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Draw 50
Draw 50 Flowers, Trees, and Other Plants: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Orchids, Weeping Willows, Prickly Pears, Pineapples, and Many More...
Targeted at young aspiring artists seeking to develop their technical skill and build a repertoire of subjects, especially those in nature.
Acclaimed author Lee J. Ames shows readers how to draw dozens of plants with a comprehensive, step-by-step approach. His distinctive drawing method has proven to be successful for children and adults alike over the past thirty years, and has shown artists, from the beginner to advanced level, how to draw everything from animals to airplanes. The revised Draw 50 series gives an old favorite an exciting, new look.
Acclaimed author Lee J. Ames shows readers how to draw dozens of plants with a comprehensive, step-by-step approach. His distinctive drawing method has proven to be successful for children and adults alike over the past thirty years, and has shown artists, from the beginner to advanced level, how to draw everything from animals to airplanes. The revised Draw 50 series gives an old favorite an exciting, new look.
64 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
70 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 4, 2017
It's nice if you'd like to see the process of how they were drawn, but not really instructional.
September 18, 2021
What you get out of this book will truly depend on what you expect from it. My biggest takeaway is to remember that the key to drawing complex things is to break them into simple forms. Truly look carefully at each object and strip it down to the most basic elements. Then, keep moving around your drawing to be aware of spatial relationships and composition.
I’m blessed that I have a lovely garden, houseplants and live in an environment with ample plants and and trees so I have plenty of my own photos and real life references of many of these specimens. I suspect copying the drawings in the book would not just bore me stupid but possibly lead to some of the most uninspired drawings of all time. Also in this age of Google, it’s a lot easier to find a wide selection of references that can help keep your subject fresh and capture exactly how you want to portray a particular plant rather than just the one view the book presents.
I think Ames clarity of thought in how to quickly break sown shapes is certainly something to practice. For me though, I feel actually copying the drawings deprives the artist of making their own creative decisions. I would use this as a suggestive reference only not as a definitive how-to of how to draw each subject. I haven’t read any of the others in this series, (I didn’t know there was a series until I got to the end of the book) but I’m guessing I would take the same approach to all of them. Absorb the one technique and move on. There are a lot of other techniques that can also help you get the results you desire.
Oh and get this from the library. I don’t think I’d need to refer to it often enough to add to my permanent collection.
I’m blessed that I have a lovely garden, houseplants and live in an environment with ample plants and and trees so I have plenty of my own photos and real life references of many of these specimens. I suspect copying the drawings in the book would not just bore me stupid but possibly lead to some of the most uninspired drawings of all time. Also in this age of Google, it’s a lot easier to find a wide selection of references that can help keep your subject fresh and capture exactly how you want to portray a particular plant rather than just the one view the book presents.
I think Ames clarity of thought in how to quickly break sown shapes is certainly something to practice. For me though, I feel actually copying the drawings deprives the artist of making their own creative decisions. I would use this as a suggestive reference only not as a definitive how-to of how to draw each subject. I haven’t read any of the others in this series, (I didn’t know there was a series until I got to the end of the book) but I’m guessing I would take the same approach to all of them. Absorb the one technique and move on. There are a lot of other techniques that can also help you get the results you desire.
Oh and get this from the library. I don’t think I’d need to refer to it often enough to add to my permanent collection.
May 7, 2020
Assumes you don’t have an eraser
This book was a bit helpful in showing their process to draw certain plants. I liked that they had a complete timeline from start to finish. I wish they would have had bigger first steps instead of tiny strokes you are unsure where they go in the next step. Overall the drawing somewhat resembles their final result but it is frustrating to have to guess what lines connected with what because the darken lines just are not good enough to visualize the final result.
This book was a bit helpful in showing their process to draw certain plants. I liked that they had a complete timeline from start to finish. I wish they would have had bigger first steps instead of tiny strokes you are unsure where they go in the next step. Overall the drawing somewhat resembles their final result but it is frustrating to have to guess what lines connected with what because the darken lines just are not good enough to visualize the final result.
April 1, 2020
Look elsewhere!
I am really disappointed. You can BARELY see the illustrations. There is NO instruction whatsoever. This was a complete waste of money.
I am really disappointed. You can BARELY see the illustrations. There is NO instruction whatsoever. This was a complete waste of money.
May 23, 2020
Disappointing
No instructions at all and it was lacking interest. Nothing compared to other books. Save your money. I really wanted to learn how to draw.
No instructions at all and it was lacking interest. Nothing compared to other books. Save your money. I really wanted to learn how to draw.
January 31, 2021
Warning; never buy a Kindle version of a learn to draw book. The fine lines don’t show up on the black and white screen. Total waste of $$! Very disappointed 😞
June 7, 2023
Tried following some. Found it beyond my level. But the book is great.
November 21, 2024
Draw 50 flowers, trees, and other plants, Ames, Lee J.
I will attempt practicing the Weeping Willow.
I will attempt practicing the Weeping Willow.
February 18, 2011
This is a fascinating book of sketches of plant life. With 50 very different plants to choose from, there is plenty of options and techniques that people who are learning more about drawing can pick from. I love that there are several tropical plants and flowers featured (like the protea, palm tree, and passionflower) that remind me of Hawaii. Our oldest loves to draw and is always bringing these kinds of books from her elementary school library. I think she is a far better artist at 8 than I ever could be.
February 1, 2017
Hard to see.
From what I could see the instructions are very good. The illustrations however are Very difficult to see, especially the first and second illustration of every plant and tree. I truly wanted to be able to use this book but I don't think I will be able to see the drawings.
From what I could see the instructions are very good. The illustrations however are Very difficult to see, especially the first and second illustration of every plant and tree. I truly wanted to be able to use this book but I don't think I will be able to see the drawings.
January 10, 2016
Draw 50 Flowers, Trees, and Other Plants: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Orchids, Weeping Willows, Prickly Pears, Pineapples, and Many More...
Ames, Lee J.
a favorite in the library as a students resource for drawing
Ames, Lee J.
a favorite in the library as a students resource for drawing
April 15, 2016
My review can be found on my blog.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews