That is exactly what I’ve done in this picture. I was given a photograph of this old shed from a friend and couldn’t wait to draw it!
I’ve chosen to work in Graphite pencil adding a hint of colour using Derwent Graphitint pencils.
STEP ONE
Having decided on my medium I set about sketching up my drawing, I have chosen a full sheet of 310g Illustration board lightly textured.
Firstly I mark in my horizon and then the vanishing points. I start on my sketch using a 2B graphite pencil. The shed has a lot of boards missing and the gaps between them make an interesting outlook through to the background.
STEP TWO
I add a little colour to the tin roof using a mix of Shadow and Dark Indigo and Cool Brown and Chestnut for the rusty panels. I then wet the pencil areas with clean water to enhance the colours. Once the roof was dry I then started adding in lots of trees plus the all-important shadows on the shed roof. The trees are very time consuming but a critical element in capturing the Aussie bush!
STEP THREE
I begin to darken the trees and shed panels by increasing the pressure on my pencil and switching to 4B and 6B’s.
More trees and a couple of old fence posts start to bring the picture together nicely. I keep adding little touches of colour to keep consistency in the work. Placement of the gate is decided at this point as well.
STEP FOUR
Chestnut and Cool Brown are added to the gate and foreground tree, plus Ivy for the leaves on both the foreground and background trees. The leaves in the shaded areas are a mix of Slate green and 6B Graphite pencil.
STEP FIVE
I thought I would add a couple of young Kookaburra’s to the old gate to give the “old setting” some “new life!” I worked on these using my Graphitint pencils (Aubergine and Shadow) for the shading on the white feathers and Cool Brown and Chestnut for the head and wing feathers. I wet both of theses areas for a more intense colour. After this had dried off I felt a small amount of watercolour paint would give them more solidity. Burnt umber, Raw sienna and Warm white made the birds come to life.
STEP SIX
I added more highlights to the tree in the foreground also using watercolour paints. I added Cool Brown, Chestnut and Storm to the path behind the Kooka’s then set about adding more trees.
STEP SEVEN
I used a white pencil to highlight the frame of the rusty gate and for the gravel on the path. At this point I extended the path beyond the shed, creating more depth in my picture.
STEP EIGHT
I went over the whole picture using a Medium wash water-soluble Graphite pencil, adding deeper shadows across the grass plus more shading on the trees and in the shed, I also “warmed up” the grass in the foreground using Chestnut, Warm Brown and watercolour Sepia.
I added more colours to the bark on the trees and more Ivy green leaves.
After leaving it on a spare easel for a few days I made a few small changes and signed off on it. I hope you enjoyed wandering through the Australian bush with me. Happy Painting!
ARTIST’S HINTS AND TIPS
• Be sure to use the side of your pencil lead for shading areas to
achieve a smoother coverage.
• Working with your lightest pencils first i.e. HB when first sketching in will make it easier to erase any adjustments you want to make. Then as you want to darken the lines increase the number of your pencils from 4B to B and so on.
• Be consistent with your shadows and highlights, these are easy mistakes to make when you are caught up in the pleasure of creating.
• First establish your light source (left or right or overhead) then work with that right through your picture.
