Plants can be represented in a wide variety of ways in the field of drawing and painting.
Therefore, no one best approach fits all.
It all boils down to the specifics of the type of plant or trees you are sketching.
However, there are certain basic approaches you can apply universally and then build upon your specific case.
Following is a broad guide to help you sketch plants or trees as a part of a scene or as standalone items: •Inspiration.
You can draw your artistic inspiration from your favorite picture, a previous sketch or painting, your imagination, or even a real-life item.
•Preparation.
Use different grades of pencils, primarily HB, B, 2B, and 3B for distinguishing contours and shading effects.
However, if you plan to employ colors, elaborate pencil stroke may not be warranted.
Rely upon the varying tones of colors to highlight the edges and bring out the direction of light.
•Skeletal drawings.
It is hard to use any precision drawing instruments for setting the basic framework for trees and plants, except for any vase, flower pot etc.
that may be a part of your design.
Draw the baselines and outlines first with a free hand.
There may be curves, lines, angles, circles, and other fundamental shapes.
For trees, begin with trunks and proceed to draw branches.
For small plants with large leaves, draw the midrib of each leaf as the baseline.
For bushes, you can start from any end - some people prefer the top first, while others take it upwards from the ground.
•Structural drawing.
Once you have put the foundation in place, begin with the details.
For instance, give body to the foliage of the trees, proportionate to the length of the trunk and the branches.
Bringing out the structure of the blades or create a loose appearance of a collection of leaves depends upon the distance of the figure and the time of the day.
Keep in mind that in closer views, often the roots of the trees are also visible above the ground.
For small plants, draw longitudinal or curvaceous blades, as the case may be, on both sides of the midrib.
For bushes, it is mostly a light-handed, random structure.
•Color and pencil shading.
Shading is an essential element, whether done by pencil or by colors.
While creating a painting, artists often apply paint directly on the drawing base, where visible brushstrokes in the graded tones of colors, provide the desired effect of leaves.
Unless you are using your imagination, replicate the shading effects of your reference image or object to add final alterations to your completed work.