Draw colorful nature subjects with bestselling author Lee Hammond!
This book is loaded with fun lessons and projects for drawing realistic leaves, trees, flowers, butterflies, bees, birds, fruits and vegetables. It includes basic instruction on materials, transferring reference images, burnishing, and other key lessons for beginners. More than 20 step-by-step demonstrations show how to draw subjects from three different viewpoints, from far away to super close.
with Colored Pencil
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
BESTSELLING AUTHOR
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Get Creative 6
• Learn from top author Lee Hammond—more than one million art-instruction books sold
Drawing the Joy of Nature
LEE HAMMOND
values, color, shadows, layering,
Drawing the Joy of Nature with Colored Pencil
ART TECHNIQUES | DRAWING
LEE HAMMOND
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
LEE HAMMOND Get Creative 6 NEW YORK
Get Creative 6 An imprint of Mixed Media Resources 19 West 21st Street, Suite 601 New York, NY 10010 sixthandspringbooks.com Editor PAMELA WISSMAN Art Director IRENE LEDWITH Designer ALISON WILKES Chief Executive Officer CAROLINE KILMER President ART JOINNIDES Chairman JAY STEIN Copyright © 2022 by Lee Hammond All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage-and-retrieval systems— without written permission of the publisher. The designs in this book are intended for the personal, noncommercial use of the retail purchaser and are under federal copyright laws; they are not to be reproduced in any form for commercial use. Permission is granted to photocopy content for the personal use of the retail purchaser. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Hammond, Lee, 1957- author. Title: Drawing the joy of nature with colored pencil: a step-by-step guide / Lee Hammond. Description: First edition. | New York : Get Creative 6, [2022] | Includes index. Identifiers: LCCN 2021052565 | ISBN 9781684620449 (paperback) Subjects: LCSH: Nature in art. | Colored pencil drawing—Technique. Classification: LCC NC825.N34 H36 2022 | DDC 743/.83—dc23/eng/20211028 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021052565 Manufactured in China 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 First Edition
About the Author Lee Hammond has published more than 40 art-instruction books (of which she has sold over one million) and DVDs, as well as dozens of online articles and videos with more than one million views. You can find her demonstrations on YouTube and her titles wherever books are sold. Her career spans more than 40 years, and teaching art has always been her passion. She is currently semi-retired in Topeka, Kansas, and teaches classes at the Topeka Art Guild and Gallery.
Dedication I lovingly dedicate this book to all my readers and fans. Whether you’ve followed my career over the last 40-something years or are new to me, I hope this book inspires you and makes you come to love drawing as much as I do! I also dedicate this to my two fur babies, Jackie and Emma. Their companionship, unconditional love, and devotion have helped me remain positive and focused throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve given me company and love when I could not teach my classes or see my family and friends. They were at my side throughout the entire writing of this book. I couldn’t have done it without them!
Jackie, Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper, 14" x 11". Colors used: Dark Brown, Cloud Blue, Black, White.
Emma, Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper, 14" x 11". Colors used: Beige, Sepia, Dark Brown, Goldenrod, Poppy Red, Pink, Black, White.
Acknowledgments No book is ever created alone. I have had the great honor of having some of the best in the industry help and guide me throughout my entire career as an author. I thought I'd written my last art-instruction book years ago. My goal was to semi-retire and work on other projects. But thanks to Pam Wissman and the people at Get Creative 6, I was persuaded to continue. Thank you for inspiring me, and giving me this opportunity. I hope this is just the first book I create with you, and that we can do many more together in the future.
Contents Introduction: The Beauty of Nature | 6 1. Getting Started | 12 Pencils.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Drawing Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Other Tools.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2. Basic Techniques | 18 Comparing Layering and Burnishing. . . . . . . . . 19 Demo: Drawing a Rock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Demo: Drawing a Cherry Tomato. . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Demo: Drawing an Orange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3. Composition, Color, Shapes, and Shading | 24 Composition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Color. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Shapes and Shading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Demo: Drawing an Egg.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Demo: Drawing Colored Eggs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Other Things to Remember. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Enjoy the Journey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4. Capturing Your Image on Paper | 34 The Grid Method.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using a Viewfinder.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Segment Drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Try Different Viewfinders.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
35 36 37 38
5. Drawing Fruits and Vegetables | 40 Different Views. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Different Backgrounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Different Paper Colors.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Demo: Drawing a Pear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Demo: Drawing a Tomato Close Up. . . . . . . . . 46 Demo: Drawing an Apple Close Up.. . . . . . . . . 48
6. Drawing Lovely Leaves | 50 Vein Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Lights and Darks.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Exaggerating Color. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Demo: Drawing a Sea Grape Leaf. . . . . . . . . . . 54 Demo: Drawing Waterdrops on a Leaf. . . . . . 56 Leaf Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Succulents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Demo: Drawing a Succulent.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Different Paper Colors.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Different Approaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Start Simple, Graduate to More Complex. . . 64
7. Drawing Trees | 66 Banyan Tree Details.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scratching for an Illusion of Realism.. . . . . . . . Demo: Drawing and Scratching Foliage. . . . . Tree Trunk Details.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
67 68 69 70
10: Drawing Birds | 102
8. Drawing Beautiful Flowers | 72 Simple and Complex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Demo: Drawing a Magnolia Bloom. . . . . . . . . . 74 Demo: Drawing Waterdrops on a Petal.. . . . . 76 Demo: Drawing a Rose Step-by-Step. . . . . . . 78 Different Paper Colors.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 No Two Alike. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Shading Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Light and Shadow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Shadow Edges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Extreme Shadows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Demo: Drawing a Bird of Paradise. . . . . . . . . . . 86 From a Distance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Stay Curious. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
9. Drawing Butterflies, Bees, and Bugs | 90 Demo: Black Swallowtail Butterfly.. . . . . . . . . . 92 Different Paper Colors.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Different Approaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Demo: Drawing a Malachite Butterfly. . . . . . . 96 Bees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Demo: Drawing a Bumblebee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Honey Bee Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Other Garden Bugs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Surrounding Details and Basic Shapes. . . . . 103 Demo: Drawing Parrot Feathers. . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Adding Soft Pastel.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Complementary Colors.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Demo: Drawing an Owl.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Macaw Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 A Different Viewpoint. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Seabird Details.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Demo: Drawing a Blue Jay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Drawing on Black. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Telling a Story.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Demo: Drawing a Toucan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 White Gel Pen Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Large Waterfowl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Birds Are Fascinating Subjects. . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Conclusion | 125 Index | 126
Introduction: The Beauty of Nature Each element of the great outdoors provides an artist with countless creative possibilities. There are endless ways to illustrate the beautiful colors and shapes found in nature. As one of my own quotes I have up in my studio states, “There is never a lack of subject matter, just absence of creativity.” In this book, I've tried to create new ways of looking at all the aspects of nature with a more artistic eye. While I'm a realist in my work, I love exaggerating what I see, perhaps closing in on things for a closer view. I want to provide you with a variety of ways to see things, to widen your perspective. While seeing things from an everyday point of view is often lovely as is, sometimes you need to change your vantage point. Within these pages, I provide different ways for you to imagine things within your artwork. From distant views to close-ups using extreme cropping techniques, this book will help you see things in a more creative and artistic way. To enhance the colors in nature, I will show you how to exaggerate colors in your work, to make things more interesting, and to give your work a colorful glow. You will also learn how to use shadows and contrast for creating
6
Drawing the Joy of Nature with Colored Pencil
visual impact. No longer will you see things in the same run-of-the-mill fashion. It’s time to try some new approaches and techniques on your colored-pencil journey. Take the projects in the order they appear, so you can develop your skills slowly, and learn as you go. Each project is designed to build on the previous ones and will show you new ways to master the medium of colored pencil. I hope you’ll find this book fun and enjoyable. I also hope you’ll come to love drawing with colored pencil as much as I do! Good luck with your artistic journey! —Lee Four Leaf Clover, Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper, 7 ½" x 7". Colors used: Light Green, Chartreuse, Grass Green, Dark Green, Pale Aqua, Dark Brown, Black, White.
Good Luck!
You Can Do It! Before and After These are actual examples of a student’s progress while learning colored pencil for the first time. It shows the improvement acquired with some patience and practice. It takes time to develop a skill, and repetition is key. The more you do, the better you’ll get!
Before This first example was done by a student without having any previous experience with colored pencil. No help was given, and it was done beginning to end by her, without any advice or input from me. She did a great job for a beginner! Her shapes are good, and her color choices are on point. However, she was using a mixed batch of low-quality, student-grade colored pencils and a typical sketch pad.
After This second example shows how quickly she picked up the layering technique covered in this book after a demonstration from me. She used a grid (more on this later) to get the shapes accurate from her reference photo before she began. I also switched her to a higher quality of colored pencils (Prismacolor) and artist-quality drawing paper (Stonehenge). You can clearly see the difference in the quality of her work with just one lesson. She is now excited to pursue colored pencil as one of her favorite art materials. A whole new artistic world has opened up to her!
Drawings by Cayla Cummings, Age 15. Colors used: Process Red, Hot Pink, Tuscan Red, Pale Chartreuse, Grass Green, Peacock Green.
