Nature drawings, intended for copying by beginners and experienced artists, are most often created using a pencil.
Despite this, psychologists who practice art therapy recommend fine arts classes use paints (watercolor, gouache, pastel, etc.) as often as possible. Painting landscape objects has a positive effect on the state of the nervous system, reduces the level of cortisol in the blood, and stimulates the production of endorphins.
What tools can beginners use to draw nature?
Drawings of nature for copying (landscapes with a minimum number of objects, each of which requires detailed drawing) are usually drawn in pencil by beginning artists using a number of tools and materials.
Nature Drawings for Copying - Drawing Materials and Tools
This:
simple pencils of different hardness (the hardness of the stationery directly affects the quality of the image it creates - a soft pencil draws thick, shaded lines that are extremely difficult to erase with an eraser if necessary; hard pencils that create thin lines are necessary for drawing the outline of landscape objects);
watercolor paints (used to create a delicate background or blurred outlines of objects. Watercolor has a minimal density in its structure, which is what causes the lack of saturation of shades when distributing paint on a sheet of paper with a normal surface);
pastels (according to their composition, pastels are classified as dry, oil and wax. For beginner artists, it is recommended to use the oil type of pastel, as it is easy to shade and correct with additional lines. Dry pastel is used only by professional artists or beginners at the final stage of the learning process);
gouache (has a dense composition, which allows the paint to be distributed on a sheet of paper while maintaining the saturation and brightness of the shade. It is gouache that is recommended for painting landscape objects when working with children or beginning artists.
Young artists can work with gouache without brushes, picking up the required amount of paint with their fingers.
This way, it will be possible not only to reveal their creative potential, but also to develop fine motor skills, which directly influence the thought processes in the child’s brain, as well as the richness of the little person’s speech).
Easy Nature Drawings for Kids to Copy with Pencils
Drawings of nature for children to copy with a pencil involve schematic images of landscapes at different times of the year, as well as their individual elements, such as flowers, clouds, the sun, and so on.
Mountain landscapes
The mountain landscape and its key objects in summer can be depicted as follows:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
From the right border of the sheet of paper, draw 2 lines to the left side so that the extreme point of the upper line is located in the center of the left side edge, and the lower one is in the lower left corner (river).
In the inner part of the river, draw several lines with smooth curves, placing them randomly.
In the lower right corner, draw 2 fir trees using triangles and elongated rectangles.
From the top line on the left side, schematically draw 6-8 trees standing close to each other.
Step back 3-5 cm from the top line and draw 4 volumetric triangles, the edges of which should be depicted as curved lines (mountains).
Above the tops of the mountains, depict birds (check marks, one side of which should be thicker).
Between the peaks of any 2 mountains, draw a semicircle so that its extreme points are on the adjacent faces of the volumetric triangles. Draw straight lines directed in different directions (the sun).
Colour a summer mountain landscape using green, yellow and blue coloured pencils.
Forest landscapes
A forest winter landscape can be drawn like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
Using a horizontal line, divide the sheet of paper you are using into 2 parts.
On the dividing line in the upper half of the plane, draw a house using simple geometric shapes (rectangles, diamonds, squares, circles, triangles).
On both sides of the house, 3 cm away from the horizon line, draw a wavy line imitating the outlines of the forest.
Draw a path using 2 smoothly curved lines that follow each other's outlines.
In the foreground, draw a schematic of a snowman (3 circles of different sizes - body, elongated triangle - nose, triangle on the top circle - hat).
On the left side of the path, schematically depict 2 trees standing close to each other (for example, a spruce and a birch).
Colour the objects of the winter forest landscape using blue, green and brown colour pencils.
Water landscapes
A water spring landscape can be drawn like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
Mark the horizon line so that the top half of the sheet is half the size of the bottom.
From the horizon line, draw 2 curved lines with smooth bends down, imitating a stream or a narrow river.
On both sides of the river banks depict trees. One tree is 2 verticals, located from each other at a distance of 2-5 cm. Trees should be drawn of different heights and with trunks of different thicknesses.
