PRACTICE

LANDSCAPE
SKETCHING
WORKBOOK
@DARIBODRAWING
HOW TO USE PRACTICE CARDS

This workbook contains 22 practice cards. Each card has a short

explanation and exercises. On the pages 22 and 23 you find step-by-step
instruction on how to draw trees, followed by the practice exercises.

You can start with a card that feels easier to you and practice till you can
draw from memory. It’s important to build your visual library to be able to
draw well from imagination. I practice every card many times!

On the bottom of every page you see “write a date/time used”. This allows
you to track your progress. Believe me, it will be interesting to check it out
later. Also you might notice how much faster you can draw from your
memory when you master the subject. For the best progress try to draw
daily for 25 minutes. I did exactly 25 minutes (with a timer) during one
month. It’s a great feeling when you see that you can do it, and the best is
that you will not want to stop!

You can use the cards on your digital device but I would recommend to
print them out and practice with a pen, preferably a fineliner. Not only you
can achieve a similar look, fineliners are great for practicing. You can not
erase them, which means you will learn from your mistakes. Get used to the
idea that “mistakes” are okay :)

With a fineliner, you concentrate on the lines. You learn to control them
and develop your hand-eye coordination, which is a foundation to draw
anything you want. It’s a good idea to start with black and white, as it
allows you to study the contrast of light and dark. So basically all you need
is a pen and paper. You are ready to start and practice anywhere :)

Cheers
Daria

@DARIBODRAWING
 1
BASIC LINE TYPES IN LANDSCAPE DRAWING

With these basic line types you can draw different vegetation, materials, human
figures, water elements, rocks, etc.

Practice these lines often to gain confidence in sketching.

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 2
SKETCHING GROUND COVER PLANTS AND SURFACES
For example, mulch, sand, flowers, lawn, ground cover plants and bushes.

1. Practice single lines.

2. Draw small areas with simple "doodle" lines.

EXERCISE 1

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EXERCISE 2

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BASIC LINE TYPE “SIMPLE”

This is a simple straight line. You can try to make it as straight as you can but
making it a bit squiggly is a good thing - it adds up a human touch to our
drawing. Also try to break it sometimes, especially when you want to draw
textures.

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 4
BASIC LINE TYPE “ARC”

This is a smooth curved line. Practice to draw it in different directions for

different vegetation elements, water, and texture.

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 5
BASIC LINE TYPE “POLYGON”

This is a multisided shape with more than four sides. Tip: draw a line inside
the box and then add polygons:

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BASIC LINE TYPE “BUBBLE”

Draw simple circles or slight ovals. Make sure that the shapes have a clean
connection. Multiple lines are also okay.

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BASIC LINE TYPE “FRAY”

Draw a plain straight line with one end emphasized and the other tapering out.
Start firm and release your pressure on a pen towards the end of the line.
Practice to use this line for branches, grasses and leaves.

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 8
BASIC LINE TYPE “FRAY”

When you draw branches, you can use a round template or a dot outline to create
a round shape. Next, add the main branches and finally the secondary ones. You
can hide the dot outline by adding more dots around the crown.

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 9
BASIC LINE TYPE “BOOKSHELF”

Draw a series of simple lines in a row. Place them irregularly: sometimes parallel
to each other, sometimes slightly angled. Use this line type to draw vegetation,
landform (slopes), rocks, textures (soil) and even a bookshelf :)

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BASIC LINE TYPE “SCALLOP” 10

Draw irregular scallop lines by repeating the letter “u” or the letter “m”. With
scallop line you can draw deciduous trees/shrubs (that shed leaves in the fall)
and coniferous trees (evergreen). Notice design principles: add variety by using
different lines and shapes, while keeping something in common.

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 13
ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE IN LANDSCAPE

Place a vanishing point (VP) and draw a one-point

perspective using guiding lines. Notice how everything
gets smaller as it approaches the horizon. You can see
the perspective lines in the clouds and in the fields. Drawing tip

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 14
EVENLY SPACED OBJECTS / REPETITION

Repetition in design establishes rhythm, guiding the viewer’s eye. It helps to

create unity and enhance the overall aesthetic. Practice drawing different
evenly spaced elements. To draw the fence, start with the poles. To divide
areas evenly, split area in halves, quarters, eights, etc.