Introduction 7
Two Important Techniques for Realism I love colored pencil for its versatility. It provides artists with the ability to use many different techniques and approaches to create different looks and characteristics with their artwork. Colored pencils can create abstracts, impressionism, and super-detailed realism. A colored-pencil drawing can even be confused for a painting. The possibilities are endless, and experimentation is a wonderful experience. Here I’ll teach a more realistic approach with two distinctive techniques that will be the most important throughout.
Layering Layering is a lighter approach to drawing with colored pencil. The drawing of the onion below was done using the layering technique. Layering is achieved by applying colored pencil in multiple, light layers, one on top of another. It is important to use a very sharp pencil point. With this technique, the texture
of the paper shows through, helping to create the texture of the surface being drawn. The layering approach helps create the dull, crepe look of the onion skin. The visible pencil lines create the textured surface, as well as subtle color changes. Each color overlaps another, creating new colors.
Burnishing Burnishing is a heavy approach to applying colored pencils. The tomato below was created using burnishing, which is done using dull pencils and firm pressure to completely cover the paper surface. Thick application of waxy color creates the look of a shiny surface and vivid color. By blending one color into another, it almost creates the look of paint. This burnishing approach is used anytime you want something to look slick and glossy.
Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper. Colors used: Beige, Yellow Ochre, Sunburst Yellow, Limepeel, Orange, Dark Brown, Jade Green, Black, White.
Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper. Colors used: Sunburst Yellow, Orange, Poppy Red, Crimson Red, Tuscan Red, Apple Green, Dark Brown, Black, White. Layering and Burnishing Here are two subjects, both drawn with colored pencil on Stonehenge drawing paper. The onion was done with the layering technique, while the tomato was drawn with the burnishing technique.
8
Drawing the Joy of Nature with Colored Pencil
Plan Your Viewpoint Everything you draw will be a collection of elements—shapes, values (light and dark areas), and color. The colors in turn will always be depicted by local color (what the actual color of the object is), shadows, and highlights. It’s important to study these elements in your photo reference before you begin to draw. You need to know what you are actually seeing according to these elements. Having a plan as to how you want your finished artwork to appear will make it easier to focus on these key elements. Do you want to see it from afar, or up close and personal?
There are endless ways to portray your subjects. The choice is up to you. I never know how I’m going to draw something until I get ready to start and study my photo reference to understand the details. After I study my subject, I decide if I will enlarge it, crop it, or draw it just how I see it. It’s a different journey each time, and the look I create is never the same twice. There are three basic visual perspectives: full view, average distance, and macro (or super close-up). Details appear different with each approach.
Super Close-up This example is an enlarged, cropped version of a photo I took of a rose. Rather than draw the whole thing, I wanted to focus on the flower’s velvety petals and show the glow of its beautiful colors and highlights.
Prismacolor on Strathmore drawing paper, 7" x 11". Colors used: Poppy Red, Scarlet Lake, Magenta, Tuscan Red, Neon Orange, Neon Pink, Imperial Violet, Violet.
Introduction 9
Average Distance, Complex Shapes This is a standard view of a rose using only three colors. It's not always necessary to use a big palette or lots of colors to make something look real. A simpler approach is often just as effective. This drawing may seem simplistic, but it’s complex as far as the shapes go. Overlapping petals can be a challenge, so studying photo references is crucial. Each petal has its own set of elements to capture, and the lighting will be different for each one.
Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper, 14"x 11". Colors used: Carmine Red, Tuscan Red, Peacock Green.
Average Distance, Simpler Shapes This rosebud is a good example of how to get started with a simpler subject. It is another standard view of a rose, but it's less complex due to fewer open petals. When picking a subject at first, it's best to keep it simple! Learning the basics with less-complicated drawings such as this one will help you gain necessary skills. There's nothing to be gained by trying something too complicated right off the bat, like the example on the next page. That will do nothing but frustrate you. A simple drawing like this rosebud is still very satisfying, and it can teach some valuable lessons. In time you can graduate to a full vase of flowers!
Prismacolor on Flannel White Artagain paper, 14"x 11". Colors used: Carmine Red, Poppy Red, Tuscan Red, Neon Orange, Grass Green, Chartreuse, Sunburst Yellow, Burnt Umber.
10
Drawing the Joy of Nature with Colored Pencil
Practice, You’ll Get There! It takes practice to get to this level. Don’t attempt something with this much detail and complicated shapes until you learn the techniques in this book. Follow along page by page, doing the lessons in order. I created the projects so each one takes you a step further than the one before. Learning slowly, and taking things one step at a time, will give you the best results.
