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Sketching Trees
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Message
Posted
Thanks you Alan . Good you started the new thread Marjorie I can if folk don’t mind referrer people to it as examples of trees in landscape , much better when we know the artists as well.
Here are a few tree sketches by a master Constable, the V&A hold a lot of his sketches several of Hempstead Heath . I also have some examples of Van Gough tree sketches that I will post later .
Posted
Not being a sketcher myself (I know I ought to, but even I am embarrassed by my efforts) now that this thread has opened out to include other artists, I can at least contribute. This one is by Alfred Sisley. I doubt it was intended as anything other than an outline of composition but I find it has a charm of is own
Posted
The finished sketch , apology for photo such poor light quality today , I will try to get a better one later.
This is a study and a deliberately quite detailed, unless it going to be the main feature in a painting of indeed a sketch there is no need to have such detailed work. Things like the burrs growing on the sides , don’t need to be in detail, these are cause by a parasite (wasp etc) that lay egg ps or transmit bacteria onto the tiny growth buds. This stimulates the growth and the tree try’s to produce more bark etc that becomes infected in turn , a bit like a wart on a human in some ways . I will post some simple sketch examples can be included in painting paintings .
Posted
MTrees can make or break a landscape if they are just slapped down without thought to the shape and size especially as background trees . Roberts favourite critic Ruskin was very scathing of some artists and their inability to paint trees the right size , shape and have then looking realistic without being over exaggerated. I believe it’s more important to get the shape of a tree correct and half the task is done for you , each species of tree tends to conform to a certain shape even while being very different from each other. A simple example would be that of a fir tee we all know it rough shape and if one was presented that looked like a stick of broccoli we would immediately know , it get a bit more difficult when looking at oak, beech and similar types of tree but there are differences between each species.
It this reason why it’s important to f draw and learn the difference between then , you can then start to make subtle differences so the each one is seen as a individual again much like looking at humans how different we all are despite being the same in many ways .
I will look out for example of different types of tree to post as part of the discussion.
This might be a useful aid to understand the shapes of common trees
Edited
by Paul (Dixie) Dean
Posted
Study sketches of trees don’t need to be done with accuracy if you are going to use them later in a painting of full sketch you can bring out more detail. The aim is to get the main feature recorded size , shape and any oddities like broken branches, decay holes etc. The example below is of local trees that are relatively small as the grow in hedges , or parks but I like the shapes and have them recorded for future reference. All are in ink the first using a fountain pen and the rest are ballpoint pen, inspired by this weeks bonus artist who work in ballpoint and produces such beautiful sketches of trees
Each one took less than ten minutes if that .
Posted
Excellent tree sketches Paul. I have never thought about sketching single trees for future use, but it's a good idea. My tree sketches have always been part of the landscape I am sketching at the time. I am posting a couple of mine that I think come close to being tree portraits. If I ever get well
enough to get out and about I might get around to drawing some individual trrees.
enough to get out and about I might get around to drawing some individual trrees.
Posted
George don’t be put off by not getting out and about, been there worn the tshirt I use google and get sone fantastic results. I know it’s not quite the same as live work but it’s better than non , you can localise your search as well .
I’m sure you would find it useful and it’s all good practice for the paintings .