Spending time in a peaceful natural setting can be inspirational for an artist. Nature can make an interesting subject for a sketch. Trying to capture natural subjects in 3-D offers challenges for beginning and advanced artists alike, but can result in drawings that capture a moment in time and bring back the pleasures of being in a natural setting.
Instructions
1. Locate a secluded spot in nature that you can use as the subject of your drawing. Situate yourself in front of the natural environment you want to capture. Rest your back against a tree or rock to get comfortable and place your drawing pad on your knees. Select an area where the sunlight hits your subject in such a way that the shadows are clearly defined. The shadows are what you will need to emphasize to get the 3-D effect.
2. Draw vanishing points on your drawing surface. These are light dots made with your pencil that you will use to set the depth and perspective of the elements in your drawing. To give the scene depth, place a vanishing point at the top of your paper, with enough space between them to fit the elements of your drawing you want to capture. All of the lines you draw from this point on should be drawn toward those two dots.
3. Sketch the main elements of your drawing. Work as quickly as you can to capture the outline first, then shade in the areas you will develop for depth later. The shading should be light and minimal. As the sun moves, the subject will change in appearance, so you want to capture it as quickly as possible to avoid losing your guidelines. Even shading in a few light lines in all the areas where you will need to develop shadow can be helpful in perfecting the drawing later.
4. Develop your drawing. You can do this on site or take it back to your home. Now that you have captured the basic shapes and shaded areas, you have enough to work with. Fill in the lightly shaded areas and deepen them to bring out the three-dimensional element. Add any details to your drawing, such as lines and shading on trees to create the bark texture or lines for the veins on leaves.