A Vase Full of Red Roses, Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper, 14"x 11". Colors used: Carmine Red, Poppy Red, Crimson Red, Tuscan Red, Salmon Pink, Olive Green, Limepeel, Dark Green, Sky Blue Light, Black, White.
Learning FROM LEE • K eep it simple! Don’t start with complicated subject matter, and start with fewer colors.
• L ook for shapes, values (lights and darks), highlights, shadows, and colors.
• P ractice projects in the order that they appear.
Introduction 11
CHA PT E R 1
Getting Started Starting any new art technique can seem very daunting, especially when you see all the possibilities and aspects of the medium you need to think through and understand. So where do you even begin? If you go to an art-supply store, you may see what looks like thousands of colored pencils, with many different types and many different brands. While each one of these pencils can be used, they are not all the same! Each brand is formulated differently, and therefore, will produce different results. It's not one-size-fits-all. For this book, I will be using just one good brand that is the easiest to find in stores, and that is Prismacolor. I do not recommend running out and buying the largest set, however. A beautiful drawing can be achieved using just a few colors. Get to know how to use the pencils before you get too involved in hundreds of colors. Neutral Tones This drawing of a sparrow was done with just three colors of neutral tones. To enhance the drawing, I used a brown-colored paper to make the white stand out. Look for reference photos that lend themselves to this monotone approach. Practicing with a limited number of colors is a great way to start! That way, you can concentrate on technique and not get confused by a myriad of colors.
Sparrow in Brown Tones, Prismacolor on Strathmore Toned Tan drawing paper, 5"x 7". Colors used: Sienna Brown, Black, White.
Drawing a Cherry Tomato This project gives you practice with layering and burnishing. Most of the time, both techniques are used to create realism. Draw the value scales here with layering first to get familiar with the colors. I have broken the scales into warm colors and cool colors (more on this later). When using burnishing, you will still start with the lightest colors, or undertones, then build on them. MATERIALS PAPER Stonehenge COLORS Sunburst Yellow Poppy Red Crimson Red Apple Green Aquamarine Cool Grey 50% White
Warm Colors Left to right: Sunburst Yellow, Poppy Red, Crimson Red.
Cool Colors Left to right: Apple Green, Aquamarine, Cool Grey 50%.
OTHER TOOLS Mechanical Pencil
1 | APPLY LIGHTEST COLORS
2 | DEEPEN COLORS
After a light drawing with a mechanical pencil, start with the lightest colors, Sunburst Yellow, and Apple Green. Apply an even layer of these colors as shown in the example. Be sure to leave a little round spot of the white paper for the highlight.
Layer Poppy Red over the yellow. Add Crimson Red to create darker red tones as shown. Don’t use firm pressure yet. This is where form and dimension start to take shape by creating shadows. It’s now looking round, not flat. Apply another layer of Apple Green to the leaves to fill them in. Lightly layer in the shadow beneath the tomato with Aquamarine.
3 | BURNISH COLORS TO FINISH With firm pressure, repeat steps 1 and 2, burnishing the color, completely covering the paper to help the surface look shiny. Use the lighter colors to blend edges, overlapping them. You don’t want to see where one color ends and another begins. Deepen the leaf edges with Cool Grey 50%. Add white for highlights. Lightly layer grey into the shadow below, then add a light touch of Crimson Red. Look at my example for placement of the colors.
22
Drawing the Joy of Nature with Colored Pencil
Drawing an Orange A border defines this drawing's edges, while layered warm background tones make the orange stand out. Heavy layering keeps it from looking too shiny. Once I applied the lighter colors, a light layer of a darker color created the peel texture. MATERIALS PAPER Stonehenge COLORS Canary Yellow Orange Salmon Pink Poppy Red Magenta Tuscan Red Limepeel Black
Warm Colors Left to right: Canary Yellow, Orange, Salmon Pink, Poppy Red, Magenta, Tuscan Red.
Cool Colors Left to right: Limepeel, Black.
OTHER TOOLS Mechanical Pencil Ruler Craft Knife
1 | APPLY LIGHTEST COLORS
2 | DEEPEN COLORS
Draw a circle the size of an orange with a mechanical pencil (you can trace a glass). Draw the stem. Lightly layer the orange with Canary Yellow, then Orange, as shown, using a circular motion to start the peel texture. Leave the bottom edge yellow. Draw a shadow below with Tuscan Red.
Add Orange to the peel with circular motions and Poppy Red to the edges. Don’t lose the light edge at bottom. Add Limepeel to the stem. Add light Magenta lines to the creases radiating from the stem, leaving yellow highlights. Add Magenta to the shadow below.
3 | ADD BACKGROUND AND TEXTURE TO FINISH Draw a box around the orange with a ruler. Leave more room at the bottom than the top for good composition. Layer Salmon Pink evenly over the background. Deepen the bottom corners. Add Magenta to the orange in small circles, making it darker along the edges. Once all color is added, use the tip of a craft knife to lightly scratch in texture with a circular motion to reveal lighter color below. If you take off too much, simply add color back with the same approach. Add a small amount of Black to the stem. Layer Magenta on the shadow below, allowing it to fade out.
Learning FROM LEE
• Practice color value scales to warm up. • Layer with a sharp point to create textures. • Burnish with a dull point for glossy, smooth surfaces. • Use a craft knife to add additional texture.
Basic Techniques 23
CHA PT E R 3
Composition, Color, Shapes, and Shading Many elements go into a good piece of art. It doesn’t happen by chance. An artist must fully understand certain principles and know how to apply them when creating a piece of art that is well balanced, interesting, and pleasing to the eye. It’s more than selecting a cool reference photo. I take thousands of photos, but only a few will fit my criteria for turning them into works of art. In this chapter, I will guide you through some of the necessary elements you will need to apply to your artwork—composition, color, basic shapes, and the five elements of shading. Hibiscus, Prismacolor and graphite on Bristol paper, 11" x 14". Colors used: Canary Yellow, Orange, Poppy Red, Tuscan Red, Apple Green, Aquamarine, Dark Green, Black, White, White Gel Pen. Versatility of Colored Pencil This drawing shows the versatility of colored pencil. It started as a graphite drawing designed to be in black and white. As an experiment, I colorized it with colored pencils when it was completed and sprayed with fixative. For a bit more impact, I added a touch of white gel pen to some of the edges.
CHA PT E R 4
Capturing Your Image on Paper One of the most challenging aspects of drawing can be creating an accurate line drawing. Being accurate with your shapes will always give you better results in the end. Artists since the beginning of time have created methods for obtaining accuracy in their shapes when drawing out their preliminary sketches. I will list a few tricks from the old masters. Artistic License Compare my drawing to its reference photo on the next page, and see how much liberty I take with my art, even though I started with accurate line drawing. Also note that it’s a combination of layering and burnishing. The plant is glossy, so it's burnished. The background is dull, so it's layered. The background was an exercise in patience, for it took hours of layering, and plenty of pencil sharpening to look gradual and even. To do this, I blurred my vision as I worked to see any irregularities forming. This helped me see where I needed to fill in, to keep everything looking smooth.
A Colorful Vine, Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper, 13" x 9". Colors used: Yellow Chartreuse, Lemon Yellow, Neon Orange, Neon Pink, Orange, Poppy Red, Scarlet Lake, Tuscan Red, Aquamarine, Spring Green, Grass Green, True Blue, Ultramarine, Lavender, Black, White.
CHA PT E R 6
Drawing Lovely Leaves Leaves are some of the most interesting things to draw in nature. They’re full of unique elements that can challenge you. No two are alike, and each species of plant or tree differs in the type of leaves it has. Capturing Details One of the most challenging aspects of drawing leaves is capturing details like edges and veins. A good photo reference is important. Getting the right color and focus can make all the difference. This drawing is from a photo reference I took after raking my yard. I had an entire barrel of dead, brown leaves, but when I peered into the barrel, the patterns of them lying on top of one another caught my eye. So, I took many photos of them. Once I transferred the photos to my computer, I was able to adjust the saturation of color and enhance the gold tones. Dead, brown leaves now came to life in an array of golds and reds. After some creative cropping, the perfect artistic photo reference was born for this piece.
Autumn Leaves, Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper, 14" x 11". Colors used: Lemon Yellow, Canary Yellow, Sunburst Yellow, Orange, Goldenrod, Burnt Ochre, Gold Ochre, Sienna Brown, Terra Cotta, Tuscan Red, Black Raspberry, Dark Brown, Chocolate, Dark Umber, Limepeel, Olive Green, Apple Green, Black, White.
3 | ADD MID TONES Add Spring Green to the background at right, and to the lower part of the leaf. On the upper part of the leaf, layer Mineral Orange. Add a small amount to the lower tip of the leaf also. On top of the Mineral Orange, add Carmine Red to deepen the color. Extend Sienna Brown under the leaf as a shadow. Use a vinyl stick eraser to lift color out from the light veins. Go over them with Cream.
