Drawing Expertise: Master the Art of Drawing Luscious Green Grass
In this comprehensive tutorial, I will guide you through the process of drawing summer grass using the direct method. By layering and blending techniques, you’ll be able to achieve a realistic and vibrant depiction of lush greenery. Join me on this artistic journey!
Before we dive in, I would like to credit Ann Kullberg’s Grazing Horses tutorial, which served as the inspiration for this step-by-step grass drawing.
To start, gather your preferred materials, such as Bristol vellum paper and Prismacolor Premier Soft Core pencils. However, feel free to use any paper and pencil brand that suits your style. Color names may differ, but online color charts can help you match hues across different brands.
Step 1: Establishing Depth and Form
To create a sense of distance in your artwork, begin by employing stroke quality, stroke length, and value. By adopting these techniques, you can achieve a realistic pictorial depth.
In the foreground, use darker, longer, and more varied strokes. As you move towards the middle distance, make your strokes shorter, lighter in value, and more uniform. Lastly, for the far distance, opt for circular or very short directional strokes.
As an advocate of the umber underdrawing method, I typically start with Light Umber as my initial color. Begin by outlining major shapes, and for shadows, use directional strokes instead of outlining. Shade the shadows with light pressure and sharp pencils, layering values gradually to avoid heavy pressure, especially on smooth paper like Bristol.
Step 2: Glazing and Layering
Apply Sand color over the grass using vertical strokes, starting with the foreground and gradually shortening them towards the middle distance. Overlapping strokes will prevent unwanted edges from appearing.
Next, glaze Chartreuse over the same areas using light pressure and a sharp pencil. This will bring vibrant tones to your artwork. To add depth to the tall grass, layer Marine Green into the shadows around the horses and some middle values. Employ light pressure and directional strokes, ensuring that individual strokes are less visible in the background compared to the foreground.
Step 3: Refining the Middle Values
Continuing with Chartreuse, layer it into some of the lighter middle values using the same stroke technique as before. The key is to maintain consistency while leaving certain areas untouched by the darker values.
Take your time during this meticulous process. Colored pencil artistry is inherently slow-paced. It’s better to work carefully and get it right the first time, rather than rushing and making mistakes. Remember, even the most experienced artists need to take breaks to stay focused and maintain precision.
Step 4: Adding Depth and Texture
Layer Olive Green over the majority of the meadow, paying attention to avoid covering the brightest highlights. Employ a combination of closely spaced vertical strokes and circular motions with light to medium pressure. Gradually darken the shadows and darker middle values using medium pressure and circular strokes with Olive Green.
To enhance the visual appeal, introduce Peacock Green from the bottom of the meadow with directional strokes and medium-light to medium pressure.
Step 5: Achieving Uniformity and Details
Apply Jasmine over the meadow with light-medium pressure, using circular strokes and closely-spaced vertical strokes to ensure even coverage. Follow up with another layer of Olive Green, omitting the area immediately in front of the horses. To create the impression of grass, vary the length and direction of your strokes.
Remember, there’s no need to draw every single blade of grass. Instead, focus on creating tufts by playing with light and dark areas. Concentrate on adding intricate details to the foreground and edges where different colors or values intersect.
Pro Tip: Avoid getting caught up in perfecting every blade of grass, as it may divert your attention from the overall composition. Emphasize the patterns of lights and darks to achieve a more realistic look.
Step 6: Adding Finishing Touches
In the area immediately in front of the horses, create clumps of grass using curving, fan-shaped strokes. Utilize sharp pencils and light pressure to achieve darker but visible marks. Give your drawing an authentic touch by leaving some parts of the paper uncovered, and add darker marks to the shadowed side of each grass clump.
Step 7: Perfecting the Artwork
To finalize your masterpiece, glaze alternating layers of Jasmine and Olive Green over the meadow. This will add a warm green hue and harmonize the overall color scheme.
Step 8: Enhancing Depth in the Foreground
Deepen the foreground by applying Dark Green with medium to heavy pressure. Emulate the appearance of grass by using directional, vertical strokes while ensuring even coverage using tight circular motions.
Follow up with layers of Dark Brown and Indigo Blue over the same areas, employing similar techniques. Gradually lighten the values as you move up the composition to create a smooth transition. If necessary, darken the cast shadows from the horses to add more dimension.
Conclusion: Embrace Your Artistic Journey
This tutorial focused on drawing summer grass, but I have also included a more detailed tutorial on drawing autumn grass. Whether you’re aiming for tall or vibrant grass, these techniques can be adapted to suit your desired outcome.
Remember, this tutorial is only a glimpse of the Grazing Horses In-Depth Tutorial by Ann Kullberg. The complete tutorial delves into drawing the horses and their background, providing comprehensive guidance for all aspects of your artwork. So, embrace your creativity and explore the possibilities!
