How to Draw a Garden Picture

Focus on an interesting section when drawing a garden.

English gardens draw you in with their well-manicured lawns and detailed flower arrangements. Others appeal to your wild side with their tangled flowers cascading with leaves. Or, perhaps it is the symmetry and peacefulness of an oriental garden you admire. Evoke these feelings as you draw a garden picture. Depict the scene of your choice by using several basic techniques and supplies. Even if you are unable to grow the garden of your dreams, you can draw a picture and frame it for posterity.

Things You'll Need

• Camera or camera phone
• Pencil
• Sketch pad
• Colored pencils

Instructions

1. Choose the type of garden you want to draw. Photograph several sections of the garden that appeal to you. Zoom in for close ups of the flowers and use wide angles for the overall scene shots. Decide on the picture to draw.

2. Sharpen your pencil. Divide your paper into thirds in lengh and width. Run a light line down each section. Do the same to your photograph. Refer to these lines often for placement of items in your drawing.

3. 

   Use your picture as a guide.

   Sketch defining items, large items and solid items first. Review of this picture indicates it is the horizontal railing bars and house siding. In yours it may be a set of rocks, a bridge, several trees or a fountain.

4. Sketch in the area perimeters. In the sample drawing, it would be the larger flowers and leaves outside the railing. In yours, it may be the shapes of the flowers beds, the flowers in front or a bush.

5. Sketch in the rest of the design. In the sample, it would be the long shoots holding the red flowers, other flowers in the garden and the dome-shaped railings.

6. Define your shapes with details. Draw in the flower petals, leaves and blades of grass. Draw the lines indicating the siding as you thicken the railing.

7. Add color to your picture as you fill in the detailed shapes. Draw with the pointed edge of your colored pencil to define an item by drawing around the perimeter. Shade and color the item by using the side of the pencil and rubbing with your finger. Use your eraser as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Sketch light shapes of objects first to determine a pleasing placement. Review the lines for composition. Start and end items around these lines to give an interesting edge to your picture.

• Shading is useful for large grass areas where individual stalks blend. Choose several shades of green for grass. Mix browns with black for trees. Use yellows and oranges for the sun and flowers.

• Don't stress over the details: make the overall look pleasing to you. It's OK to leave out items from the photograph.

References

• Draw Your World: Drawing Enriches the Curriculum
• All About Drawings: Flower Outline Drawings