4 | FINISH WITH BURNISHING Lightly burnish Cream over the entire leaf. The surface of this leaf is not grainy looking, so the layering technique will not finish it. But it's also not a shiny leaf with all the colors appearing bright and vivid. It's a dull, waxy-looking shine, so Cream makes the colors fill in and appear a bit muted. For the last stage of the leaf, create the little spots of color on the surface with Tuscan Red. Dull them down with Cream again by lightly going over the top of everything with a dull point. Use Cream to burnish the veins and the edges of the leaf. Finish the background colors by layering in more of the Yellow Chartreuse, Spring Green, Grass Green, and Sienna Brown.
Drawing Beautiful Leaves 55
CHA PT E R 8
Drawing Beautiful Flowers Few things create artistic inspiration like flowers. For centuries, artists have been drawn to their beauty. Whether Monet's gardens or the close-ups of Georgia O’Keeffe, floral art has been seen in museums and galleries as long as they've existed. Flowers offer endless possibilities to an artist through their unique shapes, magnificent colors, and thousands of species worldwide. Shades of Blue, Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper, 14" x 11". Colors used: Sky Blue Light, Aquamarine, Light Aqua, True Blue, Ultramarine, Violet Blue, Indigo, Chartreuse, Black, White.
Simple and Complex Flowers can range from extremely simple in their shapes and colors, to complicated textures featuring multiple colors and plenty of blooms on the plant.
Complex Crabapple Blossoms Many overlapping flowers create a challenge. Each blossom must be drawn individually with all elements of shading applied. With this much overlap, the edges become the key issue. Study your subject for light and dark edges. Look for the V’s within the recessed overlaps of surfaces to give it more depth. The background here is important as well. The background shapes are heavily burnished, making them look out of focus. The foreground flowers are layered (burnished first with White, then layering on top). This way I could also scratch out texture. Texture and detail are in crisp focus. This combination of focus and blur is the way our eyes see things. Only the things you're directly looking at are in pure focus. Everything else is blurred. Had I placed the same detail and crispness into all the flowers, depth would have been lost. For even more depth, I added a small number of white dots with a gel pen into the flower centers.
Simple Tulip This is a good place to start when you're a beginner. The egg shape of the flower and the long cylinder of the stem provide a good refresher on the basic shapes we covered earlier. The flower was drawn using the layering technique, since the petals are not highly shiny. Layers of color created the porous, more matte finish of this flower.
Pink Tulip, Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper, 8" x 5". Colors used: Pink, Neon Pink, Process Red, Magenta, Black Cherry, Yellow Chartreuse, Limepeel, Marine Green.
Flowering Crabapple, Prismacolor on Stonehenge paper, 11" x 14". Colors used: Pink, Neon Pink, Process Red, Magenta, Lilac, Lavender, Black Cherry, Black Raspberry, Yellow Chartreuse, Limepeel, Marine Green, Dark Green, Cool Grey 50%, Cloud Blue, Black, White.
Drawing Beautiful Flowers 73
Birds Are Fascinating Subjects Whether they be up close, flying away, on the land, or over sea, birds are fascinating subjects. With there being literally thousands
of species to choose from, located in every country on the globe, there is a never-ending supply of subjects waiting for you.
Capture a Feeling Birds tell such a story for the viewer. Just like this drawing. Even though there is very little detail to this seagull, it gives you the feeling of flying. Even with just the suggestion of the bird’s shape, you see every aspect of it in your mind. That’s what good art does for its viewers. It takes you to a place where your mind can fill in the blanks with your imagination. That is why art never looks the same to any two people. I hope you have fun drawing birds and will add them to your pile of things to draw.
Over the Sea, Prismacolor on Storm Blue Artagain paper, 7" x 8". Colors used: Light Aqua, Aquamarine, True Blue, Ultramarine, Cool Grey 90%, Black, White, White Gel Pen.
Learning FROM LEE • T ry different views from close-up to distant.
124
• Soft pastel can sometimes be used for an undertone.
• R emember the color wheel and use complements for contrast.
Drawing the Joy of Nature with Colored Pencil
• B ird feathers resemble flower petals in their shapes and overlapping surfaces.
• U se many techniques and tricks, such as scratching, for capturing textures.
• T he farther away something is, the lighter it will appear.
