When drawing leaves, you really need to take a good look at the actual shape before even trying to put a pencil to paper. Leaves are not perfectly shaped or made up out of straight lines so it is really important when trying to accurately reproduce the leaf that you draw with a relaxed hand. When a pencil drawing to always ensure you have the right pencils for the job, experiment a little to see what is right for you. This does depend on the subject also however.

 

* Every leaf has a different shape or format. Flower leaves for example, are usually a bit rounder in shape, and it could be said that tree leaves have a more triangular aspect to them. Even leaves from the same tree could look little different, some may have more lines than others, and some may be smoother or even cracked. You can usually tell the older leaves from the newer ones, through colour and touch.

 

* Leaves are not all one colours, they are a mixture of light and dark shadings, they may have mottled hues and some of their veins may be more prominent than others. Veins are not always symmetrical either.

 

* In order to make a good drawing regardless of the subject, observation is absolutely vital. If you are drawing from realistically then it makes sense to observe the subject that you are planning to draw. Don’t just try and copy it, put your heart and soul into it.

 

Practicing drawing leaves regularly will make it easier for you to turn your hand to when you need to draw them as part of a bigger picture. For an interesting project collect a handful of leaves and then drop them onto a kitchen table or work top and begin to draw the leaf collection. Notice how their different shades compliment each other and how they all overlap.

 

The advantage of pencil drawing is that you can leave the finished picture as it is, or if you wish to continue in your artistic endeavors, then you may wish to add colour. As we all usually attempt to draw landscapes at one point or another, it is wise to practice the art of drawing an accurate representation of a leaf as it will certainly stand you in good stead.