LESSON 4
LEAVES
STRUCTURE 4.0
OBJECTIVES
4.1
INTRODUCTION
4.2
FORM OF A LEAF
4.3
Shadow and Details of a Leaf
4.4
ASSIGNMENTS 4.4.1 CLASS ASSIGNMENTS 4.4.2 HOME ASSIGNMENTS
4.5
SUMMING UP
4.6
POSSIBLE ANSWERS TO SELF-CHECK QUESTIONS
4.7
TERMINAL QUESTIONS
4.8
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED FURTHER READING
4.9
GLOSSARY
1
4. LEAVES Nature is unimaginable without the trees and plants and one can not think about trees and plants without leaves as the nature is green because of the leaves. The nature drawing begins and ends with greenery of these leaves which are an integral part of plants and trees. In this lesson we will learn about various aspects of drawing of leaves. The next lesson will deal with the drawing of flowers.
4.0
Objectives This lesson in Nature Study will enable you to:
•
Begin by drawing a leaf, in simple lines of its shape and form.
•
Understand its proportion by measuring it.
•
Observe, understand and draw details like colour, shadow, texture etc. of the subject (leaf) in front of you.
4.1
Introduction
Nature drawing is the first step in observing and imbibing the form and details of plants (leaves, flowers, and stems) and other living things around us. It is the study of various objects found in nature (Fig. 4.1). As you walk around in a garden or a forest you would see and observe nature, plants and trees, their leaves, stems, flowers etc. A close and careful look at these objects would reveal the wonders of shapes, forms, colours and textures in nature. What you look at and what you see and observe, are translated on to your paper in drawing form. A drawing process, as you will now understand, is really a 2 dimensional representation of 3 dimensional forms.
Fig. 4.1 Study of Nature
Fig. 4.2 Two or three leaves
The sketches of an object such as leaves that you draw, are very important. First of all they help you to get started in drawing curves and angles of a subject in front of you. With each sketch, you establish an overall angle of view, 2
a general layout of the two or three leaves (Fig. 4.2), and their ‘appearance’, i.e., their shape and form. Sketches also provide you with a key to gathering and drawing with more and more information of the subject. With each sketch, you would notice more, observe more and draw more onto the Drawing.
4.2
Form of a Leaf
Let us take the next step in learning to draw. You have done some quick sketches of the leaves. Your hand must be feeling looser and better with each line that you drew. The urge to draw the curves rightly must be exciting you further in your exploration. Here are a few tips before we go further as these will help you to draw with confidence. Keep in mind, as with the exploration of tools earlier, the following points: •
•
• • •
Draw with as much of a continuous line as you can, at least up to following the curve of the leaf as much as Fig. 4.3 Overdrawing you can. of a leaf You should try not to have a broken curve line. May be at first you can lightly draw several forms or contour lines. Once you get the feel right overdraw firmly in a continuous line to get the shape right (Fig. 4.3). In fact overdrawing over several light strokes, before the main contour line begins to take shape, is a good way to get the curves right. Try not to use an eraser. With each overdrawn contour line you will get closer to the actual form of the Leaf. Experiment with varying pressure of your hand, roll or twist the pencil at your wrist.
You have explored the leaves in Line form, mainly emphasizing their size and shape or, in other words, their contours. These were drawn as quick sketches. We will now learn how to draw the leaves as a careful visual representation. • them. • • well. •
• •
Keep the leaves at an arm’s length and look at
P
N Fig. 4.4 A picture of leaf showing Positive (P) & Negative (N) space
See and study them. This time observe the space around the leaves as Broadly, there are two distinct spaces (Fig. 4.4) in a drawing. i) The space of the subject mass or the Positive space, and Fig. 4.5 Use of pencil ii) The space around the subject mass or the for measurement Negative space. Place an imaginary reference frame around the subject. The line drawing of the subject mass differentiates it from the negative space. This gives you the basic contour Drawing 3
• •
• • • • •
Use a pencil for this Drawing. The pencil is also a ready measurement guide that can help you in getting the proportions right. Hold the pencil upright at an arm’s length in front of the leaf. Lightly close one eye. Take a measure of the overall height of the subject. Draw a freehand line lightly on to the paper of this measure. Again hold the pencil transverse at same distance in front of the leaves. This time take measure of the width of the subject (Fig. 4.5). Similarly, the leaves sizing can be judged in other directions as well. This could be a starting point of getting the sizing right. However more than an accurate size, what is important is the overall character of the leaves – the curves of its form, placement and proportion. Your hand should move loosely when you draw the leaves.
Note: You can approach the drawing, by first drawing the contours (Fig. 4.6 A) and differentiating them from the negative space. Alternatively, you may start at a central focal point of the leaves, say the main vein or stem, and then draw outer contours with reference to that (Fig. 4.6 B).
A
B Fig. 4.6 Drawing of Leaf
In your exploration attempt both ways of drawing. Try and understand which way would suit you in drawing better and also feel easier for you.
Self-check Questions 1.