Conclusion Concluding a new book is always a bittersweet moment. The excitement and anticipation of getting to the end is a feeling of accomplishment. Knowing that all the illustrations are done and the manuscript is complete brings me such a huge sigh of relief. But all of those feelings are soon replaced with the edgy anticipation of what to do next. It doesn’t take long after I complete one book before I find myself wanting create the next. I could have easily turned each chapter of this book into a book all its own. I have thousands of references of flowers, birds, and butterflies calling me to look at them, begging me to do something! Being creative leaves little time for rest or regrouping. Soon I will be starting a whole new drawing. It may be hard to believe, but at one time I actually hated drawing with colored pencils. It's true! At the beginning, I was just doing it wrong. I had no teacher to instruct me as to how to properly apply colored pencils, so I just winged it. That didn’t work well. I became so frustrated, in fact, I almost threw them away. Instead, thank goodness, I just put them in a closet and returned to my graphite drawings. That was a technique I thought I had mastered pretty well. But things changed. I literally woke up one day and was in the mood to try colored pencil again. And suddenly, I seemed to know what I had been doing wrong. I had no technique at all! In areas that should have been soft and layered, I was applying the pencil too heavily. In areas that should have been burnished and smooth, I was applying the pencils too lightly. Nothing came together until that day. Once I tried colored pencils again and controlled my application, I was well on my way and learning to love them. Within a short
Memories of Mom, Prismacolor on Moonstone Artagain paper, 8" x 6". Colors used: Cream, Beige Sienna, Magenta, Process Red, Neon Orange, Chartreuse, Apple Green, Olive Green, Dark Green, Light Aqua, Black, White.
amount of time, I had written my first book about drawing with colored pencil. It's now my favorite medium after graphite (I'll always love that the most). Don’t get frustrated, and don’t give up. It will take time and practice to learn new things. Keep practicing. Be patient. Try new approaches, and experiment with techniques and paper colors. In time, like me, you will master it! Thank you to all who've taken the time to read this book. I hope you enjoyed the illustrations and step-by-steps. I've shared techniques that I’ve never included in a book before, and I hope you’re encouraged to try new things. The possibilities are truly endless. Drawing is such a fun, fulfilling activity. I wish you many hours of inspiration and excitement as you pursue your artistic dreams. Thanks for taking me along on your journey. Until next time!
Conclusion 125
Index A
adjacent colors 101 anhinga 106 apples 37, 42, 43, 48–49 application, controlled 20 Artagain paper 16 atmospheric perspective 123 autumn forest 68–69 autumn leaves 50 average distance 10, 41
B
backgrounds 42 balanced composition 91 bald eagles 117 Banyan trees 66–67 bees 37, 98–100 before and after drawings 7 bird of paradise flowers 86–87 birds anhinga 106 bald eagles 117 on black paper 116 bluebirds 103 blue jays 114–115 cardinals 107 colors, complementary 107 great blue herons 122–123 macaws 110–112 mourning doves 106 over the sea 124 owls 108–109 parrot feathers 104–105 pastel, adding 106 peacocks 102 robins 116, 117 sandpipers 113 seagulls 113, 124 sparrows 12 story, telling 117 surrounding details and basic shapes 103 swans 120–121 toucans 118–119 on tree limb 29 waterfowl, large 122–123 white gel pen details 120–121 black paper 16, 43, 62, 80, 94, 116 black swallowtail butterflies 92–93 bluebirds 103 blue jays 114–115 brown tones 12 brushes, drafting/makeup 17 bumblebees 98–99 burnishing 8, 18–19
126
butterflies approaches to drawing 95 composition and 91 fritillary 95 layering versus burnishing 19 malachite 96–97 monarch 91 Painted Lady 90 paper color and 94 red spotted purple 95 swallowtail 92–94 viceroy 91
C
cabbage leaves 64–65 caladium leaves 63 cardinals 107 cast shadows 28, 83, 84 center-based composition 91 cherry tomato 22 chrysanthemums 18, 82 circular viewfinders 38 coleuses 25 colored backgrounds 42 colors adjacent 101 color finding technique 17 complementary 27, 101, 107 cool 15 exaggerating 53 neutral 15 paper 16, 43, 62, 80, 94, 116 pencil 14–15 warm 14 white’s effect on 26 color value scales 26 color wheel 26 complementary colors 27, 101, 107 composition 25, 91 cones 29 cool colors 15 cordyline leaves 62 coreopsis 89 crabapple blossoms 73 craft knife 17 cylinders 29
