Okay, so today I decided to mess around with creating some digital art of natural parks. I’ve always loved the beauty of nature, and I figured, why not try to capture that digitally?
First, I gathered some references. I didn’t want to copy anything exactly, but I needed some inspiration. I looked at photos of national parks, you know, the big ones like Yellowstone and Yosemite, but also some smaller, local parks near me.
Getting Started with Sketching
Next, I opened up my drawing program. I usually use [Name of program, but not a link], it’s pretty simple. I started with a basic sketch, just rough outlines of mountains, trees, maybe a lake. I wasn’t too worried about details at this point, just the general shapes and composition.
This part took a while. I kept erasing and redrawing, moving things around until it felt right. Sometimes, I’d scrap the whole thing and start over. It’s frustrating, but part of the process, I guess.
Adding Some Color
Once I was happy with the sketch, I started adding color. I used a lot of greens and browns, obviously, but also some blues for the sky and water. I like to play around with different shades, making some areas lighter and others darker to give it some depth.
- Experimented with different brushes for the trees – some for broad strokes, others for finer details.
- Used a softer brush for the clouds, trying to make them look fluffy and natural.
- Added some highlights and shadows to the rocks and mountains to make them look more realistic.
The Finishing Touches
The last step was adding some details. I zoomed in and drew individual leaves on some of the trees, added some texture to the rocks, and put some ripples on the water. This is the part that takes the longest, but it’s also the most rewarding.
Finally, I stepped back and looked at the whole thing. It wasn’t perfect, but I was pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s always fun to see something come to life from just a few sketches and colors.
Maybe I’ll try a different kind of landscape next time. A desert, perhaps? Or a snowy forest? We’ll see!
