These tips and ideas will give any artist a reason to break out the pens, pencils and sketchbook and head outside into the warm spring air.
Flowers
Spring brings with it an abundance of flora and fauna. Sketching flowers may seem a bit obvious, but only if the artist sketches any old flower the same way they always have. Here are some ideas for creating unusual flower sketches:
- Try a different viewpoint. Sketch flowers from above, below and inside, instead of the boring straight-forward view. Think Georgia O’Keefe.
- Draw the parts of the flower instead of the flower as a whole. The stamen, stigma, pistil, sepals and anther are all important parts of a flower and should be studied in detail through sketching.
- Make sure to draw wildflowers as well as cultivated varieties.
- Draw flower buds in various stages of growth.
Wildlife
During the spring, wildlife awakens from hibernation, heads back north after a winter vacation, and starts making families. Artists can document this time by taking nature walks or visiting a farm with a sketchbook. Keep an eye out for these must-sketch moments:
- Birds making nests, calling for mates and feeding young (See How to Draw Birds for more information.)
- Foals making their first wobbly steps across a field
- Young bucks fighting for a mate
- Ducks leading their newly hatched brood to the pond for a swim
Children
Children can be the perfect subject for any season. In the spring, an artist can try to capture a child’s joy over the warming weather by drawing children during spring activities such as these:
- Flying kites
- Hunting for Easter eggs
- Picking wildflowers
- Making Mother’s Day gifts
- Vacationing with parents during Spring Break
Weather
No matter where an artist lives, there is some type of weather that is unique to their area during the springtime. For example, the central United States is known for their springtime thunderstorms. When viewed from a safe distance, reference photos or indoors, these monster storms can be interesting sketchbook fodder.
Defining Spring
Though the suggestions above are a good way to start a spring sketchbook, the artist should also think about what the season means to them. Is there a certain memory that the artist is reminded of when thinking of this time of year? Are there certain colors, shapes and objects that are personally associated with springtime? What influences personal creativity the most this time of year?
Brainstorming these ideas will create many great ideas for filling sketchbook pages with drawings that are meaningful and inspirational to the artist.
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