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 15
CONE-SHAPED TREES / LINE TYPES FOR FOLIAGE

Start by drawing a cone shape with small dots or short

strokes, then connect them with textured lines to bring
your tree to life. This practice will help you to create
endless variety in your landscape drawings easily.

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 16
HOW TO DRAW THUMBNAIL-SIZE PEOPLE

People help to show scale, mood and use of the place. First, sharpen your sense
of proportions. For example, you can use the head to body proportion of 1:7.
Start with simple outlines. Added shadows “anchors” figures to the ground and
create the feeling of three-dimensional space.

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 17
THUMBNAIL-SIZE PEOPLE

Tiny people in different poses, like standing, walking, or sitting.

YOU CAN COLOR THIS PAGE

 18
PRACTICE DRAWING THUMBNAIL-SIZE PEOPLE

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Start by practicing simple, generic figures,

focusing on natural proportions.

Vary the sizes and shapes to represent

different types of people, like children or
the elderly.

Focus on simple shapes to outline the body,

such as ovals and lines for the arms and legs.

Once you’ve mastered the basic outlines,

you can begin adding details.
A helpful method is to start with the
body, as it’s the largest shape, then add
the head, legs, and accessories.

Accessories and props can help set

the scene, suggest the situation,
weather, time of the day etc.

Show interaction between people, like

they are having a conversation - this will
add life and energy to your drawing.

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PRACTICE DRAWING THUMBNAIL-SIZE PEOPLE 19

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While drawing couples, you can apply

the design principle of similarity and make
them have something in common.

Draw men slightly taller if needed.

To show someone walking, shorten one of

their legs to suggest distance and
movement.

For a sense of motion, try drawing details

like a bag hanging off the shoulder or a
scarf blowing in the wind.

Show how people interact with their

surroundings - like climbing the stairs or
sitting in a relaxed posture.

These touches will help create a more dynamic

and inviting atmosphere in your sketches.

Use figures for comparative scale to indicate

the size of objects, like trees.

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 20
HOW TO COLOR THUMBNAIL-SIZE PEOPLE

Repeating human figures throughout your drawing can help unify the composition. To
keep the colors harmonious, use shades that are already in your artwork. The easy way
is to use colored pencils and sometimes felt-tip pens.

For faces, you can use a light beige color. Use neutral colors like grey, brown, black, and
blue for items like jeans, trousers, and coats, with occasional accents of color. I like to
use lighter and darker shades of the same color to add depth to clothes.

Finally, add dark grey shadows to “anchor” the figures.

Palette Of Colours Used

I colored this digitally in Procreate app using Derwent brush (Derwent color pencils).
The first sketch was drawn and rendered on paper.
 21
HOW TO COLOR THUMBNAIL-SIZE PEOPLE

Here are some figures without black outlines. I leave white spaces for highlights and
apply color in a loose, sketchy way. Adding base colors for the sky and the ground helps
tie everything together.

Try find a style that blends the figures naturally into your drawing without distracting
too much from the overall scene.

Add bright accents sometimes, like a pink hat

and yellow coat, but try not to overdo it.

These small figures add interest to the

drawing but should not steal the focus.
 22
THUMBNAIL-SIZE WOMEN FIGURES

Practice drawing women figures step-by-step.

You can start by marking the

figure’s height with dots.

Roughly sketch the largest

shapes with a colored pencil,
then outline the upper body and
skirt.

Add the bag, the dog and draw

the legs.

Draw the head last, ensuring

it’s in proportion with the
figure.

Finish by adding shadows and apply colors to clothes and skin.

Use darker shade

to define shadow

*I drew digitally using Derwent brush and

keep highlights
colors from Procreate app.
on clothes and
skin When I draw on paper, I use Staedler
create skirt shadow color pencils. Feel free to use any colors
on legs or pencils you like, just avoid using too
many colors to ensure harmony.

Keep some distance between the heels, with one foot in front of
the other to suggest motion.
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THUMBNAIL-SIZE WOMEN FIGURES

top of head The width of the figure can be about

top of shoulders 3 times its head width.

The proportions are approximate

center
because people wear different
arm clothes, hair style and are shown in
knees various motions or positions.

