I've had a few people pm me questions on how to draw trees, clouds, and other natural detail. Generally I just respond with a quick tip or trick but decided today to type out a tutorial on how to draw these things that come so naturally to me
I hope this helps
Trees
Trees are generally pretty simple if you don't think too hard into them. All plants grow toward their food source, the sun. (with the exception of vines and ivies)
Drawing them is as simple as that. Here is my quick tutorial and tips to drawing trees.
Step 1: Making the trunk
trees generally start thicker by the bottom and thin out as you go up (with a few exceptions such as the bonsia tree). Pines are a great example of this. Draw two straight lines slightly angled in on each other. (in grey) then build off of that with the black line.
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step 2: Branches
Same thing, thicker at the base and spread out as they grow. Make sure the tips of the branches droop a bit with the weight of the leaves (again, a few exceptions to this general rule)
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step 3: top branches/leaves
Trees have the most dense leaves at the top (closer to the light) so make sure you have the right shape
You won't have to draw the branches as they would most likely be covered by leaves.
step 3a: Leaves
Depending on what type of tree you drew (pine, oak, maple, birch etc.) the leaves will be different. Shading/clumping is key.
Here's a few different styles of leaves...
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Section 1 is the most difficult, and the most tedious. But imo yields the best results (if done right). Leaves at the ends of the branches, thick and life-like
Best for Maple, and Oak trees
Section 2 is the easiest and most common. Best for bigger tracks when you don't want to focus on every specific tree. Making the shape is easiest here and is the best for beginners. Understanding tree shape is most important here.
Overall best for most trees. Except pine and evergreen trees
Section 3 is best for heavier trees. The deep shading under the leaves gives a thick sense to the tree and helps make your tree pop.
Best for singular trees and smaller more dense tracks.
Section 4 is a more unique style. I like this style when I draw bonsai trees, Japanese maple trees, Flower blossom trees.
Makes it feel airy and light. Very tedious to detail however.
Remember leaves get more dense as you go up. The trunk will eventually be covered with leaves and not totally visible near the top. So draw it that way
Clouds
Something I draw all the time that comes so naturally to me it's difficult to explain. Clouds are simply water vapor. Affected by the wind they have to have a flowy sense to them. They need to be unique and natural, similar to ocean waves. Understanding clouds and water will help you draw many things, including waterfalls.
The best way to draw a cloud is with poofy circles. Envision a shape that you would like to draw, just a general outline. Depending on the environment around the clouds they will be different shapes. Windy days will have sharper edges and drawn out lines. Calm days will have large
thicc clouds that have beautiful shape.
Here is my quick tutorial on how to draw both.
Step 1: Start with large open cloud shapes. Use the brush for this with a semi-close trail speed (about 90% of the bar)
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Step 2: Go to the outer edges and draw smaller versions of the main cloud with the bottoms cut into circles (builds depth)
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Step 3: Wind marks and inner clouds. Go to the inner section of the main cloud and add some poofs to make it feel less empty. Go to the outer edges and add some small poofs with outward facing lines to simulate air flow.
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Drawing wind swept clouds
Repeat step 1 on a smaller scale
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Step 2: Shape matters here, the flow of the cloud and wind current is what shapes the cloud. drawing a line underneath generally helps me.
Add smaller poofs and details to the outer edge of the cloud, make sure they go in the same direction the wind is going.
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Step 3: Adding more windswept clouds. Adding more lines to the base of the main cloud emphasizes shape and motion in the air. Adding more clouds similar behind and connecting to the first cloud bring out a beautiful skyline.
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Clouds are easy to master and look good. (great space filler) Adding shading to background clouds helps a ton and
Maple has plenty of examples in his tracks. I won't go too in depth about that style for now.
Grass: My favorite
I get the question on how to draw grass a lot. So I will try and go in depth about my thought process and tricks. Drawing grass can be as simple as drawing a triangle and working around that. Uncut grass grows in clumps. Over ledges, on rocks, in dips, essentially everywhere. Drawing it isn't just line spam.
I use a method I came up with. The use of triangles and shading is what makes it decent. You can see it in some of my more recent tracks.
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Step 1: Envisioning a grassy area and understanding how it grows is the first internal step. For tutorial purposes I'll draw out my triangles.
(This is at the base of the tree I just taught you how to draw)
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Step 2: The grass itself grows up and outward. You can use the brush for smaller grass and the straight line for taller thinner grass. I generally use the straight line for the inner part of the clump. Then switch to brush.
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Step 3: brush tactics. Fill in the bottom with smaller lines to get the clumpy feel. Add outward horizontal lines with a few blades of grass to show ground contour. Also add some flowers to keep it fresh.
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Step 4: Erase the triangles if you drew them. I don't draw them because I envision them.
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Divots and Overhangs
To make it feel natural you should have different elevations in your grassy area. Whether it be rocks, streams or just imperfections in the meadow or field.
Overhangs are simple.
Step 1: Drawing the overhang is a simple black brush line that curves.
As simple as this
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Step 2: Grass grows over the edge and angles down. The triangle trick will work for this too.
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Delete triangles and go down the edge to get the right natural feel.
Step 3: Contour lines. They show the shape of the bank and will give it a more flowy air to it. Add grass to the bottom and top to fill space.
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After that you're pretty much done. Just scale it up or down to your liking.
Divots are even easier. Just a few triangles pressed together to form a large clump that is filled with grass. Shapes like this will give you a valley like feel.
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Step 1: repeat the first tutorial on grass in these triangles.
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Step 2: Use the brush to add smaller bits of grass.
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And without triangles
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Thats all for this part of the tutorial. If you want me to go more in depth with these things just PM me and I'll help you out.
If you want something else drawn I'll gladly add onto this. I'll tag some other authors who will help you with other types of detail (I'm assuming.)
Elibloodthirst SilentFinger Rayb25 mR..A Maple Max007x RadiumRC dantexpress Eryp Coated_Badger mudkip zwinxz Zgolex Volund Cynic weem
And just a reminder to create your own style and flow to your tracks. I made this to help you get started with natural detail. Start with this and your detail will eventually evolve into your own style of track.
Hope you guys like this.
Luv ya.
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