Capturing Nature through Sketching

You may think that sketching natural vegetation; young plants, leaves, and flowers are all simple images to record. The truth is the exercise is far from easy and perhaps even very difficult to do. However while there is a will there is a way.

I was determined to see if I could capture this serene, peaceful view of Shelley’s back yard. It was silent and calm this beautiful morning. Not a wind was felt only birds happily chirping away probably enjoying the beauty of being alive, just as I did.

I sat close by and studied the scene from an architectural point of view. In my analysis I could clearly see the make up of the perspective. The foreground is rich in detail while the fence in background anchors the plants and flowers as a backdrop highlighting the beauty of the scene.

It is now easy to study and sketch each individual leaves of each plant in a systematic way as they each relate one to another. Their shape, veins and posture create a dimension and pattern that makes the composition feel like a breath of fresh air.

Once I got the hang of it, I became enthused and with feverish activity I moved to the front of Shelley’s home and tried my hand at the beautiful trees that grace the entrance of her home.

What the heck, I thought, “lets do the whole shebang”!

Moving back into Shelley’s beautifully manicured lawn setting, I took to the high ground and settled into serious architectural sketching. Not only to capture the natural setting but also to study the perspective make up of Shelley’s home. And of course the exercise is to expand on my mission to translate my observations on to a 2D medium.