D
demos apple 48–49 blue jay 114–115 bumblebee 98–99 butterfly, black swallowtail 92–93 butterfly, malachite 96–97 cherry tomato 22 egg 30
Drawing the Joy of Nature with Colored Pencil
egg, colored 31 flower, bird of paradise 86–87 flower, magnolia 74–75 flower, rose 78–79 flower, waterdrops on 76–77 foliage 69 leaf, waterdrops on 56–57 orange 23 owl 108–109 parrot feathers 104–105 pears 44–45 rock 21 sea grape leaf 54–55 succulent 60–61 tomato 22, 46–47 toucan 118–119 doves 106 dragonflies 101 drawing paper 16, 43, 62, 80, 94, 116 drawings before and after 7 segment 37, 58, 96, 104, 120
E
edges 28, 32, 84 eggs 30–31 egg shape 29 erasers 17 erasing graphite lines 20
F
fixatives 17 flowers bird of paradise 86–87 blue 72 chrysanthemums 18, 82 coreopsis 89 crabapple 73 distant 88 hibiscuses 24, 81, 84 light and shadow 83–85 lilies 7, 89 lilies of the valley 33 magnolias 74–75 meadow of 88 paper colors and 80 poppies 88 roses 9–11, 37, 38, 78–81, 83, 85 shading details 82 simple and complex 73 tulips 73 viewfinders and 39 waterdrops on 76–77 white gel pens and 89 foliage 69 fruit bowls 43
fruits and vegetables apples 37, 42, 43, 48–49 backgrounds 42 lemon 29 onions 8 oranges 23 paper colors and 43 peaches 43 pears 40, 44–45 pumpkins 41 techniques 42 tomatoes 8, 22, 42, 46–47 views 41 full light 28 full view 11, 41
G
gel pens, white 17, 89, 120–121 great blue herons 122–123 grey paper 16 grid method 35
H
half tone 28 herons 122–123 hibiscuses 24, 81, 84 honey bees 37, 100
waterdrops on 56–57 lemons 29 light 28–29, 83–85 lilies 7, 89 lilies of the valley 33 L’s (rectangular viewfinders) 36, 39
M
macaws 110–112 macro view 9, 41 magnolia 74–75 malachite butterflies 96–97 mat boards 16, 43 meadow of flowers 88 measuring 35 mechanical pencils 17 monarch butterflies 91 moths 38 mourning doves 106
N
negative space 25 neutral colors 15
O
illustration boards 16 inspiration, finding 36
oak leaves 52, 53 onions 8 orange 23 oval viewfinders 38 owls 108–109
K
P
I
kneaded erasers 17 knives, craft 17
L
ladybugs 101 landscapes 37 layering 8, 18–19 leaves approaches to drawing 63–65 autumn 50 cabbage 64–65 caladium 63 colors, complementary 27 colors, exaggerating 53 cordyline 62 details 58–59 edges 32 lights and darks 52 oak 52, 53 paper colors and 62 pin oak 52 sea grape 54–55 simple and complex 64–65 succulent 60–61 vein details 51
Painted Lady butterfly 90 paper, drawing 16, 43, 62, 80, 94, 116 parrot feathers 104–105 pastel, adding 106 peaches 43 peacocks 102 pears 40, 44–45 pencil extenders 17 pencils 12–15 pencil sharpeners 17 pin oak leaves 52 plants 25, 34–35, 36. see also flowers; trees poppies 88 positive space 25 Prismacolor Premier pencils 13–15 progress 7 projects. see demos pumpkins 41
R
reflected light 28 robins 116, 117 rocks 21 roses 9–11, 37, 38, 78–81, 83, 85
S
sandpiper 113 scratching technique 67, 68–69 S-curve composition 25 sea grape leaves 54–55 seagulls 113, 124 segment drawings 37, 58, 96, 104, 120 shading 82 shadow edges 28, 84 shadows 28–29, 83–85 shapes 28–29 sparrows 12 spheres 28, 29 squash 41 standard view 10, 41 Stonehenge paper 16 storytelling 41, 117 succulent leaves 60–61 super close-up view 41 swallowtail butterflies 92–94 swans 120–121
T
tomatoes 8, 22, 42, 46–47 toned paper 16, 43 tools 12–17 toucans 118–119 transitions, smooth 20 trees 66–71, 123 tulips 73
V
vegetables. see fruits and vegetables viceroy butterfly 91 viewfinders 36, 38–39 viewpoint 9–11, 41 vines 34–35 vinyl stick erasers 17 V’s (V-shaped areas) 59, 82
W
warm colors 14 waterdrops 56–57, 76–77 waterfowl, large 122–123 white, effect on color 26 white backgrounds 42 white gel pens 17, 89, 120–121 white paper 16, 62, 80, 94
realism 8, 68, 84 red spotted purple butterfly 95
Index 127
Draw colorful nature subjects with bestselling author Lee Hammond!
This book is loaded with fun lessons and projects for drawing realistic leaves, trees, flowers, butterflies, bees, birds, fruits and vegetables. It includes basic instruction on materials, transferring reference images, burnishing, and other key lessons for beginners. More than 20 step-by-step demonstrations show how to draw subjects from three different viewpoints, from far away to super close.
with Colored Pencil
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Drawing the Joy of Nature
LEE HAMMOND
values, color, shadows, layering,
Drawing the Joy of Nature with Colored Pencil
ART TECHNIQUES | DRAWING
LEE HAMMOND