Fill in the blanks:
Draw with as much of a _______ ________as you can. You should try not to have a_______ _______ ______. Try not to use an__________. Keep the leaves at an _______ ________. Your _________ should move ______________ when you draw the leaves.
Activity 1.
Sketch a set of three different leaves and their stems with pencil giving shading of light and dark. This must be composed on ¼ sheets giving the overlapping effect. Study the same subject in black and white with shading. 4
4.3
Shadow and Details of a Leaf
Thus far we have drawn leaves mainly as a study in shape and form. You have even filled in some details, like the veins and the stem, and some shading. See the leaves again. Also, look at its stem. Do you see how the leaf is joined to the stem? The stem may have many other leaves on it. Together they make our next subject of study. You have noticed the play of light and shade on the leaves and the stem. Is there a difference in the shade of green of the leaf and the stem? When you draw this, the shading can reflect this understanding. The same green colour appears darker in the shaded area of the leaves. The different tones of the same colour are apparent due to light and shade that fall on the leaves. Also note that the contour lines appear lighter or darker for the same reason. In fact the darker contour line may seem to merge into a lighter contour line. There is another aspect to understand this. Can you guess what? You would remember that the leaves are actually 3 Dimensional objects. In trying to grasp the full form, the placement of the leaves is an important aspect. This placement is firstly with respect to other leaf, i.e. whether there is an overlap or not. Secondly, whether the leaf is projecting outwards or receding inwards of an imaginary plane. While the leaf itself may be a thin surface, not having a very significant 3rd dimension, its placement and orientation give the subject 3 dimensional volumes. The space around the leaves is thus a 3 dimensional space. In order to represent this understanding in the Drawing of leaves and stem, let us go further in our drawing practice. Both, the contour lines and the surface of the leaves and stem together reflect this understanding. Contour lines by the flow of their curves itself will reflect the orientation. The leaf form seeming to project outward will be larger, and that part of the leaf that seems to recede inwards or go backside, will be smaller in size. If the same leaf is positioned projecting in part and receding in part, the form contour lines will move to merge the larger surface to smaller surface. Light and shadow when expressed through line form is drawn by light and dark lines of the thickness of the stem and of the curve form of the leaf.
Self-check Questions 2. How does the green colour change within the same leaf? 3. How do we perceive “volume� of a leaf, even though it’s a thin surface?
5
4.4
Assignments
4.4.1 Class assignments i)
Study 3 different leaves, and draw them in pencil as a single composition on the paper. You may choose any one orientation of the 3 different leaves. • • • • •
Draw a set of leaves on A3 sheet cartridge paper, with a 2B pencil. Make a reference box for your drawing, freehand. The drawing should be a study in line form of the shape, form and proportion of the leaves. You may fill in texture and details. The drawing should reflect your understanding of the 3 dimensional form of the leaves.
4.4.2 Home assignments i)
Study 3 different set of leaves and their stems with pencil and give shading of light and dark. This must be composed on ¼ sheet giving the overlapping effect. Study the same subject in black and white with shading.
ii)
Also explore and draw a set of leaves and stem, in line form with a pen and ink. Overdrawing is not recommended, when working with ink.
iii)
Experiment with varying pressure. This drawing, as in your class earlier, would be exploration study, reflecting your understanding of the 3 dimensional form.
iv)
4.5
Draw 2 different orientations of the same set of leaves.
Summing Up We may conclude from this lesson that: • In learning to do sketching it is very important to practice drawing of leaves which are the easiest to learn and handle. • Observe keenly the leaves one has to sketch • Identify the negative and positive portions of the drawing. • Mark the proportion with the help of pencil. • One has to be very careful to have a neat and clean sketch.
4.6 1.
Possible Answers to Self-check Questions Fill in the blanks: i) Continuous line ii) Broken curve line iii) Eraser iv) Arm’s length v) Hand, loosely 6
2.
The green colour of a leaf appears to change due to light and shade that fall on it. The area in shadow appears darker than the area where light is falling.
3.
The placement and orientation of the leaf, that is, its direction, its nearness to other leaves, and whether it is projecting outwards or receding inwards, give a 3 dimensional “volume� to it.
4.7
Terminal Questions
1. How many spaces are there in a drawing? 2. What is a negative space in a design? 3. What is a positive space in a design? 4. How do you measure a drawing?
4,8 References and Suggested Further Reading 1.
Anonymous. 2006. The Complete Guide to Drawing and Painting. Quantum Publishing Ltd, London.
2.
Locher, J.L. 1992. Escher: The Complete Graphic Work. Thames & Hudson Ltd., New York.
3.
Powell, W.F. 1997. The Art of Drawing Still Life. Walter Foster Publishing, Inc, California.
4.
Wood, J.R. 1992. Handbook of Illustration. Design Press, New York.
4.9
Glossary
1.
Imbibing
Adapting, absorbing
2.
Contour
Form, shape
3.
Emphasize
Direct attention to, as if by means of contrast
4.
Veins
Lines or ribs on a leaf
7