Jake Draws The Great Outdoors

About

You Will Need (3 things)

Steps (5 steps, 25 minutes)

1. 1

   If you're gonna be a better artist then as always observation is key! Drawing plants and animals means you're going to need some sort of sketchbook. Something on the smaller side is probably better so you can bring it with you and jot down quick notes, but still fit inside of a small bag or pocket.

2. 2

   This is my favorite part! I used to just take walks when I had artist block but now it's a part of my schedule. Spring is my favorite time of the year. When all of those flowers and trees are in bloom I can spend up to an hour walking around my neighborhood taking note of lovely things that capture my imagination. Bring that sketchbook with you!

3. 3

   When drawing nature I like to utilize three different methods of creating something beautiful. First, I like to take pictures for reference (this is especially useful since it's not always a great idea to march into a stranger's garden and start tearing out flowers), I also collect leaves and flowers when I can, and I also create from memory. I believe that this last method is so important - yes it's nice to have the item on hand to copy from, but taking the time to study an object on the spot then going home and recreating it is a good brain exercise!

4. 4

   I like to think of my nature sketchbook as a suitcase. I've been drawing nature for as long as I can remember and I'm careful to keep all of my sketchbooks organized (because I'm crazy like that). The more elements you can "collect" in your own sketchbooks the more tools you will have when creating worlds and characters!

5. 5

   The world is a beautiful unpredictable place, and nature seems to mirror that beauty and that unpredictability. If you keep your eyes open you can learn from the world around you and use that knowledge to make something memorable.