Aspire to develop your instinct for

what feels natural when illustrating
people.

*You can place your

paper here to practice

*You can color these figures

 24

DRAWING SIMPLE TREE OUTLINE STEP-BY-STEP EXAMPLES

1. Draw the ground and the tree trunk.

2. Place a dot to estimate the height of the tree.
3. Draw a dotted outline to create a simple shape.
4. Connect the dots. Make little adjustments to the shape if needed.

1 3 4

Cupressus

1 3 4

Populus
 25

DRAWING SIMPLE TREE OUTLINE STEP-BY-STEP EXAMPLES

1.Draw the ground and the tree trunk.

2.Place a dot to estimate the height of the tree.
3.Draw a dotted outline to create simple shape.
4.Connect the dots. You can make little adjustments to the shape if needed.

1 3 4

Pinus

1 3 4

Picea
 26
SHAPES AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF TREES

Each tree has a characteristic shape and proportions (the so-called "Habitus").
Observe real trees and practice sketching different tree shapes. Pay attention
to proportions and the shape of the crown.

Sketching trees can help you learn their scientific names :)

Cupressus

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Populus

Picea

Pinus
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 27
SHAPES AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF TREES

Each tree has a characteristic shape and proportions (the so-called "Habitus").
Observe real trees and practice sketching different tree shapes. Pay attention
to proportions and the shape of the crown.

Sketching trees can help you learn their scientific names :)

Tilia

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Quercus

Acer

Betula
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 28
ADDING FOLIAGE TEXTURE TO EXPRESS TREE CHARACTER

Add some texture along the tree outline by repeating the same type of doodle.
Draw cluster doodles more dense on the shadow side, leave some white space in
between to express the direction of light.

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 29
ARCHITECTURE AND PROPORTIONS

Sharpen your sense of proportions by drawing squares and then rectangles

that are 2-3 times longer on one side than on the other. Draw various types of
roofs with sharp, 90-degree angles and blunt angles. Practice drawing
a castle and a temple. Focus on symmetry and proportions.

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 30

Instructions: Practicing Drawing Straight Lines

Follow these steps to improve your line drawing skills:

1. Relax Your Arm:

• Ensure your arm is relaxed and free from tension.
• Avoid gripping the pen too tightly, as this can restrict movement.

2. Minimal Pressure:
• Use minimal pressure on the pen to allow for smoother movement.
• Lighten your grip on the pen to prevent strain on your hand and wrist.

3. Whole Arm Movement:

• Instead of relying solely on your wrist, engage your whole arm in the
drawing motion.
• Keep your wrist relatively stationary and pivot from your shoulder for
larger movements.
• This technique helps create straighter lines by reducing the likelihood
of unintended arcs or wobbles.

4. Consistent Speed:
• Maintain a consistent speed while drawing to achieve smoother lines.
• Experiment with different speeds to find what works best for you.
• Practice moving your arm steadily and smoothly to produce straight,
uniform lines.

By practicing regularly, you can improve your ability to draw straight

lines with greater precision and control.
 31

Instructions: Creating a Proportional Rectangle

Start by drawing a square

To make a proportional rectangle, combine multiple squares.
Add additional squares horizontally or vertically to the original
square to achieve the desired length ratio.

Sometimes I mark with more dots ,

1 2 or no dots at all.

1 2 3 Experiment to find
what works best for you :)

Try to draw vertical rectangles.

You can color them later or

add hatching /cross-hatching to them.

1 2 3
1 2 3 4

1 3 2
Examples of marking
proportions of the buildings

I often start with the base

and then go up.
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
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THANK YOU FOR USING THIS WORKBOOK!

I hope this workbook and all the cards have been useful to you!

I found myself inspired to combine these exercises together and

share some tips and insights with you.

If you want to share your practice drawings with me, you can send me
a message at @daribodrawing Instagram and I will be happy to cheer
you up :)

I’ve started my own Instagram to share and get feedback as I’ve

heard that it’s important for artists. And I believe it is.

I will continue to create new practice cards based on the feedback I

get! So if there are topics that interest you and you would like to try
some exercises, let me know.

All the best, keep practicing!

Daria
Finland
September 2024