Get outside
Draw a natural
work of art
Get outdoors and draw nature in the wild with our top tips for sketching mushrooms and more
Get ready to be an artist!
Drawing is a brilliant way to make a record of things you can see in nature. Sure, it’s easy to snap a photo, but with a drawing you can make your picture unique! You don’t need much equipment, and you can draw anything anywhere!
You will need
- Paper
- Pencil
- Eraser
- Something to press on (maybe a clipboard)
- Something waterproof to sit on
Remember!
Never touch wild mushrooms or funghi!
Step one
Depending on the season, put on warm clothes as you’ll be outdoors and not moving for a while, and it’s easy to get cold. Bring something waterproof as you might need to kneel or sit on soggy, cold ground.
Step two
Find something you’d like to draw. Maybe start with something easy, like a toadstool – it won’t run away and there are plenty if you look, especially in autumn.
Step three
Draw the basic outline, then look really hard at your subject and mark in its key features. Don’t worry about mistakes – you can rub them out or make them part of the sketch later.
Step four
Add shading and firm lines so your sketch doesn’t look too flat. You can bring it to life with just one pencil or decide to add colour later.
Step five
Don’t worry if it doesn’t all look perfect. Concentrate on one main area and then lightly sketch around it. It can look cool to give an impression of what you’re drawing rather than getting everything exactly right.
Image credits: ©Harriet Gardiner
Top art tip!
Adding in the little features that are unique to whatever you’re drawing will really help to bring it to life on your paper.