Draw diagonal lines (branches) from the tree trunks. On the branches, schematically depict melting snow in smooth semicircles.
Add detail to the image by adding thawed patches with visible grass and snowdrops in several places, and also by indicating the flow of the river and the waves with curved lines with smooth bends.
If desired, color the resulting drawing using colored pencils in blue, light blue and light green shades.
Pictures of nature in pastel
Drawings of nature for copying, for recreation, may involve the use of not only a simple pencil, but also other stationery, such as pastels.
Images created using pastels are distinguished by the clarity of the drawn lines, as well as the saturation of the colors used.
Mountain landscapes
A mountain landscape in winter can be drawn like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
Divide the sheet of paper you are using into 2 halves with a horizontal line, with randomly placed smooth curves.
The lower part of the sheet is lined with similar horizontal lines with smooth curves, placing them at different distances from each other (snowdrifts).
In the foreground, using the simplest geometric figures, schematically depict trees (fir trees, birches, oaks). The trees should be different in size, depending on their distance from the viewer's view.
At the top of the sheet, stepping back 5-7 cm from the main horizontal curve, draw 2-3 uneven semicircles, placing them at a small distance from each other (mountains).
Above the mountains, draw a medium-sized even circle (the sun). Stepping back 1-2 cm from it, draw a curved line around it, imitating the glow of this celestial object and its rays.
If desired, color the picture using pastels in shades of blue, light blue, yellow and green.
Forest landscapes
A forest autumn landscape can be drawn like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
Mark the horizon line by drawing a horizontal line along the sheet of paper you are using so that both parts of the plane are equal to each other.
From the dividing line at the top of the sheet, draw 10 vertical lines of different lengths, grouping them into 2 (tree trunks).
Using wavy lines located around the previously drawn trunks, schematically depict the crowns of the trees.
Inside the crowns, draw diagonal lines directed randomly (tree branches).
Draw 3 fir trees at any distance from each other closer to the bottom edge of the sheet of paper. It is recommended to depict the trees as 3 triangles located on top of each other and a small rectangle drawn downwards from the bottom edge of the largest triangle (tree trunk).
Fill the space between the trees with intermittent wavy lines with smooth curves.
In the upper right corner, draw an even circle with randomly directed diagonals of different lengths.
Colour the image using yellow, orange and green pastels.
Water landscape
A water landscape can be drawn with pastels like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
Use a longitudinal straight line to mark the horizon line so that its lower part is half the size of the upper part.
Visually divide the horizon line into 2 halves. On the right side, stepping back 2-6 cm, draw a zigzag line (the outline of the hills).
In the lower left corner, you need to draw a semicircle so that its upper extreme point is located on the side edge of the plane, and its lower extreme point is on the lower one.
From the semicircle in the direction of the upper right corner, draw 4 lines with a smooth bend, grouping them by 2 (palm tree trunks). Connect the straight lines at the top point.
From the intersection point of the lines used to depict the trunk, draw 7 straight lines directed in different directions (palm leaves). Color the trunks of the palms and the hill at their base.
Add volume to the image by filling the space between the main objects with colored strokes of pastel. Recommended shades are pink, blue, and light blue.
Delicate watercolor drawings for copying
Drawings of nature for copying (only the outline of key objects of the landscape should be drawn with a pencil), in which the artist seeks to emphasize the tenderness of the color scheme of the environment and to endow his works with tranquility and spirituality, are recommended to be created using watercolors.
Mountain landscapes
A mountain landscape can be drawn like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
Determine the horizon line, then mark it with a wavy line. The dividing line should be positioned so that the lower part is wider than the upper part.
Step back 5-7 cm from the horizon line, then, closer to the left side edge of the sheet of paper, draw a triangle with uneven edges (the outline of a mountain).
From the right extreme point of the triangle, draw a line with smooth curves towards the right side of the sheet of paper being used.
Closer to the right edge of the sheet, draw half of a triangle so that its end point is the top of the mountain being depicted.
In the middle of the mountain line, draw a semicircle with an upward bend (the sun).
