Drawing Trees

by Victor Semon Pérard

This concise guide features easy-to-follow steps for capturing the natural beauty and magnificence of trees. Over 100 illustrations spotlight dozens of different varieties, including Oak, Willow, Pine, and Palmetto. Topics include shading techniques, composition, portraying shadow and light, and approaches to outlining.
Author and illustrator Victor Perard, a graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, was an art instructor at New York City's Cooper Union for twenty years. This informative volume reflects his extensive teaching experience and provides practical advice for artists at every level.

Genres: Art, Drawing, Reference, Nonfiction, Nature

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Victor Semon Pérard (1870-1957) was a Golden-Age American illustrator who trained at the École des Beaux Arts and later at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League. He also wrote many art-instruction books in the early 20th century.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I've read it numerous times. The pictures are beautiful and the advice is excellent--mostly about the order to use in drawing trees--working with masses first so that you simplify and grasp the overall shape in your mind and don't get bogged down in detail before you're understood what you're trying to convey.

[Botros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drawing trees are no simple "How to Draw-book". Victor Perard instead gives examples of different trees. After reading the book, I look at nature in a different way - I see that different trees grow in different ways, tribes, bark, leaves and tree crowns are very different. This is a book to be inspired by.

[Aikya Param · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trees fascinate me. I love to sketch them. This book helped me to be able to identify a few more of them so I appreciate iit for that support.

[aks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is less of a how-to-draw book, more of a how-to-see. Though it isn't a long book, it is immensely helpful in showing you how to look at trees and nature.

[Mary Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise, easy to understand book on drawing trees. It covers perspective, composition, shading, texture, and other things you would expect in a drawing class.
Very motivating. (I love drawing trees.) Helpful for teaching students, probably 12 and up.
Inexpensive. A Dover reprint of a book written in 1955. Alas, we have no more elm trees to draw.

[Robin Gookins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely Helpful

I rarely do graphite sketches, my medium is watercolor. Realistic tree branches are very difficult for me and this little book is going to help me improve. I found it to be very useful for me and I am going to use it as a reference for drawing trees.

[Borum · Rating 1 out of 5]

It just has some pictures of trees.. Virtually no info on how to draw trees.. Absolute waste of $

[Gina MiChele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning A New Technique

I am beyond pleased with this instructional guide of a simple yet effective way to draw trees in a realistic manner.
It is also a delight to read.
I thank Victor Perard for creating this wonderful book.

[Vickie L Searan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very simple instructions

Easy to understand simple instructions, can study straight from photo. Guides are easy to refer to . Thank you dove.