Page:Drawing for Beginners.djvu/196

 mark the girth of the trunk, and draw the tree, building up with big curves, and noting the snake-like twist of the slender branches. Mark the richest and deepest shadows, how the shadows break into shadow shapes of twigs, leaves, and grass.

Trees are difficult&mdash;that much is admitted even by Ian, who is devoted to his pencil.

"Oh, yes," said Ian, "I can draw horses, and men, and houses&mdash;but trees&mdash;&mdash;" and he paused thoughtfully.

To draw a tree from life, we must aim at the main structure. First draw the trunk, then the biggest branches, lastly the leaves.

There is a curious fact about trees that is worth recording, for it is often helpful when we are faced with the difficulties of grasping such a big subject. A branch of a tree will have all the characteristics of the tree itself.

Examine a small branch of an oak-tree&mdash;just a spray of leaves. Are they not sturdy, stout fellows? Does not each twig strike out in an independent fashion&mdash;spreading strongly? And is not the branch from which the twig is broken gnarled and twisted, stubborn and strong? Walk some distance away from the oak-tree, then turn and observe it carefully.

Has not the tree the same characteristics as the branch, as the twig?

Compare a twig of the poplar-tree with the tree itself. Is not the twig the same pyramid shape as the parent tree?

It is a good idea to draw some twigs of a tree before trying to draw the tree itself. And this is an excellent subject when the weather is too cold to stand out of doors. Gather some bare twigs and carry them home and make careful drawings of the twigs. When spring is approaching you will find delightful little subjects in the swinging green and red catkins and the soft down of the pussy willows, and autumn provides us with a wealth of clustering nuts. Which studies will help you with your drawing of the tree.

When drawing the branch of a tree look from one side to