Draw the outlines of the fir trees using zigzag lines on the right and left under the horizon line.
From the lower boundary of the working plane, draw several vertical lines directed randomly.
Colour the drawing with watercolors using pink, purple, blue, black and light orange shades.
Forest landscapes
An autumn forest landscape can be drawn like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
Determine the horizon line. Draw a horizontal line so that the lower part of the plane is half the size of the upper part.
From the horizon line, draw 6 vertical lines of equal length with smooth curves, grouping them into 2 (tree trunks).
On both sides of the verticals, through intervals of random length, draw several diagonals (branches).
Step back 3 cm from the horizon line and draw several semicircles imitating the crowns of trees located in the distance.
Paint the forest landscape with green, yellow, orange and brown watercolors. The yellow and orange shades should be made as saturated as possible to most accurately convey the atmosphere of the autumn forest.
Water landscape
A summer water landscape can be drawn like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
Determine the horizon line. Draw a horizontal line so that the lower half of the plane of the sheet used is 3 times larger than the upper one.
From the horizon line, draw an elongated semicircle upwards, the border of which should have small curves of a chaotic direction (the outlines of trees standing in the distance).
From the extreme points of the horizon line, draw curved lines in a downward direction with arbitrary bends.
Step back 7-8 cm from the bottom edge of the sheet of paper being used and draw a horizontal line, located slightly diagonally.
Connect the verticals drawn from the horizon line with the extreme points of the horizontal drawn in point 4 (the outline of the river).
Under the horizontal line drawn in point 4, draw 3 isosceles triangles with a small rectangle at the base (trees).
Paint a water landscape using green, blue, light blue and yellow watercolors.
Beautiful pictures of nature in gouache
Beautiful landscapes of nature at different times of the year can also be created using gouache.
Mountain landscapes
A mountain landscape can be drawn like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
The central part of the working surface should be painted with horizontal strokes of gouache so that the color in the upper part of the drawing is lighter than in the lower part.
Let the paint dry.
Draw a triangle from the side edges of the shaded area.
At equal intervals along the entire length of the edges of the triangle, draw diagonal lines from the border of the drawing, directed towards the lower right corner (outlines of the mountains).
Using thick strokes of gouache, paint the image. Make the mountains snow-covered using white paint, and outline their borders (diagonal lines) in blue.
Forest landscapes
An autumn forest landscape can be drawn like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
Determine the horizon line. Draw a horizontal line so that the top part is twice as big as the bottom.
In the upper right corner, draw a perfect circle. Along the entire length of the circle, draw straight lines directed in different directions (the sun with rays).
From the horizon line, draw several vertical lines, grouping them into 2 (tree trunks).
Draw 3-4 additional branches on each side of the trunk.
Draw a semicircle around the trunks (the outline of the tree crowns).
Step back 5 cm from the horizon line and draw a diagonal line with smooth bends in different directions (the outline of a hill).
In a randomly chosen place, depict 3 fir trees using triangles and a rectangle.
Paint over the resulting image using gouache in shades of red, green, yellow and orange.
Water landscape
A summer water landscape can be drawn like this:
Example of a picture for copying
Workflow Algorithm
Determine the horizon line. Draw a horizontal line exactly in the middle of the sheet.
Step back 5-6 cm from the lower border of the working plane, draw a curve with a smooth downward bend, placing it horizontally.
Paint the lower part of the sheet, under the curve, with deep blue gouache. Let the paint dry.
On the right and left from the lower border of the working plane, draw several curved lines with smooth bends (grass growing on the river bank).
Above the horizon line, draw a semicircle with an upward bend (the setting sun).
Colour the resulting image using gouache, having first mixed it with white paint in the area above the horizon line.
Nature drawings are suitable for copying not only with pencil, but also with watercolors, gouache and pastels.
It is recommended to select working tools taking into account the mood you plan to convey with the final image, as well as what appearance it should have.
In order for the resulting image to be rich and bright, a novice artist is recommended to use gouache and pastel of dense oil composition in his work. To convey gentle and calm shades of the landscape, it is necessary to paint the images with watercolors.
