How to Draw A Mile Marker with Leaves looks hard but by using a few texture techniques it is easier than it looks. I was inspired by an old concrete mile marker on rt 108. Start with a light rough draft using a 2b or hard pencil. Draw the rectangle top of the mile marker and just a few lines going down. I like to draw it tilted I think it gives the project a little interest. The horizon is just the tree line in the background- draw it lightly early on in the project. A few vertical lines and circles to get the trees in place. The leaves of the ivy are "heart shaped." after you have the area filled up with the heart shaped leaves work the area over with a heaver pencil to make shadows and other leaves underneath. The trunk of the trees are textured with short choppy lines. Make the lines heavy on the side of the tree that has the shadow. The leaves on the trees are rounded you can just scribble lots of tiny loops using a dark pencil for the underside of the tree leaves, then some tiny arches on top in ligh pencil. The grass creates distance by setting the foreground apart form the middle it is drawn with shot up and down bunches. Give the grass variety in thickness and height. Shade in the dark side of the monument and work it smooth whith a blending stick, add some pock marks and spots of weathering. The area on the ground around the monument is dried leaves, they are drawn with lots of little "Zs," "Ws," "Ns" etc. some over others some in light and some in dark pencil. Keep the distant trees soft to give the effect of distance. Don't do more than to outline them. A few squiggly lines make twigs sticking up finishes the picture.
(c)Adron Dozat
