into the visual encounter !
When you come up to the surface again you will feel great ! Drawing a landcape and/ or architecture shortly afterwards is like getting into extrem slow motion and goes much,much easier.
How did I do this drawing:
Everybody who has been watching animals in a zoo knows that animals unfortunate enough to live in cages or aquariums develop an individual moving pattern within the space they can roam.
So instead of trying to draw one fish after the other I worked short sequences on those fish who had taken a specific resting position for a minute or so. When my model moved I looked for the next fish in another resting position. So in fact I always worked on a fish that did NOT move! Some of the fishes are one and the same individual (the big one watched me very interested !)and O.K. the turtle was easy...:).
To get into the flow in drawing is a wonderful experinece. Everything seems to happen easily without tension just as if you were knitting :).
Drawing moving animals forces you to be fast and almost within minutes most people adjust to the new situation an skip all rational reflections and internal self-dialog and just dive into the visual encounter !
When you come up to the surface again you will feel great ! Drawing a landcape and/ or architecture shortly afterwards is like getting into extrem slow motion and goes much,much easier.
How did I do this drawing:
Everybody who has been watching animals in a zoo knows that animals unfortunate enough to live in cages or aquariums develop an individual moving pattern within the space they can roam.
So instead of trying to draw one fish after the other I worked short sequences on those fish who had taken a specific resting position for a minute or so. When my model moved I looked for the next fish in another resting position. So in fact I always worked on a fish that did NOT move! Some of the fishes are one and the same individual (the big one watched me very interested !)and O.K. the turtle was easy...:).
Drawing TIP No.8 - regular exercise !
If you want to improve your skills repeated exercise is the key. Everybody has his/her own preferences and possibilities to exercise on a regular basis. Similar to sports it is better to practise every day for 15 minutes instead 90 minutes only once a week.
The extra tip - 36 pages great sketching advice from 1900
Sketching from nature in line and tone
This is a great find on the net. A fully digitalised version of a book by J. Littlejohns
in the library of the university of San Diego,California. It contains great illustrations and practical advice !
in the library of the university of San Diego,California. It contains great illustrations and practical advice !
- Sketching from Nature
- SKETCHING FROM NATURE IN LINE AND TONE
BY J. LITTLEJOHNS, R.B.A., A.R.B.C.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 5,Chapter I. MATERIALS 7,II. HOW TO BEGIN 10,III. DRAWING 16,IV. TREES 19,V. DISTANCE 23,VI. CLOUDS, WATER, AND RE-
FLECTIONS 28,VII. WASH DRAWING 31,VIII. CHALK DRAWING .. ..34
More drawing lenses by Edition Handdruck
- How to draw a tree
- Find a collection of tree drawings and explanations how they have been done. Get inspired by famous examples and have a look at online drawing tutorials. Find your own way how to draw a tree.
- How to draw a pine tree
- Ten typical features of pine trees are explained and shown in a big size image of a pine tree drawing study. Learn about drawing a realistic looking pine tree. See more examples, get inspiratins for own drawings here.
- How to draw buildings and houses
- Do you want to draw or sketch houses ? Get some ideas, tips on how to draw and sketch buildings. Some basic explanations on perspective are given. However focus here is mainly to inspire you for own explorations. Some practical tips how to draw houses and buildings in a convincing way are given. Exa
- Sketching gear - what does the beginner need ?
- Sketching outdoors is a great activity and a rewarding hobby for everyone. This lens is for those how want to start sketching outdoors in the city or in rural landscape. What sketching gear would you need to have with you ? What kind of gear is suitable and what should the quality be like ? What are
- Artist sketchbooks - little nothings turn into big somethings
- For decades artist sketchbooks have only been noticed by a limited specialist audience which got access to those precious resources mostly only after the death of the creator. Excerpts might have been published in print media, but mostly only at the price of damaging or destroying the sketchbooks. S
- How to draw deciduous trees
- This is an introduction to drawing decidous trees from life.MPM, Monotype printmaker Martin explains how he draws decidous trees with a pen and with charcoal. There are no rules in drawing,everybody can develop a very own way to draw a tree. No academic or other method shall be promoted,rather than
- How to draw with a pen - pen drawing
- Pens are very versatile drawing and sketching tools. Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of using a pen. See how you might expand the use of your pen (s) to develop your own drawing style.Get inspiration from example pen drawings.
- How to draw a straight line
- Learn how to draw a straight line without a ruler - a simple trick will help a lot to improve your freehand drawn straight lines.
Great drawing links on the net
- Learn to Draw: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.
- For people who are learning to draw, teaching drawing or want to enhance creativity, a theory and set of techniques with accompanying materials and classes.
The classic start up for drawing after Betty Edwards Method. - Squidoo lens Drawing
- A lens by artist John N. Stewart about drawing with lots of links to online
resources.
My favorite link from that lens is:
Visual thinking :Archive of American Sketchbooks - Urban Sketchers
- Blog of urban sketchers worldwide !
Prints of india ink drawings on Zazzle for sale
These drawings are taken from one of my landscape books which follows a tradtion of the 19th century in Europe, as for example represented by the works of Franz Kobell.
All of my drawings are done on site,whereas in the 19th century it was a usual manner to design picturesque landscapes from fantasy. Local studies were mostly used as "material" for the later compositions. However after Claude Lorrain drawing and painting on site became more and more popular until the movement culminated in Impressionism in the late 19 th century.
All of my drawings are done on site,whereas in the 19th century it was a usual manner to design picturesque landscapes from fantasy. Local studies were mostly used as "material" for the later compositions. However after Claude Lorrain drawing and painting on site became more and more popular until the movement culminated in Impressionism in the late 19 th century.
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Drawing books on Amazon
When it comes to drawing books Bert Dodson is my favorite. His first book "Keys to drawing" set an unbeaten standard from my point of view.
Visit Bert Dodson in his atelier artwork
Visit Bert Dodson in his atelier artwork
Keys to Drawing
There are countless books on drawing and whenever I enter a bookstore I will spend some time at the drawing books section.
But if you want to buy only one book on drawing (maybe for the beginning) my recommendation is Bert Dodso´s book. For me it is unbeaten and he has covered the subject in an extremely efficient and inspiring way. There are 48 lessons with self control if you want to get very serious. Everyone who works through this book with some dicipline will be successful in drawing.
Amazon Price: $15.63 (as of 12/14/2009) 
Keys to Drawing with Imagination: Strategies and Exercises for Gaining Confidence and Enhancing Your Creativity
This is what Danny Gregory said in an interview with penelope Dullaghan on IF:
What has been inspiring you lately?
I am working on a book about people's illustrated Journals. It is so amazing to see how many ways people record their lives and it just makes me itch to draw. My son and I have been doing drawings from a new book that Bert Dodson just sent me. It's called Keys to Drawing with Imagination and it's full of ideas that reshuffle my deck. Check it out. I have been doing a lot of drawings from mug shots and doing a lot of comic strips for the first time since I was fifteen. I have also been working small for the past few months, carrying a wee watercolor Moleskine with me and it's been a great inspiration."
Amazon Price: $19.79 (as of 12/14/2009)
How to draw a tree - Weblog on tree drawing
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